O.L.I.V.E.R. Part I

I chose this name the day the creature decided to keep me. Decided to indulge in my presence; to make me one of his own. No not me, Jaye. But Jaye had been long gone. Jaye Durian was now absent from his own body. He had abandoned me once he had thought that the creature, this monstrous horse would end our lives. No not horse. Shape shifter. As he moved around in his kitchen I watched through Jaye’s hazel colored eyes. I could say that I was terrified but in truth I was done with hiding, whatever this beast planned to do to me I didn’t care any longer. Jaye disappearing had given me my freedom. Jumping, my eyes shifted up to the creature once more as I had heard the snaps and cracks, like bones forming into yet another beast. My suspicions were correct, a rather youthful attractive man stood in front of me. Hair a dark marsh green, eyes a murky red that watched me hauntingly. Noticing my startled look, he smiled, “What is your name?” hissing almost serpent-like.

Opening my mouth to answer I found myself stumbled. When I took over the body I usually answered as Jaye. But Jaye was gone; I had never had a name. Much less a look of my own. I was just some parasite to Jaye. Normally I was referred to as the Parasite. “I’m-…” but Jaye’s voice wouldn’t go louder.

“Hmmmmn….I see. Then I shall name you…,” He paused for a brief moment as if to ponder but I, to this day, had always wanted this dubbing, “Oltalgia. Lathe. Ichthyofauna. Vector. Easel. Roquefort. Yes, I think I’ve over done my self this time,” It said to me quite proud of it’s self. I raised an eyebrow to the other. Who was he to kidnap me, and then start listing off random words and say that’s my name!?  Ichthyofauna? Isn’t that an old fish or something? Roquefort. That’s a type of cheese. Disgusting. I have too much pride to be named after….words….But isn’t that what a name is? I sat scowling on the floor pondering my new dubbing. O……L…..I….V….E….R. It spelt out Oliver. I fingered the name in my mouth. Let my tongue toy with the word. It clicked. I could see myself as Oliver or at least Jaye as an Oliver. “Oltalgia?” came the still unfamiliar name to my ears, but I still responded. I looked up catching that the fact that my eyes seemed to head to the floor out of habit. It was something Jaye did to concentrate, that I now took on.  

Shaking my head I looked up to him, “No. Oliver,” Jaye’s voice responded quietly, collectively. He blinked uncomprehendingly and then smiled. “I see now. From the first letters. Mine wouldn’t quite work out that way. Sound,” He introduced himself before advancing towards me. Sound held something foreign in his hands and I scurried into the back of the corner. I was now frightened. But I couldn’t linger there for long as for he had gripped my shoulder tightly locking his deviled eyes with my earth ones. “Oliver then. This is something serious that I am intrusting to you. Something very important to my kind. I have watched you in the human world and have found you as a worthy specimen,” Sound said. It was as if he was trying to avoid his future actions.

I glared at the object for a second. Watching the swirling, almost liquid, mass of colors try to escape their prison. But what kind of crimson fluid was surrounding the glass? It then dawned on me. Blood! But from what!? What kind of sick twisted beast was now towering over me? I glanced up to Sound and noticed that he was grimacing behind my back, holding his chest at were the blood was making its dripping way to me. I panicked and struggled to hold him. He was aging beneath my hands. “Sound! Sound! What’s happening?!” Why was I suddenly worried about someone that had just told me that they’d been stalking me? Stalking Jaye.  

Sounds voice was now rasped and different from the almost musical one I hadn’t gotten a chance to get used to. “Oliver. This here is what gives us Kelpies our source of magic, or our source to be able to reproduce. Since we rarely socialize we never have a mate for long. This is our other way to make sure that our kind goes on. Oliver please I need you to be my offspring,” he was now stuttering the blood now staining my own clothes. Fuck. What was I supposed to do? Sure why not! After all I just got my freedom! And how unnerving it was to be asked: Will you be my child?

I found myself nodding despite my frantic brains’ protests. A kelpie? I let my eyes come to a close as I felt the old mans fingers now trace up my chest and rip open my shirt. Well it wasn’t my shirt it was Jayes. Jaye had awful taste anyway. The ghost like fingers made my body shiver and try to pull away unwillingly. But I stayed put, feeling the point of the sphere poking at my sun burnt skin. Eyelids tightening over my hazel eyes once more I waited for the expected pain.

When the crystal struck my body, it was as if I wasn’t already braced for the aggressive tear. Eyes shooting open I felt the hot tears form at my eyes, but I was not crying. The liquid was blood now streaming down my face. The crimson fluid flowed out of my mouth to join the mass of blood that now stained the mud floor. Mouth forming around the silent scream my body was still in shock as I felt Sounds grasp around me loosen along with the muted thud that followed. I was sure that Sound had faded and returned to his true age. But I did not hear the sound of his soft thank you or his last standing breath. Only now my scream had come piercing the moist air around me, my lungs were suddenly stronger.