CHAPTER 12
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" The more we value things out side of our control. The less control we have. ”
Emperor Marcus Aurelius
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They had taken I-95 north to the Southern Blvd/State road 80 exit. Driving west , towards Belle Glade. This time, rather than take the Turnpike north, Nemain had chosen the old Hwy 27 route. Up and Around the west side Lake Okeechobee.
No one was talkative. Each was wrapped in their separate thoughts. The miles passed away. In Belle Glade, they stopped for gas. Michael got out, checked the car over, popping the hood for the standard oil, water, fluids check. Macha pumped the gas standing at the rear of the car. Eyes scanning, senses on high alert.
Badb and Nemain went into the convenience store. Returning with bags full of snacks. Jerky and slim jims, Monster Irish cream coffee drinks, water bottles. The Gas clicked off, Macha put the nozzle away. Michael was cleaning the windshield. Nemain climbed into the back seat. Michael joined her. Badb kept shotgun, Macha slid behind the wheel. They had a long tedious drive ahead of them.
As soon as twilight passed, and the full dark of night took hold, Macha turned off the head lights. Their enhanced vision allowed them to see at night without need of light. Macha accelerated through the darkness. Blacked out, essentially invisible to all. A sense of urgency drove them. Badb was concerned that someone could have hit her place, like they had taken out Nemain’s house. The drive flowed along with nary a word spoken. Michael sat back and watched the shadows of Florida farm country flash by.
It seemed like he had been doing a lot of that lately. Sort of detached, watching things happen without any connection. As if he were watching someone else pretending to be him. Michael was not sure about anything anymore but he was beginning to suspect something was terribly wrong.
Hadn’t Nemain said that everything would be enhanced, physically, as well as emotionally? Wasn’t he supposed to be feeling intense passions? She had observed that his laissez faire acceptance and calm demeanor was unusual? How come the only time he had seemed to actually feel emotion was in that dream he’d had about the Morrigan and that dude that cut off his head?
Why did that not freak him out? Why did none of this insanity he found himself caught up in freak him out? Shouldn’t he be freaking? Was that what they had meant by enthralled? Who the hell did that? When? Come to think of it, why wasn’t he angry with Nemain? He had gone questing for answers and vengeance. Hadn’t he? Things to ponder while riding along to , where the hell were they going? Was that House in Lakeland Badb’s place?
Michael broke his reverie to ask Nemain, ” Where are we going? Back to lakeland?” “No, my place is outside Ocala.” Badb answered. “The place in Lakeland is all of ours.” Nemain continued. “I have a place in east Tennessee.” Macha finished. ” So, how long will we be gone? My 4x4 is still in that shopping center and my RV space is only safe up through the end of the week.”
Nemain turned to Michael, as did Badb. In their weird way they replied, ” Who ever burned my House” Nemain began, ” Knows you. Knows your vehicle. Knows you are with us.” Badb added, ” It wouldn’t be very smart to stick around what they know.” Nemain finished. Macha broke in ” We have contingencies prepared. No one except us should know of.” All three nodded in agreement. Michael let out a deep sigh, ” Damn I knew I should have grabbed my guitar!” ” The black Les Paul?” Nemain asked. Puzzled Michael answered ” Yeah” “Oh, I grabbed it on the way out, it’s in the trunk.” Nemain said with a slight smirk. Michael leaned over and kissed her, “Thank You!” ” Och! None of that now! No paddy fingers or cannoodling back there!” Badb and Macha bellowed.
Michael laughed, “Did they just quote from ” The Quiet Man?” “And why not? It is a classic don’t you know now?” The three answered together. ” The Duke and Maureen O’Hara ” Macha excaimed, “Errol Flynn and Maureen Ohara were hotter!” Badb and Nemain chorused. Thus began the back and forth discussion. Arguing in archaic dialects, languages, a confusing, chaotic polyglot. That seemed the default for the trio Michael decided.
Michael went back to considering his situation. Something was not right with him. What is it? “What did you mean by ” Enthralled? ” Michael interrupted the crazed cacophony. Silence ensued.
“Aye, there is that now isn’t there?” Nemain said softly her light brogue returning. If a voice could sound like a sword being drawn, that would be what it sounded like. Badb twisted about to stare intently at Michael.
Forget what he had been thinking just moments ago about being calm and detached. Michael felt the cold ice in his belly feeling of adrenaline. His mouth had gone instantly dry. Fear began to chase itself up and down his spine. His hands began to tremble. The tremble magnified into the shakes and spread untill all of his extremities were trembling and shaking. Badb was softy humming a tune, vaguely jig like. Nemain was, speaking? Singing? Chanting? Michael began to convulse.
Nemain wrapped her arms around Michael, stopping him from thrashing about. She nuzzled his neck, when her teeth broke his skin, Michael stopped thrashing and stiffened, all of his muscles locked. Only his hands trembled.
Nemain drank in Michaels essence, taking her time, relishing the feel of his body pulled close and tight to her. She was careful, even so it was hard not to drink deeply. Nemain was consumed by thirst, the burning need to devour. Badb had to pull her off of Michael to break the spell. Nemain snarled at Badb, madness dancing in her eyes. They stared into each others eyes , Badbs eyes reflecting the chaos raging in Nemain. Badb looked away, trembling, unable to hold the contact. Nemain turned back to her desires. Locking eyes with Michael, Nemain licked the fresh blood from her lips.
Macha, observing this all through the rear view mirror, slammed on the brakes sliding off to the side of the road. Michael sat frozen, eyes locked with Nemain’s. He no longer convulsed. Ghost flames formed, wrapping Nemain in faint blue and red flames. Flames that did not burn. Nemain began to tremble, then writhe in violent convulsions.
Macha leapt up out of the car, sliding across the trunk, to the passenger side. She jerked Badb out of the way, as she half climbed into the back to pull Nemain out of the car. Nemain, convulsing, began keening. An excruciating pitch and volume that grated like fingernails on a black board. Macha laid Nemain out in the roadside grass. Badb sat near by where she had collapsed when Macha had released her. Nemain slowly stopped convulsing to lay gasping for breath. Michael remained as he was.
Badb, tried to stand, only to fall back to the ground. Sitting upright set the world spinning hither and yon. Macha knelt between, looking back and forth. Nemain was obviously incapable of talking, so she turned to Badb. “What happened?” The obvious question. Badb falling back in laughter, rolling back and forth was not what she exected. Though in truth, Macha had no idea what to expect. She stood , turned back towards the car and Michael.
Michael was still sitting silently. He was looking around, bewildered. His eyes met Machas and they widened in surprised recognition. Macha leaned in through the open passenger door. Michael recoiled, trying to back away. He fumbled his way about in a state of panic, to tumble out of the open drivers door and fall landing half in and half out of the car. His right leg caught, tangled in the front seat belt. He had freed himself by the time Macha had circled around the car. ” No, no you’re not going anywhere just yet!”
Michael backed away from her. “What? Where am I? What the fuck is going on? How did I get here? Who the fuck are you?” Rapid fire definitive statements despite the phrased questions. Michael continued moving back towards the front of the car. His eyes locked upon Macha, studying everything else with his peripheral vision. He had no intention of giving anything away before he chose to act. Macha froze in place, spread her arms out to the side, she could see Michael struggling, gaining awareness, gathering himself together.
Badbs maniacal laughter drew his attention. Michael looked twards her. ” Is she oh..” Was all he could get out before Macha had closed the distance. When he looked back at her, having sensed her movement, she was there before him. With a lethal elegance, Macha was wrapping him in her arms. Michael struggled for a moment, then went limp. His eyes scanned back and forth from Badb to Macha.
“Twins?” He queried. “What is going on?” He had ceased struggling. Macha slowly released him, stepping back a pace. “What do you remember?” Macha asked him. ” You bit me!” He exclaimed and tried shaking his head to clear the confusion. Macha cocked her head. ” No, that was nae myself doing that now.” Hooking a thumb towards Nemain laying in the grass along side of the car.” That would have been her. ” Michael saw Nemain laying there breathing deeply, faint blue flames dancing over and on her.
Badb was now sitting up arms wrapped around her knees, rocking and laughing. Tears tracing their way down her face.
Head swiveling back and forth, taking it all in. Michael tried to process the Identical trinity. “What is wrong with them?” he finally asked.
“You are” Macha pointed at him as she answered him “What! Wait a minute here. ” Michael sputtered. “How did I?”
Badb, crawled on her hands and knees towards the car. Moonlight, caught in her eyes with silver flashes amongst the Emerald facets. Michael took notice of that vision. Somewhere near by, an alligator made it’s drawn out croaking grunt. Frogs sang, Insects played their tunes. The sweet chaos of the swamps night sang of predator and prey, life and death, narrow escapes. Cries of hunger, cries of lust, sighs of longing, barks of fear.
Michael had frozen in place. He could understand the night. He could taste the sweet chaos of life on the air. The scents of decay and flowers bursting with promise. It was soothingly pleasant.
Badb pulled herself up into the Coronet, crawling into the back to curl up on the back seat. Macha gathered up Nemain, awkwardly working her into the back seat next to Badb. Macha got in herself, slamming the door. “Are you coming with us? ” She asked Michael. He shook his head to clear it and looked around. There was not another vehicle around and not anywhere to go, he was surrounded by swamps, canals and large open fields. Michael plopped down into the passenger seat. ” I guess so...”
Macha started the engine. The glass pack rumble was reassuring. She guided the old muscle car back onto the road.
" Well, Hello! I am Macha, nice to meet you” she said, glancing over for a second or two. Michael studied her. As much as he could in the dark at any rate. “Uh, yeah. I am Michael, pleased to meet you.” ” You truly do not remember us?” ” How do I know you? You look vaguely familiar. You obviously know me. ”
Macha sighed heavily. “What do you remember of the last few days?” Michael contemplated the question. ” I remember you, or one of you, biting me. There were two huge shaggy dogs. You bit me and left me laying in the alleyway. After you left, this burning guy walked up to me.
I remember looking into its eyes. It knelt down next to me, placed his hands upon my head, whispered something. It talked to me for awhile. I had no choice but to listen, wishing he would hurry and finish. Then I fed from it’s wrist. Nemains arm spasmed startling Badb. Michael finished the tale, telling how he was thrown against the wall, passed out, and what he did upon waking. Michael stumbled through his thoughts rebuilding coherent memories.
Macha took it in. Several possibilities presented themselves. ” Did you ever see a face? Was it male or female? Was it neuter?“she asked. Michael had no idea.
Macha decided they were not stopping in Ocala. They were going to get the hell out of Florida. Her cabin in east Tennessee was the new destination. It would be a long trip, taking only the surface roads, avoiding interstates and major highways. She calculated maybe a full days drive. Depending on how often she could speed it up.