The Secret Outside Her Window

Bubbles and Branches

Callan opened the door to his sleek black limo and Cora climbed in.  She admired the leather seats and the bar that was provided on the left side of the backseat neatly organized in a clear cabinet.  Four glasses were set upside down and glistened in the neon lights that skirted the edges of the window and illuminated the backseat.  Two rows of seats, facing each other, filled the back and a tinted window separated the driver from their passengers.   I scooted myself to the farthest right and Callan crawled in next to me, shutting the door.

"Well, Cora, where is it that you want to go?"

"Well, Callan, I'm pretty tired, so I'll be wanting to go home,"  Cora responded

"And where might that be?"  Callan's voice oozed out of lips like black tar.

Cora leaned forward and tapped the tinted glass to talk to the driver.  Cora told him her address and sat back down next to Callan, perhaps a few inches closer.

"Has anyone told you that you look like a goddess."  He said.

"No one has,"  Cora replied.

His devilish eyes seemed to be playing tricks on her, for she saw something far different than what sat right next to her.   A flash of a flame and the hint of a red-hot sneer curved up his profile as he inhaled a deep breath and gripped both of Cora's hands and massaged her fingers.  What was going on? Finally, he let go of Cora's hands and relaxed on the back of the seat. Both Cora and Callan were looking forward. Callan seemed to be in control.  Suddenly the shock that she was alone in a car with a complete stranger hit her in the forehead.  This was no flirting at the counter but entering and riding in another person's car. 

It felt like there was someone watching Cora, and she wanted nothing more than to escape the feeling of a pink, crawling, creeping, prickly creature that crawled up her back and neck.  Cora gripped her phone as she looked out of the window and neglected to see the houses passing, just the image of small pink creatures that were covering and suffocating her body.

He placed a hand on her thigh and continued to ask her questions that she refused to give more than vague answers.

"Where did you go to school?"

"A local one."

"What did you study?"

"My Courses."

"What Courses did you take?"

"Good ones."

  Cora pretended that she didn't notice anything, which wasn't convincing enough.

"What's wrong?"

"The American Economy."  It was all that Cora could think of to stall him until they reached her house.  After the seemingly endless questions and interrogation, the car stopped and presented itself in front of Cora's house. The car ride had made Cora more ajar than the image of a monster on the internet.  

"Your destination has arrived,"  The driver said which made Cora jump.

"Ok! Thanks for the ride.  See ya later!"  Cora jumped out of the car limo and nearly ran to her door.

"Wait! When am I going to see you again?"  Callan called as he opened his car door and proceeded to follow her.

"Uhm, I'm not too sure, sorry," Cora called back from her porch attempting to find the right key to unlock her front door.

Her hands were shaking badly and she was unable to find the right key in the darkness of the night. He was approaching faster, he was closer.  One step closer; his stride was astonishingly long and fast. Come on! Where is the damn key? Another step closer; Cora's heart beat faster and all of the air went out of her lungs as she held her breath. He was too fast and approached swifter than expected. 

"Will I see you at the Emerald?"  He asked. He towered over Cora and looked down at her with those fire eyes.

"I'm not sure."  Cora fingered the right key and squeezed it tight so that the metal absorbed the heat.

"Can I get your number?" 

 "I got yours, I'll call you." Cora backed to her door and shoved the key in, hearing the click as she turned it, almost thanking God.  "Bye."  Cora slid into her house and locked the door behind her, finally letting out an exhale of relief of putting something between her and the man.   It took a few minutes of shutting every blind and checking her window to make sure he wasn't still there until Cora felt safe again. She realized that her TV was on and remembered that Prince was watching television in the living room.

Prince let out a squeak and Cora replied with a "hello".   He repeated Owen Wilson's voice saying "Wow" and Cora laughed until there were tears in her eyes. 

"What were you watching, Prince?"  Cora chuckled while opening his cage and offering her finger as a perch.  He squirmed in his spot and avoided any contact. "What? You still don't want to? Ok."

The bathroom invited Cora to make a bath and she gave in to bubbles and sang along to music as she slipped out of her clothes, conscious of the closed blinds.  Cora sunk under the blankets of bubbles and hid for half an hour in a meditation that was only half successful when her phone rang that read 'Mom'.

"Hello?"  Cora answered.

"This is Diana."  Cora's Mom's voice was cool and dark and far from Ava's or Kate's or her core personality, the mother named Christine, but preferably called Mother.  Cora's mother had dissociative identity disorder that sparked in childhood, which she learned to cope with in late college years with extensive organization and intense study from psychology classes and therapy sessions. She had four major personalities, all female, and ranging between a number of ages.  Christine was the original alter that holds other hosts.  She is promiscuous and far more fun than her other alters.  Ava mostly controls the organization and is known for being controlling and pessimistic towards most of Cora's decisions.  Kate was the younger version that brings out the childlike fun that Cora had only seen a few times.  Diana is the serious and the intelligent side that likes black, notices almost every secret and enjoys wine.

"I have some great news, Diana! I bought a bird and his name is Prince."  Cora said cheerily. She thoroughly enjoyed Diana's company so that she did not have to command or take orders.

"Oh, Ava's not going to like that,"  Diana said cautiously.

"Oh, piss on what Ava said.  This house needs something new and something... alive. Other than me." Cora lifted herself so that she was sitting inside of the tub.

"What's he like?" Diana asked curiously.

"He's royal, all right."

"Have you told anyone else?" 

"No, you're the only one I've told,"  Cora said to Diana.

"I am the only one of us who knows? Or..." 

"You, Diana, are the only person, ever, who I have told, yet."  Cora clarified smiling, but her smile faded as she recalled Callan. "But there is something else I should tell you.  There was this guy at the Emerald that I met.

"A guy.  At a bar.  At a really expensive bar for rich guys.  Yeah, I see where this is going.  Did he try to rape you?!"

"What? No! He was just a little creepy, but I just couldn't tell how.  He drove me back in his limo.  I mean he didn't drive me back, his driver did but you get the picture."

"Uh, yeah, I definitely get the picture.  You. Him.  Alone in a limo. Why would you agree to that in the first place?"

"Uh, geez, I don't know, maybe because it was a friggen' limo but you know... hey I can feel you rolling your eyes."

"I can't help it, I just... ew." Diana shuttered at the thought.

Now this time Cora rolled her eyes.  "Well, now I know what the inside of a limo looks like, right. No harm done.  If he just keeps coming at me I'll just tell him that I am not available.  That probably means that I will have to hire a bodyguard and pretend he is my boyfriend."

Diana and Cora laughed and continued to talk on the phone while Prince sat in his cage watching television.  The commotion masked any sounds outside of the house that Cora was unaware of. Cora's laughter was carried past the walls of her house that ricocheted and flooded her halls.  Someone was listening.