Prompt me not, for these are my prompts - 3. The Week From Hell

“I’m going to kill her.” I managed to spit out my anger in between holding most of my clothes as far from me as I could. Tonight had been a whole new level of disaster. Then again, this whole week had been one thing after another.

Early on Monday morning I had gotten up a little later than usual and as I headed out toward my car to go to work I found my front and rear tires had been slashed. Seems the whole neighborhood had been targeted. As I stood looking around a cop asked if anyone knew someone who might want to do this. I immediately thought of my son of bitch ex, but the bastard would have just focused on me, never mind the whole neighborhood. I had to call into work letting them know I would be late because I needed four new tires. The cops were busy taking everyone’s names, address and the names of anyone we thought might have it in for us or our neighbors.

Tuesday we had severe thunderstorms. When I say severe, I mean it rained like five inches in an hour. My pool literally overflowed and then broke, pouring water by the gallon into my back yard and then right into my basement. It destroyed the hardwood floors, some furniture, and my washer and dryer which were sitting in over a foot of water.

I needless to say missed work on Wednesday and had a few different companies come over to find out what it would cost me to get the water pumped out, the floors fixed, and have the furniture and now destroyed washer and dryer hauled away. Nothing will make the day longer than finding out water has also damaged the walls and they will have to redo part of the electrical work. My insurance agent was on the phone trying to find out if they were going to cover it, trying to say acts of God were not part of the plan. I used language that would have made my mother wash my mouth out with soap, after she finished ripping the agent a new one I’m sure. Needless to say by eight pm I was heading to bed more tired and aggravated then if I had worked all day.

By Thursday I was ready to hang myself quietly. I hadn’t slept much, but having missed most of Monday and now Wednesday, I really needed to get in extra early and play catch up. I got in around five am, and just worked non-stop in my office. I nearly had a heart attack when just before lunch time this guy in what looked like a space suit stepped into the office carrying a huge sprayer. I sat squirming in my chair as this voice from a horror show came squawking out of the suit!

“What are you doing here? This building was quarantined for bed bugs. No one is supposed to be here today!”

“Bed bugs?” I gasped looking at the bright yellow suit and the large plastic face mask that basically hid whoever was inside it.

I couldn’t really see much of the guy’s face but I did notice a slight bob to his head.

“You can’t get out through here.” The figure pointed back out to the lobby. “We just finished fumigating the whole front and the place is tented. Didn’t you notice anything happening out here?”

My damn office wasn’t one with a window. I sat in a silent room for over six hours working my ass off. Now I was being told I might have poisoned myself. They had to grab an oxygen mask and stuff to slide over me while an ambulance was called. I spent the night and most of the morning at the hospital. I got out only in time to get home and find a message on my machine. It was time stamped for eight am on Thursday when I had been unknowingly poisoning myself at the office. Naturally it had to be from someone I couldn’t ignore either.

“Hi Mark, this is your sister. You know, that lovely woman who keeps trying to find time to see you, but you always seem to be working. Well, I did manage to finally set you up with Antonio. You know that guy who was at my last barbeque, tall dark and handsome, but who is gay as well. Anyway you said was cute too and wouldn’t mind seeing him if he was free. Brother dear, he is single again and so available. I set you up with him. Friday night at seven, be at the South Country Inn. I made reservations in your name for the two of you. Don’t screw this up!”

So here I was just out of the hospital with a pile of meds and a date in less than three hours. Considering I hadn’t even been given a phone number to contact Antonio I had no choice, but to shower, change, and head out to the restaurant.

The restaurant is a favorite in my family. It sits right on the water and has both great seafood and steaks. Considering how little I like seafood the steaks and soups I order are always exquisite which is why I always come back.

I had shaved and managed to find something to wear that wouldn’t make me look dead. I had a red dress shirt and black slacks. With as pale as I was the red helped to give me a little color. Antonio arrived looking absolutely stunning. His dark hair was coifed, deep blue shirt opened half way to his chest exposing his deep tan and perfectly sculpted chest. His dark eyes roamed over my outfit and I suddenly felt woefully underdressed.

“Mark, it is so good to see you again. Andrea said you had been hoping for a chance to talk.”

I smiled and was unsure if I wanted to thank my sister or kill her for this. Before I could say much the hostess took us to our table. I had to admit Antonio still looked great and his black pants looked like they had been painted onto him. It was obvious that he was freeballing as well.

“I remembered you from my sister’s get together. You seemed to be having fun, even though it wasn’t one of Andrea’s better parties.”

Antonio laughed and then smiled. I settled back and began to enjoy the first good thing to happen to me all week.

Dinner was going well till the first course arrived. I ordered the French Onion soup, knowing from past experience just how great it is. However Antonio decided he would order something that sounded good without knowing what was in it. So it wasn’t long till we were enjoying ourselves and the food came out.

“French onion soup for you, Sir.” The waitress carefully slid the hot bowl of soup before me and then turned to Antonio. “Bouillabaisse for you. Would you gentlemen like anything else right now?”

We both shook our heads.

“The soup is so good here. I’ve had the French Onion before.”

“Bouillabaisse just sounds so good. I wonder what is in it?”

I had large mouthful of soup so I couldn’t comment. I barely swallowed as he seemed to suddenly shovel the soup in. I was surprised at how fast he was eating. I sat there barely able to register how quickly he was devouring the soup and it only stopped when he almost chocked on something in the soup.

“Boy they put a bunch of different meats in this.”

“Fish.”

“Fish what?”

“Bouillabaisse is a fish soup. It has a bunch of different fish, garlic, peppers, usually clams and shrimp as well.”

As I watched his face began to turn red and his eyes suddenly began to bug.

“Antonio? What’s wrong?”

Before I could get out of my seat, he began to projectile vomit all over me, the table and the floor. The waitress came running over took one look at him and called an ambulance. I don’t know how lucky it was that there was a doctor who was eating with his wife at the same time we were there. He rushed over and realized Antonio had to be allergic to something he had eaten. He was injected with something the moment the ambulance arrived. So my date ended up being rushed to the hospital while I stood there covered in vomit.

“I’m so sorry, sir. Um, come with me.” The waitress led me back to the staff area. They managed to find me a stained chef’s jacket and a pair of old sweats that had been left there. I was given a plastic bag to slide my soiled clothes in. I paid for the food and slunk out of the restaurant, feeling like this week was a total disaster. Little did I know that it wasn’t over yet.

I walked toward my car, carrying the bag of clothes like it was radioactive. In between thoughts of murdering my sister for setting me up and just trying not lose my own dinner from the smell, I strode quickly toward my car. I just wanted to go home, shower, and hide till I had to face the world again on Monday for work. Between my sister’s attempted blind date and Marion, my dear boss, having the office fumigated and not telling me, this week was one I would just as soon forget.

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I barely registered the noise coming from the street. I had to up Market Street to get to my car. The South Country Inn might be a wonderful restaurant to eat at, but getting in and out of it could be challenging depending on the time. It was on the other side of the ferry that went to the beach, and if you were leaving when the ferry was back, you could literally end up waiting a half hour to get out. I’d parked around the corner and walked there. Now it was still early evening but the street where I parked was all medical facilities and by six they were totally empty. It made it convenient if you wanted to park there and walk so you didn’t get caught in the traffic. Only, it seems I wasn’t the only one who found the empty street a blessing.

I was drawn out of my own head by what sounded like a car crash. Being the idiot I am, instead of running away from the noise I ran toward it and stopped short when I seen what had caused the ruckus.

When you see two men who look as stunning as they do, well your first thought is, where is the movie camera? When you see what they can do, well you suddenly feel weak at the knees.

Before me were two stunning specimens of physical perfection. As perfect as you could imagine and just about as opposite as well. One towered above me. Blond, muscular, with a hairy chest and two large nipples that were so dark they almost looked black. He was naked to the waist but the pants he wore showed his muscular legs as well. I doubt that there was a room he could have walked into and not had both the men and the women drool over him. The other was just slightly shorter but perhaps in even better shape. He was dark as night sky and wore a loose white top. It had been torn open and you could see the muscles below move as the figure seemed to dance. His body seemed smooth compared to his opponent, but then that wouldn’t be hard.

They moved with an amazing speed. At first I thought they had to be making a movie, but then the blond one dragged his nails across the other’s chest and blood flew. This was quickly matched when the black guy dragged his sharp claws through the blond’s pants’ leg and ripped open muscle.

I thought they had to be carrying knifes but it took a while for my brain to finally kick in the details I was seeing but not wanting to accept. Even in the empty parking lot there was enough light left to see their faces as they spun and kicked at each other. Both of these demigods had fangs, and sharp deadly looking ones at that. Their nails seemed to be razor sharp.

“You’ll not escape me this time Andrik.” The dark man smiled and his fangs glistened in the night.

“That is what you always say Nambo.” His sharp laugh filled the air and sent a shiver down my spine.

The dark man’s eyes narrowed and the two men began to circle each other again. I could smell the metallic scent of blood in the air as well as the sickening smell of my clothing. Evidently I wasn’t the only one able to scent the air.

“Hm. Fresh blood, even if it is a bit sick.” The blond turned his head slightly toward me. “A nice simple meal and look he carries a bag so I can stuff his carcass in it.”

“He isn’t a part of this Andrik.”

The blond smiled and leaped at me. I did the only thing I could think of. I tossed my bag of clothes at him and ran like a maniac toward my car, screaming and cursing like a banshee the whole way.

“Not tonight! Fucking vampires, where the hell did they come from? What did I do to deserve this?”

The keys were in my hands as I stood numbly before the car door trying desperately to get the key into the lock. I glanced up just in time to see Andrik leap at me, his arms outstretched and his mouth open hungrily. I think that is when I pissed myself to be honest. As his fingers were a hair’s distance from me, Nambo slammed into his side and they landed on the roof of my car, crushing it.

The continued to slam into each other, but Nambo being on top just kept pounding Andrik into the car. I guess if I was honest, he pounded the son of a bitch right through my car. Once they started exchanging blows I did the only thing a man in my position could do. I ran like a frightened child as fast as I could away from them. I hadn’t gotten back to the street when there was a loud explosion that knocked me off my feet.

At first I thought the two of them had killed each other. When I looked scared me. My poor car was in flames. As I took in the destruction I noticed a dark shape outlined against the flames and it was coming toward me. I went to stand and my knee gave out. When I was hit with the concussive wave I must have landed on my knee wrong because I could actually move the knee cap with my fingers now. I knew there was no escape, but didn’t know which one of the two had survived. I began to cry and for the first time in years began to pray.

“I think you should get yourself out of here before the police show up.”

I looked up to find Nambo standing above me, gore covered his clothing and arms.

“I destroyed my knee. Even if I wanted to run away from you, I couldn’t stand.” I wiped my face and looked up at the vampire.

“I suppose I should get you out of here. If I left you here, you would end up in a psych ward for sure.”

I looked at him and then thought of all I had been through. Hell, this could be a break from reality or even a side effect of the poisons that were in my system. His strong arms reached down to pick me up

“Careful, boy. I’ve got you.”

“Boy? I’m thirty six. Not a boy.” I swatted his hand away and tried to stand on my own.

He let loose a deep rumbling laugh. With one hand his hoisted me from the ground and tossed me over his shoulder.

“I’m over seven hundred years old. You’re a boy. Trust me.” He patted my ass and moved us into the darkness at a slow run even as I heard the distant sounds of police cars racing toward where we had just been. “I’ll get you home and then decide what is to be done.”

As I watched the ground rush past as he ran at speeds I don’t want to think about, all I could think to myself was, worst week ever!