Page 30 of Gemini
“Lena,” she whispered.
I screamed, stumbling back into a tray table, tools clattering to the floor. She got up from the gurney and came toward me. I couldn’t move. When I looked down, I saw my legs were bent the wrong way.
I jolted awake mid-scream, practically jumping out of my seat. Frantically, I whirled around and searched the room.
I was alone.
Panting, I felt my body shake. I looked over at the clock and saw it now read nine-thirty.
“Fuck,” I breathed.
Quickly, I cleaned up my station and headed for the locker room. I yanked off my work clothes and pulled on a pair of pants and a T-shirt before throwing my bag over my shoulder and slamming my locker shut.
As soon as I got outside, I made straight for my Jeep. The night was humid, the parking lot dark save for a single orange light in the center. I hardly looked around as I grabbed my keys and unlocked the door.
Throwing my bag inside, I stopped for a moment, my hand shaking against the side of the car.
“Not real…not real,” I repeated to myself. It was only a dream, that’s all. Trish was still out there. She had to still be out there.
Taking a few deep breaths, I tried to calm my nerves before sliding into the driver’s seat. As I went to slip my keys into the ignition, a shadow blocked out the orange light.
“Long night?”
I jumped, head snapping to my left where a man stood at my door, looking at me.
“Ex-excuse me?”
He took a slow drag from the cigarette before he smiled at me. Even in the dark, I noticed the single silver filling.
I went still, my heart leaping to my throat. The man from the bar took another hit, the smoke drifting above his head, looking like a demon’s halo from the light behind him. His smile dropped if only a little. “Come out and we’ll talk.”
My body wouldn’t move. I stared at him and realized he wasn’t alone. More shadows drifted around behind him. More snakes slithering in the dark.
My phone was in my bag. No way I’d get to it. I couldn’t close the door because he was blocking it.
“Come on, sweetheart.” He went to take my arm, and that’s when I moved.
I lunged for the other side of the car, toward the passenger door. He grabbed my leg and yanked me back.
I screamed, kicking at him. I heard him call to the others and multiple hands grabbed me, pulling me from the car.
I tried to scream again, but a rough hand went over my mouth. Biting was no use against the biker gloves, but I tried anyway. I struggled in their grip, until one of the men had me in a lock, arms bent behind me, my body firmly against theirs, forcing me away from my car and out into the darker side of the parking lot. I couldn’t see how many of them there were, but I saw most of them had their faces covered, only their eyes visible.
My screams were muffled as I writhed against him, trying to break free.
“Bitch won’t stop,” one of them said.
“Here, maybe this will help.” An arm swung out, slamming right into my stomach.
Pain flooded my senses, and I couldn’t breathe. As I choked, the man who held me dropped me. My knees buckled, hitting the concrete, sending a spasm up my legs. I wanted to cry out but all I could do was gasp for air.
As I kneeled hunched over, a hand gripped my hair and pulled my head back, forcing me to look up. Tears stung my eyesas I gazed at the man from the bar, his smile gone, his face now etched with disappointment.
He clicked his tongue at me, as he flicked ash from his cigarette on the ground next to me. “This could have been a lot more civil. We could have had a nice conversation back at the bar about your sister.”
I couldn’t make any words, just a pathetic sound.
He laughed. “She’s alright,” he said. “At least I think.” He shrugged. He took another hit of his cigarette as he looked around the lot. “She had this air about her too, just like you. That snobby, kind of bitchy I’m-better-than-you air. But lovely body, I have to say. Beautiful.” He blew out smoke as he lowered himself to my level. “I think she liked getting into trouble. Too much for her own good. Now she’s paying. And I don’t think it’ll do well for her sister to follow in her footsteps. So, take this as a warning. Don’t go sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
