Not First Love (4 page)

The room looked darker on the screen. Arthur was suspicious what she was up to this time. He watched the screen closely. The cam was high above the bed and it gave a view of the room with the window straight ahead, the table to the left and the bathroom to the right. 

Jan opened her front buttons. She had her back to the cam. The dress slid off her back. It was dark but Arthur could make out Jan standing there in her underwear. She opened her hair, it covered her back. Jan picked up her dress and put it on the chair. She slid off her inners, picked the towel and went into the bathroom.

It was then it occurred to him that she didn’t know of the cam there. No one had told her and it was installed in such a way so that one could keep an eye without the person knowing about it. It never came to Arthur’s mind that he should have told Jan about it earlier.

Arthur had become red in the face. He didn’t expect this. He had always suspected Jan. He could see he was not fair to her. He had to tell her about the camera. But how would he say it now? It will be more embarrassing for her than it has been to him. But he had to tell her. This couldn’t be allowed to happen again. Everything was also getting recorded.

Jan opened the shower a little at first. She liked to have the first drops slowly. She felt little prickles when the cool drops touched her skin. It made her feel sensual. It was the way she liked to foreplay, with gentle kisses and soft touches.  Touch, then wait to for the next. Ron would lose his patience most of the time and would go too fast for the real deal. But Jan felt the real pleasure is in anticipation. In gaps between the moves. So when the move comes after the anticipation, the dam breaks with pleasure.

Jan had no idea how much time had passed in her fantasies under the shower. The sound of her phone ringing brought her mind back. She grabbed the towel around her and went to pick up the phone.

It was Ron. That was odd of him to call her now.

Jan picked up the phone but the sound didn’t come clear. Must be the stone walls she thought. She went to the window and pushed back the wooden slides. The room was filled with the afternoon sun.

The sound of the ringing phone had brought his attention back to the screen. He saw Jan come out and open the window.

Arthur gasped. He forgot he was looking at Jan, instead he saw the towel around a body. The sunlight was falling on a body that had the perfect feminine curves.   The sunlight scattered off the body and towel around her made him want to see more. He couldn’t get his eyes off the screen. Don’t be jerk, he said to himself, switch off the camera. But his hand wouldn’t move. Steadying himself he clicked the off button in the screen.

Jan was surprised and happy to get Ron’s call. She wished he had called her more often. She did feel lonely. But Ron would tell that it was her choice to stay there, so face with the consequences as well. 

Ron said on the phone that he was waiting for a client at the restaurant and thought of calling her up.  The conversation lasted a few minutes, and Jan finished with an “I love you”. Ron finished with a quick “Me too” and hung up.

Arthur waited for an hour and switched on the cam. Jan had dressed up and was sitting beside the window reading a book. He got up and went upstairs. He opened the latch, knocked and opened the door. But it didn’t open. Jan rushed as she remembered that she had not opened the inside latch.

Arthur came in. He had steadied himself and would not let himself get weak. He looked at her, and he now noticed that she wore her clothes looser so that it hid her curves.

“I have to put the cam on in this room for watch on you. It’s nothing personal, we do it every time there is someone held here. I hadn’t done it till now as you had good terms with Zilo but it’s my job to do so.”

“Okay I get it.  Go ahead. “

“The camera is already installed and...”

“It’s already there?” Jan was aghast.

“Yes it is there but no wait, it is not on.” Arthur said hurriedly. She was relieved and she didn’t hide it.

“Where’s it?”

“The cam? See here.” Arthur pointed to the nook. She couldn’t see it at first but then she did.

“Right, so I am going to go down and put it on now,” Arthur stressed on it.

“Arthur, you can trust me. I won’t be doing anything stupid.”

Arthur understood what she meant. He looked at her and didn’t reply.

“Do what you must but I promise you that I won’t create trouble. Even if you leave the door unlocked I will not leave this room.”

Arthur raised his eyebrows, he couldn’t hide his amusement.

“I mean it. And I wouldn’t ever break Zilo’s trust.”

“So what is it with Zilo and you? Exes?”

“No, I don’t have any exes. Ron is first and will be my only.”

“One and only”, Arthur couldn’t hide his smirk.  “But you are not Ron’s one and only isn’t it? Ron had slept with many...”

“That was before. I don’t mind anyone’s past as long he loves me now,” Jan cut him off.

“Sure, none of my business though.”

“I didn’t mind Arthur. You can ask me anything you want. I am like ... this open book”, she said to lighten the mood.

“So you wanted to know why Zilo and me are on so good terms. Well one thing about Zilo I like is, although he is the rich dad’s heir with his fancy cars and girlfriends, but he is truly nice. He does not become a drunken fool at parties. He is grounded. Most of all, he is considerate. He has helped his friends at college when they needed money.”

“So you are nice to him because he loaned to your boyfriend?”

“I would have trusted him even if he hadn’t. I have known him for many years and I know how he is. Although I wished he hadn’t loaned Ron for my sake.”

“What do you mean?”

Jan moved to her chair beside the window. She waved for Arthur to take the other one. Arthur pulled up the chair and sat beside her.

“Zilo believed I saved him.”

*****

THREE

Arthur leaned towards Jan.  “What do you mean by he ‘believed’ you saved him?”

Jan was hesitating.

“I don’t know Arthur if you would believe me. It’s very weird. You are a man of the world and only believe in logic. But I cannot deny what I have seen.”

“You can try,” Arthur said. He smiled inwardly thinking what she would say if she knew what he handled in his real job.  That’s why he never told anybody, not even to any of his girlfriends till now.

But Jan still hesitated.

“I will believe you, Jan.”

Jan’s face lighted up. She smiled at him. How gullible she is, Arthur thought.

“Okay, but it is a long story. “

“Jan, if we both have something in common, it is a lot of time,” Arthur mused.

“Ron told me you had left the college the same year I returned from India...” Jan started to tell.

“You are from India?” Arthur was surprised, “I thought you were ..from here.”

“Oh yes I am American, Sir. Born and brought up here,” Jan mocked a salute. “Actually my father’s American and my mother’s Indian. I was named Janaki, it eventually turned into Jan.”

Arthur was listening with interest.

“We lived here. Once, my father got an offer as the Sales Head of a luxury car company in India. The pay was great. My mother wanted to go India as well. So we went there and stayed there for the next five years. We returned to the States after that and I joined college.

When I started classes, I hadn’t known much of Ron but Zilo and I became good friends. I had met him at a party before. My father had joined his father’s firm and there was some annual party. I think it was Zilo who told me to join that college.”

“A few months later, it was Zilo’s birthday and he had organized this big party at a resort in the woods. I don’t know why Zilo throws his parties at such places!” Jan complained.

“Because it’s more fun. No one to complain about the loud music and everyone’s free to do what they want to without anyone noticing,” Arthur replied as a matter of fact.

“Yes I know what you mean by that ‘free to do’, no wonder I stay away from those parties. Have you ever been to his parties? ”

“Yes, but only once.”

“So that evening,” Jan continued, “I was at Zilo’s birthday party. I had promised my mother that I would be back on time. It was getting late according to my mother’s standards but the party had just started according to ones there. I decided to search for Zilo and meet him before I left. I couldn’t see him and I asked others if they knew where he was. Someone cracked a lewd joke about some girl offering Zilo her virginity as his birthday gift. I knew Zilo was better than that. As he was so rich,  some girls would usually flock to him. But he has standards.”

“Some lucky guy Zilo is”, Arthur commented.

“That’s cheap not good luck,” Jan retorted.

“I meant you Jan. He is lucky to have a friend who knows him so well.”

“Oh! I ...see.” It was Jan’s turn to be surprised.

“It wouldn’t be bad if I received such birthday gifts too,” Arthur smiled.

Jan realized this was the first time she saw him smiling. It put a charm to his rugged looks. She loved when he would look so rugged in his stubble. It was not every day that he shaved, and that made him look more ruggedly charming.

“Didn’t you like Zilo?” Arthur asked.

“Zilo’s nice but our relationship was more, I would rather say, fraternal. We went along like good friends but we were very protective of each other.”

“Okay, tell me what happened after that.”

“So I was looking for Zilo. I couldn’t find him anywhere in the resort. I tried to call him but he didn’t pick up. I was thinking what to do. I shouldn’t leave in the middle of his party without letting him know but if I didn’t return on time, my mother would start to worry. I went to check the pool but I knew I wouldn’t find Zilo among the half naked guys, although I did find Ron there. I turned away abruptly from the pool and I was aware of Ron’s eyes following me. I want to get away from there and hurriedly I started to walk towards the trees. The resort was built in the middle of this forest clearing and once you get out of the resort, you never realize when you enter the woods. I stood there looking at the big trees. It was not so dark here with the resort so well lighted. I could hear the loud party music coming from the resort.

I was thinking of turning back when I thought heard Zilo’s voice. He was talking to someone but I couldn’t catch the words. As I tried to follow his voice and go nearer, he sounded worried and it then turned into horror. I ran towards him through the trees. I found him standing with his back to a tree. He was pale like he had seen a ghost. He saw me but he couldn’t say anything. I didn’t understand what scared him so much, it was so dark there. But I was worried about him.

I took his hand and turned to go back to the resort when I heard the whooshing sound of wings. Then I noticed that the forest was so deadly quiet, even the sound of crickets was gone. Zilo let out a cry and I followed his eyes. My eyes had adjusted to the dark. On the branch of the tree in front of us, I saw a shape. It was black or deep gray. It looked like human sitting with his head down. Only that this figure was bigger than most humans and looked much stronger and had something around is shoulders. I later realized it was its folded wings. It raised its head and looked towards Zilo, if you would call it looking. They were the ugliest eyes I have ever seen and it gave off a filthy green glow. He, yes he looked male, and it was opening its bat like wings to jump from the branch. It wanted Zilo. I was scared too but something came over me. I stood in front of Zilo. I wouldn’t let him get to Zilo although I had no idea how I would stop him at all.  It was then it looked at me. I realized I would lose my nerve any second. I held Zilo’s arm tightly and pulled him hard and started to run towards the resort. We both were running for our lives. We didn’t look back. We stopped when we entered the resort area.  Whatever it was, we didn’t see it again.”

Jan paused and looked at Arthur. Jan wondered if he was shocked, or amused. But Arthur looked bothered.

Arthur could not have guessed this is how the story would emerge. Zilo and Jan both encountered a Bloodsucker? He couldn’t just tell her that he has encountered those too. It might scare her.

“Do you think it was real? “ Arthur quietly asked Jan.

“I am absolutely sure. I have told this story to Ron and Ron thinks we were both high that day. But Arthur, I swear it was there and it was as real as you now. I believe in the supernatural. I have searched for similar experiences in the internet. I was right, these things exist. People call them the Bloodsuckers.”

So she knew these were Bloodsuckers.

Arthur looked at her eyes and told her straight, “Whatever it had been I believe you. But it is better to forget these incidents. Don’t tell it to people who wouldn’t believe, don’t discuss with anybody. Just lead a normal life as it never happened. It’s the best for you.”

“How do you define normal, Arthur? By hiding what is the truth?”

Arthur didn’t want to answer, it would lead to an agreement.

“Why did you believe my story so easily, when you still can’t trust me? You believe in such things, don’t you?”

He had the right answers but he wouldn’t tell her. He looked at his watch and told Jan, “I have to go.” 

*****

Arthur was sitting in the hall. He had his laptop in front of him and the screen on his right. Was it all a coincidence? But his trained mind didn’t believe in serendipity and accidents. Everything happens for a reason, dig deeper and you will see. Jan was lucky she survived a Bloodsucker. Zilo was luckier, he had survived twice. He understood why Zilo had been so generous with both of them. The food delivered was great and it came from one of Zilo’s food chains. He called often to know if Jan was comfortable and how Arthur was doing. Both of them had saved his life, against the same predator.

As night came, Arthur decided to get alert. Although there was no reason to be so, he couldn’t shake off the fact that there were two of them in the same building who had stood against a Bloodsucker. This only happened when he met one of the Others.

But Jan? She didn’t even know what she was stood against. There was no apparent warning that danger might come now, but a Bloodsucker did come without any warning. In reality there are warnings, but those are very subtle and you have to have experience to pick those up. You have to be attuned to your surroundings and be centred in your body to notice the signs.

No, Jan couldn’t stay here. It would be too dangerous for both of them to be in the same building. A Bloodsucker cannot see well but he would sense a target. If two targets are there, the sense would be doubly stronger. He would have to tell Zilo and get Jan out of here. He decided to call him next morning. He went around the hall and locked all the windows and doors. He went through his bag and got a few items out. Among those were a knife and a revolver.   The knife’s sharp edge shone dangerously in the hall’s lights. It was made of ‘purified’ iron and it had inscriptions etched on it. He didn’t know what it meant, possibly some divine incantation. He never asked the Others. If it works, it is good.  The knife had a leather sheath. He put the knife in the sheath and slid it in a hidden pocket of his jeans.

He checked the screen. It was totally dark and Jan had probably fallen asleep. There was no light at all in the room, he wondered why. Then he noticed that Jan had been keeping the window open every night but tonight, it was shut tight. She did right, he thought. He punched a few letters in his laptop. It was a code, a chat box opened. Arthur needed some updates, especially on a Bloodsucker. He wanted to estimate how far he would be now from the Bloodsucker.  

He had been sharing information with the Others when he noticed that there was a light on the screen. Jan was awake and sitting on the edge of her bed. Was she shaking, he wondered? Jan took her phone in her hand and had dialled a number.

As the night had progressed, Jan had started to feel uneasy. She got up and put on the lights but it didn’t help much. She wished Ron was here. She would snuggle up to him and let him place his arms around her. She felt good to have a masculine protection. It felt good, and it gave her strength. Although Jan was much stronger than people thought she was and had faced more situations on her own than the average person. But she had hardly ever spoken of those.

Today she longed that she had a masculine protection. She was shaking from the nightmare. She needed to speak to Ron. Ron picked up the phone.

“Ron, are you busy? I need to talk to you.” Arthur heard over the microphone. He turned up the volume.

“I need to talk to you now, where are you? It’s late, you should go home. “

As Arthur heard Jan’s voice and he was sure she was shaking.

“Just talk to me for a minute. I am scared.”

“No, Arthur’s no trouble at all. Why are you after him all the time? I had a nightmare and I am not feeling good. Ok I am on hold.” She waited what must have five or seven minutes. At last Ron came back on the line.

“I had a nightmare. It’s the same nightmare I have told you before. I saw that creature, the winged creepy thing. Yes the Zilo one. I had that nightmare again.”

Ron was saying something and Jan became quiet. She had stopped shaking and started to speak. She sounded different, almost emotionless. It didn’t sound like her.

“Yes, I am here. “

“Yes I will see a psychiatrist.”

“Yes.”

“Bye.”

Ron disconnected the call. Jan put the phone done listlessly. She switched off the lights to get privacy from the camera. The she burst into tears.

Arthur could hear her crying. She didn’t know he could hear her too, he hadn’t told her about the microphone. Arthur didn’t blame Ron for telling Jan to see the psychiatrist. Zilo and he would have faced the same reaction if they told the world what they had seen.  He wished he could tell Jan that she was right, just to comfort her. But weird things do exist. And knowing about those would only make her more petrified.

*****

Arthur called Zilo in the morning. He needed to talk to him and get some stuff from the supermarket. He had to make arrangements in case a Bloodsucker decided to pay him a visit. Before leaving, he went to Jan and told her he would be back by the evening. Her eyes were swollen from crying all night but she didn’t let any weakness show. When Arthur inquired, she laughingly told him that she overslept. He told her that the door would be open and the delivery guy would come with her lunch. She is to take her lunch and come back up and stay there all the time. He trusts her. She nodded and seemed happy to be trusted at last.

“Do you need anything from town?”

“This place has everything, I can’t even ask for anything. I can even have my laundry done here,” she said.

Arthur wanted to be empathic, “Maybe anything you like, say chocolates?”

“Chocolate ice cream!”

“Okay.”

He locked all the doors and windows of the hall before he went away. While driving off in his black sedan, he took a last glance to check it all.