@ BESTIAL INFLUX (Part 7)

# By Andrew Campbell 1994


 I woke to the sound of people talking.
 At first I thought the noise was all in my head, an unfinished dream 
overlapping reality, perhaps. But then the cold draughts of passing 
bodies and the swishing of outdoor clothes destroyed any hopes of a 
dream; I was awake and there were people in the bedroom.
 Lots of them.
 My eyes opened. I saw alien faces staring down at me. My brain 
immediately compared the image with that of Doctor Woodrow and his
colleagues; I saw a terrifying similarity... and started to shiver and
moan.
 "Jameth..." I cried desperately, looking around the bed for his
sleeping body. He wasn't there. I felt so alone. My stomach was now 
far beyond pain; I didn't even seem to have a torso anymore. I had no 
feeling in my middle at all. I was too afraid to examine myself.
 I heard radios, distant sirens, a hammering noise downstairs... the 
whole house was alive with humans.
 An oldish, red-faced man wearing a black uniform leaned over me and 
smiled. He reached his hand out towards me. I scrambled away, 
terrified.
 "Shhhh, it's alright." he said softly and smiled a bit. "You've 
certainly been having some fun without your parents around, haven't
you Linda?"
 I cuddled the bed sheets around me and said, "Whereth Jameth?"
 The man turned around and ordered one of his colleagues to "bring the
boy upstairs". I felt my heart begin to beat again; the Black Creature
mustn't have killed him. The man returned his attention to me and 
again tried to make contact with his hand. I reacted as before.
 "Listen, my name is George Potter." he told me. "I'm a medical 
officer and I need to touch you, Linda. I won't hurt you in any way. 
Your young friend downstairs has told us of your condition-"
 "No!" I cried, cursing Peterson in my mind. I couldn't believe it. I 
felt my skin cover with goose-pimples. They knew about me. They all 
knew about the maggots... and James Peterson had told them! The only
boy in the world I trusted. The one I had come to love.
 "Linda don't worry," George insisted, seeing my tears. "We've got the
best doctors on their way. You won't have to go into hospital. We're 
bringing all the equipment here. We understand your feelings, don't 
worry. Your friend has been very co-operative." 
 "No doctorth!" I whimpered hysterically. I could feel pain in my 
stomach now. The kind of pain that seems ignorable at first, but which
eventually kills. I was going to die without surgery. I knew that.
 "Linda you must understand." continued George. I barely heard him; my
mind was spinning like a fairground ride. "Some kind of animal or 
insect has laid it's eggs inside your stomach... they're hatching now 
and we've got to take them out. You must understand why we have to 
help you, Linda. You must understand..."
 Peterson came into the room quickly and breathlessly, two police men 
holding his shoulders. "Linda!" he shouted to me. "Linda, are you 
okay?" 
 "You BATHTARD!" I screamed. "YOU FUCKING BATHTARD! I HATE YOU FOR 
THITH! I HATE YOU!" I burst into tears. The pain - both physical and 
mental, was nearing the unbearable.
 "Linda no..." I remember Peterson's words close to my ears, his hands
sliding across my back. "Linda, do not say that. I had to tell them 
because I love you and I do not want you to die. Please Linda..."
 I rose up from the pillows and tried to see his face through all my
blurry tears. What I saw, I fell in love with again.
 "Whuh-What happened?" I asked him. "How come all thethe people are 
here?"
 "Some woman came knocking on the door." he told me softly. "Mrs Drake
I think her name was. I was awake so I answered-"
 "You thould have woken ME up!" I cried.
 "Shhh," he said and touched my lips. "You were asleep... you looked 
so comfortable... so beautiful."
 "What about the other boyth?"
 "Chip, King and Haig are all dead, Linda. I'm sorry." 
 "Oh Jameth we've got to get out of here-"
 "You need an operation, Linda. Those maggots will kill you-"
 "No way!" I exclaimed. "Pleathe! Don't let them touch me!"
 "Linda it is the only way."
 "I only trutht you to do it." I whispered to him. "Nobody elth but 
you."
 He stared at me for a long time, then nodded. "I will do it."

                                  *

 All I remember of the operation is watching Peterson lower some kind 
of face-mask down onto me. Before he put me to sleep, he said:
 "When you wake up, Linda, everything is going to be fine. Just think 
of what we can do together after this is all over... dream about us 
Linda, and later, tell me about those dreams so I can make them real 
for you."
 He kissed me as well, then that was the end; blackness swallowed me 
and I watched a circle of stars dance in a void of nothingness until I
woke in the same bed, several hours later.
 I kept hearing voices now and then... but I didn't feel any pain or 
see any masked doctors. I kept feeling Peterson's presence nearby... 
loving, watching and protecting.

                                * * *

 It's funny to think it all came to an end so abruptly. Although I'm
sure Peterson was helped whilst performing such an operation, I still 
know that unless he had put me to sleep and whispered those loving 
words to me, I would have ended up either waking up mid-way through 
the operation, or dying at the end of it.
 Mum, Dad and Shelley came home that day. Despite the situation, I
still showed hostility towards them; James Peterson was my life now, 
and I told them that, too.
 I still don't understand what excuses the police came up with about 
the dead boys. The Black Creature's tail markings and foot-prints were
all found but nothing has ever been leaked out to the public. Not even
my parents. They still think I was attacked by a psychopath, and that 
several brave boys lost their lives whilst trying to protect me.
 Part of that is true I guess.

                                  * 

 Peterson and I grew up together as friends, as lovers, as everything.
 Until yesterday I was living simply for him. Now, I'm living for 
nobody. This is what happened to me yesterday:

                                * * *

 "You'll like it here after a few days," Annie Chambers assured me. She
was a fast walker and I frequently found myself jogging to catch up.
 "Where are we going?" I asked as we crossed the grass towards the 
Phoenix building. The campus was littered with chatting under-graduates
and I felt uneasy as several passing students gave me strange,
undecided glances. It was alright for Annie; she had been living here
for almost a year now, and she waved and said hello to whole crowds of
people. I didn't know anyone. The University was so big, I felt like a
fly among a swarm of wasps; an oddity lacking in looks, confidence and
charisma.
 "We're heading for Longside Hall." Annie said, waving to a group of 
girls perched ontop of a high roadside wall. "I want you to meet some 
of my friends. You'll like them. Trust me."
 I swung my head left and right. "How do you find your way around this 
place? It's so huge." I caught up with Annie again, this time she 
stopped and turned around.
 "Are you foreign?"
 I blinked at her. "Pardon?"
 "Your voice," she quizzed. "It sounds... weird. You pronounce things 
strangely."
 "I used to have a lisp." I said and smiled.
 Annie searched my eyes for a few moments, her grin fading away. She 
was a beautiful girl with shiny golden locks and a dark complexion. I 
felt completely inadequate whilst in her presence, like an old duck 
pursuing a young, graceful swan.
 "I think Billy will like you." she said and took my arm.
 "Who?" I inquired as we scampered frivolously towards the boundaries 
of the University. Annie said hello to another crowd of people before 
answering my question.
 "He's a really nice guy." she said and released my arm. "So is Neil, 
but I'm engaged to him so..." her smile encouraged me to imitate. 
"Anyway, you might have a boyfriend for all I know."
 "Yes, I have actually." I said proudly. "He's called James."
 "Cute name." Annie shoved me playfully. "How long have you been going
out with him?"
 "Four years."
 "Wow!" Annie laughed. "He must be pretty spunky."
 "Hmmm... something like that." I grinned.
 We walked through some large, cast iron gates and out onto the streets
of Bradford. Cars and buses soared past on the busy main road as we 
spoke, forcing us to shout to each other rather than talk.
 "It's not far to Barber Hall from here." Annie yelled, squinting 
against the sun.
 I quickly caught up with her and shouted, "What's Barber Hall?"
 "Flats." she told me. "You know, accommodation. Living quarters-"
 "Oh."
 "Billy's got a computer system. He's a real wizkid. He'll teach you 
how to use it I bet. All the courses here involve computer work."
 "Even social sciences?" I asked.
 Annie laughed. "Yes Linda. Even social sciences." She gave me a quick
glance and held her hand out. "Come on sweet heart, don't look so down.
Things will buck up."
 I increased my walking speed and took her hand. "What are you studying
here? Computers?"
 "Modern languages." she said. "Actually, I don't give a shit about 
the course. I just want those lovely letters after my name." she
giggled and gave me a friendly nudge.
 I looked around, realised the world wasn't as big as it seemed, and 
laughed with Annie. She cheered me for my efforts and placed her arm 
around my neck. I put mine around her waist and together we marched 
towards Barber Hall.

                                  *

 We used the lift to get to Billy's apartment, six floors up, and 
laughed and joked like two drunks until we reached the door. Annie 
knocked three times, then burst inside.
 "Caught ya with no pants on!" she cried and began to giggle.
 Laid on the couch in the surprisingly spacious livingroom was a small,
thin young man with a big book held in both hands. He was reading it
furiously, eyes working like two electronic type-writers.
 "Billy you swotty lout." Annie tutted and dragged me into the room.
She closed the door behind us and pushed me forwards. Annoyed, I edged
back to the door, staring at her dangerously. "Bill!" she yelled and
the boy thumped his book down.
 "What do you want?" he snapped and sat up. "I'm trying to..." His eyes
engaged mine and a smile formed on his face. "Why, hello there." He
said softly and rubbed his hands on his jeans.
 Billy was a tall, handsome guy with a narrow face and skin almost as 
dark as Annie's. I began to nervously fidget with the straps of my bag
as he came closer.
 "Are you Linda?" he asked.
 I nodded. "Uh-huh."
 "I've heard a lot about you." he grinned.
 "Don't scare the poor girl." Annie called as she wandered into the 
kitchen. "She's a bit shy aren't you love?"
 My eyes averted around the room. It was an autumn brown, strangely
dark and smelt of cigarettes. Billy tried to attract my attention by
waving his hands around. "Linda," he said and clicked his fingers.
"Are you shy?"
 I blushed and looked at my feet.
 "Tell you what." he ran his eyes across my body. "You're sexy." his 
hands brushed my cheek and I shivered.
 "Don't." I muttered. "Please don't..."
 "Hey, I won't hurt you." he said and moved so close, I could smell his
aftershave. Something horrible flickered through my mind - something 
that I had long since forgotten - a memory... a frightening, dark
memory...
 "You'll make it come." I hissed suddenly and Billy stopped touching 
me. His eyes were narrow and suspicious. "If you hurt me it will come
and get you." I said, shivering and grinning at the same time. My voice
lowered as I added : "It'll make you scream, Billy. And you'll never 
be able to stop. Never ever..."
 Annie came into the room holding two cups of coffee. She stared at us 
both for a few seconds, then laughed. "Oh come on, you guys! You only 
met a couple of minutes ago. Linda's got a boyfriend already, haven't 
you love?"
 I nodded my head and stepped past him. "Yes. I don't think we would
get on very well anyway. We don't have much in common. Do we Billy?"
 He stared at me and whispered. "Later, Linda."
 I smiled. "I wouldn't count on it."
 "Well I would." he growled. "I would, bitch."
 I sniggered, remembering everything now. "How secure is your face,
Billy?" Annie spilt her coffee at my words. "Just how secure? Huh? HUH
YOU FUCKING SHIT!" I dropped my bag to the floor, shuddering,
convulsing, but all the time, laughing.
 "She's crazy!" Billy almost screamed and began to giggle. "Oh man,
she's come straight from the fucking loony bin!"
 "Linda, honey, what..." Annie cuddled herself with utter shock.
 Trembling, my hands clawing at my dampened cheeks, I slowly turned 
around and stared at the front door. Annie began to whisper. Billy 
began to roar with laughter.
 The Party People appeared, sat on the floor all around me as though I
was some kind of ancient, grotesque display in an old museum. They
chanted insults to me, pulled faces at me, distorted their voices
mockingly into lisps and pointed with huge, accusing fingers.
 "HELP ME!" I yelled. "HELP ME!!"
 The front door of Billy Dorset's apartment exploded.
 In came the Black Creature; dripping, steaming, snarling... 

                                * * *

# Billy's dead now. So is Anne. In a few minutes I'll be joining them.
# There is no point in me going any further in life. I'm a bestial 
#influx... some kind of attraction to all things evil. Whatever chose 
#me in those dark woods on the night of Uncle Colin's party will never
#leave me alone. Never let me lead a normal life.
# I'm not going to die a virgin; Peterson and I have made love more 
#times than I can count. He's a wonderful person and I love him dearly
#but I can't expect him to stay with me all his life.
# I've written a farewell letter. Posted it to him. Told him how happy
#he's made me, and how much I'm going to miss him.
# For me, suicide isn't a bad thing. It's an escape route. A gate to
#freedom in a world of hell. Those worthless Samaritans say people who
#take their own lives are cowards.
# I know better.
# Perhaps I'll come back as a luckier person... an attractive girl 
#with intelligence, charisma and a family who love me.
# My God I hope not: I'd never understand how much pain there is in
#this world.


                                  Linda Fairhurst, 1st October, 1993