Page 152 of Devil Inside

Water.

Tar.

I guzzle it all.Every lastdrop. It fills me up,every lastinch, every corner, every nook and cranny, I have never felt so full in all my life, so complete, I am drowning with it and now it is me and I am it and who can tell where one ends and the other begins any—

—more.

I gasp for air the moment I wake, bolting upright. My eyes open and I’m met with light. There’s a bed beneath me, but I’m not in the hospital anymore.

The morning sun reaches through my apartment window.

Home. I’m home.

What time is it? How long was I out for? Jesus, these dreams are only getting worse. My head is throbbing from all the scotch. Nails pound in my skull. I’m covered in grit. I’ve got fucking salt all over me, clinging to my skin, like I was at the beach, rolling in the sand.

It takes me a moment to recalibrate. Settle back into this space. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I was still—

There’s someone in the corner of the room. The sun doesn’t touch them, tucked into the shadows. I didn’t see them at first, but now their cindered frame comes into focus.

Hey, it says. Same voice as before. Same red eyes.That was one heck of a nightmare...Do you have bad dreams like that one often?

“I still think I’m having it, to be honest...”

Really? Nah, man... This is real. Trust me.

“Trust you? I don’t even know you.”

I’d like to get to know you, if that’s okay. We can get to know each other a little better.

“No,” I say. It doesn’t sound nearly forceful enough.

You’re the one who called to us... If you didn’t want us stoppingby, you shouldn’t have sent out the fucking invitation, you feel me? I wouldn’t have RSVPed.

I want to wake up. I pinch my eyes shut, hoping to push the dream out of my head.

When I open my eyes again...

He’s still there.

Closer now.

Youokay?When it speaks, its lips never move. The voice resonates from within the back of my skull, some deep recess, echoing into my ears, while it simply stares at me.

Just to test it out, I close my eyes again. Squeeze them, harder this time.

When I open them again...

Now he’s at the end of my bed. Looming over me. Staring. Head tilted to its shoulder.

Don’t mind me...

“What are you doing?”

Oh, you know... Just hanging out.

“Do I know you?”

Not really... Remember when your mom told you not to talk to strangers? Well, what if I introduce myself? Then I won’t be a stranger anymore, will I? Problem solved.