37- Be Careful Of Broken Things

37- Be Careful Of Broken Things
"Oh look who's back," Serket rolled her eyes, continuing to paint Neith's nails, "How many times is that now, fifty? Sixty?"

Imset growled and poured a drink, his hands shaking from the strain of traveling so many times. He hadn't even slept, too scared to leave Aisha's side as she slept. He worried she would have nightmares. And yet she didn't. She'd slept like the dead, and somehow that unsettled him more.

He gulped the glass, then another, "She won't let me speak. Just keeps kicking me out...." He was breathless.

"I don't even know she learned to control her intention so quickly. She was never able to do it before." Steadying himself against the bar, he inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to regain his strength.

Nephew rolled her eyes, "And you expected her to forgive you with open arms?"

"Okay I get it! I fucked up. How am I supposed to fix it if she won't talk to me?"

"Maybe you're not meant to fix it," Neith shrugged bitterly, "Maybe you fucking blew it. Maybe she doesn't come back. I bet that thought hasn't sunk in yet, has it?"

Imset looked to Mutef for help but he pursed his lips and sipped from his long island iced tea as if to say I warned you about fucking this up. Which he had. They all had. Time and time again, the wives had cautioned him and his brothers had insisted he needed to treat her better. Even his father had threatened to correct him if he didn't get himself together. And Imset thought he had been listening to their advice. But he hadn't been, not enough to change his behavior. And now he was going to have to eat the harvest he sowed. Hapi and Qebe avoided his gaze as well, striking up a conversation with each other.

"Oh come on! You're my family, dammit, help me! I'm trying! Doesn't that count for anything? I finally understand everything you all have been saying. Don't I deserve another chance?"

"Right now? No we don't have to help you and unfortunately for you, the only person who can decide whether or not you get another chance, is her," Serket glared, "You should have tried harder to soothe your temperament in the beginning. How many chances have you already squandered to correct what you've done to her? And yet... you continued on as if you were sure of yourself. You cost us a sister. Pay your penance. I'll not feel sorry for you."

"I said I was sorry! Or at least, I tried to if she would have listened," he put his head down on the bar top, letting his dreads hang loose around him.

"And why must she listen to you now? It isn't like you've ever said anything nice with those words of yours," Nephy scolded.

"T-that's not-"

"Look, only because your bemoaning is getting on my fucking nerves, and you don't seem to grasp the full picture here, I'll tell you something about that girl you kicked out of here," Serket growled, filing Neith's nails to a point, "She was always worried that she would disappoint you. That you would want someone better, stronger, more beautiful. Hell, you practically told her she wasn't good enough yourself! Called her a disappointment. Told her she was weak... powerless... You let Bast say those terrible things..."

"I tried to defend her..."

"I must have missed it," Neith scoffed over her shoulder, "The poor girl can't catch a damn break. And part of me hates you for adding to that pain for her."

"Do you understand that last night she found out someone died?" Nephy said quietly, "Someone she regarded like a sister. Someone she loved. The only light in her life... before us."

Imset cleared his throat loudly shaking his head as it lay on the bar, "I don't know what's wrong with me..."

"You're out of practice, bitter, and too cold to allow yourself to be loved," Mutef said suddenly, "The same as I was before Neith." The mix of both sadness and adoration with which he said that, made Imset's chest tighten. The sensation ran so deep it nearly made him breathless. Like a knot he couldn't untwist, an itch he couldn't scratch. The feeling had been coming on more and more.

He ground his teeth then suddenly got the strange sensation of being pulled elsewhere. "Finally," he breathed, "She summons me."

______________________

Aisha knocked on the door quietly, so as not to draw too much attention. Three doors down from her own apartment building, her neighbor's activities were well known in the community. And she'd always been strong enough not to go back down that road for any reason, but today, her feelings were too strong. They threatened to drag her down when she just needed to stay afloat until she was done what she needed to do.

She always wondered how people broke their sobriety and now she knew. Life. Complicated, terrible, painful life. She'd never been one for pills because she just used whatever her parents did. But she knew enough people on campus who had talked about this guy.

The scuffed and dented metal door swung open a crack, the chain held fast across the inside. A tired, scruffy blond-haired man peeked through the slit in the door. He eyed her suspiciously, which was fair. He didn't know her. And he didn't have any reason to trust her.

"What do you want?" Aisha reflexively tried to look past him into the apartment but he moved so she couldn't.

She held the folded bill of money through the doorway, "Kickers. 80s if you have them."

He studied her face carefully, but after a moment of pause, snatched the money and shut the door. Aisha didn't move, nervously fiddling with the hem of her coat until the door opened back up. He shoved a small Ziplock of pills in her hand and slammed the door.

She couldn't help but imagine how her life might have turned out if things had been different. She walked to school as her mind raced. And it wouldn't calm no matter how many deep breaths she took. She flipped the plastic baggie around with her fingers, rolling the course shape of the pills around in her palm. It had years since the last time she used anything. That should have meant she wouldn't be at risk of folding. And yet, she was weaker than she had been in a long time.

What the hell did it matter anyway, she was going to be dying soon enough. Might as well go out feeling good inside.

She fished out a pill, waited for enough saliva to build, then swallowed it. By the time she reached her first class, she was beginning to feel the pills working. Aisha relaxed into her chair, scribbling bullshit doodles in her diary. Her body felt like a cloud.

She cut her eyes at the laughing, gawking idiots around the classroom. None of them had any idea what went on in the world. Most didn't know Aiko and if the police had any say, most didn't even know she was missing--dead. The word plunked against Aisha's well of pain.

When Zach finally showed his face, Aisha was already dazed. He sat next to her without any regard for how much danger that put him in. Aisha swam deeper in the current of her mind.

Aiko had said something to her about the attack. It was in the middle of the summoning when Aisha's mind had been too overwhelmed to make sense of the words. But she had been saying names. People she spoke to? Men in the frat? Aisha wasn't sure. But she was sure Zach would know.

Josh hadn't known much outside of the drugged-up woman in Evan's bed. That woman happened to be Aiko and he swore she wanted to sleep with him. But what woman could accurately decide what she wanted when she was high? How could any self-respecting man not take that into consideration?

So what if he was drunk? Aisha had been drunk before. Black-out drunk. And still, she knew she'd never touched anyone inappropriately. She'd never raped anyone. That wasn't a simple mistake made because of mixed signals. Josh had seen a vulnerable woman and chosen to take advantage.

Aisha straightened herself, she didn't feel an ounce of guilt for what she had done or what she was about to do.

Imset she breathed into the air and waited until she felt his body appear beside her. Time paused around them like it had the day she first called for a death god. She sighed, letting the high make her head stop thinking.

"Aisha?" Imset was confused. He'd expected to finally be able to talk to her, but found instead...what had he found exactly?

"I know I'm fucking pathetic. Weak. I knew I'd never pass the last test, whatever it is, but I finally have the dignity to complete the request I made of you," she coldly repeated his words back to him, a dimness in her eyes. No matter how hard he stared, it was like no one was looking back. Her words about the final test clanged around in his chest, making a mess of his control. He looked between her and the man beside her, a feeling of dread passing through him.

"Have you called me to use our bond?" Imset asked carefully, not trying to reveal his anxiety. If he completed the contract now, then there was no way for her to take that final step and join him forever. If that was even something she wanted anymore. He swallowed. It was something he was just beginning to realize he wanted very much. Especially now that he might lose it all.

"Yes. This leaves only one remaining," she answered. His relief was instantaneous. Without warning, he whisked them through the in-between, depositing them in the pyramid. Zach promptly threw up all over himself before collapsing to the floor. Despite the lack of warning, Aisha appeared to be unphased, leaning against the wall in the most indifferent manner he'd ever seen from her.

Something about that thrilled him. As much as he didn't want it to, her stony resolve sent fire through his veins. They needed to talk... to come to some sort of understanding about what had happened at the dinner. He desperately needed to apologize. But it would have to wait for now. That was personal while the pyramid was business. Imset took a small breath, able to fully focus on the task at hand once more.

"What do you want me to do?" His eyes flashed red, veins pulsing in his temple and neck as he locked eyes with her.

"His head, Imset, I want his fucking head," Aisha said numbly, rolling her neck, eyes dark, "But first I have questions."

Imset dragged him forward, eyes vermillion and focused. Dressed as he was the first day she met him, his black apron dragging against the floor, his bare chest flexing as he tossed Zach to his knees in front of her. She let her eyes linger on him for a moment before she returned her eyes to the trash at her feet. He smelled of vomit and piss, his eyes wild and glassy.

"P-please, what's the reason? Please don't do this... have mercy!" Aisha's body felt warm, every pleasure sensor making her feel good. So good she didn't have the potential to feel pity. Or mercy for that matter. Not with all the rage that ran through her, no longer hidden under the surface.

"Please... such a strange thing for a rapist to say... Have mercy? Is that what you had for me? Mercy?" Aisha replied automatically. As if those very words had been repeating in her head nonstop. Imset's chest tightened once more. She was too cold, too calm. That was so unlike her. It unsettled him just as much as it excited him.

"I-I didn't try to rape y-"

"Don't talk to me like I'm stupid," she snapped. "You think because you warned them not to rape me, it excused you? Because you tried to persuade them? No, Zach. Your words did not stop them. He did," Aisha tilted her head in Imset's direction.

"But I'm not here to talk about me. Who was first? Did you know what would happen?" Aisha asked Zach calmly.

"W-wh-who was first at w-what?" his body shook. She found it odd that he didn't bother asking who Imset was, seeming to only focus on the person he knew. Perhaps he thought focusing on Aisha would help him stay alive. Foolish hopes.

"I-It w-was E-evan I s-swear I n-never even t-touched her! I don't e-even know how it really h-happened."

"Is he lying?"

"Yes."

Aisha clenched her jaw, leaning forward, "There's no use in lying. I already had an interesting conversation with Josh before he died... bit of an open book, that one. I know you were there. I already know what you did. I want to know, Who. Was. First. Zachary?"

"J-Josh? WHAT DID HE SAY?! HE IS A LIAR!"

"Was," she paused, checking her nail polish. "Was a liar. I agree... but he didn't lie when he said you were involved did he?" His paled face answered her question completely, "You were there. You and I both know what you did. This isn't the time for trying to save face. Perhaps you should be focused more on saving your soul. Though neither is likely..."

Zach swallowed hard, tears welling up in his eyes, "I was just...doing what everyone else d-did." He hiccupped, shaking like a leaf, "I t-think there's s-something wrong w-with me? I-I need help! I could g-get help! I-I regretted it afterward!"

Aisha smirked, letting her hand fall back to her side, eyes closed. She could still hear him taunting her about taking her virginity. Could see him purposefully having sex in front of the window in order to make her uncomfortable.

"Who drugged her?"

"Evan! And I swear I didn't do anything to her after the sex! I didn't, you have to believe me. Last I saw, she was unconscious in Evan's bed.

"So Evan was first? And you were last?" Zach didn't answer so she pressed on, "Don't you want me to help you?"

Imset quirked his brow. How could she help him? The man nodded feverishly, eyes wide, "Y-yes, please! I need help! I can't help myself sometimes. I just need c-counseling! M-maybe medication!"

"Who was first?" It was her cool demeanor that seemed to scare him the most.

"HELP! HELP ME! PLEASE, SOMEBODY HELP!" Finally, that self-preservation had Zach screaming for his life. Futile, but at least it showed he cared about whether he lived or died.

Her eyes met Imset's once more, "I've changed my mind." She rolled her head along the cool wall and stepped forward once.

"Summon his father," Aisha insisted as Imset's body swelled with power. His chest roped with tightened muscles.

"No! Wait! What?!" Zach was trembling, "My dad didn't have anything to do with this. It was Charlie! Evan's dad. He came to take Aiko home. H-he was the last one to see her alive."

That was worth more than who broke Aiko first. In the end, she supposed the order didn't matter. They would all die for it.