at first i thought we were in some bad horror movie, as no one appeared in the door.

"maybe it was the wind," i offered.

elaine looked around outside.

"there is no wind, jack."

a woman appeared in the door.

i didn't recognize her.

"shit," craig commented, a surprised tinge to his voice.

"that's my mom."

"cool," erica joined in, all happy.

she turned to us, as she opened the door.

"finally, someone normal."

her and craig quickly got out.

"wait," i suggested.

i may as well have pissed in the wind.

they both slammed the doors and were up the stairs to the house, in a flash.

"it looks like aunt joyce," elaine offered.

craig and erica hugged the woman.

the woman said something, which we could not hear and she opened the front door wide.

the two stupid shits went inside.

"that probably wasn't a smart move," i offered.

elaine took a deep breath.

"that is not my aunt joyce, is it?"

i shook my head.

"i wouldn't bet good money on it."

i wouldn't even bet bad money on it.

"me neither."

elaine kicked the seat in front of her.

"fuck."

we watched the woman from the backseats of the minivan.

she simply stood on the front stoop and stared at us.

at least it looked like she was. I was not even sure if she could see us.

"what the fuck is she doing?" elaine barked.

"fucked if i know."

she just stood on the stoop, looking toward the mini van.

her expression never changed and she hardly moved.

like she was in a trance of some sort.

"she is beginning to creep me out," i exclaimed.

"and that is really saying something, considering the shit i have been through lately."

the woman suddenly smiled and went inside the house, leaving the door open.

i turned to elaine.

"that is just fucking weird."

elaine wasn't answering.

she seemed to be staring through me.

i turned, slowly, to the window of the minivan.

"fuck," i yelled.

sweetapple was standing outside the van, staring into the window.

he smiled at us and went toward the house.

now things were really getting fucked up.

i undid my seatbelt and opened the door.

elaine, still, wasn't moving.

"come on," i told her.

"what the fuck is going on, jack?"

i held my hand to her.

"let's go and find out."

"are you two coming?" sweetapple called from the bottom stair to the house.

elaine was now out of the car and by my side.

"this is ..."

i nodded.

"i know, lover.

nothing about this feels right."

nothing did.

i even tried to disappear, but there was nothing.

i didn't want to say anything to elaine.

she seemed freaked enough.

"i can't disappear, jack.

i have tried several times.

this just doesn't feel right."

she took my hand.

"let's just get in the fucking car and get as fucking far away from here as we can."

i looked inside.

no keys.

"craig has the keys."

"the lincoln, jack."

"all the car keys are inside," sweetapple said, as he stood on the stoop.

"best you come in."

he stood staring at us.

"what do we do, jack?"

i just wanted this shit over.

maybe this house, in the middle of fucking nowhere, had the answers i wanted.

"jack? we are waiting."

we?

"who the fuck is we?"

sweetapple smiled and went inside, leaving the door open.

"come on, jack."

we stood outside, watching.

neither of us wanted to make the first move.

"fuck this," i said, finally.

i kissed elaine.

"you get the fuck out of here.

go back the way we came in. find another home and look for help.

get yourself as far away from here as possible."

"what about you?"

"i gotta end this.

i am too fucking tired to carry on."

i wasn't lying. i suddenly felt more exhausted than i had felt in my whole life.

i actually felt like i could lay down and sleep.

"i am not leaving you here," she snapped back at me.

"this is not about you, elaine."

"it is about me," she yelled.

"and, for fuck sake ... stop calling me elaine."

i looked at her.

"what?"

"you keep calling me elaine.

its cute that you know my middle name, but i don't go by that."

she stared at me and tapped my forehead.

"you forget my name?"

her voice had changed.

"amanda?"

she clapped her hands.

"and the big dumb oaf gets first prize."

she reached up and kissed me.

"it is a good thing you have a big dick, because sometimes, you are just plain weird."

now i was more confused than ever.

what the fuck was happening.

"you think that bitch magissa, is in there?"

i simply nodded.

still a little dizzy and tired as hell.

"then lets go and take that bitch down."

this was definitely amanda.

but what had happened to elaine?

was she lost forever?

no time to wonder.

amanda was already at the stairs.

i hurried to her and we went to the door together.

cautiously, i stepped inside.

amanda was right behind me.

"where the fuck are they?" she whispered.

i shrugged.

"we are in the common room."

it was sweetapple's voice.

common room.

what a stupid name.

i always hated it.

"why don't they just call it a fucking living room?" i muttered, under my breath.

we walked through a hallway that ended with two directions to go.

we heard the door close behind us.

we turned.

no one was there.

suddenly, that horror movie feeling came back to me.

"fuck," i sighed.

i was not liking this.

"turn left," sweetapple instructed us.

we did and after about 10 feet, we entered a huge open living room.

sweetapple was at a bar, pouring us drinks.

"scotch will suffice, i assume."

"of course it will," came a female voice.

my balls cringed, as i recognized the voice.

i turned slowly.

there, on a couch ...

all relaxed in a long white dress, with a drink and a cigarette ..

was

magissa.