Page 94 of Envious Of Fire
After a moment’s hesitation, Mikey finally nods. “Alright. I trust you, man.”
“You’ve got no choice,” states Kyle, perhaps unnecessarily. That’s when his eyes land on the pet leash lying on the ground, likely dropped there when Drake left. After listening to theechoes of laughter and revelry continuing in the other parts of the cavern for a while, Kyle comes to a decision. “Okay, here’s the plan: we’re doing Drake’s plan. I’m gonna walk you.”
Mikey makes a face. “What? No fucking way, man.”
“He had the best idea. It’s the only way I can ensure your safety.” Kyle peers back at Mikey. “You got a better idea?”
“I—Just—We can just—” His resolve crumbles as he sinks against the bars, deflated. “No.”
“Good.” Kyle swipes the leash off the ground and tosses it through the bars of the cage. After a sigh of resignation, Mikey picks it up with the petulance of a stubborn child. As he figures out how to put it on, Kyle grabs the bars of the cage and lifts—only to discover it is significantly less easy to lift than Drake made it look. “Duck,” instructs Kyle just as Drake did before. Mikey, still figuring out the leash, crouches low to the ground. When Kyle realizes there is no way to lift this heavy thing in the air, he resolves to simply allowing it to topple over, letting Mikey crawl out the bottom. When the cage crashes onto its side, both Kyle and Mikey freeze, praying with panicked eyes that no one comes to investigate the sound.
Mercifully, no one does.
Perhaps the noise is assumed to be a reckless partier who just knocked into a stack of decorative priceless china that could have gone for hundreds of thousands of dollars in an auction.
Kyle and Mikey look at one another, nerves wound tight, their eyes wide with uncertainty.
Kyle reaches out his hand.
Mikey, now with a thick spiked collar locked snugly around his neck, offers Kyle the end of the chain with a surprising lack of hesitation.
Kyle sees this as an act of trust. When he accepts the leash, he doesn’t take it lightly. “Say nothing,” he softly coaches him. “Bow your head. Look no one in the eye.”
“Fucking fuck,” whimpers Mikey, petrified.
Deciding they’re as ready as they’ll ever be, Kyle grips the leash tighter, takes a breath, then heads off. Mikey appears to have trouble walking at first, his legs stiff with fear, the leash tugging on his neck, but soon they find their stride, walking off.
For a while, no one is in sight, only their laughter echoing in all directions, sometimes distant, sometimes closer. Kyle and Mikey continue to move, following the path between piles and mounds and walls of invaluable things. Mikey trips, stumbling into Kyle’s back, mutters, “S-Sorry.” This happens a few times.
The path opens to a larger area, the center of which holds no less than seven vampires, male and female, engaged in some kind of drunken orgy, cackling, one strumming a lute, another one singing along, one appearing to do naked yoga. Kyle pays them no mind as he walks by, attempting to maintain a look of total indifference. It isn’t easy, as their presence causes Mikey’s heart rate to skyrocket, which in turn forces Kyle to contain even more panic frothing inside him. He tightens his muscles as he walks, wrestling Mikey’s alarm into submission, breathing deep and long breaths, determined to get the fuck out of here.
It’s then that Kyle catches sight of someone peculiar he has not seen before. High up, sitting atop the tallest pile of junk, is a vampire. At first glance, Kyle isn’t certain whether they’re male or female, only that they are strikingly beautiful with long, flowing hair, just like Lazarus’s, only theirs is as white as snow. A porcelain, doll-like face, lightly-rouged cheeks, a pointy nose, wearing an almost playful expression, blissful, if not a bit bored and day-dreamy, perhaps waiting for something interesting to happen. The vampire wears a raspberry skintight catsuit with a slight sheen that covers their slender shape from neck to ankle.
And the moment Kyle sees the vampire, the vampire spots him right back, like an owl from a high-up perch sensing prey, or a perturbed housecat detecting movement.
The next instant, the vampire vanishes.
Kyle continues on, disturbed by that very temporary sight, and now his footsteps are much quicker. Mikey seems to notice, because his heart rate increases as he speeds up his own steps. The embarrassment from Mikey flushes in Kyle’s own cheeks. Perhaps it only now occurs to Kyle how humiliating this must be, to be paraded by a leash through the vignettes of vampires lounging around, partying, having sex or playing music, even if none of them seem to be paying attention.
Kyle supposes it’s understandable that Mikey doesn’t prefer to be wearing nothing but a spiked collar and leash with a tiny gold thong. Their first task will be finding Mikey some decent clothes, Kyle decides, as soon as they make it back to Nowhere.
Assuming Mikey wants anything to do with Kyle at all once they leave this evil place—ifthey leave this evil place.
Soon, Kyle spots the front exit of the den leading into the tunnels. Mikey seems to notice, too, as a burst of excitement rushes through his chest and his steps pick up more speed.
The moment they’re in the tunnels, relief washes over Mikey and spills into Kyle, inspiring them both. “Keep going,” says Kyle as they navigate through the dark tunnels. “We’re not in the clear until we’re outside. Watch your step.”
“I can’t fucking see!”
“Really? Not even a little bit? I can see just fine.”
“You’ve got your magic eyes, man, I can’t see shit!”
Kyle slows down, sighs with frustration. “Okay, stay close, then. Really close. Hands on my shoulders, if you have to. You gotta walk exactly where I’m walking. There are chasms in this tunnel, I’ve seen them, deep-ass chasms.”
“Are you fucking with me right now? Chasms?”
“Stay close, I said.”
