AFTERMATH (continued):

"It´s OK if you wanna come with me, your presence doesn´t bother me at all, but still I have a feeling things might change after tonight." I said.

"Why so?" said Edith.

"Because, like I explained before, there´s something very unusual lurking in this place. But on the other hand, I´m starting to think it´s actually me," I said, but then I wish I could that back because it sounded like I had very low self-esteem.

"There´s nothing wrong with you, Adrian! You´re truly something, but never a failure, not to me," replied Edith.

"What about you? Wasn´t your little number last night a clear sign that you´re desperate for attention, that you don´t exist?"

"NO! Of course not. Just because I´m not that well-known like you doesn´t mean I´ve developed some sort of jealously if that´s what´s probably on your mind."

"Don´t say that, it sounds kind of over the top, don´t you think? Then again, I´m starting to realize that you´re not willing to go down with me to the bottom of the rabbit hole. Right after I mentioned the whole thing about the supernatural presence here you´re just walking away quietly."

"Fine, you want me to tell you that I believe that too? I could do it, but I´m not going to, and you know why? "

"Why?"

She sat down with me, "Gosh, your hands are so cold all the time...look, I´m just here to help you."

"Then stop treating me like I was one of your patients! Besides, it´s tolerable if I act differently because I´m artist, I can get away with it and nobody cares."

Edith stepped up and turned around. "Oh, I can´t believe this. I´ll pretend I didn´t hear that. "

"Tell me something right here, right now? Are you afraid to lose me? Do you think any other girl, or even any other guy could easily come here and steal me away from you?

She paused for a long moment.

"I thought I knew you. But then somehow you manage to change so that they can say you´re unpredictable like lightning,  and that´s OK but keep it in your work, not in our personal life."

"Right then, you don´t know me, Edith, you refuse to, you´re afraid of my sense of freedom because you have  never given yourself that opportunity. I risked a lot and I won in the end..."

"Me too! Did it ever occur to you that it was so difficult for me to overcome many traumas and then act like I´m in control so I can function in my everyday work. You saw me."

"You see what I mean? We´re two strangers now. But like I said, if you wanna come with me tonight; it ain´t that important to me anyway, I just want you to be by my side before I try jump again from the rooftop like I did the other day."

"I like doing those things with you, I think it´s truly fascinating to be with other crowds."

I wrapped her very tightly and said out loud, "you matter to me, kid, more than you think. I couldn´t trade you for any other person, not only because you help me fight my demons but because you listen to me every single word that comes out of me. You see the real me, not the other sides of me, and I don´t wanna go back and experience that. That´s why I said that you didn´t have to act all nasty last night." I took a deep sigh, "I love you so much I really thought I lost you for a second there..."

"Well, I can´t promise that I won´t be so impulsive anymore, but then again you should be more sincere. It´s a bit ridiculous that you feel intimidated now, don´t you think?" She noticed that I was sort of trembling with fear so she shook my shoulders very gently. "Hey, it´s alright, dear, I don´t bite.." she added.

I could also feel that this was gonna be another long night, Heaven or Hell help us...

AFTERMATH

"He found a way to get out of the cage..." I told Edith as I attempted to catch Scraps. He was still big and tremendously cute, even better than the nightmarish hell of a creature I saw yesterday.

"I'm sorry?"she said puzzled.

"I said he learned a way to get out of the cage. I thought he couldn't do it but somehow he was very cunning."

"Well then figure out another way to keep him inside for good...this is like the third time he´s gotten out."

"Maybe he wasn't meant to be caged in the first place, he doesn't take no for an answer, therefore he has a free spirit."

"Like you?"

"Yes, however even he felt that there's something bad here that disturbed him."

Edith stopped, "Is it about the discussion we had yesterday? I thought I made it very clear to you."

"Oh, you made it abundantly clear last night...you didn´t have to be so rough, you know..."

"Isn't that what you wanted, huh?" she said cynically.

Uh, as I predicted it was a long night after all, mind blowing I must add. My loft, especially my studio was getting too creepy for words, but I definitely felt my partner wasn´t with me on this one hundred percent. So we avoided the subject for the remainder of the morning and went downtown for some errands. She looked unsure whether she wanted to come with me for the Droogie party, like she didn´t completely fit in.

I think deep down she wasn´t possessed by a supernatural sexual force yesterday, maybe she did it to impress me because she might not be as extravagant or special. OK, enough about that.

Some very interesting vermin e-mailed me today; as usual my inbox is always because I don´t check it all the time. However, Alice Morris sent me a rather peculiar message where she openly thanked me for the acquisition and it said,

"Dear Adrian,

It has been an amazing experience owning The Thousand. Every morning as I look at it I can´t help noticing that it is filled with wonder and it even helped to cure my insomnia. It also made me think of you which brings me to the question; are you doing well lately? If you don´t mind me telling this but I had the most incredible dream the other day where you spoke to a sad little girl but you refused to pay attention to her and she just answered, "don´t ignore me, Adrian!" So odd, isn´t it?

Happy Holidays,

Alice Morris."

How come she saw Caroline too? Another coincidence, but it also revealed a pattern. Edith had experienced weird dreams from the past with Ritual, which was now sold, and then Droogie, or should I say Sussette which is her real name shared me the picture of a dream I had and she owns Rabbit Monster and Easy On The Eyeliner, and The Thousand.

I casually opened a file which showed the order of the paintings at the Playground exhibition:


The Thousand
Rabbit Monster
The Pool Of Fears
Easy On The Eyeliner
Ritual
The Rabbit Of The Infinite Strength
1:11 AM
Handle With Care
I Attract Vermin
The Tarot Man
1:11 PM
11
Nightmares Have Many Names
The Seer
The White Rabbit of Inle
The Bleeder
Pneumatic For The People
Drive Me
3:15 AM
Art As A Weapon


There were exactly twenty paintings in there, why did I stop at that number? Then I looked at some pictures of Tarot Cards I had out aside; the Magician, the Strength, Judgement. I knew I had studied this before, but why? I would just have to wait then. I was solicited tonight, let´s hope there are no funny tricks at the party.