4. The Deal

Henry makes a deal and doesn't even know it...

“What the hell is going on?” Henry demanded.  He felt anger and incomprehension stewing inside him like a pot of bile.  “What do you want,” he asked her. “What do you want with me?”

Icicles of frost might have dripped from the ceiling vents, the bathroom was so cold; but in an instant, he was sweating when she pressing her body against him.  Her smell overwhelmed him.  It filled him with heat and musky sweet lust for her.  Their lips squished. He pulled her tight, closer, their bodies mingling. He felt himself giving in, losing himself.

Then a memory came suddenly.  He had a life.  He had children, a wife, a real estate career.  This wasn’t real.  It wasn’t real.  

Henry shoved her violently away.  Her head snapped forward then back with the force. “Get off of me!” he shouted.  “I’m a married man!”

Lenore looked stupefied and hurt.  Her lips were still parted, hungry for more. She came toward him, then looked into his eyes and saw what was there and turned away.

In her reflection on the wall mirror, Henry could see tears begin to well, then drip at the corners of her eyes.

“So you can remember,” she said softly.  “You’re not supposed to… Not supposed to remember anything. It’s not normal.”

“Where the hell am I?  What is all of this?”

She opened her mouth as if to say something, then shook her head.  Then she said, “Tell me about your wife.”  Her expression was serious, probing.  “Do you love her?”

“She’s a pain in the a*s,” Henry said, surprised to hear himself speaking truthfully, given the circumstances.  “Always nagging the hell out of me.”

“But do you love her?” Lenore asked.  “Do you love your wife, Henry?”  

Henry shut his eyes and tried to remember. It was hard.

  

“I do,” he said finally. “She’s my best friend. And she’s a great mom to our twins.”  A pang of fear bolted through him that he might never see his family again. 

Lenore shut her eyes and squeezed her palms to her face. She spoke desperately. “And your boys, do you love your boys?”

“Yes,” he said, tears streaming down his face.  

She studied him intently. Then she said, “They’re going to steal your life, Henry.  Van and the others are gambling for it.  One of them very well could walk out of here with your soul in their pockets, living your life, being a father to your children, a husband to your wife. Do you want that? For someone else to live your life, while you stay locked in these walls forever?”  

“No,” said Henry, rage and fear bubbling inside him.  He seized her by the shoulders, turned her, then pushed her against the wall. “You have to help me.”

“Is there anything you wouldn’t give to have your life back, Henry?” 

“I’ll do whatever it takes.  Show me how to get out of here.”

She smiled.

Henry felt dazed again, confused.  His hands were empty.  Now Henry’s back was against the wall.  When had they switched places?  

Lenore fixed her dress and smirked at her reflection in the mirror, totally composed.

“Okay, Henry.  We have a deal.  You need to leave, now.  Don’t even try to win at their stupid card game.  The door is by the marble statue.  Try to remember.”

For an instant, Henry saw Lenore as she really was: a fox on all four paws, red pelt, long snout, jade green eyes glowing as they met his.  

The great animal winked at her reflection, then sauntered out of the men’s room.  

Henry tried to process all of what Lenore said, struggling to remember the details.  

An idea occurred to him, and he searched his pockets for his wallet.  He found it and opened it to the pictures he had there of his wife and children, relieved to find them still there.

He fixed his eyes on Julia, on his sons, on  George and Felix. 

If he just focused on repeating their names over and over, maybe he could beat away the effects of the dark magic that threatened to steal him away.

Reviews

[Alex Cook]

It keeps getting better. I can't wait to finish this.