A Shadow Of A Man

Part Sixteen~ Succumb

Zoya missed Aditya, they hadn't really spoken much other than their sessions and those had been basic sessions, he didn't flirt, didn't compliment and didn't try to touch her. She wasn't meant to care, because he certainly didn't but it had reached a point where she was losing sleep because of it. Then of course there was the horrible mornings, she'd park up to see him speaking to Megan, laughing and joking and she was 100% sure it wasn't just her imagination that they were getting closer day by day. She had given up dressing as she usually did, today she wore her smart, tight black trousers and a black shirt, hair was up in a ponytail and she wore no make-up, she didn't care how tired and weak she looked, it was better to face upto reality anyway, the past few weeks had been tough, her friend had been murdered and yet she found she didn't care anywhere near as much as she should have.

A rough hand grabbed her pulling her behind a brick wall "Well hello toots" placing a hand over her mouth the man bent down and pulled up her top "Have ya missed me"? The voice was exactly like her patients, but when he bit into her stomach she knew it wasn't him, swiftly he moved from one bite to another, the blood seeped through her skin and he was only too quick to lap it up

Ezekiel rolled forward on his wheelchair, straining his ears he sniffed "Who's there"?

Kicking her knee forward she watched as he ran as she moved out from behind the wall, blood now dripping through her fingers "Help I need" grimacing she moved back behind the wall, the patients couldn't see her this way, holding her arm over her stomach she ran to the gate, placed her card on the scanner then unlocked her car

Aditya looked appreciably at Megan's motorbike "Sweet ride" he gritted his teeth when he noted the same man who had told him about Zoya making his way over "What is it you want now"?

"Your Mrs is hurt, I heard her say she needs help, then heard her run" he hung his head back "But then again, you want to treat her normally so why would you be worried"?

"How the fuck do you know that, you piece of-"

"Ah, ah, ah, you touch me Aditya and I will come down on you so hard you'll forget all your past pain and only remember me, we're friends, don't destroy what we have now" the smile on his lips infuriated him even more "Tic tac toe, give me a high, give me a low, give me a three in a row, Aditya got shot by a big fat hoe" cackling he rolled away

Megan turned her head "I'll go and check on her, are you okay"? Reaching her hand through the gate she rubbed his arm as he placed his hand atop hers, smiled then walked away

Zoya quickly drank the small bottle of alcohol from her bag, sat back and sighed "Maybe you were right Aditya, maybe I do need someone to handle me when all i'm doing is drinking"

[~~~]

"Zara, there you are, come on or we'll be late for breakfast" Assam smiled

"Sure, I was just feeding Gnasher, got some fresh meat from the butchers" as he turned she licked the blood from her thumb and moaned

"Did you say something"?

"No, must be hearing things" she smiled sweetly

[~~~]

Anita trembled, knees to her chest and bloody hands shaking "Someone help me, help me" lying back she kicked her legs and screamed

"Shh, shh, shh, no one can save you now, succumb" handing her a pencil they sat back, red leather gloves squeaking "There's a good girl" a wide grin spread over their lips when she proceeded to stick it in her own eye

[~~~]

Lifting Aditya's grey knitted sweater to her nose she inhaled, closing her eyes she placed it back down then turned around "Mr Hooda"