Intrusion / Three

Intrusion © March 1989 Jacquelene Martina. Told in 6 chapters, I create routine, to control it, but I get curious, and ask: What about an intrusion? Warning: Contains passages, some might find upsetting.

THREE

An old woman walks in a steady pace towards the house. Her house. She enters the house and heads straight for bedroom. He is still bent over her. She is still sleeping. Time has ceased. The old woman watches in awe at the scene before her.

'What is going on here?' She demands.

The young man does not reply. The old woman stands in the doorway and looks on. She then walks over to the bed to take a closer look.

'What is wrong with her?'

She gets no reply. She is beautiful, no wonder the young man is fixated. She is using him, he is trapped. She must not sleep, she must awake. Let him find out who she really is. The old woman suddenly disturbs the sleeping woman. As she tugs her shoulder and moves her gently, the man seems to be waking out of his trance. She, on the other hand, seems as if she does not want to awake.

'Who are you?' The man suddenly responds. 
'I live here. You and the woman are trespassing.'

'No we are not. We have been here for quite some time now.'

'What is the matter with her?' The old woman asks impatiently.
Only now the young realises that the old one is shaking the woman back into consciousness.

'What are you doing?' he bursts out. 'Why are you doing that? Let her sleep.'

'She is dangerous, she must wake up.'

'What do you mean dangerous. You don't even know her. Let go of her.'

'I don't want her here. She is trouble.'

'How do you know that? You don't know that! I said, let go of her.' He gives the old man a push, who then lets go of the sleeping woman.
'Don't you find it odd she is still sleeping? How long has it been? Even time couldn't keep track. I tell you, she is dangerous. She must not stay here.'

'What are you saying? How do know...Who are you?'

'I live here. I already told you. This is my house. This is my territory. You are trespassing. You, and that woman.'

'When I came here, there was no one.'

'Look, it really doesn't matter. We must wake her up. She is dangerous sleeping. Can't you see that? She took complete control over you. I came in to find you extended over her. Waiting, waiting. She had you.'

The man gazes at the old woman with great astonishment. It appears as if the old woman's words are getting through to him. He is contemplating.

'I was happy.' He says after a long while.

'That is what you think. You weren't happy. She kept you for herself. She tied you to her. You weren't happy, you were captive.'

'You don't know what it is you're saying.'

'Let's wake her up and find out.'

'NO. I want her to sleep. Don't you wake her up!'

'Why? Afraid to find out the truth? Happy to live on in a deceit?'

'What are you talking about?'

'She questioned you. She made you feel that what you have here is unimportant. You wanted her to change. You wanted that.'

'How do you know what I want? Who are you?'

'Wake her up.'

'NO.'

'Wake her up, and face truth. She knows you won't approve of her. That is why she is still sleeping. She can't change. If she wakes up, she will be the same. She can never change. This is why she still sleeps. She is very powerful, dangerous. She tied you to her. Can't you see it?'

The man shakes his head in disbelief. He is not convinced, or he is still fighting what he knows is the truth.

'I was happy. It doesn't matter how. I was happy.'

'How can you be happy, being under the spell of someone else? Look around you, what you have here. She questioned it all. She found it superficial. You and I are taken care of. We are provided for. We are given happiness. Then she comes and she questions it. It is not right. You don't need her. There will be plenty more females. Wake her, and dispose of her. Break her spell. Listen to me, break her spell.'
The man stares at her, for what seems a very long time. He turns to the woman lying on the bed and softly, he caresses her face. Slow, long strokes. Over and over, he caresses her face. He means to be slipping and slipping again, further into her hold. The old woman grabs hold of him, but releases him in the very instant.

'There it is again!' The old woman cries out. 'There!'

The man turns around dazed, to face her. The bird watches on, sitting on the bedpost, big and majestic. Waiting.

'The bird!' the old woman cries out again. 'The damn bird!'
She dashes out into the living room. She grabs hold of the rifle and returns. The bird is gone. The woman is awake.

'Where is it?' She screams. 'Where is the bird?'

'It flew out of the window.' The young woman speaks. 'Are you going to shoot it with your gun?' She burst out laughing.
 The old woman points the gun at the woman.

'No!' The man yells.

'No. Let her. I won't die. She knows that.'

'You will die. You displease me.'

She ignores the old woman and smiles at the man. 'Come with me.' She says. She reaches out her hand, and with a loud explosion, the young man's body flies across the room and hits the wooden wall. The blood oozes out the gaping hole where his left eye used to be. The woman's extended hand slowly drops onto the bed.

'You are a monster. I can see your true form. You won't have this one.'

'Get out of here.' The old woman's says in a cold tone. 'Get out! I will always defend what is mine. Remember, I brought you here, you have me to thank, you ungrateful fool.'

The woman slips off the bed and walks towards the dead man. She stoops and tries lifting him up. She can't and softly, she sobs. 
What a Victory! 
She pulls him by his arm, away from the wall and gets behind him. She tucks her hands under his armpits and drags him out of the house. The old woman stands in the doorway, and sees how, with great difficulty the young woman drags the body off into the woods. She smiles. She walks back into the house and evanesces.