The Vacuum

Part 33

The hoard of sweating bodies moved around her as though they were one pulsing, pounding, gyrating identity. All she had wanted to do was make her way to the bathroom then back to the bar without feeling the slick skin of another person sliding against hers but the Club that some of her work co-workers including Summer had brought her to wasn't made for that. It was made for physical contact and anonymity....something that wormed its way into Alex's mind.

She closed her eyes and tried to block it out as she got to the bar, trying to focus and be...normal. Normal...She was not normal here. The pulsing of the music was drilling into her and people that passed brushed and touched against her scarred skin. Chugging the beer down she finished the trek toward the group and put the empty bottle down on the bar. She couldn't hear the words coming out of her coworker's mouth though she knew they should have been audible. She couldn't focus on any one thing...all she kept seeing were strange things pushed into the normalcy of provocative dance moves: A hand wrapping around a throat, a body bent at a less than human angle, a flash of fire or steel.

She closed her eyes for a moment but it just made her nauseous to feel and hear the atmosphere without seeing it.

"Alex?" Summer asked. Alex opened her eyes to look at her before signaling for the bartender while licking her dry lips. "Maybe you should lay off hon. You don't look so great."

Alex pulled out a few bills to pay her tab. "I gotta get out of here," Alex told her as the bartender handed her back her change. His fingers brushed against hers feeling like a million pins sticking into her skin. She shoved the change into the tip jar before turning and saying a quick good night.

Stepping out into the night air she shivered as her slick skin was hit by the night. She took a deep breath before feeling herself shake. Her hands traveled to her arms neck and chest trying desperately to spastically swipe at the invisible hands and bodies she could feel grabbing at hers. Taking a deep breath she decided against the confines of a taxi and instead made her way down the vacant arteries of the city on foot.

Her mind wandered as she walked through the parks and streets to cross the urban terrain. She rubbed her hands over her face and tried to will herself not to sweat in the moist air. She didn't belong here...again. She hadn't since she gotten back from her captivity but she had tried to adjust back, not knowing where else she could be at peace. Now that she knew though it was even harder to push back. She needed to get out of here. Get away from the flashing flicking street lamps and roar of engines. Out Out Out Away.

Mac had only left one word describing the situation and hadn't called or texted since. The word 'Safe' inevitably meant 'end' now and she couldn't shake of the dissolute feeling that if she went back there would be no avoiding him. He didn't want her there than she couldn't go back, couldn't feel at home, couldn't feel safe or at peace.

Making her way up the steps to the apartment she took a deep shaky breath. Her heart hurt worse than her feet after the long walk. She opened the door, not bothering with her light and put her bag down on the floor in a daze before untying her hair and leaning back against the front door with her eyes closed.

"Your locks in this place are a fucking joke."

Her eyes snapped open and looked around the dark confines of the apartment until resting on a figure sitting on her sofa with his feet propped up on the coffee table. "Mac..." She whispered out in surprise. "What are you...how did you..." She stopped and licked her lips as her heart throbbed in her chest.

Mac pushed himself up off the sofa and stubbed his cigarette out in the ashtray. "That phone I got you has GP-" His words were cut off as Alex ran across the room and latched onto him, bringing his lips down to hers with a tug on the back of his head. His hands greedily grabbed at her back and hip pulling her in as his lips and tongue attacked hers punishingly. Tongues and teeth nibbling at each other they quickly started to gasp for breath against the other. "It's real..." He muttered, voice low and rough as his hands pawed at her skin viciously. He had thought she would come back after he said it was safe. When he hadn't he'd called the phone company saying that she had lost her phone and gotten them to tell him where it was. He didn't know what he expected when he had gotten here: call the cops, run away...something but not this.