H.I.M. (I'm just starting this next chapter. lots of mistakes and it really doesn't make sense yet. Plus, I still haven't officially finished the previous chapter. :((( )
"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour. Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified." 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6
Drew stood up and walked pass Dominick, embarrassed by the entire evening and unsure of what was going on with everybody.
Dom awkwardly followed Drew a couple paces behind, unsure of how Drew was feeling at the moment.
"Your coworkers are pretty, ah.... interesting" Dom commented sheepishly attemping to break the silence.
But a sharp pain of humiliation shot through Drew heart, trying to ignore Dom, he continued to walk silently a few steps ahead hoping Dominick wouldn't say anything else.
"I mean, yeah, that was a pretty strange evening, but break-ups can be pretty hard on people and can make them do and say strange things, you know?"
Drew stopped in his tracks and turned to Dom, giving him a look of as though he couldnât believe what Dom just said.
"Dom. Are you dense or something?" Drew ask in a bitter way."
Dom's eyebrows furrowed, taken a back by Drewâs words.
"Look, I don't really want to talk about this."
Drew said noticing Dom's reaction and continued to walk. But Drew couldn't help himself. The whole day seemed to churning inside him about to boil over. So, Drew stopped again and turned to Dom.
"Are you even a real person?" Drew asked Dom in a slightly paranoid way.
"Drew, what are you talking about?" Dom said not knowing where the conversation was going.
"Like are you a real person, Dominick?
I'm talking about if you're a real person?"
Dominick blink a few times giving Drew a cinfused look.
"Or are you some n.p.c. or progtam in the matrix? Because your responses to what just happened are unusual and don't make sense to me, Dom."
Dom stayed quiet, letting Drew rant on.
"So what if Sue is taking this break-up badly? That doesn't excuse or rationalize Rich's response. It was... it was." Drew threw his hands up in the air with anger. "Errr! What was that? What even was that? It was weird. It was creepy. Who was Rich even talking about, HIM? Destiny is on its way. All will fall to their knees. It was completely bonkers! And everyone was just sitting there, tight lipped, letting it happen. I even think people were enjoying in some sick way."
"I mean yeah, it was pretty awkward in there" Dom said unsure of what to say next. "But I don't know?" Dom shrugged. " Maybe he found God or maybe he joined a weird sex cult." Dom laughed a little under his breath.
Drew stopped dead in his tracks again and glared at Dom, flabbergasted by such an answer.
"A sex cult, Dom? Are you for real right now?"
"Yeah" Dom said with a little agitation in his voice. Look Drew, I'm just trying to make you feel better, OK? People can get into weird shit. I'm in the military. I see people act unusually fairly often.
"Dom please don't be like that"
"Like that was fucking normal!"
"Drew" Dom said in a deeply assertive voice, " I don't know your coworkers, I was just trying to have a nice time with you. You need to calm down and stop being a butthole towards me."
Drew sighed, reflecting on his own behavior, giving Dom a frustrated but remorseful look.
Sorry Dom, but the pass 24 hours have just been so unusual. I got some money stolen from me this morning on the Metro, there was this big security breech at work, and I think it's making my boss act odd. Then this Susan And Rich thing is just the icing on the cake!"
Then Drew paused as he bagan to think deeper.
" You know, now that I think about it, it's not the first time someone referenced H.I.M. today. Yes. The homeless man who took my money was talking about H.I.M. this morning."
Dom continued listening to Drew.
"Right before he reached into my backpack he was trying to distract me by telling me about this, I donât know, some sort of.... presence."
"Presence?" Dom asked curiously.
"Yeah. It was kind of eerie. He was saying that there's these people... or we're they people? He described them more like imposter almost. He said that they look just you and me, but they're not. And he said they're everywhere and that they all know H.I.M.?" And then Rich went on that whole thing about H.I.M. as well."
"How do you know they were both talking about the same H.I.M.?"
"I don't know for sure if they were talking about the same HIM, but it's definitely odd that it brought up by 2 completely different people today. Plus there was all they other happenings today with my boss, and how could I forget about Cheesecake."
"Cheesecake? Does this have to do with that nightmare you had last night?"
Drew looked at Dom. Remembering that he never told Dom about his weird encounter with Cheesecake.
"Well yes. As you know I woke up to the my bedroom covered in the flashing red lights. When I went got up to see where the light flashes were coming from I discovered they were coming from the apartment perpendicular to mine, Cheesecake's apartment."
"How did the lights from Cheesecake's apartment reach you."
"You know Dom, my livingroom window shares the inner corner of our building. I can see directly into his apartment. But that's not the point." Drew stepped closer to Dom, lifting his mouth the his ear as he lowered his voice. "When I looked into Cheesecake's apartment he was doing something strange."
Dom countenance became curious as he faced Drew.
"All the lights were off in his apartment except for his television, which is were the the bright red flashing was coming from."
Dom continued listening to Drew intently.
"Cheesecake was kneeling on the floor in front of the TV, super close to the screen, staring intensely at it, not blinking. He seemed to be, I don't know, maybe.... praying or something? Because his hands were steepled. He was rocking back-and-forth chanting something over and over again. It was really eerie."
Dom sighed as his face turned to that of compassionate condescension. " Drew, I'd thought you'd be more tolerant of other cultures and traditions at this point in your life?"
"Will you just let me finish telling you?!" Drew snapped at Dom. " He was kneeling and praying infront this bright red glowing television, staring while his eyes watered, wearing this skin-tight bodysuit. It seemed so tight that it looked almost painful. The bodysuit super reflective and distorted the flashing lights into these freaky warped reflections.He also seemed to be in some sort of state-of-mind"
"A state-of-mind" Dom asked.
"Yeah. Like he was almost maybe sleeping walking.
"This is staring to sound a bit weird" Dom began to concede.
"Wait. It gets weirded. So, I'm staring at Cheesecake doing this when suddenly he sees me looking as him."
Dom's eyes widened in surprise. "But how could he see you if he was sleep walking?"
"I don't know Dom. But Oh my god! When I tell you that I was shocked and mortified."
"Ok. What happened next?"
"Cheesecake got up and walked toward me."
"What do you mean he walked toward you? You're in different apartments"
"He walked up to his window, which is practically in front my window.
And... His fucking dick was out! Fucking engorged pointing right the fuck at me"
"Did you walk away, close the blinds, call the front desk?"
"No. I didn't know what to do. I was in total shock. It gets even weirder. He's standing there, in front of me, in the middle of the night with a giant boner when he suddenly he cums all over the window."
Yes.Then get this, he suddenly tells me to run away, right before he starts beating himself."
"He started masterbating again in front of you?"
"No. He never actually ever started masterbating. No. He started hitting himself violently, beating himself up in front of me. Banging the sides of his head and punch himself in the groin".
He looked ok this me this morning. I didn't see any bruises on him.
Drew stopped and began thinking about it. "Maybe he covered them up somehow? With make up or something.?"
Dom gave Drew a look of disbelief asking, "Are you sure it was Cheesecake?"
"Yes Dom. I'm sure. He was practically standing right in front of me."
Dom looked down at the ground conflicted and they both continued to walk home.
They soon reached their apartment building and headed up the elevator.
When they both got off the elevator Dom turned to Drew. "Look, I'll talk to Cheesecake for you."
"No please don't!" Drew pleaded. "I don't want this to become a big thing."
Dom took a slow conflicted deep breath. "I know you don't want to stir the pot, but what you're telling my is very strange and a bit disturbing."
"Right?" Drew agreed feeling vindicated. "But please don't bring it up. I'd really like to forget about this whole day and start a new tomorrow."
" Yeah, I got that Drew. But you're clearly shaken. Plus, Cheesecake may be going through something serious right now and he might need some support?"
Drew looked up at Dom's face. Dom's countenance filled with a concerned caring. "Dominick?" Drew say in a soft agitated voice of defeat and understanding. Drew then grabbed Dom shoulders firm and laid his forehead into Dominick's chest in slight embarrassment as though Dominick had bested him with reason. "Why are you such a good person?"
Then Drew lifted his head, still buried in Dom's chest, and looked up at Dom's face.
Ok OK, you're right. But please don't bring me up. Just... I don't know. Just Make up a random person who lives here."
Dominick stayed quiet as he looked down at Drew.
They then both walked up Drewâs door.
"Thanks for being such a trouper tonight, Dom." Drew said as he unlocked his front door. "I really appreciate the support."
Then as Drewâs front door opened he stopped, turned to Dom, smiled in a timid way, and looked into Dom's eyes, remaining silent as he tried to communicate with Dominick telepathically.
Drew really didn't want to be alone, but the fear of seeming rude, clingy, fragile, or just downright crazy kept his lips tight.
"You know, if you want, you can crash on my sofa tonight?" Dom asked." So you don't have to be alone after such an odd day."
Drew's heart lept as silent excitement washed over him. But that same fear blocked Drew again. "What if he thinks I'm this emotional mess? What if I do something crazy while I'm asleep? What if we have sex. What if he doesn't like it? What if I don't like? Are we going to suddenly not like each other. What if he's just being nice, he doesn't like me like that? He's probably just doing the thing. He probably just wants to be left alone."
"Drew!" Dom snapped at Drew. "Did you hear me? I think you may have spaced out there?"
"Ah. Sorry. I'm just tired. No, I'm fine. I'll just stay in my own apartment tonight. Thanks for the offer though."
"Alright. Well maybe I'll see you in the morning on our way out?" Dom said smiling at Drew. "Night Drew"
Drew walked into his apartment and closed the door. Then he turned and looked through the peep hole, watching as Dom walk back into his own apartment.
"Grrr.....Why did I do that! " Drew growled in frustration as he hung his keys in the foyer, scolding himself for not taking up Dom's offer.
He made his way to the livingroom, immediately noticing the dried stain still on the window.
So, Drew grabbed some paper towels and window cleaner, and began cleaning the stain, glancing through the warped streaks into Cheesecake's dark apartment as he cleaned .No lights, no stirring, no Cheesecake.
He then made his way to the couch, plopping down and spreading out with his arms stretched out along the the top of the couch, trying to relax.
He continued to stare into Cheesecake's apartment, reeling through the memories of the day, while trying to rationalize everything.
"Am I just overthinking things again?" He thought to himself. "Was that just a dream I had last night? I mean I didn't see any bruises on him this morning even though he was hitting himself pretty violently last night. And Cheescake didn't seem familiar with me when he saw me this morning. I didn't expect an overt greeting, but I expect some sort of awkward acknowledgement. I mean I was certainly acting awkward. Hmm.... but what about the stain you just cleaned up? Was I the one sleep walking?"
"But that encounter with Chance this morning. Was I just reading into it too much? And that crazy poetry slam. And the red flashing in Bill's office?"
It felt like between Drewâs overthinking and the days strange events that life was trying to gaslight him. So, Drew took a relaxing breath and laid down on the couch, too settled into the sofa as he closed his eyes, hoping everything would feel normal tomorrow.
Susan grab one of the pillows from Rich's sofa and brought it up to her nose, giving it a deep, long inhale. Letting the memories of a life almost achieved to once again come to life.
The whole apartment smelt like Rich; smelt like their past, and in a delusional way, like their future; everything that could have been; that was supposed to be.
Then Susan heard the door of the bathroom slowly open.
She quickly and calmly put the pillow back in its original position snd watched as Rich smoothly stepped around the couch and sat beside her, making himself comfortable.
Rich looked at Susan. His eyes seeming to smile longingly at hers as stared deeply; like they wanted something from her but couldn't muster the strenght to ask.
Then Rich leaned forward and closed his eyes, puckering as he placed his lips onto Susan's.
But Susan instinctively leaned back, raising her hand to his chest, slowly pushing him away.
She wanted to kiss him so badly; wanted to be part of him just as she had been so many times before, but something was different about him now and she knew it wasn't the right thing to do.
"What are you doing?" She asked already knowing the answer; Her voice soft, breathy, feigning disapproval.
Rich opened his eyes, surprised.
"I was kissing you," he said. "I thought that's what you wanted."
Susan's heart ached as she broke sight with him; looking down at her hands down; pausing for a moment before speaking.
"You said you wanted to talk to me, didn't you?" She said as her voice grew more assertive. "You didn't just lie to get me to come back here for a quick fuck, right?"
Rich's facial expression fell, trapped by the weight of his own actions.
"Yes, Sue." Rich replied begrudgingly as he leaned back into the coach away from Susan. "That is indeed what I said."
"So," Susan said, looking at Rich with serious expectation. "Say what you want to say."
"Hhfff..." Rich huffed, feeling like he was being put on the spot. "Well. What I wanted to say is that I'm sorry. What I did to you was wrong. Everything felt like it was happening so suddenly, and I got scared."
That was the most generic thing he had every said to Susan. Her countenance morphing into that of subtle bewilderment as she continued listening to him.
"Even though I knew with all my heart that I wanted to be with you forever, the thought of it actually happening terrified me. It was almost like I didn't deserve it. Like I didn't deserve you.
And that fear turned into shame. It clouded my judgment and made me ghost you. Like a coward who's too afraid to face reality, you know?"
Susan continued her stare, now more intense.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, her brows knitting together. Her face remained frozen in a serious, baffled expression as she tried to process what she was hearing.
Then her confusion hardened into anger.
"'I don't know what's actually going with you right now, Rich. You've never beennlike this.
But after what I just saw at the Slam, after what Iâand pretty much the entire fucking city of D.C.âjust heard, is that you're a fucking fudge-packer who likes getting his ass plowed until the shit gets so back up, it comes spuing out if your mouth, like it is right now!
And this entire time you were hiding behind me and our 'relationship,' right?"
Her voice dripped with sarcasm and justified accusation.
"Sue, I'm not gay, okay?" Rich replied dismissively. "I love you. I was drunk. I was using exaggerated metaphors to get my feelings across.
I was trying to describe what commitment felt like. How, even though it's what I wanted, part of me saw it as giving myself away. Like another chapter of my life was ending and I'd never get it back.
I didn't feel worthy of it. I didn't feel ready.
And somehow, in my mind, I would rather become a slave to fear than allow myself to be truly happy."
Susan lifted both hands and covered her face in embarrassment; embarrassment, not directed towards Rich, but directed at herself.
"What is happening right now?"
She shook her head slowly in shame.
"What am I doing here? Why am I listening to this? Listening to you? To your total... fucking... bullshit!?
In my head I thought this would make me feel better. Like you were going to say something that would make me feel better. Like maybe you were finally going to say something that makes all of this make sense!
She practically screamed the last words.
Then she turned, grabbed her bag, and stormed toward the front door.
"Fine, Sue." Rich shouted after her. "Yeah, just fucking leave! Leave while I'm sitting here pouring my heart and soul out to you. Great. Real fucking big of you!"
Susan stopped before the front door and turned around.
Her face was filled with anger and disgust.
"But don't lie to yourself," Rich continued. "I was listening when you were out there on stage."
A smug grin spread across his face.
"You're still fucking in love with me.
"You came here because you wanted to see me; wanted to feel me, holding me, be around me. So you don't have to go back to that empty apartment and feel like a total fucking failer. Isn't that right?"
Susan dropped her bag. Caught off guard by the accusation. Her anger giving way to shock and vulnerability.
Rich rose from the couch, self-satisfied like he had won, and he slowly approached her; Picking up Susan's bag from the floor as he smiled devilishly.
"I see the way you look at me in the office, Sue. Your eyes full on misfortune, longing...... and hunger"
He stepped closer. Invading her personal space.
"I hear you talking to your friends about me; About our relationship; or lack there of."
"I see you sitting in Drewâs office, balling your fucking eyes out their sockets as you're lamenting."
Like a bully, Richâs voice became a soft, high-pitch, sarcasic whine as he mimicked her lament.
"But Drew. I just don't understand. How could this happen to me?"
Rich laughed with an evilness and shook his head as though he was ashamed of her.
"I notice how every time I walk into a room, you suddenly go quiet. How you become hyper-aware of everything I do."
"Ah, please," Susan scoffed.
And Rich reached up and gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"No. No. Don't be mad, Sue," he said softly. "I think it's cute."
Rich leaned into Susan, bring his nose to her left clavicle.
Then he began to inhale, taking in her scent deeply as he moved his nose across her décolletage, up the right side of her neck, until his lips were touching her right ear.
He then exhaled in satisfaction and began to whisper slightly.
"I think it's cute so sexy when you press my couch cushions against your face and breath me in. I'm surprised you didn't smother yourself with it. Your pain no more."
"You thought I didn't see you."
Then he leaned in and kissed her.
For a moment, Susan kissed him back.
The feeling was intoxicating, bringing both excitement and a painful sense of shame.
Then Rich pulled away. Placing her bag into her hands.
He then looked into her eyes snd reached behind her opening the front door.
"I was really hoping more would happen tonight," he said quietly. "But it looks like you've made up your mind."
Susan stood, frozen. Shocked by Rich's energy.
"I'm going to bed now." Rich told Susan. "Please close the door behind you."
And without another word, Rich turned around and walked down the hallway.
A moment later, Susan heard his bedroom door close.
She stood frozen in the doorway, staring into the apartment.
Her mind twisted, torn between what she knew Rich to be and who he currently was.
"Fuck," Susan muttered to herself.
A loud groan coming from Rich's bedroom accompanied by an unfamiliar deep masculine voice saying " Very good slave."
Susan suddenly dropped her bag onto the floor, as her chest filled with rage and undeniable urge to investigate.
It seemed like Susan couldn't control her body as she curiously headed toward Rich's bedroom.
Stopping only a few inches before the bedroom door, hoping she would regret this decision as she began to listen through the door.
Slowly, she reached for the handle and pushed the door open.
Her mouth fell open in shock.
Instead, sitting in the center of the room was a large throne upholstered in black leather.
A muscular man sat upon it, dressed in a shiny, skin-tight latex bodysuit, gloves, and an eight-point leather police cap. He held a jockey's crop in his right hand as he looked down at Rich, who was completely naked and kneeling before him.
Rich's hands were clasped behind his back as he gazed up at the man. Drool glistened on his lips.
The man casually waved the crop before tapping it against the toe of his tall leather boot.
Immediately, Rich lowered himself further and began eagerly licking the man's boot.
Then the man lifted his other leg and rested the boot on Rich's back while Rich continued licking without hesitation.
Susan stood frozen in the doorway, unable to comprehend what she was seeing.
Then the man slowly raised his head and looked directly at her.
A slow, insidious smile spread across his face.,
Suddenly, Drew's eyes flew open.
His chest heaved as he sucked in a sharp breath.
For a moment, he frantically searched for a way out of Rich's apartment.
Then reality slowly settled around him.
The familiar shape of his television.
He wasn't in Rich's apartment.
He was still on his own couch.
Still in his own living room.
Drew rubbed his face and groaned.
"What the hell was that?"
The dream lingered in his mind like a bad taste. Every bizarre detail felt disturbingly vivid, refusing to fade the way dreams usually did.
Then a sudden flash of red light illuminated the room.
He turned toward the living room window.
, standing in the window of the neighboring apartment, was Cheesecake.
Dressed in the same glossy black latex bodysuit and boots from the dream.
An uneasy chill crawled up Drew's spine.
Something felt different this time.
Drew squinted through the darkness.
At first he couldn't figure out what he was looking at.
A small, rigid case secured over Cheesecake's groin.
Above it pulsed a glowing red lock symbol, appearing and disappearing every few seconds.
Drew stared in bewilderment.
He simply remained there in the darkness, staring back through the glass with an expression that was impossible to read.
The red lock continued to pulse.
And for reasons Drew couldn't explain, that terrified him far more than the dream ever had.
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