The Harvester

What the hell? Where am I? I was laying in a strange bed, I feel my head it is throbbing. I feel my mouth is dry and my throat is sore. My vision was blurred and everything seemed to be out of focus. I was in a dark room very old looking. As my vision tried to normalise I saw the old-timey paisley wallpaper on the wall and the air smelt a sickly and overpowering shade of lily, there was also the smell of something medicinal or clinical, I could not make it out. I saw a woman in the silhouette she was sitting in a chair. I cast a glance around again and thought the room looked like a funeral parlour or what I suspect a brothel would look like. I sat up straight and instantly regretted it.

'Um, can I get some water please?'

'Of course, how are you feeling?'

'Well, I don't know. Did we...?'

By her tone, she was slightly embarrassed. 'I was up for it but...' she paused '...well you got really drunk and passed out. Can't you remember?'

'Hmmm, no last night was a blank. I did not make a fool of myself did I?'

'Don't worry Matthew, You did not, but you are a great kisser though.' By this time she had come into the light and she was gorgeous, she was the type of woman I could only dream of hooking up with. Her hair was straight and a shade of auburn. Her eyes were the deepest blue and she had the body of a goddess. She had a sparkle about her that got me tongue-tied

'Ah, um...' my mind was screaming out to at least try to make some sort of coherent sentence. All I could think of saying was 'Hello'

She laughed 'Hello to you Matt, I'm Davina' and she handed me the water.

I took a blessed sip, the water was fresh but I felt all wobbly again. my vision blurred but I snapped out of it hearing 'Matt, are you ok?'

#

I was plagued by really weird trippy dreams one minute I was at the Ivy getting some drinks A glass of Rose wine and a bottle of Amstel. I looked around and everyone seemed to have a cartoon head, I looked at my hands and they were like two balloons. I knew I was staggering, from my college years this felt like it was a really bad trip. I looked around and I saw Davina she was there in a zebra print two-piece which enhanced her assets. The next thing I dreamed, I was laying face first in some sort of rug, a really fluffy rug. With a welcoming roar of a fire which turned into a growling cacophony of noise. I seemed to come back around in my dream and I felt my hands clutch my ears. I vaguely opened my eyes and did not see anything just blurs of shapes and the noise was deafening. I felt two people hold my arms and almost drag me out. I dreamed I lost one of my shoes which I found hilarious.

I thought I woke up with another start but I could not open my eyes, I am sure I heard a male and female talking, I tried to come fully around but I was caught in the state between sleeping and waking.

'Davina, you have done well'

'Just this one Aston and I am out'

'Davina Darling, you are out when we say you are out'

'But, but you promised.'

I did not catch the rest of the conversation as I fell back unconscious.

#

In my unconsciousness, I went back to the Ivy. I had decided to go for a quick beer after my last ever delivery. I was slightly miffed that I had been made redundant, some guy with a Rolls-Royce came into the depot and stuck a formal looking note in the canteen. Kwik Movers now closed with immediate effect it was signed by some guy call Aston Easterfield of LDC Solicitors. We were told we had to finalise our deliveries and hand in our keys. I was lucky as I owned my own motorbike. So I could move to another courier. So after giving the company six years I felt it justified to have a drink on their time.

I saw a stunner sitting at the bar on her own, she had a zebra two-piece I thought her stunning and she kept shyly looking at me. Feeling impetuous I strode over to her and came out with the corniest one-liner ever

'Well, here I am. What are your other two wishes?' She laughed and I saw her eyes sparkle

'Wish two, to get drunk and wish three to have the best nights sex ever' she replied all of my false bravado seemed to disappear.

'But I will settle for a drink. I'm Davina' She proffered her hand which I took and kissed it.

'I am the great genie Matthew, but you can call me Matt.' This garnered another chuckle.

'Get some more drinks and I will be over there' She pointed to an alcove on the other side of the bar and took my beer.

'Your wish is my command' I bowed

I got some drinks and I turned to walk after her and I saw some residue on the bar, it was not brown like my beer it was white like talcum powder. I thought 'way hey, a side of Charlie with my beer' and rushed to her.

#

I came round with somebodies hands over my mouth it was Davina.

'Shhh, Matt, I think he knows you are here' her worried look brought me right round, In that instant, I felt like we had to get out of here.

I had so many questions 'Can we get out of here?' I asked

Davina's eyes welled up and she shook her head. She sniffed 'I do not know'

I got out of bed and steadied myself. My head swam a little and I am sure I lost focus. 'God, Davina, that was some great Charlie we had last night.'

'What... charlie?' I abhor drugs.' This stopped me in my tracks. Something did not make sense.

'I saw you with some blow on the bar. I am sure we had some at the table'

'No, we did not, I was soberish and I am straight. We did not do drugs!' her finality made me stop questioning. Maybe I did imagine it. My fuzziness seemed to disagree.

'But..' She cut me off 'I lost my Jamie to drugs. And since that point, this body has been a temple.'

I went over to the door and tried it, it was locked, or it seemed locked. I pulled it again it did give slightly. Davina came over to me and tried to hold me back

'Matt, stop they will hear you.' At this point, I did not care I wanted to go home. One more wrench and the door gave way to a loud creak. I pushed the door up slightly but there was no sound of running or shouting which was unsettling yet welcoming, to say the least. I grabbed Davina's hand and pulled her. 'C'mon let's get out of here

We found ourselves in a dimly lit corridor. It had a couple of heavy wooded doors and the air smelt almost medicinal. I could not place the smell. I looked at each way and the dreary paisley wallpaper continued, but an even darker tone than the bedrooms. I picked the way left and Davina held me back. She refused to go. I looked back at her and she was clearly frightened, she had the deer in headlights look. I smiled and gently coaxed her, she begrudgingly came with me.

We both edged slowly to the oncoming darkness then we heard a creak and we edged against the wall, hoping the darkness camouflaged us. There was nothing, no other sounds, except the sound of our ragged breaths. My senses were in overdrive. We carried on creeping toward the end of the corridor, in the gloom I could make out some stairs, but there was an opened door between us and the stairs. I let go of Davina's hand and edged even closer to the door. There was an audible gasp and I peeked around the door frame. In that instance, I wished I didn't.

#

That medicinal smell was overpowering here, it smelt like a hospital, but not as clean as a hospital. What on God's green earth was that smell? What shocked me, even more, was shelves and shelves of jars with various body parts in. There was a shelf of what looked like some organ's in, and a shelf full of eyes I had to put my hand to my mouth or else throw up. This macabre scene was overshadowed by a jar of what looked like Testicles in it. I walked into the room and in the twilight, I knew the room was empty of living occupants. I looked directly opposite as was overjoyed I saw a set of double doors and through the window, on the door, I saw the last or early remnants of daylight. Losing my watch in all of this madness only compounded my sense of lack of time.

I crept back toward where Davina was rooted to the spot and whispered to her. 'It's ok I found the exit.'

She would not come. ' Remember, your last wish' She stood there motionless. I was not sure if it was the body parts or fear that affected her.

'Come on, Davina, let's go, the exit is right here I pointed to the door.

She grabbed a black extinguisher, 'Great idea' let's arm ourselves just in case they are outside. I turned away to survey the room, I saw nothing else. Then there was a metal pole near the exit. I went to grab it and I felt a large clunk across the back of my head. I saw stars and I turned and saw Davina in full swing. I must have turned around too quick because I fell over again and then with pain in my head I saw darkness

#

I found myself coming back around and I was back in the room. I quickly checked around and I saw I was alone. I do not know if that was a blessing or a curse. I tried to move but found I was bound by my wrists and ankles. I called out for Davina, I wanted to make sure she was safe I felt a duty to protect her. She came sauntering in, with the look that first attracted me to her at the Ivy.

'Great, you are safe, untie me and we can leave. Did they hurt you?

'No, no I am fine she caressed my face almost lovingly then the next seven words she whispered in my ear froze my blood. 'Don't worry it will be over soon' she kissed me gently on the cheek. I looked deep into her eyes and saw something, a malice deep-rooted there.

'The body parts... That was you?' The realisation hit me like an avalanche 'you killed all those people.'

'Ta-dah, you got me. You are going to join them very soon' She whispered, words like honey. I was seething, I had been betrayed and to actually think I had considered taking us further, and, with some ungodly strength, I head-butted her, right in her pretty nose. She reeled back and slipped over something and let out a slight scream as she hit the floor with a thump. I am sure I heard some sort of crunch. I looked to where she fell and she was there seemingly motionless.

I wrestled with the bindings which burned my wrists. I managed to untie the knot on the bedpost. I quickly untied the rest and gingerly got off the bed. I crept to where Davina was laying, when I got there all I saw was a patch of blood. I looked around and saw nothing, I heard nothing. I kicked something, it was soft. I reached down and saw it was my trousers, with my belt. I loosened the belt, I had to arm myself with something, anything. I stopped dead in my tracks, I felt like I was not alone. I let the belt hang buckle first. I avidly looked round in the darkness but nothing. Finally, I had made my mind up I was going to leave and nothing was going to stop me. I headed toward the door.

#

I walked down the corridor belt held like a morning star. I hoped that if I did face anyone I could cause some damage. Well maybe. If not I would go down fighting. I sneaked toward the body room but was caught out by a loud scream, it was female. I instantly thought that Davina was hurt. Then I heard a laugh, again it was female, full of malevolence.

'Hmmm the meat is sweetest when the giver is in fear' it sounded like I was all around me. I carried on regardless I heard a saw starting up I thought shit I am a goner she has a saw. I was determined to go down fighting and as I turned the corner I was greeted by Davina's five foot seven frame she was standing directly opposite me, armed with a bone saw. The growl of the saw grated on me. I could see the blood congealing around her nose, which gave her a demonic appearance.

'Give up, and I will make it quick and painless'

'Come and get me.' Davina came at me with the saw it looked like it was fixed to her arm. I managed to get around the central table and my foot hit something I glanced down it was a large bottle of formaldehyde. So that is what the smell was. It all makes sense.

'Why, Davina, if that is your name' I had to try to distract her. She kept trying to get at me. I lifted the bottle up and the saw cut into it and I pushed it at her and there she screamed. I saw she dropped the saw and was clutching at her eyes and coughing. Part of me wanted to help her the part wanted me to kill her. I settled for neither I wanted to get out of there. I went toward the door then I heard a choking sound and Davina fell like a sack of potatoes. I went over to her god know why I did, part of me wanted to see if she was dead, the other part felt pity. I looked at her vacant expression. There was no brightness in her eyes. She was dead I was sure. I decided to leave by the front door and heard a cough.

'Matt, help me.' I looked back and saw her spluttering

'Why should I?'

'They have my son.'

'What sick game is this?'

'No.... Cough... game' She convulsed and that was it she was gone.

I closed her eyes as some sort of final goodbye. I kissed her head. What was I meant to do with the carrot she dangled. I felt a pang of guilt I had to help her. Regardless of what she has done. I went out of the front door and I saw I was in the middle of nowhere and to cap it off it was raining. I had no idea where I was and I did not have a phone.