Chapter 8 – The night of lonely candles

A chilling wind had started to blow chilling Angelina even more thoroughly than the night had so far managed. She was starting to feel decidedly foolish in her choice of dress. Perhaps they could be persuaded to come back another time? Perhaps these two would have somewhere close by to go to. Angelina rubbed herself and tried not to look too silly in front of the man she had come to admire.

The nameless man stood at the gateway to the labs with his long coat open and flapping in the growing wind. He stood and stared at nothing as if he did not feel the cold. There were no instructions that covered this situation and he did not know what he should do now. It occurred to him that he desperately needed to use the toilet but even as he focused on his own needs, his mind was snapped back to the job in hand. What he needed he realised was an instruction so that he could give up for the night. Perhaps if these people with him the he had forgotten about ordered him they might get to sit by a fire. He thought all that and saw no irony or contradiction in his thoughts.

Jackson was starting to feel the cold. He looked at the simple guy and wondered if he would give up his coat. He looked over at Angelina and saw how cold she was. Perhaps he could get this guy to give up his coat?

Jackson looked at the nameless man and wondered if he should demand some more information. Perhaps he would suggest they do something that might involve Jackson getting to touch Angelina, like crushing into a small car or putting a coat on her…

Jackson slipped his own coat off. The wind nipped at his skin where his shirt was untucked. He step forward to Angelina and said: “Here, wear this.”

Angelina looked at the offered coat and tuned so that Jackson could put it on her. It felt warm still. She instinctively tilted her head back with a slight arch of her back so as to give a better view of her cleavage. Jackson’s hands moved to adjust the coat collar and she reached for them pulling his arms about her for extra warmth.

The three strangers stood at the gate and the wind blew over them.

Jackson wanted to tuck his shirt back in but refused to let go of his woman. She smelt good and she felt great in his arms. She was leaning back into his chest with her cheek pressed against his neck affording Jackson a grand view of her top.

The three strangers stood together in a place where none of them wanted to be while none of them were willing to leave.

The last of the lights started to go out in the lab complex.

Jackson knew that soon this guy would try to get in. They would have to help him soon or stop him. He looked up for a moment from feasting his eyes and said: “Why don’t we go somewhere less chilly and wait?”

“No reason,” answered the nameless man.

“Then take us to the nearest dry windless place.” Said Jackson.

“OK” said the nameless man.

Shannon was being a terrible tease and she knew it. It was the sixth time that night she had said or done something particular suggestive to Mary before flirting with the man with the cowboy hat.

Mary had not said anything for several minuets now but each time their eyes met her eyes spoke volumes in promises and memories of passion and exploration.

Some times, when the lights were coloured and the air thick of smoke (like tonight at the One Bell Ringing), Anabellus had discovered that he could spend good lengths of time among the living without raising comment. Even when he did, he had a pocketful of ready made sob stories that would lure many a girl from the bar. The girl that was flirting with him no however had other things on her mind and was engaged in a complex game that even she was barely aware of.

If he was to find any easy pickings then Anabellus knew it would be with the silent overly restrained friend of this Shannon. A slightly up tight girl by the name of Linda.

Linda was a veritable ripened fruit filled with silent longings and jealous unspoken desire for her friend. After the to girls left he knew Linda would remain. He gave her his gentlest smile and a wink.

She blushed and looked away.

The nearest shelter from the lab complex was the last house they had passed. It was a large and dilapidated building that had stood empty for the last few months. The owners had left rather hurriedly one night and the landlord unable to cope with the debts had killed himself a few days later. The house had been in all the papers for weeks due almost entirely to lack of imagination and any other real news.

The front was wild and overgrown with tall bushes and trees that had once formed a tall and impressive hedge that was now so overgrown that the lower windows were completely obscured.

The nameless man led them to the back of the building where he kicked the door where the handle should have been causing the door to fly open.

It was dark with a slight smell of damn inside but it felt so much warmer once they were out of the wind that Angelina did not even think to worry that the had broken in.

On instinct, they all walked silently into the front room. It was so dark that when Jackson lit his lighter and held it up it seemed that floodlights had filled the room. The room was devoid of furniture and the carpet looked cheap and warn.

“not a palace,” said Angelina looking at Jackson’s face, “but I am sure that if we sat close together we would be ok.”

Jackson could hardly contain his illation. This was everything he could have possibly hoped for.

Jackson let the lighter go out and gently pulled Angelina into the corner where the natural gap between the chimneybreast and the window made for a spacious but cosy alcove.

“Are you using you coat?” asked Jackson to their companion. It was the way you ask a child now your not going to do that again, are you?

The man dropped his coat at their feet and felt his way out of the room. They could here his feet on the stairs as he went up.

“Isn’t this exiting,” said Angelina, “a real adventure.”

“Yes.” Said Jackson.

Not long after Shannon had let Mary lead her from the pub Anabellus led Linda to a quieter corner with a large order of drinks. Under the careful influence of Anabellus Linda allowed herself to indulge he desires and had soon poured out to Anabellus her most secret longings and fantasies. Rarely had influencing someone been so easy.

Jackson lay propped up on his side, smoking the nameless mans cigarettes with Angelina pressed up against him. One arm held her tightly while the other Jackson used to smoke and reach over Angelina to tap ash into the fireplace.

Angelina was sure at that moment that she had never felt so comfortable and safe.

Upstairs the toilet flushed.

“I don’t believe that still works,” said Angelina, “I’m surprised anything works here.”

Wrapped his thick fur coat around his shoulders and led Linda into the night. It had been a shock to discover how much she knew about his bride. It seemed wrong somehow.

He lit a cigar. “Show me where you work,” he said with a voice like dripping honey, “I find it appealing that a woman is so intellectually gifted.”

The nameless man came back into the room. He looked a little less ragged and had stopped shacking from the cold.

He placed a small bundle of items in the centre of the room and sat down.

“What have you found?” asked Jackson. He was getting the hang of this – the more direct the question and the more commanding his voice the better the man reacted.

“Candles” said the man.

“Great,” said Angelina, “can we get a fire going too?”

“That’d be good,” said Jackson he pictured himself with Angelina alone in the house with nothing but a roaring fire and a sheepskin rug to lie on.

The nameless man lit a candle and, after letting some wax fall into the fireplace, he set it down in the cooling wax. The candle stayed ass he had placed it and the room filled with a mild yet comforting light that mad the night seem all the darker and so much colder.

“We save the others” said the man.

“OK dude,” said Jackson, “maybe you can see about a fire?”

“I will see what there is,” He replied, “it’s getting late and I must go out.”

“Shouldn’t we help him?” asked Angelina as the man left the room to continue to search.

“Oh no,” said Jackson sliding his hand around her waist and onto her stomach.

“Are you sure?” she asked placing her hand on his.

“Totally sure,” said Jackson, “guys like him need to feel useful.”

Whereas guys like me, simply need to feel your skin, thought Jackson as Angelina threaded her fingers through his and pulled his arm tightly around her so that she in tern could snuggle more deeply against his chest.

Linda lay on the cool wet grass of someone’s front lawn. The damn seeped in through her clothes and it felt good. He skin felt as though it was on fire. She felt light headed and happy, all anxiety drifting away. She closed her eyes and then opened them again, the sky looked fantastic from here. For a moment, she felt panic and then she closed her eyes for the very last time.