The Nightmare Begins

T W O

The water glistens in the bright luminous light produced by the sun. The sky, mid-afternoon, a beautiful canvas with hints of blue skies and pure milky whites. The sun was beating mercilessly on his back and Jacob could feel his perspiration trickling down his spine, and in order to get rid of his predicament, he disturbed the sea, plunging himself intentionally into the water—headfirst. His figure went smoothly through the warm and salty water. He dissolved together with the sea, floating freely. He immediately felt the calmness and peacefulness the place was giving. It was as though he disappeared somewhere away from the buzzing world of New York. 

Freediving has always been exciting to him. It has always filled his life with the greatest of joy. Being under the water just feels like morphing into an aquatic paradise and discovering a new world. The adrenaline, the risk, the danger, and uncertainty. The joy of the journey of diving down to another world is something he would always die for. It's like sex—no, it's more euphoric than sex. It's like drugs—no, it gives more pleasure than what drugs can give. Or is it more like alcohol? Absolutely not. In fact, never, in thousands of years, will Jacob choose to be obliterated by alcohol over the sea. 

He floated back over the water and his head popped out. He shook his damp hair and ran his hand across his face twice. He grinned at Vincent who was standing on the yacht with a glass of champagne in his hand. 

“You think you can reach down the bottom floor now?” Vincent asked just as Michael went over to them.

“I don't know. How deep is it?” Jacob asked as he wobbled to maintain over the water.

“About three hundred feet. No more than three hundred fifty feet and no less than two hundred ninety feet,” supplied Michael, relying on his whole balance by grabbing the boom of the yacht.

“What do you think?”

Jacob, still on the water, contemplated for a long moment. He stared blankly at the horizon and the horizon stared back at him.

“Will my body float if I die?” he asked pleasantry.

Michael chuckled shortly.

“You don't have to worry about your body. We have scuba diving equipment here. We'll get you down there in case anything happens,” said Vincent as he reached over for the snorkel, the goggles, and the fins. He tossed it down at Jacob and he collected it and put on his body parts accordingly. 

“Buckle down, Jacob. I believe you can kill it today. For encouragement, remember that you're about to free dive as deep or as high as the statue of liberty. That'll be a record for you.”

 His encouraging beaming face gave Jacob a wink. 

“Thanks, Micheal,” he responded. 

“Don't you worry, Jacob, we'll delete your browser history in case something happens to you!” Jordan called from the driver's seat as a blonde woman was grinding her ass against his erection. 

“Fuck off, dickhead!” Jacob called back. Jordan chuckled. He turned back to the blonde and ordered,

“Move faster baby.” The blonde obeyed. 

“Good luck,” uttered Michael. He took a deep breath for much-needed oxygen. He contemplated once again. Thinking if it was something he should execute. After a minute of saving oxygen, Jacob put the mouthpiece inside his mouth and breathed deeply for the last time. Then prepared for whatever the result is that he had in mind, he dove down with full courage like a skydiver piercing down through the clouds. He maintained a good pace, not wanting to run out of oxygen before he could even reach half way. He threaded down underwater, exploring the beautiful wonders of the aquatic paradise as he bubbled down. Crowds of tiny fishes glided against his body as if showing that they are delighted for their guest. Jacob slipped beneath the calm surface and descended downward to the coral reef. Orange and yellow and purple tube sponges were scattered across the reef, giant and mesmerizing corals trying to tell Jacob how lucky he is to be underwater. A couple of delicate strokes and he reached the spot where mostly small fishes lurked, and after several free fall, he was already swaying with the corals. Finally he passed over enormous humps of brain corals that looked exactly like their namesakes. Big and gigantic corals that look like the brains of a giant. He did a free fall down the ledge and went down to the realm of blues and violets.

When he looked at his depth gauge it read one hundred feet, not even halfway. He dove deeper, having no plans to ascend already. In his fall, he saw several creatures like gold fishes and turtles and jellyfish. Even saw seahorses and even dolphins. 

It was after ten minutes when Jacob arose, gasping for air. Michael quickly went over to the edge of the boat and crouched down. 

“You did it?” he asked with his expectantly glowing eyes. Jacob yanked his goggles from his face and tossed it over the yacht.

“Almost,” he replied, reaching up to Michael. Michael caught him by the wrist and pulled him on the boat.

“Only reached two hundred and ninety seven feet. I mean I was beginning to feel my throat getting dry, but I still couldn't even see the bottom.”

He said while he struggled to chase his breath. He sat down solemnly, hands on his face. 

“That's okay, Jacob. Maybe next time,” encouraged Michael, going back to settle with the two.

“What happened?” asked Vincent.

“What's with the long face?”

“You can't even see his face, you idiot,” mouthed Michael as he walked past Vincent. 

“I mean it's an idiom.” Vincent threw a single grape inside his mouth. 

“Do you guys have any plans for tonight?” Michael inquired as he took a seat. 

“I don't,” answered Vincen. Not a surprise for someone as outgoing as him. 

“I'm on a date with my fiance for tonight. Can't go,” said the faithful Jordan who just has sex with a random woman.

“Jacob?” Michael asked.

“I can't.” he replied.

“Someone is interested to see the property in Manhattan. I have to show them around.”

“Workaholic,” claimed Vincent. 

“Asshole,” he replied. 

* * *

It was a cold evening when Jacob and his two clients were touring around another luxurious and million-dollar house and they had to wear thick jackets in order to safely go out on the street. The two were a couple with the same gender. They didn't look odd or disgusting to him because Jacob grew up with parents who were both men. He respected the two like how he respected his parents.

“That is a wonderful house, Mr. Price. I have not seen a home as godly as that,” one of the loving couples has claimed. He wrapped both arms around his fiance's neck and whispered,

“I can't wait to live here and feel the warmth of you every night.”

Jacob smiled. He reminded them of his father. He watched the two of them as they nibbled their nose against each other's. He suddenly felt the longing for their presence. He missed them; a thing he was not in the business of denying to himself. 

“I admire the two of you, sir, and pardon me for interrupting the two of you but do you plan to take the house?” Jacob asked politely. 

“Yes—” 

“Don't!” a loud roar came from behind. They swept their gazes around and a short man with a clenched jaw, fists were like a ball, and eyes blazing with anger, advanced Jacob menacingly. Jacob was bewildered by his sudden action, but a few of his instincts had already given him the idea. 

“Mr. Andrews. It's good to see you again,” he tried to be warm to him, but Mr. Andrews wasn't about to give a damn.

“You son of a bitch!” He slammed his fist against Jacob's jaw. Unaware and unprepared, Mr. Andrews' knuckles sent him down on the ground. 

“This man is a dick! An ungrateful dick! Is your commission not enough that you also needed to fuck my wife? You son of a bitch! I'm going to kill you!”

Mr. Andrews lunged at him, yanked his suit, drawing him to his feet, unaware that Jacob was already raging in great resentment. Finally standing firm on his feet, Jacob threw his fist at Mr. Andrew's face before he could even dodge, with a strength that not only sent him down on his back but also broke his nose. The couple watched in fright.

“Fucker!” Jacob stepped on Mr. Andrews' stomach so hard that it forced a wail of pain that came out as a gasp. 

“Mr. Price!” one of the couples exclaimed.

“Stop it!”

“Stand up, you fucker and let me tell you this!” Jacob clasped his collar.

“Yes, you're goddamn right! I fucked your wife and she enjoyed it because unlike you, my dick is much bigger than yours! You wanna know what I did to her? I penetrated her so hard that the whole time I heard nothing but her begging and moaning. And you know what's amazing? She insisted without a condom. Your wife is an infidel slut!” 

Struggling for his escape as he was pinned down by the raging Jacob price, he bellowed,

“I am really gonna kill you now. I swear to God!”

But Jacob was far too strong to be moved even the slightest. He smashed an elbow against his nose twice and blood spurted out of Mr. Andrews' mouth.

“Oh my God!” The couple covered their mouths, eyes wide and filled with fear. Mr. Andrews tried to cover himself with his hands but it was no use. Jacob's punches were just too strong that it went through his cover over and over again. 

“Oh my God! Call the cops!” the man said to his fiance. He obeyed quickly.

Finally galvanized by fear, Mr. Andrews hit Jacob by his groin, pushing him away.

Jacob fell to the ground but quickly got to his feet again. His fist smashed into his jaw, and Mr. Andrews crumpled to the ground in agony. He dragged him up again by the collar of his polo. By this time, the other man was too weak to put up a fight and all he could ever do was to let out his grudge in words as the ravaging Jacob hit him over and over again. 

***

Jacob ended up in jail, lost his client and had to pay ten thousand dollars for him to get out. It's still a puzzle for him as to why, after almost taking the man's life, Mr. Andrews did not file a case.

It was seven in the evening when he got out of the police station and six thirty when Mrs. Andrews had visited him. She almost smiled, watching him behind bars. She looked around, mocking him by checking how strong the iron bars were.

“What do you want?” he asked coldly. She didn't respond immediately. She just stared at him for a long moment.

“If you want to get laid again and last night wasn't enough for you—I'm sorry but I can't. The cops won't let you in,” he said mockingly. 

“Do you have any idea why my husband didn't file a claim towards you after what you have done to him, Mr. Price?” she began.

“I apologize but whatever the reason is, I'm pretty sure that I don't give a fuck,” Jacob answered with a hint of irritation in his voice. 

She inched closer to the iron bars until he could hear her whispers.

“Your life is in danger, Jacob. You messed with the wrong person. I have known my husband for two years and discovered several unnerving things from him. Something even I, myself, am intimidated by.” Her words were filled with threats and mystery, but it didn't shake Jacob. 

“You may be the lion and he's the sheep but he has his way to lead his enemies to the slaughterhouse,” she continued. Jacob finally stood up and walked towards her. The only thing that separated the two were the iron bars, and the tension in the air ascended very quickly. Both of their eyes locked, trying to dominate one another. Quickly and unexpectedly, his hand grabbed her by the nape and she startled.

“You can't intimidate me with your threats. If your husband is really a man then he should have the balls to face me and get his revenge in a fair way. So what if he had given a price on my head. Make sure he succeeds in his plan of eliminating me because if he fails,” he placed her ear closer to her mouth and whispered,

“I'm going to bury the both of you…piece by piece.”

Mrs. Andrews pulled herself from his grasp, visibly shivering in horror. Quickly she turned to leave as Jacob was laughing. Of course he didn't mean anything he just said. He would hurt a man, but he would never take its life. He just finds it funny sometimes; seeing the fear on a cocky person's face.

***

The water felt warm against his muscular body. It had been his habit; humming to a music in the bathroom as he washes himself. He rubbed the soap against his body, spreaded shampoo all over his scalp and then brushed his teeth. He walked out of the bathroom damp and naked. Then he wrapped the towel around his hips. He looked around his room. Something wasn't right. His watch wasn't in the right position, a part of the carpet near the closet was folded and there were clues of ashes on his floor. He knew something wasn't right. He slowly went over to the edge of his bed, trying to figure out what was happening, trying to figure out what was wrong. And before comprehension could even come to him, somebody suddenly grabbed his hair and covered a cloth over his nose. He tried shaking for his escape, struggling to break out. The smell was different. It was something he had never smelled before but recognized what the smell was like. It was…what was it? Was it chloroform?