My fingertips dance their way into your ginormous palms. Our eyes glued to one another’s as we whisper to each other without speaking. I am in your head and I am pretty sure you are in mine. Silently we agree to leave the pub; my duty is done for the evening, now it’s time to make friends elsewhere. I let you lead me. Somehow, the magical force between us has already let you know where I’d like to go; perhaps, without the foresight of why or to do what, but that doesn’t really matter. In fact, it’s all for the best for your own future.
As we glide through the busy overrun streets, we escape human roadblocks flowing together like two frolicking ghosts in the night. No one seems to notice us, which usually would bother me, but to be honest, I wasn’t in the mood to notice anyone else either. Your crumbling coat of decay and mildew flows up in front, as you guide me to a tunnel under the road. You look back, smirking at me, but I still trust you. You seem to know my soul like we have always belonged to one another. Perhaps from a different time. Perhaps from the future. I am unsure, but again, it doesn’t really matter.
I watch couples and groups of people line the sides of the tunnel, lighting joints, cigs, bongs, and who the hell knows what else. This is exactly where I needed to be at this very moment. Around the vulnerable seekers that are willing to take to get what should be theirs. These are my minions… not soldiers, but doers. Messengers. Travelers. Fanatics. They need me and they will think I need them. My heart was beating out of my chest when you took me by the arm, swiftly pulling me into an opening along the curved, cracked concrete.
As you light a cigarette, you mumble to me, “Name’s Phineas. What’s yours witch lady?”
“Oh my, you think me a witch. How unpleasantly accurate,” I was beaming from cheek to cheek. “I’m Adya and I am here to shake things up a bit. But I think you might already know that. How’s that saying go… great minds think to reign.”
You look up at me with a golden streak shining from your iris’ “Yeah, something like that. You looking for a King madam or a Court Jester? I am afraid I am neither. I am more like the scoundrel that’s been exiled from the kingdom.”
“Hm, sounds like my kind of King. All it would take is loyalty and shared warmth beneath the covers… you game to try to earn the title?”
I have peeked your curiosity once again it appears. Your mouth shimmers with delight as you lean in to kiss me. I dash away and raise my pointer finger to your lips. “Not until after we get you cleaned up. I have no idea where that mouth has been and I am afraid you don’t know either.”
Not even a hint of disappointment comes to your face; just pure intrigue. Taking the half-smoked cig from your lips, I throw it to the ground and take your hand once more. “First, you must introduce me to some of your scoundrel friends - then we’ll get you groomed back to the man I know you once were.”
Phineas introduced, laughed, and bellowed with me and his crew of addicts. Each one of them was perfect in their own little way- they would serve me greatly. But first, to decipher which poisons they relied on. Becoming their supplier would help transition their loyalties and ensure their servitude. With each verminous human I met, I touched their hand and noted the type of drug soaking through my skin. A mental note for each of my new friends and future followers would make my work quick and effective. Especially now that I had their apparent ring leader as my soon to be King.
Oh, the wonders we will do together. The grandiose life I would make for myself. To consume, tolerate, and toss away the bones at the end - after the war I was already planning for.