The Man Who Dies for Fun

Nothing Matters

Chapter Twenty Two: Nothing Matters

"Haha, you're so funny Bill."

The man sitting across me winked, moving back his slick black hair. The restaurant was fancy, dim-lighting and candles making the setting so very romantic. I couldn't believe I was here, with this wonderful man, having the time of my life. I curled my hair. "This is a beautiful evening."

"Not as beautiful as you," he said. Oh, his chin and cheeks had to be chiseled from rock. He held my hands in his, the candles separating them. "Nora, you've made me so happy."

"Oh Bill, please. You're the man I've been dreaming of my entire life."

He smiled, showing perfect white teeth. Everything about him was perfect. Being here with him made me feel special. Like I could really belong to someone. "Come one, let's go drive. The night is too young to be sitting here doing nothing."

And so we went to the car, a nice black Porche, a good sign of wealth. We drove fast, going deep into the countryside. The tall grass and hillsides had nothing on the glowing sky, filled with stars. We parked, listening to slow music.

The love we made under that starry night was fantastic.

Bill dropped me off at my house, kissing me gently. "I love you so much."

"Me too," I said, wishing this could last forever.

"See you tomorrow?"

"Yes. Definitely."

He drove off, like a wish coming true.

I went into the house, and into my bedroom, sighing relief and displeasure. Getting undress, I crawled next to my husband. He was asleep, lying still as a rock. My eyes closed slowly, thinking only of Bill.

Just as my consciousness began to sleep, I was jerked awake. My eyes went open, but it was pitch black. And no air was going into my lungs. What was happening? I tried to scream, flailing my arms, but nothing was working.

"Think I wouldn't know? That you were sleeping with another man? Well, you made a mistake Nora."

No! Bill! I....I wanted to see him again. I tried to fight out, but the blackness was becoming nothingness. A white film formed around the nothingness.

Was I still moving? Was I free?

Was Bill with me?

XXXX

Halina and I walked back to the courthouse, where the emergency meeting would fill now three empty seats for the council. The crowds were huge, people whispering and gossiping about the news of the slaughter of three Water District capital seat members. And how they supposedly betrayed the Network in some shady deals.

"Wow. Look at all these people. Is the whole city here?" Halina gently pushed her way around some fae discussing the tragedy. Swarms of brooms and fae and shifters clouded the skies, hoping to get to the council house before all the seats were gone. "It's incredible."

"This is big news. Very big news." I tried get past a large shifter who decided to block the street in its animal form. The rhino shook, getting dirty looks from everyone. "The National Council even sent a delegation to oversee the process."

Halina humphed, noting the calm in my voice. "You're using their presence as an indicator aren't you?"

"The National Council will be a deciding factor in the days to come. The Witch will either play this off, or take it as a challenge." I saw the tip of the courthouse. We were close. "Either is bad. But we now have full control of the city and its portals and ports."