Triple Six

Part One: Katie

Chapter 2
It took the better part of two hours to finally get out of Albany. The w
ind was still pouring down, making it impossible to keep the windows clear for m
ore than half a second. And like Katie had predicted, she had seen his dark silh
ouette a couple of more times pass by the window. She had all but laid on the fl
oor of Nathaniel’s car to remain unseen as he had passed by, her bag clutched t
ightly in her hand with all that she held dear. If he did find her, she wasn’t g
oing back without a fight. It might cost her the use of her legs or arms for a c
ouple of months, but she’d put a couple of bruises on him that would last for a
while.
When the car finally cleared the city limits, she slowly sat up from the
floor, looking around outside just to make sure. She knew she wasn’t dreaming o
r making any of this up, the throbbing of her feet making itself known as she pl
aced weight on them. But what caught her by surprise was the fact that, she had
managed to get away this time. She had managed to outrun and outsmart the man th
at had all but made her life a nightmare for the majority of her life. She sat d
own in the seat, placing her bag on the ground next to her feet and feeling the
refreshing warmth of the vehicle’s heating.
Outside it was pitch black except where the headlights cut through the s
hadows, a stark contrast to everything around it. Rain splattered against the wi
ndow, blurring everything the light did shine against, the world outside mimicki
ng the paintings that she would create and then sell every now and again. Withou
t really thinking about it, she leaned back against the seat, finally allowing h
er exhaustion to hit her. She was tired, both physically and mentally. She had n
ever doubted that she would try and leave that world again. What she had doubted
was her chance to hide from him and actually leave. Actually get away from it a
ll.
“Why don’t you take off that jacket? It looks completely soaked. It won’
t do to get a cold on the night that you get away from that mad man. I have a bl
anket in the back seat that you’re more than welcome to use if you want.” Turnin
g her head to acknowledge Nathaniel, she slowly nodded, shrugging the jacket off
of her shoulders and onto the floor with her bag, reaching her hand back to fee
l for the texture of cloth amongst the books. Her fingers lightly touched a soft
fabric and she pulled it to the front, not really paying attention to what it w
as. She was too cold to care much about anything other than getting warm.
As she slipped it around her shoulders, she pulled her feet up onto the
seat and leaned back, allowing herself to feel warm and safe for once. She didn’
t remember closing her eyes, but she must’ve at some point as she stared out at
the featureless landscape through the water-distorted window pane. Because when
she opened her eyes again, she found herself standing in a featureless void of p
ure shadow. Her face remained impassive as she found that her feet began to move
in an all too familiar way. She had been here plenty of times before. Most ofte
n when she had been beaten into a state of unconsciousness.
“Kumari, I know you’re here. Stop hiding,” she finally said after what f
elt like ages. Her monotonous tone seemed to cut through to the core of the void
and she heard a sigh that seemed to come from everywhere around her, as if the
shadow’s themselves could speak.
“You’re really no fun Mistress. I mean, you finally get away from the so
n of some bastard’s bitch and you still manage to have a super scary and serious
face!” Katie turned around and came face to face with a woman that couldn’t hav
e been older than 27.
“My face isn’t scary Kumari. It’s mature.” Katie always felt weird when
she talked to this person. Not because of the dark aura that seemed to emanate f
rom her, but because of the fact that there faces looked identical. However, the
only differences were that, unlike Katie’s auburn hair, Kumari’s hair was so da
rk that it looked like it was made of shadow that she had curled around her fing
er. That, and unlike Katie’s deep blue, almost gray eyes, Kumari’s eyes were pur
e black with a yellow pupil. It always reminded Katie of a wolf’s eyes.
“Yes it is, especially when you glare like that. Try and lighten up for
once Mistress.” Kumari sauntered over to Katie, placing her hand on top of Katie
’s head, ruffling her hair up in a way that made Katie glare even more. “See, li
ke I said, no fun Mistress.” Removing her hand, she walked around Katie and sat
down on seemingly nothing, as if the shadows had come alive around Kumari.
“Kumari, why did you bring me here? I was perfectly content just sitting
there, sleeping. You didn’t have to do this.” She saw the smug look on Kumari’s
face fall a little and she watched as Kumari sighed and placed a hand over her
eyes.
“I know I didn’t have to Mistress, but, as the demon possessing you, I h
ad to make sure that you were alright. I mean, considering all that the jack ass
did to you today….are you okay? Do you need me to heal you?” Katie’s glare soft
ened into her default impassive face and she slowly shook her head.
“No, you don’t need to heal me. Especially in front of the man who picke
d me up. He’s a man of God, and though I could care less about that, this man is
the reason I’m free. I don’t want him to drop me off on the side of the road so
mewhere because you’re inside of me.” She watched as Kumari stiffened a little a
nd looked at Katie through her slim fingers.
“Fine, first chance I get however, I’m healing you. You’re-”
“I know Kumari. I know. I’m fine for now though.” Futzing with her hair,
Katie moved it out of her left eye and stared at Kumari through and identical b
lack eye with a yellow pupil that changed into a glassy, cloudy deep blue eye. “
I’m going back now. I have a feeling that we’re close to our destination.”
“Huh, really Mistress? But you’ve only been asleep for an hour-” the dar
kness suddenly began to consume Kumari in front of Katie and she closed her eyes
. As she opened them, she noticed that the rain was still pounding against the g
lass, still distorting everything outside. But now, there were street lights tha
t would shine through the glass.
“Ah, you’re awake. I was just about to get you up so that you could get
inside once I get to the hotel. I was going to get us some pizza while you warme
d yourself up even more.” Katie turned her head, wincing at the stiffness in her
neck from the position she had slept in and nodded.
“I understand. If you want, I have money for the pi-” She stopped as he
held up his hand in front of her face, a smile growing on his.
“It’s on me. You just worry about getting warm right now.” Stunned into
silence, she nodded, her face impassive as she felt a warmth seem to wrap around
her throat.
‘Ah, Mistress, see what I mean? You’re face is too serious!’ Choosing to
ignore Kumari’s voice for now, she turned her head back to face the window, sta
ring out at the darkness that was interrupted by distorted lights. She wasn’t su
re how long it took, but it wasn’t much later that he turned into a parking lot.
She looked through the windshield and saw a Holiday Inn sign that seemed to dim
before her eyes. As she stepped out of the vehicle onto the wet sidewalk, she s
hivered slightly, running her hands over her arms in her still wet jacket. She g
rabbed the bag as well and noticed that he was waiting for her attention.
“Nathaniel, is something wrong?” He shook his head and smiled that warm
smile again.
“No, just, when you go up there, say that you have reservation’s under y
our grandfather’s name. When the person at the counter asks for his name, tell h
im my name and you’ll get one of the room keys. I’ll be back in about forty minu
tes.” Katie nodded and stepped away from the older vehicle, closing the door bef
ore turning and walking into the hotel. As she set foot into the lobby, she noti
ced that it was colder in here than it was inside, and she shivered even more,
her face still impassive as she walked up to the desk.
A man who looked to be about her age stood at the desk, his face devoid
of emotion as he read some book. She could tell that Kumari had decided to have
some control, because she could smell the paper of the book, the dusty, yet some
how fresh smell of aging paper. Shaking her head, she slammed her hand down on t
he bell on the counter, scaring the man who almost jumped off the seat and onto
the floor. He turned his head, ready to yell at her, but he stopped as she said,
“I’m here for a room that’s reserved for me under my grandfather’s name. And, s
hould you really be reading that while you’re working? It could get you into tro
uble if you’re not paying attention.”
He glared heatedly at Katie, his anger palpable from the aura that he ex
uded and the flash of emotion that she saw in his hazel eyes. “Okay, what’s your
grandfather’s name?” His voice was clipped and Katie could’ve sworn that she he
ard Kumari begin to giggle in the back of her head.
“Nathaniel Danielson. Now, are you going to continue to look at me like
you wish for me to burn, or are you going to get me my room key?” At this point,
Kumari was outright laughing hysterically, which Katie didn’t find annoying at
all. Kumari always made it a point to laugh when she would remain impassive as s
he talked to someone in a monotonous tone of voice. It was nothing new to her.
The man’s brow furrowed and he turned his back to her, his green and blu
e checkered shirt a glaring contrast to his bleach blonde hair. He turned back a
round and handed a card to Katie. “There. Now go.” Katie nodded and began to wal
k up the stairs, hearing him mutter under his breath, “Fucking bitch.”
‘You’re so mean to people Mistress! It’s awesome!’
‘I’m not mean Kumari, I’m honest. There’s a big difference if you ask me
.’ Kumari continued to laugh loudly and Katie shut her out, concentrating on the
door numbers. She finally stopped at the door to the room and slowly entered, t
urning the light on to see it, not at all surprised at what she saw.
The carpet was a faded, dull looking green color that seemed to be stain
ed with something the maid’s couldn’t apparently get out. There were two large b
eds with cream colored sheets that she was sure could be bought in any second-ha
nd store. The lights were faux lanterns made with phony brass that hung about th
e room. The T.V. was tiny in comparison to the large, dark brown, pressed wood c
abinet it was set on. Sighing to herself, she walked into the room, placing her
bag on one of the bed’s as she took off her jacket. All together, it was a bette
r set-up than what her old room was. She heard Kumari laughing in her head still
and let a small smile onto her face. It could be worse.