Chapter 2 - Afzarizel: Fallen of Fallen

It was completely dark save the light from one flickering streetlamp bulb.  It's amber light bathed the already dirty stretch of street in a sickly yellow, making it that much more sickly.

Just out of reach of the light, an ember from a cigarette began to glow and then recede.  The owner of the cigarette stood quietly waiting and watching.

A minute later a door burst open and out stumbled two drunken figures.  The man was middle-aged, balding terribly, and dressed as nicely as his accountant's job and gambling addiction would allow.  The hooker at his side, a young woman with shoulder-length red hair, was too drunk to support her own weight, let alone his as they stumbled down the stairs.

When they reached the last step, the strap on her purse snapped, hitting the ground and spilling its contents everywhere.

"Oh God damn it." the woman slurred and bent over to pick up the items.

As she did, the man who was depending on her for balance fell to the ground with a thud and passed out.

"You still gotta pay me, asshole." She kicked him slightly, sat down, and with some degree of difficulty, drunkenly scooped the remainder of the spilled items back into her purse.  

A voice slithered out of the darkness.  "Looks like your friend had a bit too much to drink."

Startled, the woman jerked to face the direction of the voice.  Someone stepped into the light.  

The woman blinked her eyes.  Her inebriation had her doubting her own senses.  The figure appeared to be made of shadow that shifted and writhed.  She rubbed her eyes. She could now see he was a young man of twenty or thirty.  He was handsome and well-groomed.  He was wearing a nice sporty suit with pinstripes.  His hair was styled like a 1950's businessman.  She liked his style.

He had a thin mustache that reminded her of a gangster from one of the movies she had seen as a kid.  She liked that, too.  As a matter of fact, he was the embodiment of everything she found physically attractive in a man.

"Oh.  Uh.  Yeah.  He..we, we kinda had a lot to drink.  Shit."  She looked down at the passed out man and then at the sidewalk.  A hand stretched out in front of her.  Her eyes followed it back to the man standing before her.  He had a charming smile.  She took his hand.  Without so much as a tug, it was almost as if she floated back to her feet.

"Thanks," she said timidly.  She hadn't been this nervous around a man in quite some time.  Most of the time, they were the ones acting awkward. 

"You're very welcome.  Will your boyfriend be alright?  Should I call a cab for you?" 

"Yeah.  I... no  He's got a car."  She turned and looked at the unconscious man laying on the ground.  "I mean, I'm not really with him, though.  He's not my boyfriend."  She stammered as she turned back to the stranger.

"I see.  Well, I hope you have a lovely evening, miss.  And I hope your not-boyfriend recovers in a timely manner.  This neighborhood isn't the best, you know."  The man smiled, winked, and began to walk down the street back into the darkness.

She took one more look at the passed out man.

"Well, I guess, I actually could use a ride.  You know, on account of him being drunk and all."  She had raised her voice.  She was excited.  She hoped she didn't sound as desperate as she felt.

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The man stopped and turned.  A smile grew across his face. "Perfect teeth," she thought. It was the most handsome smile she'd ever seen.  

"You know, I'm parked very near here.  I'd be happy to give you a ride to wherever you need to go."

"Oh.  Thank you.  I shouldn't.  I mean, I couldn't."  The woman glanced around at the empty street.  The danger of getting into a stranger's car was very present in her mind, but she did feel at ease with this charming man.  He had started walking away.  She was the one who stopped him.  Certainly, if he meant her harm, he would have already done something, or at least encouraged her more than he was.

"Alright.  I will call you a cab."  The man reached into his suit pocket, pulled out a phone, and began to dial.

"Actually!"  The woman said quickly.  "I'd rather ride with you if that's OK.  I'm not much for cabs."

The man smiled and chuckled.  "Of course!  I'll call a cab for your friend."

"He's really not my friend." She blurted.  "I mean.  Yeah, a cab would probably be best for him."

The man chuckled.  "My pleasure."  The man dialed a number and gave the dispatch the address. "Your friend..."  He stopped himself and gave her a charming grin.  "Your acquaintance will be fine.  The cab is on its way.  "  He slid the phone into his pocket and motioned down the dark street.  "I'm just down here."

The woman stepped over the passed out man started following her new acquaintance.

"It's not too far." She said.  "My apartment.  I live pretty close, actually.  So you don't have to worry about driving me all over town."

"It wasn't a concern.  Just doing a kind deed."  He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled.  His charm was overwhelming her.  This is the kind of guy her mother would have tried to get her to date.  She was glad her mom would never see her with the trash she was with lately.  

She walked beside him as he casually strolled.  He was so at ease it put her at ease.  It had been a long time since she had felt that way.  She wanted to take his arm.  It seemed natural.  The impulse was almost too much to resist.  She couldn't take her eyes off of him.

"I'm Misty, by the way." 

"Wonderful to meet you, Misty.  I'm Afzarizel."  In a flash, the young and handsome face was replaced by something twisted and horrific.  She jumped back.

"Are you alright?" the man turned and looked at her.  His face was young and handsome.

"I...uh."  She nervously looked back down the street from where they had come.  It was pitch black.  She looked back at the young man.  His warm and charming smile had returned, but now instead of lust and attraction, she felt a strong urge to run.

"Are you Ok, Laura?  You look like you've seen a ghost."  

"I'm.  I'm Ok.  I just...  I just thought you were a monster."  As the words left her mouth she started to chuckle at how ridiculous they sounded.

Afzarizel laughed.  "I get that all the time."  He suddenly held up his hands in a claw-like manner.  "RAWR!"

The young woman jumped and then realized the joke.  She felt a bit more relaxed and slightly more foolish.  She began to laugh a bit more.  Afzarizel laughed with her.  He held out his arm for her.  She smiled and took it.

They resumed walking.  The street was empty. Not a single car or another person. She wondered where the cab was?  It would have had to go by this way.  She felt like such a fool.  She stared at her feet as they walked. She was nervous that if she looked up at him, she'd see something terrifying again.  She felt ridiculous. 

"I'm kind of offended you thought I was a monster.  I mean, I know I'm not a looker, but..."  Afzarizel laughed.

She looked up and was relieved.  He was handsome.  She smiled and started,  "Oh, you're certainly a looker..."

Cold panic ripped through her heart.  She dropped his arm and stopped.  She couldn't move.

Afzarizel turned and looked at her.  "What's wrong?  Am I a monster again?"

She could barely get the words out.  "H...how did you know my name?"

"What?  You told me your name."

"I...I told you my name was Misty.  You just called me Laura.  How did you know my real name?" 

A smile crept across his face.  It didn't stop where it should have stopped.  His purplish lips stretched from ear to ear.  The perfect smile was replaced with hundreds of jagged yellow teeth.  His eyes, now empty and black, flickered like candles in the streetlights.

"I'm ...an acquaintance of your mother's."