Hearing Voices Tonight

Patty howled at the half crescent moon. His snowy-white fur blowing in the crisp night chill. His onyx black paws padding at the damp soil underneath the ancient cherry tree. He had picked up Charlotte's scent.1

Patty let out a gutter growl for his loyal owner. His nose sniffing the soil- leading him towards the splintered spade that stood upright in the ground. He lapped at the crimson liquid that had long dried on the rusted steel. Small wolf tears escaped his sorrowful bronze eyes. 2

Morning was arising. The sun dismissing the moon.3

Patty scraped at the ground beneath the spade. All his senses alert. His ears pricked with every passing tune the wind whistled. His nails brushing against the small stones dug beneath the surface.4

As the birds began to sing their morning melodies. The cherry tree whispered in the breeze. Charlotte's voice echoed through the leaves, down the trunk, and into the roots that were tangled underneath the soil like veins inside beneath ones skin.5

Patty pulled each bone from the soil. His tongue lapping at the dirt surrounding them until he had collected a pile higher than his body. He whimpered, familiarizing himself with the unique scent of Charlotte's blood. 6

If only he could speak to the humans. Call them on that device that he had seen his beloved friend use day in, and day out. Then maybe he could help the men in white jackets surrounding the property find her faster.7

. . .8

Charlotte shuffled through her collection of movies stacked beside her coffee brown sofa. She had seen each, and every one of them many times, but tonight was different.9

Tonight she needed the 'perfect' movie to set the mood for the night. A decision which was proving to be harder than she thought.10

Charlotte pulled out her favorite collection of movies- Saw. She scanned every cover. Counting each movie, and laid them on her glass top coffee table next to the bowls of corn chips, and collection of favorite dips.11

How she relished with pleasure when watching those mind-fucker movies that messed with her head and haunted her into slumber night after night while she replayed each game inside her head wondering how she could do it better- taking it to the next level of sadistic brilliance.12

Yes- tonight depended on her taste, her style. The way she presented herself. The way she opened-up revealing the woman she was. There was no doubt in Charlotte's mind that her date would judge her for her love of all things morbid, and melancholy, but she wanted to start with a clean slate, and the truth, and her passion for horror was the only way she could reveal it. 13

Patty padded across the floorboards. His nose detecting the mixed scents of the dips. Her laid his head on the table beside the bowls, and stared at Charlotte. His tongue hanging from the corner of his mouth. His puppy dog eyes melting into hers. His face always weakened her. It was the reason she loved him so much. He was her best friend, and had been since she was a teen.14

“Stop looking at me like that,” she laughed placing the remaining movies on top of the pile.15

“Don't you think for a second that I am falling for those eyes. Come into the kitchen, and I will get you some dinner Patty.16

Patty happily obliged following Charlotte into the kitchen. His tail wagging, slapping against the kitchen benches. A small smile spread across his furry face.17

Charlotte opened the fridge door, and took out a plate full of hamburger patties. It was the only thing the darn dog would eat besides his biscuits The only meat he had ever eaten. It was how Charlotte decided on a name that would stick. One that would reveal his personality. Bring out the lively, humorous canine that he was. 18

Reaching for a knife, Charlotte cut the patties into small pieces. Dragging the serrated edge clumsily across the palm of her hand. Blood dripped onto the processed meat, and onto the counter top.19

“Fucking, fuck,” Charlotte swore, numbing to the pain. More concerned about patty's ruined dinner, and her dirty counter top. She looked up at the clock that hung on one of her cupboard doors. It was seven-thirty. Her date would be here in ten minutes.20

Charlotte wrapped a tea towel around her hand. Hoping that it would soak up enough blood not to be a nuisance. With one hand she threw patty's dinner into the garbage bin, and opened the fridge grabbing out a tin of spaghetti mine sauce. 21

“This will have to do for now buddy,” she said tipping the contents into patty's bowl. She laid in on to kitchen floor. Wiping the blood of the counter top with her tea towel, and ran into the bathroom for a bandage.22

Time was slipping away. 23

Five minutes to count down, and she still had to put her make-up on. She looked like a dragon without it, but at least he would see first hand what the real Charlotte looked like without the face mask. 24

Charlotte stepped into the icy bathroom. Her feet sliding across the wet floor. She balanced herself against the basin, and peeled away the toweling that was restricting the blood from painting her tiles a nice shade of crimson-rose. With her palm still heavily bleeding, she reached for the bandaged that were hidden behind her bottle of emergency vodka, and her collection of foundation.25

Patty barked. His growls echoing through the house. He let out a high pitched howl that pierced through Charlotte's ears. Cutting right through her flesh. Hitting every nerve in passing.26

“Shit,” Charlotte whispered quickly wrapping the bandage around her palm.27

Charlotte closed the bathroom cabinet. Staring at herself in the mirror for a few short seconds, before she ran out into the hallway. Stopping at the front door. She brought her finger to her lips ushering Patty to be silent. Looking through the frosted pane.28

Taking a deep breath Charlotte pulled the chain to open the door, and opened it slowly, cautiously. 29

“Charlotte Stone?” The guttural, husky voice asked. 30

Charlotte inhaled his rich river scent as he stepped inside the hallway. Extending his hand towards her. She reached for his coat, taking it in her hands, and hung it on the coat rack bringing her hand to his.31

“ Noah Vincent? She said shaking his hand vigorously.” Riverman2DF?”32

Noah nodded pulling Charlotte's petite body towards him. He wrapped his hands around her. Lingering around her lower back. Before he dragged his fingertips up her spine, and rested them at the crest of her shoulder blades. 33

He drew in her perfume. Licking his lips. The smell of metallic blood wafting , igniting his nostrils to flare with delight. Norah looked down to were the Charlotte had lazily wrapped the bandage around her still bleeding palm, and brought her hand to his lips. Kissing her covered wound.34

“How did you do this?” he asked tugging at the loose end of the bandage Charlotte had tucked underneath the rest.35

Charlotte blushed. Embarrassed by her clumsiness.36

“Cutting up Patty's food,” she said watching as he unraveled the bandage to inspect her wound.37

Noah looked up. His eyes flickering between her gaping cut, and her dusty-rose cheeks. He smiled, holding her palm in his. He stopped inspecting the wound, and held the bandage between his fingers looking around the room.38

“Do you mind if I attend to this? I have my first aid certificate. I'm good with a needle to. I can have this stitched, and cleaned up in ten minutes, fifteen minutes tops. “39

Charlotte nodded.40

“Tell me what you need, and I will get it for you.”41

Norah walked into the kitchen. Laying the bandage in a bunch on the counter top. He eyed the blood that stained the white bench. He bit his lip. Swallowing back the need to taste it. It has been a long time since he had tasted a woman's blood. He hungered for it, craved it. Almost as much as one of those cliché vampire would on his cable television. 42

“I'm going to need a needle, and some thread. Something to wash away the blood, and something to kill the bacteria inside the wound. I will need a clean bandage, and some cotton swabs if you have any. And maybe some pills for the pain. Unless of course you like pain?” Noah grinned, eying the coffee table.43

Charlotte shivered. Hot liquid oozed between her legs. Drenching her pastel panties. There was something in his eyes that made her squirm. Had her twitching, biting her lips, licking her lips. That smell, the scent of forest trees, and spring water. His guttural, raspy voice. He was tickling her from the inside. 44

“I'll go see what I've got,” Charlotte said walking towards the bathroom.45

“Alright. I'll wait in here,” Noah said calling to Charlotte.46

When he could hear the bathroom cabinet being opened. He bent down, inhaling the smell that the dried up liquid had left. Lowering his lips, he brushed them against the counter letting his tongue dance across the metallic stains. His senses heightened with each brush his tongue made across the hard surface.47

His pants grew tight. His hard erection straining against his jeans. Her maneuvered it so it was not so noticeable, and closed his mouth. Daring not to taste anymore as Charlotte's footsteps echoed through the house.48

“Sorry about starting the evening like this,” She said placing all the equipment on the counter top. “What a way to end a potentially great night.”49

Noah shook his head. Wiping his hand across his salivating lips.50

“Not at all my love. The night has only just began.”