November 4th

A sip of tea Part 13

I knew what I had to do, I knew who I had to tell. I could go to the police but Taurus would know, Taurus tracked your every move when you were on his radar, Mentally he'd become you, he was like water, drowning you out, until nobody could hear your screams, until nobody could see your suffering. I needed someone who I knew would be as calculated and cunning as him, someone who had the resources and could find where patterns didn't match. Tommy Driscoll, and maybe Fig. If I did anything new Taurus would suspect, if I became a new being, living breathing anomile all of a sudden, Taurus would reject that thing. I needed someone who could help me and Mum not just find out if there were others, get away from Taurus. These days he watched me like a hawk, his steps as soft as the flutter of wings at my door. When he thought I was asleep, each time he left I would inhale a deep gulp of breath, the oxygen feeding the panic. I had been there, i had cleaned up, like so many other times, now i knew too much. I had seen both his faces. For the next two weeks I wore a calm smile like a mask, Taurus voice was chilling. The psychotic way he stayed so calm, whilst a storm trembled inside me. " Morning," He would push out at the breakfast table. I was a pigeon amongst a sleek black panther hungry to be fed. "Morning," i replied fear cathching the words in my throat.

" I made pancakes your favourite, with blueberry jam,"

" Thanks," i spoke at my feet.

" Speak up, your not talking to a stranger," but i was. I was looking at this foreign entity who had somehow found a key to my hub, once my jewels I had envied. Now all i felt was the blood rushing to my head and white hot fear, he studied me under a magnifying glass as though i were a maggot squirming. "Go on sit down then want some tea,"

" No thankyou."

" Pardon?"

" Yes please" I submitted. The pancakes were burnt to a crisp. My brother had always been good at making the cuisines, but i was a master at pancake making, the blueberry slop he had created was parked beside the three story pancake. He usually did this as an apology. What was he sorry for. For the life he took, for exposing a truth, for unpeeling a mask? The terror would remain. I positioned myself adjacent to him, i used to sit at the head of the table not thinking too much of it, but now i thought about status, hierarchy and Taurus's need to dominate...everything. He needed power he craved power and people had lost their lives.

"Here you go,you look wiped," he offered casually, "not sleeping much?"

I wanted to lie,say i snored louder than mother on those pills, but that didnt ring true, not in this situation. He placed the teaon the blue saucer on the table, i peered into the cup, glancing at the garden doors exit. Was there something in the tea? I'd have to drink it anyway.

"Wanna hear some tunes?" He clicked the radio on as just like candy blasted through the speaker, to my horror he began to dance. I wanted to weep inside my shell. I had lost my brother, the brother i grew up with. This shapeshifter had lost many marbles, and i had to get away, sooner rather than later. Taurus was over 6ft 5 stocky and well built, i was under no illusion i could take him in a fight, even after trying out self defense classes a year ago one tackle from my brother in a playfight had winded me, and left my ribs bruised.

Suddenly the music stopped and he leaned in close, i could smell the egg on his breath, taste the shadows on my tongue, i was biting my lip so hard i could taste blood, His brown eyes narrowed now to two slits." have you ever been put in a cage before?"

"Nnnno ," i trembled

" There's cages in the mind. Fear is a cage?"

" Yeah," i agreed leaning back slightly

" I hate being afraid or not trusting somebody. Drink your tea," he spoke softly." just drink your tea." I took two gulps, and watched as he took lean strides towards the living room. I could still feel the blood rushing to my head and feel dizzy with panic.