CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4: Slapping the Leeches

The wood of my apartment door shook as Brenda slammed her palms against it again. I stood in the middle of my living room watching the brass deadbolt jiggle. Then, this noise would have made my throat tighten with anxiety. I would have rushed to open it, Babbling apologies, desperate to keep the peace

Now? My heart was beating hard but it was from a cold sharp focus.

"Eva! Open this door now!" Brenda shouted from the hallway. Her voice sounded like nails scraping together. "I know you're there! Marcus told me what you did! You have no right to touch my money!"

"Yeah, open up!" Cindy yelled after Brenda. "You ruined my night! The cashier looked at me like I was a thief because of you!"

I walked over to the door. Unlocked it. I didn't push it open. I just cracked it an inch, keeping my body blocking the gap.

The three of them were jammed into the hallway. Brenda's face was bright red with her chest heaving under her floral shirt. Cindy stood behind with her arms crossed, as her eyes were glaring at me with anger. Marcus was at the back looking pleased now that he had his backup.

"What do you want?" I asked. 

Brenda didn't even answer. She pushed her weight against the door forcing it open. The wood hit me in the shoulder knocking me back a step. She marched into my living room like she owned the place, with Cindy and Marcus trailing right behind her.

"Don't use that tone with me girl " Brenda barked, pointing a thick finger at my face. "Marcus has been good to you. We took you in like family and the second things get tough you froze my credit card? My medicine is supposed to be ready tomorrow! Do you want me to die?"

“Your medicine isn't what got declined at the store, Brenda," I said, pointing at my phone on the counter. "The alerts showed a twelve-hundred-dollar charge at an electronics store and four hundred dollars at a clothing boutique. Is your medicine made of flat-screen TVs and designer shoes?”

Cindy's face turned pink. She stepped forward stomping her foot. "That's none of your business! Marcus said we could use the account! You don't get to track what we buy like you're our boss!"

"It is my business when it's my bank account " I said, looking directly at Marcus.

Marcus shifted his weight looking away from my eyes. "Eva come on. Don't be like this. We were going to pay you when I got paid. You're being unreasonable over a few dollars."

"A few dollars?" I let out a laugh. "You guys have taken thousands from me over the years. I paid your car note, Marcus. I paid for Cindy's tuition fees. I paid your moms rent.. The second I say no you bring a crowd to my home to scream at me?"

"Because you're acting like a spoiled brat!" Brenda yelled. She started pacing around my living room, with her eyes looking at my things. "You have stuff, a nice apartment and you're keeping your money while we suffer. If you're going to act like a stranger then fine.. You're going to pay for the trouble you caused us tonight."

Before I could ask her what she meant Brenda walked past me and into my bedroom.

"Hey! Get out of there!" I yelled, chasing after her.

Cindy and Marcus blocked the bedroom doorway so I couldn't get through. Inside the room I heard my jewelry box being flipped over onto the mattress.

" find the gold necklace her grandmother gave her!" Cindy called out over her shoulder, "The one with the diamond clasp. That'll cover my shopping trip and our bills."

"I found it!" Brenda shouted back from inside. ". I'm taking these silver rings too. Consider it payment for the distress, you ungrateful woman."

A dark, violent curtain dropped over my mind.

In the future, on that highway, I had learned how to fight for a single scrap of moldy bread. I had learned how to use my elbows, my teeth, and my weight to push past monsters that wanted to eat my flesh. These three people weren't monsters yet. They were just greedy, soft humans who thought I was weak.

"Get out of my way " I whispered to Marcus.

"Eva, calm down and let my mom take"

I didn't let him finish. I grabbed Marcus by the collar of his shirt, twisted my hips and slammed his body into Cindy. They tangled together. Crashed hard against the wall, a loud thud echoing through the apartment. Cindy screamed as her elbow hit the baseboard.

I didn't waste time. I marched into my bedroom.

Brenda was standing by my nightstand, her hands stuffing my grandmother's gold necklace into her purse.

"Put it down, " I said.

Brenda spun around as her eyes widened with shock. Then her face twisted into a sneer. "You think you can scare me? You're nothing but a.."

I closed the distance between us. I grabbed her wrist. Twisted it downward. Brenda let out a yelp as her fingers lost their grip. The purse fell to the carpet. Before she could scream again I raised my hand and slapped her across the face.

SMACK!

The force of the slap made her gasp. She stumbled backward, hitting the bed and tumbling onto it. She clutched her swelling cheek staring up at me with fear.

"You... You hit me!" Brenda whimpered, her voice shaking.

"I told you to put it down, " I said. I reached down and snatched my grandmother's necklace out of her purse and put it in my pocket. "Now get off my bed before I hurt you."

Marcus appeared at the bedroom door holding his shoulder, h

 "Eva! Are you crazy?! You just hit my mom!"

"And I'll hit her again if she doesn't leave my house " I snapped, turning my gaze to him. The anger in my eyes made him step back into the hallway. "I am done being nice, to you people. You think you can walk into my home and steal from me? You think I'm still the girl who begged you to love her?"

Cindy was crying on the floor of the hallway clutching her arm. "Marcus, call the cops! She's assaulting us! She's crazy!"

"Go ahead, call them!" I shouted, stepping out of the bedroom and looming over them. "Tell the police how you broke into my apartment using a key I told you not to use. Tell them how your mom was caught stealing my jewelry. Let's see who goes to jail tonight!"

Marcus looked at crying Brenda at his trembling mom who was slowly getting out of my bedroom. He knew I was right. The law wouldn't take their side.

"You've changed, " Marcus whispered, with his voice full of fear. "You're not the Eva I know. You're a monster."

"You don't know anything about monsters yet Marcus " I said, a dark smile touching my lips.. I would know. Soon I would see them everywhere. ". I'm learning."

I grabbed Brenda by the back of her shirt and hauled her toward the front door. She didn't even try to fight back; she was too shaken by my strength. I threw her out into the hallway.

"Marcus! Help me!" she wailed, scrambling to her feet.

I turned around. Pointed at Marcus and Cindy. "Out. Both of you. Right now."

Cindy didn't need to be told. She scrambled up from the floor crying and cursing and ran out into the hallway to hide behind her mom. Marcus stayed for a second, his lips trembling, looking like he wanted to say something.

"If you are still standing on my property in three seconds Marcus " I said, my voice dropping into a whisper "I will make sure you leave here in an ambulance."

He swallowed hard, as his confidence evaporated. He turned around and walked out of the door, his head hanging low.

I stood at the doorway looking at the three of them packed into the hallway. 

Neighbors were starting to open their doors a bit peeking out to see what all the shouting was about. Brenda was still cursing under her breath. Cindy was scowling, but none of them dared to come close to my door again.

"Listen to me, " I said loudly, making sure everyone in the neighborhood could hear. "If I see any of you near my car, my job or this building again I will file a restraining order. Let my lawyer take care of the rest. We are done. Never say my name again."

Before they could say another word I grabbed the door. Slammed it shut with a loud bang.

I turned the deadbolt. Then I locked the chain.

The apartment was completely quiet. All I could hear was my heavy breathing. I leaned my back against the door, my legs suddenly feeling weak as the rush of adrenaline began to fade. My hands were shaking. My mind felt really light. It was over. The things that had been weighing me down were finally gone.

Suddenly a bright light appeared in front of me.

A blue screen showed up in the air. This time it wasn't flickering or warning me of threats. It was glowing with a light and a clear sound like a bell rang out in my mind.

[Ding! Quest Complete: Sever the leeching ties.]

The voice of LUS echoed in my head. It sounded clearer now.

[Evaluation: Host Eva successfully removed all parasites without getting hurt. Independence achieved.]

The words on the screen started to change, flashing in a gold color that lit up the dark entryway of my apartment.

[Rewards Unlocked: Infinite Dimensional Storage activated. 100 System Points credited to account. Congratulations, Host Eva. Your journey toward domination has officially begun.]