The chase of the beast
As the nimble mind-cloud of calmness only coffee could bring drifted over me, I reached out my hand. It was as gesture as brief as the calmness — the coffee was not of the best variety, but it would do for now. The other choices had since long disappeared. She took my hand in hears and gave it a squeeze as she looked at me. Her eyes where shifting green and blue.
“I know you’re in pain. But it will get better. Soon, I promise.” She let go and picked up her cup with both her hands and brought it to her face. After a small wait, she smelled the coffee before she took a sip.
“No need to be careful,” I said. “It is not potent.” Instead I took the cup and emptied it, there were little need to savour it. The brew was faulty. We would soon need more. “Char, we…”
“I know,” she whispered. “I know. The pain will return soon.” She drank the coffee and we both rose almost in synchronisation. “We must find a proper place, I can already feel it squirm inside me.” We walked out under the watchful gaze of the patrons and the pot-keeper, everyone had lately been so damn suspicious.
Outside, the wind took hold of our coats. Along the street I could see very few people, most stayed in and I could understand why. But as I’ve already said, we had left our choices a long way behind us. Charlene aggressively smelled the air.
“There!” She pointed down towards the dock. “Can you smell it?” Her voice was trembling with anticipation.
“Yeah, a small whiff of a bean. It… Oh dear. It makes me skin crawl, this might be enough.” I held up my left hand so that I could scratch my chin with it. I felt hope for the first time that evening – the beast would be stilled tonight at the very least. We hurried down the road while the wind tried in vain to hold us back. We were almost there, the smell was stronger now and crushed coffee beans seemed to be everywhere around us.
Charlene fell to the ground. Her eyes, black as coal and no iris, told me it was urgent. “I can’t go on. The pain. It’s on the move.” I gave her a hug and she started to cry. The tears made my neck wet.
“No. I won’t let it. We will make it, it’s not far now.” I picked her up in my arms and started to run. It was really close now. My instincts guided me through the alleys and abandoned buildings. She gurgled in my arms, her eyes had probably turned completely black by now. The pain was unbearable as my own beast ate at my soul. Time, if we only had more time.
When I was ready to give up, I saw it. Light in the windows and people inside. The strong smell of coffee overwhelmed me, gave me the strength to carry on. I reached the door and pushed it open with my shoulder. It hurt but when we entered it was all forgotten. The people inside looked at us. Charlene grunted and those who understood what it meant began to drift towards the other exit. The waitress must have been new, as she showed no sign of alarm or fear. She was just perplexed over the fuss others made about us.
“Pot-brewer, we need help! Now.” The beasts wouldn’t be unleashed just yet, as the pot-brewer came out with two big cups and gave us our own coffeepot right away. First I had to help Charlene to drink it, the beast resisted and tried to spit it out. Soon I felt relief when she took the cup in her hands and drank the black all by herself. We made it.
