My Dark Friend

Austin waited patiently for Lila to arrive. She was late yet he didn’t fret about it. He knew she had been working hard to prepare everything for today. It made him smile bitterly at her devotion. Even after all these years, when Lila was able to break away from the tight grip of her foster parents, she stayed by him. Lila knew deep down, or so she confined in him, that he didn’t do it. Even with the evidence pile against him, she knew unknowingly, that it wasn’t him. That little remained with her, he came to realize, but everything else was gone. And it was for the better. It was better for both of them that she never, ever remembered him.


In the years that followed his incarceration, Austin slowly began to piece together the event that had happened that night. Actually, it began a few months before that night. The first encounter he had with him. Or at least with his thoughts. While unbelievably and deliriously high, thought had seeped into his mind. Powerful, domineering thoughts and feelings that Austin himself never experience while high. They were dark and filled with lust and longing and love. He never could place for who or what but they were there none the less.

Then the nightmares began. Or so he thought they were nightmares. Bloody nightmares filled with rage and sorrow
as they pierced unknown bodies with thick blades. There was a horrible satisfaction but also a sense of justice and right and pride. He wanted to please his object of affection. He would do anything to please her. That was when his desire began to form, slowly. He would masturbate to this unknown object of lust, almost involuntary but not at all disliked. Then, the night before the murders and one last puff of marijuana, the image was complete.

It was Lila, his baby sister. Once they had been close, but his addiction separated them quickly. Yet, despite the disturbing and unlawfulness of incest, he didn’t see a problem. His logic was screwed to that of a small child. He loved her. That was all that matter. He didn’t want them to be parted. The bad guys weren’t going to come between them and he would slowly make them pay. And then he would be together with his dove, his master, his love, Lila.

He had been vaguely aware of the events after that and when his sister passed out; the entity was gone, wiped from his body just like Lila’s memories. And she didn’t remember him or that event at all. The only knowledge left was Austin didn’t do it and their parents were dead. After a while, Austin concluded that the being couldn’t survive without Lila. He needed her to acknowledge him or he did not exist. Now, reflecting pensively back on it, Austin shuddered and cursed himself. He allowed him to slowly manipulate and control him while in a haze of artificial bliss. How could he be so stupid and vulnerable?

“All in the past,” he muttered to himself, assuring. He was gone and despite the terrible imprint he had left in their lives, they could now move on. Austin shifted for a moment as a taxi pulled up in front of the prison. When the car idled to a stop, Lila poked her white head out with a sweet smile. Springing forward, the pair embraced warmly. Austin kissed the top of her head before pulling away.

“I missed you so much,” he said.

“Oh, I know. I know, who wouldn’t?” Austin had to laugh and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they made their way to the car. That was when a second, dark head poked out and scanned the area. His eyes locked with Austin and he could have sworn a bit a jealousy sparked in the dark eyes. Austin was taken back a little.

“Who is the kid?”

“Huh? Oh, this is Mason. I found him on the steps while I was rushing to get you and I couldn’t just leave him. I am going to look for his parents when we get back.”

“Oh,” was all Austin could form. He slid in after Lila and slammed the door. The taxi was quick to move and turn away. Austin watched as the building, where he spent most of his childhood shrunk in the distance. It was such a relief to get as far away from that place as possible.


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