Possession - Part Two

London smiled to himself as he pushed his key into the lock of his front door and opened it slowly, gripping tightly to the large bag of groceries in his arms as he stepped into the apartment, letting the door close behind him.

“Zip! I’m home!” he called up the stairs, and as always he heard the thudding sound of small feet on wooden floor running to greet him.

“LONDS!” Zip squealed out in happiness as he practically tumbled down the short flight of stairs to greet his brother, his pale, slender arms wrapping tight around London’s waist, nuzzling his chest.
“Careful!” London warned as the bag of vegetables slipped a little, but he said it with only affection in his voice, and let out a soft chuckle. “Can ya give me a hand with these?” He leaned down a little to show Zip the vegetables in the bag and Zip nodded furiously, grabbing a few of the larger greens from the top of the pile to carry, beaming. “Yes! Zip help!” the fruit bat added in a happy tone.
The two made their way up the stairs and into the kitchen, where London put all of the food away into the refrigerator.
London worked at the market on certain days, so he was able to bring home the leftovers that didn’t sell that day. It was a good job, and it made sure that the two never went hungry.
“Has anyone called today?” The young hyena looked over at Zip as he put the last bag of carrots away.
Zip shook his head and gave a sorrowful expression, but that soon changed when London brought out a packet of frozen food from the freezer, and he bounced over to London, pawing gently at his shirt, making a soft purring noise.
“Yeah, I thought you might want this for dinner…” London grinned, pushing his black-framed glasses up his nose in habit, only to have them slide back down again. “Okay, I’ll get it ready.” He ruffled the fruit bat’s straw-like hair, and then turned to prepare the frozen meal.
Zip giggled in glee and rubbed his stomach with his dangling sleeves, doing a little dance, before skittering off into the living room to wait for his dinner.
London shook his head slowly, still smiling to himself as he pulled out the clear-wrapped meal from the package. He still remembered the day when he took a scared and hungry Zip in from the streets and fed him this very meal.
He was about to call out to Zip and ask him if he wanted a glass of milk, before he heard a sudden knock at the front door.
“I’ll get it…!” London called out to Zip, and placed the frozen dinner onto the worktop, walking down the stairs to the front door, opening it slowly.
A male tortoiseshell cat wearing a long black cassock stood outside the door and lifted his head as he heard the door open, his pink eyes meeting London’s own red ones.

“Mr Afton?” the cat enquired.

“Yep, that’s me. And you are?” London smiled politely.

The other male reached into one of his pockets and produced a small card that showed a picture of himself, and his name.

“My name is Dr. Cillian Ecator. I have an appointment with a young man named Zip. I believe he lives here?”

London peered at the card through his glasses, then looked back up at Cillian. “I don’t remember makin’ a doctors appointment for Zip…” He frowned a little to himself, but Cillian smiled.
“We have Zip down in our government records as a special-needs resident. It’s just a routine check up. We had a bit of trouble finding out where he resided actually, as he has no living relatives in his file.”
“And you do this with all of the people in your records?” the hyena asked, a little sceptical of the doctor.
“Yes, well, every special-needs resident.” Cillian watched as London thought through what he had said, adding, “It won’t take long, sorry to bother you.”
London rubbed the back of his neck slowly with a hand, before smiling and nodding opening the door wider, letting Cillian step inside. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt! Follow me, Zip is upstairs… and uh… you fancy a drink of anythin’?”
Cillian shook his head slowly and started to follow London upstairs, hearing Carreau speak to him in his mind.

“What a naïve young man…”

“Quiet...” Cillian replied mentally, though he couldn’t help but smile at Carreau’s comment.

“Oi, Zip… you’ve got a visitor!” London called to Zip as they reached the top of the stairs and walked into the lounge. Zip immediately leapt out of his seat, giggling as he ran to greet the visitor, hoping that it would be Tea, but he stopped suddenly in his tracks as he noticed the doctor, his crazy eyes widening in terror, his lower lip trembling.
“NO!” he suddenly shouted out, pointing violently at Cillian. “NO, NO!”

London’s own eyes widened at this, and he moved instantly to Zip’s side, who then cowered in London’s strong arms. “It’s ok, he just wants to talk to you…”
“No! NO, NO!” Zip continued, tears streaming down his face, his mind being flooded by thoughts of the laboratory, memories that had been suppressed until now.

Cillian stood watching the young bat, knowing of the trauma that he went through in the lab – after all, Cillian was the psychologist that worked there.

“Let me speak with him…”

Before Cillian could answer, he felt Carreau break apart from himself and he gasped out in shock before quickly recovering himself again, clearing his throat as he saw that London was watching him. “It’s probably because I’m a stranger…” the doctor said softly, though he knew that was not true, and he moved to sit down, though mostly out of necessity as he felt significantly weaker now that Carreau had separated from him. He glanced over at where Carreau now stood, dressed in a black tail coat with a crisp white shirt, red tie and smart black trousers, then looked back at Zip, who had suddenly stopped crying.
London rubbed Zip’s back gently, hating to see his brother in such distress, unable to see the fully-formed demon standing in the corner of their living room. “That’s better… he’s not ‘ere to hurt you… just to talk…”

“You remember me…?”

It was Carreau’s turn to speak softly to Zip now, his usual demonic grin spread across his features. Zip gazed with unblinking eyes over towards the corner of the room where Carreau stood; he could see him perfectly.

“Zip…?” London watched Zip curiously before following his stare over to the empty corner of the room. Zip was known for doing strange things, but London had never seen Zip act this way before.

“You’re… my friend…” Zip replied mentally to Carreau, and his eyes widened even more in shock as he realized that he had just spoken normally, and not in his usual crazy chatter.
London looked over at Cillian and frowned as Zip didn’t respond to him and continued to stare towards the corner. “You’re a doctor aren’t you? Help him!”
Cillian smiled softly at London but said nothing, steepling his fingers in his lap, listening to Carreau.

“That’s right… your imaginary friend, from long ago…” Carreau moved away from the wall and started to walk slowly over to Zip, his slender body swaying elegantly with each step, his long, silky black hair trailing on the floor behind him.

“You left me…you left me all alone!”

Zip blinked back tears as he watched Carreau move closer, having forgotten where he was, seeing only Carreau before him.

“I am here now…” Carreau reached out his long fingers, stroking them along Zip’s jaw line. “… though unfortunately for you, I cannot stay long.” He took hold of Zip’s skinny arm and led him over to Cillian, who gave Carreau a questioning look. “Hold onto the boy. I will deal with the other.”

London watched in utter confusion as Zip seemingly guided himself over to Cillian without another word, and saw Cillian take hold of Zip’s arms. “Now look ‘ere, what’s goin’ on? Zip? Zip, talk to me!”

As Cillian took hold of Zip, the young fruit bat snapped out of his daze, his eyes clouded with confusion also, and he looked over at London as he heard him call his name. “Londs!” Zip cried out in reply, but found that he could say no more, that his mind had faded into the usual fog, and he started to sob once again.
London growled in anger and started to walk over to Cillian, clenching his fists. “Let go of him you bas-” he started, but he was cut short as he felt a heavy weight pressing against his chest. “What the…?!”
Carreau’s smile widened as he pressed his hand against London’s chest, stopping him from moving. “The reactions get better every time…” he murmured to Cillian, who narrowed his eyes, still gripping to Zip however.

“Our orders were to dispose of the brother. We did not come here to take more than one life, Carreau.” Cillian spoke out loud with a hint of anger, but Carreau only grinned wider.

“My darling Cillian, we are not the ones who are going to be doing the disposing…”

The demon’s eyes glowed with a hint of mischief as he leant in close to London’s ear and softly whispered into it, lifting his hand to stroke his index finger downwards over London’s forehead, and then across, in the shape of an inverted crucifix.

“Nomine dei nostri satanas luciferi exelci…”

The young hyena’s eyes widened in shock but he found that he couldn’t struggle as terrible thoughts started to filter into his mind, blocking out everything else.

“Call the exorcist…”

Cillian frowned, gripping onto Zip as he struggled again. “Carreau, what…?”

“If the young one really is his brother, do you not think he would want to know that his sibling is in danger?” Carreau looked over at Zip and Cillian with his same perma-grin. “Besides, it’s been a long time…”

He released London, whose eyes were now misted over, and watched as the hyena made his way over to the telephone.
Zip’s scared eyes followed London; he wasn’t sure what was happening to his brother, or what was going to happen to himself either. It felt like he was going to be taken back to the laboratory again, and at this thought he broke down into sobs once more, calling out inside his crazy mind for only one person…

“Tee…!”

--

Tea shot straight up in bed and clapped a hand to his head, gasping in pain. He blinked, before looking around him, seeing that he was still in his apartment. He frowned to himself and then let out a sigh, pushing himself off his bed. He had been trying to sleep, but had had a nightmare, as usual, though this one involved Zip. He could’ve sworn that he had heard Zip’s voice for real, but he shook his head and then cursed as his head throbbed with pain.
He moved to the table and poured himself an early evening glass of whiskey, as if that would help his headache. Downing it in one with a gasp, his eyes locked onto the hardly-used telephone, debating whether or not to call London, before realizing that he doesn’t have his telephone number.

“Goddamnit…” he growled to himself, reaching for his cigarettes… just as his telephone started to ring.
Tea’s ears twitched and he looked up at the phone again, narrowing his eyes. Was that a coincidence? He walked over to where the receiver was jingling away and hesitated, before picking it up slowly.

“… Tea here.”

Silence.

“You gonna speak to me or just waste my time?” Tea asked in an irritable tone.

More silence.

“Suit yourself.”

Tea was just about to put the phone back on the hook, when his sensitive ears caught the sound of a distressed voice in the background of the call, and then another monotone voice finally spoke up over the phone.

“Help us…”

Tea’s blood ran cold as he recognized the voice on the other end. “What… London? What the hell is going on?” But the phone line had gone dead. “Shit…” Tea growled, and grabbed his coat from the chair, heading out of his apartment, slamming the door behind him.  

--

Carreau smiled softly to himself as he fingered the cold metal of the revolver in his hand.

“Who would have thought that our young hyena friend here would be a member of the Canine Mafia…?” His pink eyes danced with amusement as he gazed over at London, who was standing silently nearby, his eyes still clouded and emotionless. “It is quite fortunate for us! I can just picture the headlines - ‘Member of Canine Mafia murders helpless friend in cold blood’.”  

Zip trembled gently in Cillian’s grip, staring at London in confusion; why was he just standing there as if he doesn’t care about what happens to Zip?
Cillian grit his teeth as he listened to Carreau, wondering why he always has to go one step further than he should.

“The family reunion has begun. Now, all we have to do…”

The demon trailed off, his smile spreading to a grin once again as he placed the revolver in London’s hand and straightened out London’s arm so that the gun pointed at Zip’s head.

“… is wait for the special guest to arrive.”

--

“What if I’m too late…? What if something’s already happened?”

Tea’s mind filled with dread as he ran through the darkening streets towards London and Zip’s apartment, his chest burning with sharp pain with each breath.

“Christ… not now…” he gasped out as he finally reached the door of the apartment, clutching his chest with one hand, trying to catch his breath for a couple of seconds, in between harsh coughs. The combination of the effects of the laboratory experiments and the 30-a-day nicotine habit was taking its toll on the fruit bat, and he leant against the door for support as he spat dark crimson blood onto the pavement.
“Ugh…” he groaned, then straightened up, stepping back from the door. “You sure choose your times to spite me…” he murmured, giving an upward glance at the dark sky, before narrowing his eyes at the front door, raising a leg to kick hard at the wood, trying to break the lock.

Cillian’s ears twitched as he heard the bang and he looked over at Carreau, whose eyes started to glow once again.

“Right on time…”

Another louder bang came, and then footsteps were heard making their way upstairs. Zip turned his head and his eyes widened as he saw Tea enter the room. “Tee! Tee…!” he sobbed desperately, crying out softly as Cillian’s fingers gripped tighter to his arms. “Hurts…!”

Tea stopped sharply in the doorway as he looked over at Zip, seeing Cillian holding onto him. “Y… you…? No… it can’t be…” he murmured in disbelief, feeling the scars on his back throb with pain, before noticing London with the gun.

“London…?”

“Hello, Jonathan...”

Carreau’s voice echoed through Tea’s mind and he spun around to face the demon that was now resting against the wooden dinner table.
His head started to swim as memories from the past came flooding back to him, visions of the torture he went through in the laboratory, being tormented by Carreau every single day….  

“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? My, my, how you’ve grown…” Carreau’s eyes swept over Tea’s body and he grinned as the young man narrowed his eyes at him. “You know… you look just like your father.”

Tea felt his heart miss a beat, and he clenched his fists tightly, staring at Carreau in confusion, before starting to head towards him, reaching inside of his coat. “Yeah? Well there’ll be nothing left of you to look at when I’m done with you, asshole….” he growled, feeling anger burn inside of his body.
Carreau just chuckled and clicked his fingers, which caused London to cock the gun in his hand.

“The hyena is under my control. Make a wrong move, and your dear brother will be your dead brother. He is your brother, is he not?”

Tea stopped in his tracks and looked over at Zip, who was cowering in Cillian’s grip. The game was obviously up, and he couldn’t deny it anymore. He growled softly and stepped back from Carreau.

“Why are you doing this?” Tea asked through gritted teeth. “Who sent you here?”

Cillian shot a look over at Carreau and spoke his name sharply, to which Carreau nodded.

“I am afraid I cannot divulge that information. I must say though, it has been fun. A nice family reunion.”

As Carreau continued to concentrate on Tea, London slowly felt himself start to slip back into control of himself. He could hear Tea’s voice, but who was he talking to…? The young hyena couldn’t see anyone else apart from Cillian and Zip, and they were both silent. He swallowed hard as he glanced down at the gun in his hand, then over at Tea, who noticed the glance.

“So, Jonathan… it looks like you are going to be a witness to your entire family’s demise.”

Tea’s eyes darkened dangerously and Carreau grinned even more, enjoying teasing Tea, just like he used to.
London looked away from Tea and frowned at Cillian; everything started happening when he arrived, so if he could only do something…
He gritted his teeth and concentrated as much as he could on moving his hand, finally managing to stay in control of it long enough to move the gun’s position, but he could do nothing more.

“It looks like you’re going to fail again in saving your brother. Doesn’t it?” Carreau mocked, lifting his hand slowly, his thumb and middle finger pressing together, ready to give the signal.

Those words were the final straw for Tea, and he let out a yell of pure anger, his eyes glittering with an inhuman rage, heading straight for Carreau himself. Carreau let out a soft noise of amusement and clicked his fingers.
London felt his body lose control again and he closed his eyes as his finger jerked on the trigger, firing the revolver.

The bang, a cry of pain and a thud met the hyena’s ears, and he suddenly felt a massive release of pressure on his body, making him fall to the ground, the gun also dropping with a clatter.
Tea also found himself on the floor as Carreau disappeared from in front of him, his breath getting knocked out of him, hoping that when he met London’s eyes the look was for real, not daring to lift his head to look.

“Cillian…!”

Carreau’s voice finally sounded through the now silent room, and Tea heard a scuffling of feet coming towards him, and then a weight on his arm. “Tee…!” Zip cried, and tugged at his big brother’s arm, tears streaming down his pale face once more,
“Zip!” Tea gasped out and gripped gently to his brother, his heart pounding in his chest. “Are you ok…?”
Zip nodded frantically and clung to Tea even tighter, his small body shaking with fear.

Cillian squeezed his eyes shut in pain, his right hand gripping his bloody left shoulder as he struggled to push himself up onto his feet. “Carreau… we leave… now…”

“I should have listened to you…”

The doctor groaned softly as Carreau merged with him once more, giving him more strength.
Tea stood glaring at Cillian, still able to sense Carreau within him, speaking to the demon. “That’s right, take your wounded puppet and get out of here, you bastard…” he growled, and watched as Cillian headed towards the stairs and out of the apartment.

London let out a long shaky breath and blinked over at Tea, shaking his head. “What the bloody hell just happened?!”

Tea stayed silent as he reached inside of his coat and pulled out his packet of cigarettes, though his lungs still burned from the effects of being too close to Carreau. Zip still clung to his side not prepared to let Tea go, being a little afraid of London, making soft whimpering noises like a scared puppy.

“You were possessed. By Ecator’s inner demon.” Tea finally spoke, a cigarette resting in between his lips as he lit it with his Zippo, inhaling the soothing nicotine.

“Possessed? By a demon?” London’s hand went straight to his head and he moved to sit down, trying to take this in. “That’s why I couldn’t control myself…?”

The exorcist nodded, moving his arm gently around his trembling brother. “But you managed to fight it.”

London shook his head in disbelief, and then looked up at Zip, who cowered away from him under Tea’s arm. “Zip… I’m sorry… I couldn’t protect you…” The young hyena frowned sadly as he saw Zip looking so scared of him.

Tea looked over at the revolver on the floor. “Canidae member, huh? And you didn’t shoot Ecator dead…?” Tea glanced at London, raising an eyebrow.

The hyena swallowed hard and averted his eyes. “I’m not an assassin.”

Tea made a soft sound, before nudging Zip gently. “Zip… you know that London wouldn’t hurt you on purpose. Go on.” Tea encouraged his brother softly to go to London and pushed gently at him with his arm, his hand then lifting to pull his cigarette from his lips.
Zip clung to Tea a little longer, then slowly, warily made his way over to London’s open arms, eyeing him closely, before suddenly flinging himself into the hyena’s arms.

“Thank you for coming…” London lifted his head to look at Tea, managing his usual smile. “… and I guess its true then. You are his brother after all.”

Tea turned his head and looked away from London, trying to stop thinking about what Carreau had said to him. “Things won’t be the same as they were. You were up against the Demon of Mercilessness, but something was wrong. He let his guard down. Next time it won’t work that way. Make sure you keep your eyes open and your mouth shut.”
He frowned to himself as he thought about that; why had Carreau let his guard down in the first place?
London nodded, understanding partly, but he was still worried. “You’re saying that our lives are in danger?”

“Someone is trying to get to me. Zip is an easy way through. Just… be careful.”

Zip made another soft, scared noise, and Tea looked back at him, his cigarette in his lips once more as he pulled out two pendants from the inside pocket of his jacket. “Take these. They should keep you safe. Keep them on you at all times, understand?”

London looked down at the pendants in his hand and nodded, attaching Zip’s right there, around his neck. “Thank you…”

Tea snorted. “No need.” He turned towards the door, trying not to think about how maybe Carreau was right about how he’s failing to protect Zip again. “But what else can I do?” he thought to himself, before saying out loud to London. “If you need me, call me.” He took one last glance back, before heading out and down the stairs.

“You know… you look just like your father.”

Tea’s eyes narrowed once again and he ground out his cigarette with his shoe as he stepped outside, making sure the apartment door still shut securely.

“Forget him, idiot.” he told himself, pulling his coat further around him as he started to walk back to his apartment. But in the back of his mind, he knew that Carreau was right.