“Do you mind if I turn off for a little while?” Minarette put a CD in the player. Tribal drums looped through primitive-sounding chants, all wrapped in new age synthesizers. The group was called Flowers from Heaven, and I made a note to grab a copy for myself. Meanwhile, Minarette had gone terribly quiet and nearly expressionless. I kept to myself, watched the snow covered scenery pass by, and ran over the last few days. I felt so lucky to have had a “lost weekend” with her. Even though she was in her own space and the all-American voluptuous blonde I’d first met had turned into a cool Gothic angel, I still loved her the same. It was the same person inside. Of course, both versions of her were striking and gorgeous.
The music got louder. Minarette seemed to be in a trance. We passed over the Tappan Zee Bridge, and I loved how the snow whipped at us. It felt dangerous, but safely so—kind of like a roller coaster. Thrilling, but you know you’re not going to fall off or crash or anything drastic. Below, the waves surged and crested violently. Were the beings I thought I’d seen just under the waves hidden in some underwater cave? Or were they surfing the currents, gleefully enjoying the ride like we were?
After the bridge, the roads became more familiar to me. New Jersey was an alien world, even though it was just across the river. I’d never spent any time there before, but I found it charming and wonderful. Especially because it was where she’d come from.
The first track on the CD was long, and the second felt longer. It was even more intense, with more exotic instruments added in, and the vocalizations almost sounded like words if you paid attention. Looking to Minarette, I held my look for a minute to see if she’d react. I hoped she’d say something. She didn’t. Outside, the built-up sections on the outskirts of New York City slowly gave way to long stretches of hills and darkness. We weren’t taking I-95 back, but were heading home on the more rural Merritt Parkway route. I was glad. It was much prettier and less stressful. I let myself zone out into the music, leaning my head against the passenger-side window.
We drove for at least another half an hour. The storm worsened and the road filled with thick snow and ice. It was obviously becoming a challenge for Minarette to keep driving. “You okay?” I asked.
“Fine,” she said. She still sounded so damn far away. “I do think I need to stop in a bit, though. Just for a bit.”
We soon came upon a small gas station convenience store. Even though it was part of a chain, it looked rustic and homey. She pulled in and got out of the car with little fanfare. “I think I’ll hit the bathroom, too,” I said. Again, she didn’t respond. In fact, Minarette didn’t even go toward the bathrooms. She made her way past the glassed-in office where they rung you up, and disappeared around the bend. I thought maybe I should have stayed close—that maybe she’d leave and strand me. The cold and snow forced my hand. I didn’t want to wait. When I went inside, I was struck by a gruesome smell; it was as though someone had microwaved seafood for too long and it’d burned.
As far as I could tell, there was no help anywhere in the place. There’d been cars parked outside, but none at the pumps and none that I could see arriving. I shrugged it off, thinking the storm had just kept folks home. Had to be all it was. I told myself that I might as well hit the can while I was inside, so I did. The bathroom was empty, too. I made my way back outside, where the snowflakes had started coming down in bigger pieces.
Minarette stood just past her car. She looked like a ghost. Her face seemed empty. When she saw me, she didn’t appear to react. Instead, she simply opened her car door and slipped inside. I rushed up to the car, nearly falling on the slippery sidewalk on my way. The door handle stuck a little from being frozen.
The car was nearly as cold inside. “Wow,” I said. “It’s really coming down.”
Still nothing from her. The engine was running and her seatbelt was on. She put it into drive as I put on my seatbelt. I nearly smashed into the dashboard. By that time, I’d really become upset at how cold she was. She was so damn moody, and I didn’t think it was fair. I had the distinct feeling she was hiding something from me. Why did everything always have to be a secret with her? It sucked. I gunned the gas, and soon we were back on the highway. All I could think about was how far away she was from me. I convinced myself she must have thought our tryst was a mistake and that she’d drop me off and drop the bomb on me that she wouldn’t see me again. It had to be coming. I just knew it. Sucked. Even though I tried to think of what to say to break her from her spell, my mind kept going blank.
To think that only a few hours earlier, we’d been making love. She’d switched off so quickly.
That last stretch on the cold, dark highway felt intense, and I soon thought I would burst. Fuck it, I thought. Make her say something. This is stupid. “Look? If I did something wrong, just tell me. If you want to break up, just let me know. We can move on. But I hate that you’re just sitting there and not speaking at all to me. What the hell?”
She let out a heavy sigh. The car went faster…so much faster. She’d stepped on the gas. We fishtailed a little, but Minarette didn’t flinch. No. She cried. In an instant, tears streamed down, and then they were colored with streaks of dark red, and then those became dark.
“I’m sorry.”
That’s all she said.
“What?”
“There wasn’t…I didn’t have a choice.”
“Minarette?”
The car slowed down. We were near what looked like another turn off—an exit maybe. It was hard to see in the blinding snow.
My heart was in my throat.
“I think it’s just up here,” she said.
“What is?” I asked. “What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry.” Minarette slowed the car. “They’re inside my head.”
“Who?” But I knew whom she referred to.
“Damian. The beast. Them,” she said. “They found me. They found us. They were outside. Watching.”
Everything inside me went cold. Of course they were.
She went on. “It’s you for her. They have my mother.”
“How do you know this?” I asked. “Did they call you? Is that where you went?”
She put a finger to the side of her head as if it were a gun. “They told me in here. Saw it. See it.”
The car pulled to a stop. A few yards away, I saw the drive-on to a bridge. I recognized it but couldn’t place it. “Where are we?” I asked. “What’s happening?”
“I didn’t have a choice. Please know that. Don’t remember me this way. It’s not my fault. This is not what I wanted.”
“Let’s go back. We can get your mom. Fight them off.”
She shook her head. “I can’t. Not anymore. I’m in the last stages. Can’t you see? That’s it for me. The end of line.”
“No. Not tonight. I don’t believe any of it.” But I did. I knew she wasn’t lying. At least about her selling me out.
“They promised they’d let you go soon and this whole thing would be over. They’re ready to go to a new town. They want to.”
“I can’t lose you. Not like this.”
She held out her hand and I took it. She was cold and her skin was stiff.
“Please remember me as you know me in my heart. Not like this. Not from tonight. I’ll always be in your heart.”
My face went numb, then my body. “You’re breaking up with me. I knew it.”
“I’m dying. Tonight. Soon.” Her cheeks were wet, stained with dark tears. “I love you.”
I said, “I love you.” My eyes watered. I couldn’t help it. “Don’t go. Not like this. We can—”
“No.” She shook her head. “Time’s up for me, my wonderful Rick. I’m sorry.” Minarette turned away. “Don’t make this any harder on me. Please. Just go. Know that I love you. Really. And I wish I’d met you years ago. Maybe things would have been different. Maybe another place and another time. I really do love you, and I’m sorry. I loved every second I had with you, and I chose to spend the last of what I had with you.”
“Minarette?”
She sobbed. She wouldn’t answer me back. She turned the music up and turned her back to me. I nearly had to cover my ears from the volume.
Ahead of us, from the opposite lane, a large black Cadillac swerved over, nearly clipped us and parked in front of us. The doors opened. I recognized some of the thugs from the Universe. Last, emerging from the driver’s side, Damian rose. He smiled right at me and pointed. In a flash they were on us.