The Deranged:Pt 1 Chapter 9

“If you want them to survive you had better start playing by the rules.”1

“What rules? I don’t even know what you’re talking about!”2

The man pinned her arms to the wall. “Don’t play dumb with me. Where’s Spawn of Drea? I know what you’ve been doing. Every and all of your enemies have fallen to quick demise. The council seems to believe that your vendetta is over and with proper training you’ll be a well addition to our ranks.”3

Potter shook her head. This man was crazy, she didn’t have any enemies. Besides Linda and her boss...oh, and Eli. She was a complete pacifist. She didn’t want to join anything. She fidgeted against his hold. “Please, I’m just an ordinary girl. I can’t even pass chemistry. I haven’t held a fighting weapon in years. I can’t hurt anyone.—Ump!” 4

The stranger covered her mouth. Potter started to hyperventilate. Her chest heaved up and down spastically as her nervous system went haywire.5

“Calm down.” He spoke with such force and evenness that it caught Potter by surprise. But she felt an eerie presence trying to calm her anxiety by force. Potter remembered it when Eli wanted her to sleep in his bed, and when Aiden wanted her to change clothes. Those same dull eyes. Like the life has been suppressed. Potter hyped up as the idea dawned on her. They’re all in this together. Those bastards are in it together. Every one of them. I have to get away But her captor’s right fist slammed into her stomach. Potter choked and leaned forward against his grip.6

“You’re not going anywhere.” Potter sputtered and begged. “I could hear your thoughts, not clearly. You have an amazing wall. I’d say you must be under a lot of stress right now. The fact that I can hold you back for this long is amazing—Stop it right now!”7

Potter whimpered. She had been thinking over escape plans. If he can read my mind then I’m stuck. Why does bullshit always happen to me?8

“Although if you are the victim of identity mistake, then you’re a liability. You mundane talk to much and I like to work in discrepancy.” He began to push Potter harder closing the gap between them.9

“Oh come on. I don’t care what cult you’re apart of. Don’t hurt me. I won’t talk, please! I just want to go home.” Potter began to sob but was hushed by his hand recovering her mouth.10

“Tell you what. I’ll give you a choice. Three, as a matter of fact. First you could admit your wrongs, appear before the court as a show of good will and adhere to what ever punishment they deal. Or you could try to over power me and fail. Or I could kill you an return you to your beloved family.”11

Potter sharply inhaled. Return me to my family? Kill me? But that…that means...that can’t be! She began to cry harder, unable to choose. Why was it always her?12

“Have you made your choice? I haven’t got all night so pick quickly.” He drew in closer. His eyes searched her calmly. Potter choked on her spit and tried to take a deep breath. He wiped it away and continued to glare. Potter shuddered in complete awe of what she was choosing. And from the slightly puzzled face of her captor, so was he. 13

“Are you sure? Either way there is no turning back. I give no second thoughts or chances.”14

She nodded and tried to speak. “No, need for words. I can see into your mind remember. So death it is. Ready?”15

Potter blinked expecting a little time to calm herself but she knew it wouldn’t matter. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. Which of course wasn’t easy. She shook uncontrollably as she awaited death and wonder what it would be like. Then she felt cold hands on the nap of her neck tilting her head up. “First,” she her the man say. “Let’s have some fun.”16

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Potter jolted out from her nightmare panting and drenched in sweat. She didn’t remember making it home. She didn’t remember seeing her family or getting into bed. Her dream replayed itself quickly in her thoughts as she wondered what it meant. She couldn’t place who the man had been. More likely than not she had already forgot how she had came to the scene. And there was something about Eli and Aiden…and Linda. Potter shook her head and looked around the room. All her siblings lay sound asleep. Potter frowned as she gazed at the clock. It was nine, yet no one was up yet. What day is it?..Saturday…Oh. Potter slowly stood and stretched. If it was Saturday, then she had no school, work at ten thirty and plenty of time to chill afterward. Potter clambered over the sleeping bodies and walked out into the living room.18

At first she was frightened by what she saw. Many darkly clothed figures congregated in her living room resembled the figure from her now murky dream. But none bore the same hostility. Potter calmed and made her way to the kitchen. Then thick smoke that hung over the group gave detail to why and who they were. 19

Monica often had “parties” for her Green friends who polluted the house for the sake of all natural ingredients and recreation, which usually ended with date of the next protest and orgies. Potter shook her head as the deep scent of marijuana ensnared her nostrils. It was definitely not her favorite smell. It’s like shit mixed with sugar. Potter smiled at her own comparison and opened the door to the bottom cabinet. A box of instant pancake mix along with raisins was placed onto the counter. She made a one hundred-eighty degree turn and fished a skillet out from underneath the flatware drawer. Potter open and closed several other nooks looking for the step stool so she could reach the oil. But her little helper was nowhere to be seen. Potter sighed and tiptoed out of the kitchen. She peered at the haze trying to find her mother in it. Potter deemed that due to its thickness, Monica wouldn’t be coming out for fresh air any time soon.20

Potter snuck back into the kitchen and began her plan of attack. First she stood as close as she could to the counter below the oil. On the very tip of her larger toes, Potter was able to open the cupboard door. Then after taking three large steps back, she sprinted toward the counter top at full speed. With a leap, Potter was clinging to the inside bearing of the top nook. 21

A movement behind her caused Potter to look back. After deciding it must be one of the others she went back to retrieving the vegetable oil. Aha! Potter caught sight of the small carton in the very back of the small space. Potter stretched, her fingers just grazing it by. “Come on, damn you.” It was frustration to have the ridges of the stuff just out of reach for a full grab. Then Potter slipped. Her right arm caught against the rough edge of the cabinet and her body fell. 22

“Oof.” Her rump landed in a pair of sturdy hands that raised her upwards. Not taking a second though, Potter, with her left hand, grabbed her oil and was lowered safely to the ground. The hands encircled her waist and a solid body connected with her backside. Warmth spread to her nerves. Potter smiled briefly. It did feel good to be held but she didn’t want to be held. At least not by him. “Can you let go of me now Eli?”23

“How’d you know it was me?”24

Potter rotated so she could face him. Faint stubble was present over his jaw line but didn’t run into sideburn. “Because after yesterday’s…encounter, I know no one else would grip me like that.” Potter pushed him away and exhaled sharply. Pain resonated along her right forearm. It was bleeding. Eli eyed the bleeding before snapping to action. She was almost dragged to the sink and she hit her elbow on the stainless steel plating. Eli turned on the hot water faucet and thrust Potter’s wounded arm beneath its falls. Quickly washing away any dried blood, her clean her scrape. Then he shut off the water and seized the witch hazel, pouring a generous amount onto the wound. Potter yelped and tried to yank her arm away.25

“Oh, don’t be a big baby. Just concentrate on the pain and breathe.” Potter gazed into Eli’s searching eyes. Easy for you to say. But as she breathed full circle, she felt her panic dissipate. Eli inspected it before wrapping the shallow cut with cotton and gauze from the medicine cabinet. Potter waited for him to release her arm and was shocked when he bent over too kiss down her bandage. Then her hand. Eli enlaced her fingers with his and made like he meant to lead her in a waltz. With their bodies so close, they shared a breath as one. Potter back up against the corner of two counters trapping herself in them with Eli following. Potter remembered the day before. His touch all over her body, and the sensation that was appearing in between her legs at the thought of it worried Potter.26

“I don’t even know you.”27

But still he drew closer. He easily lifted her up to the counter. The few extra inches of height still brought her beneath his eyelevel. Potter cupped either side of Eli’s face and tilted his chin so she could look directly into his eyes. His grey blue eyes. Dull yet they enticed her. Eli’s hands wrapped around her middle again and brought them closer still. He blew cool air onto Potter’s forehead clearing her thoughts while still causing her to become dizzy. Barely a day had passed. Potter could remember clearly the scene of Thursday night. Him on top of her mother in this very room. Eli seemed so old and disgusting then. But Friday morning, he was fresh and cunning. He gave her a feeling that Lex, with all his ways, hadn’t managed to fit. And now it felt like none of that mattered. He was here. But why? 28

Potter’s question went unanswered as Eli initiated a kiss. Her question melted away along with her senses. Her arms slumped to his shoulders and lay lax. Potter enjoyed the soft sweetness of their first kiss. She had much to compare it to. Lex, Connor, his older brother Colin, and other nameless guys she hadn’t even liked. But none of them could compare. Not like this. It was like her first taste of wine. Soft drinks were just in another category, and would never be preferred if a choice was given. Potter relished in this revelation. It was true. Eli in one kiss had beat out all the others before him. Potter dropped her jaw, inviting Eli’s tongue into her mouth. Slowly, their slightly innocent passion turned sensuously explicit. 29

Eli jumped to the tease and took up the empty space. Potter soon had a hard time deciphering whose tongue was whose. She pulled his neck and beckoning him into her. Eli responded by rubbing her back underneath her camisole. Potter moaned softly and squeezed his middle with her thighs. It seemed to perfect. Too real to last. And it didn’t. A drunken crash tore the two from their passion as a figure stumbled into the kitchen. Eli’s hand had almost made it to Potter’s breast before the distraction, and it remained for awhile. Eli regretfully stepped away and coughed as he rubbed the nap of his neck. Potter caught one of his hands not ready to let go just yet. She pull him and slid off of the counter for a last kiss. It was quick compared to the first, but she was fulfilled nonetheless. 30

“I not interup~hic~pting any thing, am I?” The stranger was leaning on to the refrigerator for support in his stupor. He blinked and took a look of his surroundings. Yes, now leave. Poor bastard isn’t even sure of where he is. But Potter couldn’t think of anything to say. Her insides were so heated and off that all she had strength to do was lean on. The man just stared. Then Monica entered. 31

“Goddamn it , John how long does it take t get some ice?” The blonde stalked through pushing the subdued man off his perch and quickly retrieved the ice from the freezer and placed it in his hands. As Drunken John left, she noticed her daughter and a strange young man in her kitchen. Monica narrowed her eyes and inferred upon their awkward stances that something had just transpired. The woman’s facial expression changed from surprise anger and all knowing quicker than Potter could resonate. Potter stood wondering what her mother would say and how she would react. Potter wasn’t in the mood to spend another night in the basilica just yet. But Eli’s hold comforted her in was like he was trying to reassure her everything was ok. 32

When Monica finally spoke, Potter had prepare several excuses from I fell to it’s not what it looks like, but each was less believable as the next. But Potter was surprised at the complete indifference, even on her mother’s standards. “Whatever you’re doing, get it out of my kitchen. And keep it in your room. You,” she pointed at Eli as if she had never seen him before. “,You keep it in your pants until my girlie says so.” And she left. Potter dropped her jaw so low that she needed Eli’s help to bring it back up. He pulled her chin up and kissed along her cheek before breaking away. “I have to go.”33

Potter took a moment to discern his words. “Wait. Why? I thought…never mind.” She brushed passed him and headed toward. Eli caught her arm and attended his gaze to her eyes. 34

“You though we’d be a couple. That you were wrong about me, and I was worth the stress. That I would put forth the effort and awkwardness to be with you.” Yes. “No.” He searched her eyes slowly. Oh, god he can see it can’t he! Oh, shit! Think of something else. Ok, school work chemistry…Wow he has awesome yes…No focus…Reveal nothing!35

Eli raised his brow and smirked. “I see.” He checked the clock and looked over his shoulder. “You should get dressed. That camisole and shorts aren’t going to do much in this weather.” Potter pulled away puzzled and intrigued all in one.36