Downworld

Chapter 6

A week later, I'd had no success on the apartment front, and the realtor -- or realtors, as the case was, since I'd been to six -- was starting to think I was deranged. It didn't help that my requests were getting increasingly frantic. Despite trying my best to be polite and patient-- not my strong suits, I'll admit -- they were starting to doge my calls.

On the Malik front, I was faring a little better. My combination of ignoring and swearing at him had finally made him back off. Since the previous day, he hadn't even tried to speak to me, which was a relief -- even if my guardian was now constantly sending angry shudders up my spine, because the more he was around, the more my guardian wanted him. Though, he hadn't made any moves indicating he was going to leave.

I was considering breaking into his apartment while he was gone and starting a fire. The only reason I didn't was because I might burn the building down.

He wasn't in when I got home that Friday afternoon. And that fuck for that, because I hadn't gotten much sleep that week, with the exception of the night I'd stayed at a motel -- I couldn't afford more than one night if I was going to have enough money to pay the deposit on the new place -- and the night I'd crashed with a one-night stand. I could have done the second a few more times, but trading sex for a place to stay reminded me a little too much of when I'd been a homeless kid new to above, and that was not a time I wanted to relive. After a quick shower, I fell into bed and immediately went to sleep.

A thump and giggle woke me. It was pitch black except for the numbers on my alarm clock, which told me it was after two. I rolled over, but knew there was no way I was going to get back to sleep. Malik was home, and my guardian was clawing at my stomach, telling me to go to him. The thing either was seriously in love with him, or seriously hated me. Possibly both.

Another thump. The sound was coming from the hallway outside my apartment. It was probably just some drunk coming home.

I got up and went to the kitchen, grabbing two beers, one of which was empty before I'd even made it to the lounge and turned on the TV.

Another thump. This time from within Malik's apartment.

My guardian growled at me.

I told it to shut up again.

It stabbed me in the chest, making it difficult to breathe. I tried to tell it Malik was probably fine, but it wasn't listening, and the pain wasn't letting up.

I got up and walked to the door. I paused to gasp in some air, now that my guardian wasn't sitting on my chest. It wouldn't let me go sit back down, so I stepped out into the hall, hoping that once I checked on Malik, it would go back to just hating me, rather than turning me into a pain puppet.

My guardian made me walk forward, even though I was trying not to. I decided I needed to stop drinking; it seemed I had more control over it when I hadn't been. Even though I'd only have one -- two? -- beers, I was willing to do anything to make it stop, with the exception of giving in to its demands.

Malik's door was wide open and there on the floor of his apartment, not even a meter from the door, was Malik. On top of Malik was a human man. They were making out, and dry humping, and generally on their way to having sex.

My brain decided to take a vacation right then.

I stepped into the room, grabbed the human by the hair and collar, dragging him off Malik and to his feet. 'What the fuck, man?' he slurred, clearly quite drunk. I punched him in the face, and pushed him out the door while he was reeling, closing and locking it.

Then I turned back to Malik, who was picking himself up from the floor, no trouble, apparently not as drunk as the other guy. He was angry though, and opened his mouth to say something, probably to tell me off.