The Adventures Of Red Dragonfly [Volume One]

Issue 15 - Secrets & Lies (Part 1)

Russell sat in a dingy motel, all by himself as he drank the last of his bottle of booze. He had hit rock bottom, sitting on a cheap bedbug ridden mattress in his boxers as the TV in front of him was showing nothing but static. He sat in the dark motel room, scratching his scraggly bread as he wallowed in his pity and failures.

Just then, Russell would feel a sharp pain in his chest. He got up and staggered for a bit as he groaned in pain. His body wasn't like he was when he was young. He stumbled to his knees in front of the TV, gritting his teeth from the pain.

The static on the TV would turn clear as a familiar face would appear on screen. Russell would squint his eyes at the bright screen, barely seeing what it was.

"Hello, Russell." A voice spoke distortedly as it struck fear in Russell. He couldn't believe who it was.

"K-Keith? Keith Edwards?!"

"Good to see you suffering, old friend."

Russell sat back down on the bed, a defeated sigh escaping him as he stared at the man who singlehandedly ruined his life. "You won, Keith. Just...leave me alone..."

"Now now, Russell. We both know I'm the type of guy to kick a man while he's down." Keith smirked. "We both also know that I could never kill you. It's more fun to see you kill yourself."

"Go to hell, Keith." Russell spat back, feeling the pain consume his body.

"I bet the allegations slashed a nerve, right? All those lawyers, all that proof that those black market deals were planted on your computer by me. Yet you still lost everything!" Keith cackled through the screen, taunting Russell. "You see, that look...that pain and suffering...I just needed to see it one last time. I cannot tell you how satisfying this is."

"So...this is how I'm gonna die, huh?" Russell quipped during his last hours of life. "With some asshole bragging about being a sore winner?"

"Yeah well...you really should've just gave me the company." Keith replied. "How's James, by the way? Still dead?"

"Shut up....shut up." Russell said weakly.

"Imagine giving a industrial tech company to your best friend because you felt guilty about sleeping with his wife." Keith laughed softly. "You're about as dumb and pathetic as you are right now."

Russell tried reaching for the remote to try to turn off the TV. But he just fell off the bed and went limp on the floor. As he felt life slowly draining out of his body, he heard the distorted taunts of Keith repeatedly saying:

YOU CAN'T BEAT ME.
YOU CAN'T BEAT ME.
YOU CAN'T BEAT ME.
YOU CAN'T BEAT ME.

Russell jolted out of bed, panting heavily from the dream he just had. Rosemary woke up out of bed, her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes squinted into the darkness as she sat up on one elbow and turned the lamp on by the nightstand. "Russell, what is it?" She asked with concern, hugging Russell from behind.

"Fuck..." Russell swore under his breath. "I-It's nothing. I had a nightmare."

Rosemary sighed, trying her very best to comfort him. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Not really..." Russell got up and walked into the bathroom, sighing as he stared at himself in the mirror. He splashed some water on his face and took a few deep breaths as water dripped from his developing beard. Rosemary looked at Russell through the doorway, concern drawn all over her face. Russell closed his eyes as he tried to catch himself up and collect his thoughts.

Rosemary walked into the small bathroom, placing her hand on Russell's shoulder. Russell looked behind him and blinked softly.

"Are you alright?" She asked.