The Cowboy Who Strolled Into Town (71 page)

“What's wrong?” Mark asked, walking forward, being careful not to step on the fragments of the plate.

“I s-saw something,” she said, and then turned around. Mark warned her against stepping on the sharp shards, but he reached out a hand and led her to safety.

“I'm going to go outside and take a look around, okay?” he said. She nodded, and he walked around the perimeter while she stayed hunched against the wall, afraid that even her own home wasn't safe. The tension was building inside, and she hated how she could be enjoying a pleasant evening one minute only for it to be ruined by a bump in the night. She could brush it off as a trick of the mind if only she hadn't seen the outline in the headlights...

The door handle twisted and the breath caught in her throat. She reached into the drawer and felt her hands curl around the sharp metal blade of a knife, only to relax her till Mark came in.

“Well, I didn't see anything out there,” he said. Melissa, looking desolate, went into the front room and slumped down on the couch. Mark followed her slowly and took a seat beside her.

“Look, I'm going to tell you this just to get it out of the way. I'm going to say it and you're going to answer me and then we're going to leave it like that, okay?”

She nodded.

“Are you sure that you saw something and that this isn't all in your head? You've been through a lot recently and I know you haven't been sleeping well. These sorts of things can lead to emotional trauma. I'm no expert in psychology but it's not the first time something like this would have happened,” he said carefully.

“I know what I saw,” Melissa replied through gritted teeth, “I heard him and I saw him in the headlights, and I just saw something outside in the darkness. I don't know who he is or what he wants but he's out there and for some reason he's stalking me. Are you going to help me or are you going to question my sanity?”

“I'm going to help you of course, I just wanted to make sure,” he said, holding out his hands in a supplicating gesture. “I'm here for whatever you need. I've told you that before, I just want to make sure we know what we're dealing with here. Now, do you want me to call the police?”

Melissa chewed her lip, and looked as though she was lost in another world. Mark had to prod her with his finger to pull her back.

“I don't know, do you think I should?”

“If there's someone out there stalking you then yes, you should.”

“But we don't know anything concrete. I don't even have a description of him. And I don't want to have a police watch on me all the time, it'll only bring up questions. I want my life to go back to normal, I don't want this,” she said, and leaned in to Mark. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, giving her all the comfort he had.

“I'm going to stay here tonight,” he said, and she didn't resist. As they lay there holding each other they remained silent. Their breathing found the same rhythm and occasionally Melissa would adjust herself, but otherwise they stayed perfectly still.

“Are you awake?” she said at some point around midnight. The room was perfectly dark, and they couldn't see each other.

“Yeah, I thought I'd better stay awake, just in case,” Mark replied. “Are you okay?”

“I just wanted to say thank you for everything you've done. You didn't have to stay as close to me as you have, but I really appreciate it. You're one of the only people to make this whole thing bearable. I don't know how I'd cope without you, I just wanted to let you know that.” Her words were soft and her voice was breathy. It was the time of night that had an almost mystical quality, where the tendrils of sleep were just creeping around them, and secrets came out.

“It's my pleasure, honestly, like I said I've always valued you as a friend and I was never going to just let you go through this alone. It's been difficult for me as well. Steven was my best friend as well as my brother and ever since he died it's like there's been a hole in my life. I guess I figure it's time to start searching for some meaning. We both know he wasn't perfect but at least he had things figured out, he knew what he wanted to do with his life and he had you. I'd trade all my money for that kind of certainty. Well...most of money.”

This brought a soft laugh from Melissa and she felt herself drawn to Mark. She was sleepy and he was so warm and comfortable. She could feel his heart beating through his chest. She ran her hand across and as she did so his heart quickened. She pressed her curves against him, enjoying the comfort he brought. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she could see his milky skin in contrast to her own ebony, and in the drowsiness she tilted her head up as he looked down at her. Their eyes met and gleamed in the darkness, and suddenly they were seized by the moment. It was wrong, they both knew it, but then again it seemed so right as well. Their clothes rustled as they adjusted their positions and they moved tentatively towards each other. Both of them were hoping that the other would stop it, but neither of them did, and then their lips met and explosion burst through their souls. Their breath mingled as their hands fell around each other and they moved their lips in a hot, passionate embrace. It was sweet agony to feel that closeness with someone again, to feel the heat of another's body, to feel
something
other than pain and misery, but just as their tongues started to twist and dance together Melissa was overwhelmed with guilt and she pulled away.

“Oh my God, I'm so sorry, we can't do this,” she said. Mark bolted up and held her shoulder, although she pulled away from him.

“It's okay Melissa, we're not doing anything wrong,” he said.

“We are, this is wrong. It's all wrong. I shouldn't...we shouldn't...” she said, and then ran off to her room sobbing. Mark hung his head and followed her, banging on her door to try and talk but it was no use. She wouldn't see him.

He left.

5

Over the following few days Melissa was a guilt-ridden wreck. Rationally she knew she hadn't done anything wrong. She and Mark were two single adults that shared a lot in common, and yet there was something inherently wrong about it all. It would have felt wrong with anybody, but with Mark...it was impossible to think about it. He tried calling her though, but she ignored him, and was just thankful that he didn't come to her house to try and press the issue for she didn't know what she could say to him, but perhaps it was better that she was just alone forever. And yet despite all this she couldn't help thinking about him, about the way he made her laugh and how he was always there for her when she needed it. Just like Steven would have been...

It was insane to develop feelings for the stepbrother and yet it was a hard fight within her. The best course of action was to just deny her feelings and hope that eventually she would move on, as hard as it was because she genuinely missed Mark's company, but eventually the days slipped by, and she even managed to escape any signs of her stalker. She was even starting to believe that it could just have been a trick of her mind when she returned home and found that the back window was open. She swore she left it closed, and she remembered she would have because it always drove her crazy that Steven left it open. She was always worried that someone would come in and rob them, but Steven had always told her that she was crazy. She tiptoed into the house and crept around the front room. There was someone sitting on her couch, someone that looked familiar, but surely it couldn't be him...

Feeling freaked out, Melissa left the house and called up Mark, who sounded surprised that he called her.

“It's him Mark, he's here, Steven's come home!”

Melissa was sitting on the sidewalk when Mark arrived. He jumped out of the car.

“What is going on?” he said, concern etched on his face.

“I know it sounds crazy, but I think he's been my stalker. Somehow he's survived and he's come home to me, to us,” she said, a broad smile on her face.

“Have you spoken to him,” Mark said, glancing at the apartment.

“No, I thought I'd wait for you,” she said. They both walked up and entered the apartment. Mark tried to hold Melissa back but she ran forward, ready to fling her at the man she loved, the man she had built her life around. Only when she saw him she screamed, and turned away in horror. His skin was mottled and sagged down his face, making it appear as though he was melting. His eyes were rolled back in his head, and his lips were contorted together. His ears were hanging down lower than usual, and when he spoke it was with wheezing breath. His body was lumpy and his feet were turned inwards. His hands looked gnarled, as though he was an eighty year old man suffering from arthritis.

He looked unnatural.

“What did they do to you,” Melissa gasped, falling to her knees. Mark circled around the edge of the room, and didn't speak when he saw his brother, or at least the man that used to be his brother.

“Mel...iss...a,” he said, every word a constant strain, as if he was putting all his energy into speaking, “help me,” he said. Melissa looked at him and fell to her knees, taking his hands in hers.

“Who did this baby? Who's responsible?”

“Mom, dad.”

“Yeah, I'll tell them, you'll see them soon. Mark is here too, just tell us who did this and how we can help you,” she said. Steven turned his head towards his brother, and he repeated his need for his parents.

“Melissa, he means mom and dad did this to him,” Mark said gravely.

“What do you mean?”

“Their research. I don't know much about it but what little I know is that they were working on ways to extend lifespan, somehow they brought Steven back to life, if you can call this life.”

“I...nee...ded to see you,” he said, “you...are...my...love. I...will...al...ways...re...mem...ber...you...but...I...can...not...live...like...this. Mel...iss...a...you...must...for...get...me...please...live. Live,” he said, and Melissa's eyes welled up with tears.

“I...just...had...to...see...you...one...last...time...be...fore...I...leave. Do...not...try...and...find...me. Be...happy,” he said, and pushed himself up. If he could have cried he would have, but he no longer had that capability. He was more a monster than a man, and he shuffled away from Melissa. As he passed Mark, Steven nodded to his brother, and when Melissa tried to run after him Mark held her back. She fought and struggled, but Mark would not let go until Steven was out of the door. Only then did he let Melissa go. She ran after Steven, but there was no sign of him. When she came back into the apartment she was boiling with rage.

“Why did you not let me go after him?!” she yelled.

“You heard what he said. We should respect his wishes. Whatever you may think he's not the same man as he once was. Whatever my parents did to him changed him, and you can bet that I will not let them get away with it.”

“But he's out there somewhere, alive.”

“And so are you Melissa,” he said, moving closer towards her and taking her chin in his hands, “so live.” He pulled her into him and kissed her again. At first she resisted and pulled her mouth away from him, but he was eager and yearning, and as he pressed more she found herself relenting to the attraction that lingered between them. It had been there from the beginning, ever since they had first met, but only now was it being given life. It swam through their bodies like a wave of flames, and they clawed at each other's clothes.

“This is so wrong,” she said, but she didn't want to fight the feelings inside any longer. For so long she had mourned Steven and wondered how she was ever going to continue life without him and this was the only thing that made sense. Being with Mark made her feel good and made her happy, something she didn't get from any other area of her life. When she was with him she felt alive, and that's how she wanted to feel. They kissed ardently and their tongues twisted together. She strode forward and pushed him against the wall. His hands slid down her side and grabbed her hips. He turned and slammed her against the wall, driving the breath from her lungs. He attacked her neck and shoulder, pulling her top down to expose the dark, flawless skin underneath. Melissa's hands ran around his back and pulled his shirt over his head. Her fingers ran all the way down his toned torso, feeling the rippling muscles between him, tugging and teasing the hair that snaked down from his belly button to the treasure below.

Her hands ran down and felt the outline of his bulge that was waiting for her. He groaned and she felt the hot breath hit her neck as he pulled her top off, his big, strong hands running all over her soft curves. He took her breasts in his hands and massaged them as he bent down and kissed them, burying himself in her bosom, as she brought her hands up and ran them through his short hair. Mark moved away, his chest heaving, and grabbed her wrist, leading her to the bedroom. She gazed at him as he marched to their room.