This has to be a joke.
Darkness surrounds me, meaning, I’m back in the void. I wasfree. I had control of my body, but Kit had gotten me too wasted to do anything besides get myself to bed. IknewI needed to be researching ways to exorcise him. I wish I would have had the forethought to Uber myself to a priest rather than my apartment.
I force myself to my feet, blood rushing to my head. I titter where I stand, wishing I had a wall to lean against. Ughh. Why doIstill feel drunk?Idid not drink anything last night.
Kit’s voice rings out louder than usual, “Morning, sunshine.” He sounds a hell of a lot perkier than he should be. Though, I don’t know why I’m surprised. It’s not like he’s human.
“You could have killed me last night,” I grumble. I tug on the old T-shirt I’m wearing. I’m glad I bothered to dress myself before I went to sleep last night, otherwise I’d be naked in here.Which I’m sure Kit would love.
“Nah, with me inside of you, we can out-drink even the most hardcore frat bros.”
I glare, hoping he can see or sense it. “I meant with the vodka ocean you created in my void. I thought I was going to drown.”
“Vodka ocean?”
“Yeah, man. Do you not remember me yelling? I waspleadingwith you to stop drinking. That was literally the worst.”
“Oh. I couldn’t hear you over the music.” He pauses. “Are you all right?”
“Peachy,” I snap.
I don’t feel like looking out the window today. I sit back down, wishing I had a bed to curl up in.
One appears.
Same as the chair, it’s the most basic of basic beds. The wooden frame and navy-blue mattress remind me of the twin bed I had in my freshman college dorm. Now all it needs is sheets and pillows. I squeeze my eyes shut and focus. Apparently, I’m thinking too hard about my college dorm now, because the pillows and sheets that appear are from that. The gray and white comforter and purple furry pillow are things I have not seen or thought about in years, but right now, they look so comfortable. I crawl into the bed, shoving my arm under the pillow. The illusion of comfort will have to be enough—I can’t feel myself sinking into the mattress or appreciate the weight of the blanket over me.
Though I still can’t help but ask, “So, what’s the deal with your extra strength and lack of urination?”
He snorts, responding promptly—like he was waiting for me to speak. “When I’m in control, your body takes on my physical strength and everything else sort of pauses. Like, we don’t sleep or need to eat or, uh, urinate—unless I intake a lot of liquid, like last night. It’s not a perfect system, though. You can still get hurt.”
“How does that all work?”
“Magic?”
“I hate that that’s an acceptable enough answer.” I flip on my back. “What are your plans for today, then? Do some more petty crimes? Litter? Disobey traffic laws? Download illegal music?”
Kit ponders this. “Possibly yes to the traffic laws, but I promise to not steal another car. Today. But download illegal music? I’ve never thought about that. Do you want to do that? We can do that.”
“It’s not 2004, and I have Spotify Premium. There’s no need to use LimeWire anymore.”
Kit chuckles. “Right. I remember LimeWire.”
I perk up at this, sitting up in bed. “From your time as a human?” I prod.
To avoid discussion of his former human life—if he had one—he changes the subject. “You’ve gotten a lot of angry texts from someone named Meggie. Should we be concerned?”
I forgot about Meggie. I cannot believe we saw her last night. Hurt rattles in my chest as I remember that she left me alone and drunk in a club.
Meggie is five years older than me and on a completely different life path. Single and childless by design, runs her ownstart-up, owns her own home, is happy with the way things have turned out, has what she wants in life, and isn’t desperate for more. Despite that, we’re closer in adulthood than we were in childhood.
And before last night, she never would have ditched me like that.
Sullenly, I say, “Yes, we should be concerned. That’s my sister.”
“Ah, well, she’s pissed. What did you do to her? You texted her sorry last night.”
“What didIdo to her? Kit, you met her last night, or were you too far gone to remember?”
