AN: Hey everyone sorry this took so long but as I said in my last post life has been crazy on my end. But things have settled down so I finally got the chance to write this chapter. I cant guarantee the quality since I had to edit it myself but I hope its readable and that you all can enjoy it. And thank you so much for your patience.
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Chapter 2- Tony
[Beeeeep] [beeeeep] [beeeeep] [beeeeep]
The blare of an alarm clock rang out in the dark room with a piercing sound that broke the peaceful silence of the morning. It kept going in its attempts to wake the single occupant of a small mountain of blankets in the corner of the room. The noise continued to build growing louder as it failed to produce activity from its intended victim. From outside the room heavy footsteps could be heard moving across old wooden floorboards. They were getting louder with each step, coming to stop just outside the door. With a mighty crash that shook the walls of the room an object pounded on the door almost threatening to break it off its old hinges.
“Hey Tony! Wake up you damned sleepy head and turn off your freaking alarm. Also hurry and get downstairs, you’ve got work to do dammit,” An incredibly deep voice rumbled from the other side of the door
In response to the man’s voice a slender yet well muscled arm reached out from beneath the pile of blankets. Knocking several items off the small end table as the arm searched for the alarm. With a lack of life or effort long slender fingers found the despicable evil that lurked in the dark. The fingers coming together to form a fist they slammed down, exacting their vengeance upon the terror that dared to disturb the occupant’s slumber.
With the silencing of the alarm showing the appearance of life within the room the owner of the voice could be heard grumbling. Their heavy steps taking them back the way they came. The pile of blankets stirred as the arm retracted back into the comfortable mass it came from, and a figure emerged from within.
Almost as if it was shedding the blankets a body that seemed barely human lifted itself up and sat upon the edge of the tiny bed. A groan emanated from the creature and two slender hands reached up to its head and began violently rubbing in an attempt to aid in waking itself.
Standing up in the dark the person moved towards the window where a few ineffective rays of early morning sun tried to break through and add warmth to the room. Taking a small step forward their foot caught on the blankets that had been tossed aside and tripped, falling to the ground with a painful thump. The body hitting the ground shook the room causing dust to fall from the ceiling, adding golden sparkles to the weak sunlight leaking in from the window.
“Ugggggh,” was the only response from the now prone body that lay on the floor trying to pick itself back up off the ground. After several tense moments of flailing the person got a decent grip on the cold wooden floor and pushed itself up into a sitting position. Sitting there on the floor a pair of eyes opened enough to take stock of the dim world around them.
Swearing quietly the person managed to extricate themselves from the mass of blankets tangled up around their legs. Getting up they made their delicate way without further incident to the blinds where the weak sun shone through and whipped them open.
“SON OF A BITCH!” a husky yet feminine voice shouted out as the morning sun blasted its way through the now wide open window.
“Oh good lord. Why on Earth did I think that was a good idea? Augh it burns,” Cried out the young woman writhing in pain from the morning light.
Long brown hair stuck out in odd directions as it ran down the middle of her back. Loose strands and lumps in her hair made her head look three times larger than it was. The extra size making it almost seem as if a bobble head sat upon a slender and delicate frame. Her bright blue eyes eventually adapted to the vial attack that had been struck upon them and shone with a sleepy intelligence.
A small pert nose sat center of a sharply angled well-defined face that spoke of a refined yet elegant beauty. Her thin pink lips twitched into a smile revealing a set of beautiful pearly white teeth welcoming a new day. As the girl stood as if to absorb the light coming in from the window she stretched her arms up into the air. Her white sleeping shirt lifted revealing the well-toned and muscular stomach hidden beneath.
The beautiful young woman stood this way for a few minutes more enjoying the morning light, stretching every now and then to continue waking herself. This could have gone on for some time longer except for a shout rang out from beyond the door telling her to hurry. With a sigh and a shout back of acknowledgment she undressed changing into a set of loose fitting sweat pants and an old Nirvana t-shirt. She then grabbed a pair of well-worn sneakers and headed out her door and towards the stairs.
Heading down the stairs she entered a small hallway that had several doors on both sides and one large opening near the end and close to the front door. From this opening the sounds of scraping chairs could be heard and the noise of a running dishwasher rumbled in the background. Coming upon the entrance way what met her eyes was the image of a large bald heavy set muscular black man.
He was whipping off several tables and chairs in what appeared to be a small bar or a comfortable tavern. She smiled fondly at the big man’s back. His name was Jim Quarmack and he had been her father’s oldest and best friend. But was now he was more or less the young woman’s caretaker in her father’s stead.
“Ahh you’re moving are you? Well hurry with your morning exercise and get back here quick all right. I need you to look over some of the latest bills and get that damned beer tap fixed before we open all right?” The man’s deep baritone rumbled out as hey noticed the woman standing in the doorway with a pair of shoes in her hands. “Oh and don’t forget the bankers are coming by this morning as well so you can’t be out to long.”
“Dammit I thought we had those assholes happy for at least the next few months though,” the woman growled as the bad news cast a shadow upon her morning.
With a wave of acknowledgement she turned and walked to the front door and put on her old running shoes. Stepping out into the mid morning sun she greeted the new day with a deep breath. Taking in the fresh air of the Nevada desert she breathed deeply and then exhaled her new worries away. The young woman standing in the light of a new day looked up at the sign above her head that rested on the top of the place she called home. O’Brien’s Tavern were the words that greeted her as she looked up and a small but savage smile played across her lips.
“I wont let them take you away pops, not after everything we’ve gone through. Those Fuckers will regret coming back here again dad,” She spoke almost as if in prayer.
Tony O’Brien turned away from the sign and once again set her eyes ahead of her proceeding to take in another deep breath of fresh air. Once again letting go of her worries she set off at a light jog headed down the road and away from the tavern she called home. As she jogged she lost herself in the rhythm of her movement. Her mind wandering to the past and the events of how her life had gotten to where she was today.
Her full name was Tony Kassandra O’Brien and she was twenty five years old as of last April. Named for her father’s late sister whom she had never met. But she had heard many stories about her when she was a little girl, after she had come into custody of her father. Originally Tony hadn’t lived in the small rundown town just north of Las Vegas and in the middle of nowhere known as the Nevada desert. Instead she had lived as a rather well off child in Manhattan New York City with her single mother raising her alone.
Her mother had been both beautiful and capable. In fact if people could’ve seen Tony and her mother side by side today many would have been hard pressed to tell the two apart. Tony had inherited many of her mother’s traits. Her mother had graduated with Honors and distinction from Harvard University with a degree in business management and had later grown to be a powerful, and decisive business woman. Tony’s mother left her father early in their relationship to pursue her career in New York. Eventually becoming the CFO of a major corporation by the time she was thirty. But Tony’s mother when she had left her father hadn’t expected the pregnancy that would become the corner stone of her new life in the Big Apple.
Tony’s mother had met her father after she had just graduated from university and between them it had been a short but passionate love affair. But her mother however received a job offer in New York, and so for many reasons she left the man she loved to pursue her new career. Unbeknownst to Tony’s mother by the time she was twenty six she had had a beautiful baby girl. Not wanting to enter anything dramatic and cause trouble for Tony’s father she decided that she would raise Tony herself. Doing the best she could for the newborn babe.
Years had passed and back then Tony had grown up unaware of her mothers past struggles. She knew little of her mother’s past, or of her worries in raising a child while managing a budding new career. But because of her mother’s hard work and determination her life as a little girl had been happy and innocent.
Tony had been the light of her mother’s life and she had spoiled Tony at every chance she got. Filling her busy but lonesome life with love for her child. Yet while doting upon Tony her mother had been strict as well. She had begun Tony’s education early on in order to prepare her for when she was old enough to go to school. With fine foods, tutors, many clothes, and a mother who desperately loved her it could be said her life had been a blessed one. The only sad part however that Tony could imagine was that she had never met the man she would one day come to know as her father.
One day when Tony was seven years old her mother had been out at a business dance. Tony had been at home being taken care of by her nanny. It was after Tony had fallen asleep and her mother had just arrived back to their Manhattan apartment when the incident occurred. Her mother while exiting the car that had driven her home was struck by a stray bullet from an armed robbery occurring further down their street.
A gunman had tried to hold up a young couple in an attempted robbery. But the man he was attempting to hold up was in fact an off duty police officer of the Manhattan police department. When being confronted by the off duty officer the man had in his surprise shot off several rounds into the night. One of the stray bullets lodging itself into the jugular of Tony’s mother.
Tony had been placed into the care of her nanny who was authorized to be her guardian if case of emergencies. But the police had felt it necessary to contact her father. By using several records her mother had left behind it took the police only a few days to learn who Tony’s father was and track down his location. The police after tracking him down informed him of what had transpired and of the daughter he’d never known he’d had. When he found out that his past love had died so tragically, a woman who he had fiercely loved, he broke down into tears. Weeping openly over the phone with the police.
But, when he found out his love had had a daughter and that he was the father his heart trembled. Emotions he never knew he had welling up inside him. A fierce protectiveness overtaking him towards the little girl he’d never before met. Without delay he set out to New York City.
A seven year old girl who had just lost her mother yet not quite comprehending what that meant but knowing her mother was never returning. She had felt the keen sting of loss at an early age. Having cried almost nonstop for several days and sealing herself away in her temporary room she had managed to settle down. At least enough that for a time she could play with her nannies children. The children had been playing on a set of swings pushing each other around with Tony sitting off to the side not taking part. Although a rare smile was on her face and she was giggling at the other children’s antics.
Especially those of a pair of boys attempting to toss each other off the swings. They had played that way for sometime when a frantic man escorted by several police officers arrived at the house where she was staying. When the man entered the yard Tony had been terrified of his rough appearance. Unable to recognize the man as her father for having never seen a photo of him before. With Tattoos adorning his arms and tough but lean muscles bulging underneath.
His clothes despite being well made caused his appearance to be even rougher. Sporting tight blue jeans, black designer shoes, and a black leather jacket his appearance matched that of a biker. Upon his head was a tangle of bright red hair while a matching coloured bushy beard covered his face and sagged down to his chest.
Upon seeing this terrifying figure she had fled with the rest of the children into the safe confines of the house. But when her nanny had come and told her that the man was there to see her she was reluctantly brought out to meet him. Yet upon seeing him she was surprised to see him crying, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably as he caught sight of the startled little girl.
Sobbing the man collapsed to his knees before her his eyes red with shedding tears and smalls sobs of both joy and sadness breaking through the still silence. His voice was softer than she had expected and came out in fits as sobs wracked his chest. In the end he did manage to get them out between sobs “Tony I know you don’t know who I am, but I am your father Tony, and I’ve come to take you home.”
She couldn’t quite grasp the words the man had said. The whole thing being a strange whirlwind of emotions for the young girl. But she understood the man was here to take her away and that his words were filled with a tenderness and love only her mother had ever shown. Her earlier fear of the man had mostly been forgotten when she had seen his broken and crying state. But now with such words filled with unbelievable love that her young mind had craved, any lingering fear vanished.
Staring at the man she saw that when he looked at her she could see the same look in his eyes that her mother had given her every night before she went to bed. It was a comforting and welcoming gaze. One that brought a much needed warmth to her small broken heart. Without realizing it she had broken down into tears and ran into the open loving arms of the man calling himself her father.
Tony’s reminiscence about the past came to a quite end as she reached her usual mid-morning rest stop. Sighing at her sad memories she slowed her pace to a walk as she neared her favorite stop. It was a small rundown gas station about 2 miles out of town. It rested in the middle of a wide open plain with nothing but shrubs and cacti for miles around. Offering her an amazing view of the early morning sun as it rose above the mountains far in the distance.
A gentle breeze played across the peaceful landscape and caused an old worn out sign on the front of the gas stations to creek in the breeze. Its rusted hinges adding their musical tones to those of bugs and other critters active in the cooler morning air, before the heat of the day could get too bad. The gas stations exterior was worn down and at first glance a person could almost be fooled to think it was abandoned. Old boards covered several broken windows that need replacing, Paint was stripping off the outside due to years of harsh heat and wind taking its toll on the old structure.
Even one pump was a remnant of an era long past. Its pumping mechanisms using old mechanical methods from the fifties instead of newer digital means. However the station was very much in service and it could reliably supply those in need of gas whenever the need might appear. But that’s not why Tony had come; no she had come for something much sweeter.
She walked to the door while taking her time to let the cool morning breeze dry the sweat off her body. Opening the door to the old gas station the sweet scent of flowers and that of fresh baking burst out and surrounded her in a cloud of comforting warmth. Smiling to herself and giddy with joy for having arrived in time she marched into the store. The reason this was her constant mid-morning stop was that an elderly couple she had become familiar with owned the station.
The first was a man in his late sixties who took care of the station. He also filled it with flowers he tended to from a garden out back. Along with the man was his older doting wife. She had been a professional baker in her younger days and continued to sell her delicious confections to the few visitors they had throughout the day. This Early in the morning the old woman would have just finished preparing her baked goods for the day. While the man would have also just finished replacing the older flowers that lined the stations interior.
For Tony stopping here every time she went for a run in the morning filled her day with a small sense of pure joy. The smell of fresh cut flowers and baked bread blended well with the colourful interior of the shop. It was bursting with life and overflowed with a pure sensation of renewal which calmed the heart and eased a troubled mind.
To Tony this was a small oasis this morning. The memories of her past still haunted her and the daunting meeting with the assholes from the bank loomed over her as well. She needed this little moment of joy and she was happy to indulge herself in it. Walking up to the counter she couldn’t see the old man who maintained the counter anywhere, but she could hear sounds of movement in the back of the building.
“Hey Joshua, Annie you two here?” Tony called out in a voice that came out raspier than she had expected. She had been pushing herself harder this morning than she had realized.
“Oh Tony! Good morning my dear, how are you on this beautiful day?” The old man came in while holding tightly onto the handle of the old woman who carried a tray of freshly baked cookies in her other hand.
“I’m all right Joshua. Got a lot on my mind. It’s nothing Annie’s fresh cookies can’t fix though,” Tony said over her shoulder as she took a bottle of water from the nearby refrigerator.
The friendly banter continued between them for a few minutes while Tony took care of a bottle of water and a couple of the extra cookies that Annie had baked just for her. It was while Tony was paying for the bottle of water that a sudden sense of unease filled her stomach. The hairs on the back of her neck rose as a strange cold sensation ran down the back of her spine. Her arms and exposed legs became covered in a mass of goose bumps as the chilling sensation spread throughout her body.
Her pupils became dilated and her breath became short and raspy. A ringing sound filled her ears and began to increase in pitch and level, drowning out the concerned voice of Joshua who had noticed her odd reaction. Tony stood stalk still for perhaps thirty seconds as the sensation washed over her body, freezing her into place. Yet almost as soon as it had begun the sensation vanished and Tony was left standing breathing deeply as if she had almost drowned.
Both Joshua and Annie stood around her attempting to get her attention and trying to find out what was wrong with panic filling their voices. Tony shook herself as the sensation disappeared and looked at the two people worrying over her with warms eyes.
“I’m all right now you guys,” Tony told, her voice shaking from the traumatic experience, “whatever that was is gone now.”
“Are you sure dear? I mean you look like you almost died of fright their for a moment. Come over here and have a seat at one of the tables and I’ll go get something warm to help calm you down all right,” Annie said with a look of motherly concern on her face. Joshua sat down on a small chair across from Tony and folded his hands on the table and looked at Tony, his forehead creased with concern.
“You sure you’re all right kiddo? That was some strange behavior back there. It looked almost as if you’d just stared Death in the face or something.”
“Yeah Joshua I’m fine now. Whatever that was it’s gone now but to say it felt like I was staring Death in the face would sound about right. I don’t know what came over me but I had this overwhelming sensation that something terrible was occurring. It felt…. It felt like when I lost mom and then dad…. It felt like the world was ending,” Tony shuddered, tears forming at the corner of her eyes as the trauma from the experience hit her square in the gut. But before she could shed too many tears Joshua stood up and took the poor girl in a giants embrace. His strong hug and fatherly warmth calming the distraught young lady.
Annie holding a warm cup of tea returned about this time and smiled at her husband comforting the younger woman. Like a father would to his daughter. She walked over as her husband released Tony from his embrace. Setting the tea down in front of Tony her other hand came to rest on the young woman’s shoulders.
“Drink up dear it’s tea made from plants in the garden and it works wonders for calming me down whenever an odd mood hits me. Which happens more often these days than you’d think. Comes with old age I believe,” Annie said as she sat down with her hand still resting on Tony’s shoulder.
“Thank you Annie, thank you both. I need a moment and then I’ll be ok,” Tony spoke as her heartfelt thanks came out towards the kindness of the two.
“No worries dear. As Annie said, these sorts of things happen as you grow older. But we’re just glad to see you feeling a little better. Would you like I could drive you home just as a precaution?” Joshua spoke out as he took his wife’s hand and looked at her with a loving glance.
“Thanks Joshua and that may be a good idea. I don’t know what that was, but I’d rather not be running if something happened again,” Tony replied as the warm soothing sensation of the tea filled her body. A sense of contentment helping to ease the last vestiges of fear remaining.
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Not even five minutes later Tony was in Joshua’s old pickup truck heading back into town. A bag of fresh cookies sat on her lap and a cup of tea was in her hands given to her by Annie as needed materials to help keep Tony calm. But her calm demeanor only lasted for the drive into town. As the old truck turned the last corner towards the old tavern she saw a sleek white Mercedes Benz, sitting out front. Her eyes narrowed in disgust as she recognized the expensive car.
The sense of calm she had shortly regained was replaced by a more sinister and dark feeling. Anger swelled in her bosom as she stared at the car almost as if she was trying to melt holes into its sleek exterior. Joshua not being one to miss such a display of open hostility looked at the car with knowing and worried eyes. Both he and Annie had known Tony since she was a child. She had come to their old gas station on an almost daily basis for Annie’s freshly baked cookies. To them Tony was almost like a daughter and after their son had passed away Tony had become even more important to the old couple.
So Joshua knew about Tony’s troubles and he looked at the young woman beside him who seethed with barely contained anger his eyes filled worry. But he knew Tony’s personality and that even he in this situation wouldn’t be of much help or use. Yet as the trucks tires crunched to a stop on the gravel out front of the tavern he couldn’t help but look to Tony.
“Tony if you need any help you know both Annie and I are here for you right? Do you want me to come in and lend a hand?” Joshua spoke while sending a knowing look towards the car beside him.
“No but thank you Joshua. I Think Jim and I should be able to handle these clowns ourselves… But thanks again for everything. Ill see you and Annie again soon ok.” She said with a sigh as she got out of the old truck and almost slammed the door closed.
“All right girl but you be careful you hear me? And don’t let those snakes get to you to badly all right, being pissed off and angry will only make things worse.” Joshua shouted back through the open window as he threw the truck into gear and took off back down the road.
Tony stood still in the middle of the parking lot along the road and took a moment to once again collect herself and regain her lost calm. Walking with purpose and making a clear attempt at ignoring the vehicle beside her, she mad her way back into O’Brien’s. She opened the door with more vigor than usual and cursed at herself as the door chimes rang out, announcing her presence to everyone inside the building. Purposefully not acknowledging the existence of the two men who stood inside the open tavern Tony walked over to the bar. She went to where Jim stood glaring at the two men.
“Hey Jim I’m back. Oh Annie gave me extra cookies so if you want any you’re welcome to have some,” Tony said while ignoring the men still standing in the centre of the room.
Tony placed the bag of remaining cookies and the mug of tea onto the counter in front of Jim. He grunted in acknowledgment continuing to stare daggers at the two men in their business suits. His hands were cleaning a large mug with an old clean cloth and his knuckles were an almost pure white. They trembled against the force he was putting into his task. Tony saw this and sighed at Jim’s attitude towards their unwelcome guests. His mood would only help to make her already dark mood even worse than it already was.
She couldn’t help but want to continue to ignore the two men behind her. Hoping that they were just a figment of her imagination and that she didn’t have to deal with this crap right now. The room became still as both she and Jim did their level best to ignore the two men. But before her hopes and dreams could be realized one of the men spoke up, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife.
“Good day Miss O’Brien it’s a pleasure as always to see you,” The man spoke. His voice clipped and hiding barely contained anger at the insult of ignoring him.
Tony’s eyes twitched at the degrading tone thrown her way and her face darkened to a noticeable degree as her heart seethed with rage. Sighing to herself at having to confront the inevitable and looking to Jim for support she turned towards the men behind her. Not even attempting to hide the disgust she felt towards them as she leaned against the bar. Blowing away any semblance of peace, she spoke to the man who first talked, her voice dripping with venom.
“Yeah well it’s not good to see you… So what do you people want? We already paid this month’s bills and the extra tax you people added onto the payments. So as I see it there shouldn’t be a reason for you to be here.”
Before the first man could retort the second who had yet to speak turned towards her. With his right hand he placed a large suitcase onto the table in front of him. Working the locks on the suitcase for a moment he opened it up and took out a large stack of papers. He also produced a file folder with her family’s name written on it. Placing the items onto the table beside the briefcase he looked back up at Tony with the air of a proper professional. Very much unlike his acquaintance he spoke to Tony in a tone bereft of emotion.
“Miss O’Brien the bank is afraid that due to some judicial issues and unforeseen economic matters your family’s payment options have been changed. On the mortgage for this bar a new payment plan has been comprised for you. Officially as of this next month you will now have 3 months left to pay off the remaining $70,000 that’s due. Either that or you will be forced to foreclose on all assets held under the terms of agreement.”
“………WHAT THE FUCK! You people cannot be serious. How in the Hell are we supposed to pay $70,000 in such a short time frame? We had at least another 13 months left on the mortgage just last month. Even then with how the economies been were barely able to pay what is owed now. There’s no way we can pay that off so soon. You can’t do this,” Tony shouted in unconstrained rage as she exploded forward, grabbing at the documents the man had placed on the table.
“Oh I am afraid the bank can and is doing exactly that. You see we checked with our lawyers and it’s entirely legal. Beside MISS O’BRIEN, it’s exactly the state of the economy that has the bank worried. They’re afraid that if the state of things continues the way they are and the economy continues to fall you won’t be able to make the payments at all.
So the bank has changed the term of your family’s payment plan and will collect as soon as possible, and it is Legal,” The second man’s voice spoke out in that same emotionless professionalism. Almost as if he didn’t regard the people in front of him as humans but more as things.
Tony clenched the papers in her hands as the man spoke. His cold attitude angering her even more than the deriding and degrading attitude his partner had shown. Her blood boiled and an unmitigated rage exploded from within her as his words hit home. These people were threatening to take… no they were taking her home away.
There was no possible way she and Jim could pay the money these people were demanding. They had been able to break even with the payments before and yet now they were wanting even more. Her father hadn’t left his tavern to her when he passed just so it could be taken away from her.
She couldn’t think anymore and reacted on pure instinct as her fear and anger took over. Just as she swung her fists toward the emotionless man, Jim who had followed her from the bar, reached out grabbing at her hand but he was already too late. Yet before her first could come into contact with the man’s face a wave of nausea washed over her body, nearly making her collapse in place. The sensation was so strong that her fist missed its mark and she tripped, falling to the floor with a bone-rattling shake. Her body began spasming as wave upon wave of nausea washed over her. Sweat poured off her as her immune system worked overtime in an attempt to fight off the apparent fever attacking her.
Her muscles clenched incredibly tightly as an indescribable amount of pain suddenly burst itself upon the back of her skull. Spreading throughout her nervous system it felt as if electricity were coursing through her. She couldn’t even let loose a scream as her mouth clenched tight against itself. Tony’s body was forced into the fetal position as her world became lost and all she could feel was the terrible pain that coursed through her. Again and again, wave after wave the pain flowed through her rising each moment to an unbearable pinnacle.
In that moment her world was coming undone. Her unheard cries to die and be set free from the pain falling on deaf ears. To Tony’s breaking mind it felt as if everything lasted for an eternity and it drove her towards insanity. But just as her mind stood upon the cusp of breaking it all vanished.
Tony was left panting and sweating upon the floor. Her body wracked with the memory of now invisible pain and her mind lay weary and tired. But as each moment passed she became stronger. Her breathing once again became something akin to normal and her heartbeat slowed to reasonable levels. As she recovered and her mind returned from breaking she realized something else had happened.
She could no longer either see or hear anything at all. She reached out for a table she knew rested near her grabbing onto it and using it to assist in helping her stand. Looking around her she could only see blackness, and the sound of silence was oppressive. Calling for Jim as she stood on shaky legs her mind raced with frantic thoughts of what had just occurred. Tony once again called out to him as she stood, wondering where he was and why he wasn’t helping her. She tried to search for him with her hand but grasped nothing but air. She continued shout his name but with each successive shout he never came to help.
Her mind raced with questions of where he was and why was he missing. He had never before left her alone like this, he had never missed being there to help. Whenever she needed him, even after her father had died, he had always been there for her. The lack of awareness of what was going on around her and the disappearance of Jim filled her anxious mind with imaginary fears.
She could only conclude something was terribly wrong with her and that something must have happened to Jim as well. Panic began to build as she worried that she perhaps wasn’t the only one affected by this strange phenomenon. If something happened to her that was fine but the fear of losing Jim made her heart clench. The fear kept getting stronger and crept into her belly as she realized that she was on her own. In her already weakened state of mind she could only keep shouting out for someone.
Hoping that she wasn’t alone, that someone might hear was the only thing keeping her fear from beating her. Yet no matter how loud she shouted or cried out while not moving from where she stood for fearing of losing her location, nobody came.
Though as she stood shouting to the world with her voice growing horse a quiet musical jingle could almost be heard coming from somewhere around her. At first Tony thought it was nothing more than a figment of her imagination. Her mind playing tricks on her as she strained her hearing to its limits. Slowly though as she listened the music was getting louder with each passing second.
In pure joy her heart leapt with the realization that the music was real. That she hadn’t been imaging it at all. She tried to turn towards the sound as it continued to grow but was unable to pin point its location. Strangely it seemed the music was coming from everywhere around her at once instead of from one specific direction. Yet her heart was bursting with hope as the music continued to play.
“Hello…. Hello is someone there?” She called out. Her voice weak from shouting.
“Please listen we need help in here right away. Something has happened in here and I’m not sure what but there’s four of us here and we need help,” She called out again not understanding why no one had responded.
“Someone... Anyone… WHO EVERS PLAYING THAT FUCKING MUSIC PLEASE ANSWER!” Tony cried out, her scream going unheeded and she could feel her silent voice calling out into emptiness.
However before she could scream any longer the music reached a crescendo and an old black and white countdown image began to play before her eyes. Tony instantly became silent as the strange appearance of the old style countdown startled her. The sheer strangeness of the unexplained situation making Tony stare in stupefied astonishment, her mind coming to a grinding halt. As she stared in silence the countdown on the screen came to an end. The image changed to that of a white room with a small stage set in the middle. A row of windows in the back ground shining out onto a beautiful starry vista.
With the appearance of a rather petite woman onto that stage Tony felt her mind slowly began to function once more. Her mind starting to adapt itself to the weird situation as her confusion built but her fear started to fade away. The woman in the video started to speak and Tony discovered what had happened to her was a result of this video being streamed into her consciousness. Tony also learned that Jim should be ok and experiencing this as well. Explaining why he hadn’t answered her. Tony’s biggest fear in life was to be left alone and now that she knew Jim should be ok her greatest fears were relieved.
Although when the woman in the image started speaking of the events to come Tony’s mind snapped back into full clarity, paying extremely close attention to what was being said. The more the woman spoke the more Tony felt her sense of reality crumble almost as if she were Alice falling further into the rabbit hole. To Tony the alien woman’s, or rather “Cephi’s”, tone was far to light for the incredibly dark things she spoke about.
Her smile too realistic and her exuberance too uplifting in the face of the tragedy she spoke of. This instantly caused Tony to view this woman in an extremely dark light. Anyone who could be so nonchalant about such things could not possibly be a good person she thought to herself. However even though Tony didn’t like the woman very much she was far too pragmatic to not listen.
She wanted to disbelieve what she was hearing but couldn’t help believe that everything the woman said was true. The evidence was right before her eyes and Tony didn’t doubt her sanity for a moment. Instead she focused closely and attentively on what the woman was saying trying to absorb her every word.
The things Tony heard as she listened to the video boggled her mind, and if these things could be true…. No they were true, she corrected herself. They had to be since everything was too vivid, too… real for it not to be true. Everything also fit with the strange events throughout the day further convincing her that it was real. But before she could linger on the contents of the video, and whether they were true or not, the woman on the camera bore a bright smile and waved her hands in good bye. As she bid her farewells she started to countdown and another timer appeared in front of Tony.
This time however unlike the countdown from before, this one was for the beginning of the end to everything Tony had known. Upon the end of the countdown both her proper sight and hearing flooded back into place without warning. She was momentarily disorientated as she readjusted to the sudden intrusion of her recovering senses.
Before her both the other men and Jim stood in stunned silence their eyes opened wide with the shock. As tony stared at them they began shaking their heads as their senses came back to them.
“Jim, you saw that as well right? What the fuck was that? And did you hear what she was talking about? How crazy is what she said and what do you think it all mean?” Tony burst into motion running up to the man and grabbing his arm as she let loose a relentless torrent of questions at him. It was as if her earlier fears and worries had never even existed.
“Yes I did see it as well, and no I don’t know what it means. But girl give me a moment to think about this, let me concentrate for a minute,” His eyes closed in thought as he responded and his forehead wrinkled as he concentrated on the situation before him. The depth of his concentration and the look of worry that rested upon his face made him look far older than the forty odd years he was. He took his time to think about the questions Tony had asked and to prepare an appropriate response.
He felt he owed her the best response he could come up with. When he once again opened his eyes and stared into the bright blue eyes looking back at him he felt the weight of the trust they placed in him. Eyes filled with vibrancy, full of life, and obstinate determination. But he also saw they were slightly tinted with worry and fear. Before he could reply to her questions though an angry and strained voice interrupted him.
“Ehem Excuse me you two, but before you start going off about that strange video and what not. I believe there is the matter of Miss O’Brien having just attempted to assault me that needs to be addressed,” The cold toned banker lost all pretense of cool professionalism. His voice filled with hate as he stared at Tony in rage, “I think Miss O’Brien that you fail to understand the consequences of your actions here today.
And I can guarantee you will be hearing from the banks lawyers, as well the police soon regarding this matter. Oh and I promise you Miss O’Brien I will press charges so don’t get too comfortable. Not only are you going to lose your home, but you’ll also likely be rotting in a county jail rather soon.”
Tense silence engulfed the room as the two men stared daggers at Tony while they packed their things to leave. The one mans hands moving to collect the papers before him while the other closed his briefcase with a snap. The small sound rang out like a gunshot in the quite room. Tony could only stare back in disbelief as her mind couldn’t comprehend the lack of understanding or care the two men seemed to give towards the current situation.
Yet even as she stared she recalled what the man had just said. An intense burning rage built within her Belly at his words. The intensity of the hatred building within in her forcing aside any thoughts she had about the video to the back of her mind. Somethings could wait till later she thought to herself.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me, I can’t believe you people! In this situation you FUCKING threaten to take my home and now you’re threatening me with the cops! You Assholes are trying to take my home, the home MY FATHER created for me. So of course when you dirt bags come here I will hit you. So FUCK you, go and get the cops. I’ll gladly get arrested if it means I get to hit you,” Tony shouted out, her hands balling into fists and the whites of her knuckles showing from the pressure she exerted.
Tony was getting herself ready to take another swing at the man and beat his head in as best she could when a heavy hand rested itself on her shoulder. It sat lightly yet firmly enough, holding her back from lashing out again.
“Now hold on there girl, just calm down before you do anything stupid again all right,” Jim’s deep baritone rumbled out from his chest, “Don’t worry yourself with these people while there’s bigger matters at hand. Right now those are what need attention. So just let them go.”
The calming tone and the firm hand on Tony’s shoulder helped her to reel in the rage that had been ready to burst out. Her violent attitude giving way to a more simmering anger that rested at the back of her eyes.
“Get the Hell off my property you pieces of human trash.” She spat in a quite voice as she watched the men before her get ready to leave.
“We will Miss O’Brien. However, you will be seeing us again when we come with our lawyers to take this place from you. And promise you, we will enjoy that!”
With these last remarks the two men turned away and left through the front door. Tony stood unmoving, staring at the empty tavern as anger boiled within her. As the door closed on their leaving it was if it was a previously unbreakable barrier had been broken. All of her rage and anger and the whiplashing emotions she had experienced in just the last few minutes began to turn into a heart rending sadness. Sadness at the prospect of losing her home. At losing the place her father had left for her when he died.
To Tony this tavern was where her heart lived. Ever since she had met her father the tavern had been her home. The place where she grew up after her mother had passed away. It was also the only thing that remained of her father after he left her. The tavern to her was her father. It held his spirit and his soul; it held all the pain staking hours of sweat blood and tears he had poured into it. But now because of the banks crooked dealing and a poorly legalized mortgage she would lose her home.
The reality of it sunk deep into her bones and the memory of the video all but forgotten now. She turned to Jim and grabbed onto the man who had helped raise her and cried deeply into his barrel chested comfort. His arms wrapped around the weeping girl as she cried, trying to add whatever help he could.
Off in the background the sound of closing door and the starting up a vehicle could be heard along with the noticeable crunch of gravel as the vehicle left the parking lot.
“I wish they would just die Jim. For what they’ve done I wish they would all just die,” Tony cried out into Jim’s chest as her tears ran freely down her face, staining his shirt. “How can they do this Jim? How can they take our home from us without even giving us a chance?”
But before Jim could reply a light that shone brighter than a thousand suns poured through the closed windows of the tavern. A light so bright and powerful that even through the blinds its intensity engulfed the two in a world of purest white. It burned its way beneath their closed retinas making their shut eyes useless under its immense assault. The two cried out as the white light blocked out the world around them and with each passing moment seemed to burn brighter and brighter.
For perhaps five maybe six seconds the light made everything around them vanish before it diminished in power to fade out of existence. Both Tony and Jim separated and began to violently rub at their eyes to recover from their sudden blindness. After several minutes the two recovered enough to see around them and within several more minutes and much blinking they could see well enough to focus.
“What the Hell was that?” Tony cried out as she looked to the windows of the tavern as if attempting to see through them.
“I don’t know but maybe it has something to do with that damned weird video early. Come on it was outside so lets go take a look,” Jim said as he moved towards the front doors, not even waiting for a response from Tony.
“Hey Jim just a second you don’t know what happened out there. It could be dangerous so let’s be cautious all right. If it does have to do with that video better safe than sorry,” Tony called out not trying to dissuade the man but convince him that some careful consideration may be needed.
Jim looked back and nodded in her direction and then returned to the bar where grabbed an old semi-automatic pistol he kept stashed away as a precautionary measure. Heading back towards the door Tony followed behind him, her head filled with curiosity to see what had happened. But she was also worried if it was something terrible like the things mentioned in the video.
Going outside Tony gasped in shock. Her hands coming up to cover her mouth and her eyes becoming as big as saucers. Jim however just stood still. His body unmoving as the impossible scene before him went beyond his comprehension.
“Oh my god Jim… what is this?” She had spoken so quietly to Jim. Barely almost as if speaking loudly would somehow shatter the reality before them. Her body was still as she stared at what lay before her. Her mind racing with the implications of what she saw.
As Tony and Jim stood just outside on the parking lot to O’Brien’s Tavern not more than 50 meters down the road was bright white hole. The hole was burned through one side of the asphalt road while the other side was unharmed. It was a perfectly circular shape roughly a metre in diameter and was burned seamlessly into the ground. It was as if something had melted its way through the Earth. The depth of the hole couldn’t be estimated but throughout it’s entirety it was absolutely smooth and glowing white hot.
The temperatures that had created it clearly having been astronomical. The remaining road around it for perhaps three or four feet was little more than a pool of molten rock. Small streams of molten liquid pouring down into the depths of the hole. While the hole itself was a terrifying sight. What truly made it shocking and beyond belief for Tony wasn’t just the hole. But it was the fact the hole and pool of molten rock sat right in the middle of what were clearly the remains of a bright white Mercedes Benz.
Whatever had burned its way into the ground had ended up going right through the car of the two men from the bank. Its middle portion completely vanished, having vaporized when it was hit. Only the portions just after the front tires and just before the back tires remained intact to tell anyone that it had even been there. Yet even as Tony and Jim stared at the incredible scene the heat from residual heat form the hole slowly melted the two pieces from view. The car vanishing as if it had never even been there.
“I don’t know Tony….I truly do not know”
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Well I hope you enjoyed the read. Any advice, tips or tricks is always welcome. Once again I am sorry for the delay and again I hope you enjoyed this second chapter