My Friend Thomas
DECISION TIME
My head is bent down, and I am vomiting between my knees. Someone rubs my back between my shoulder blades.
“Best to get it all out.” Says a female voice that I don’t recognise.
“Leave him alone.” A second voice says, again, not one that I know. “Let him pull himself together.”
The hand gives me one last circle of reassurance before it’s removed. I spit, cough, then spit again, troubled by the blood in my mouth. I manage to sit up straight and stare up at the sky through small slits.
“You’re gonna have to make a decision, you know, and pretty fast.” The second voice tells me.
“Give him a break, you can see the state he’s in.”
I groan and pull my head forward, struggling to balance it. Slowly, I look to my right, a young, dark-haired woman is sitting next to me, smiling. She is utterly beautiful, but I have no idea who she is. Moving my head slowly around to the left, I see an equally beautiful blonde girl.
“Come on, asshole, you’re running out of time.” The blonde says, clearly irritated by me.
They are both half my age and way out of my league. I wonder if they’re hookers.
“Could one of you tell me what’s going on here?” I ask.
“It’s pretty straightforward,” the blonde says, “you either come with me, or stay with her.” Her words are direct, no messing around with this chick. I look at the brunette, she smiles, and there’s warmth in her eyes.
If it were based on looks alone. I would never be able to choose, but the blonde is getting fidgety and looks like she wants to beat an answer out of me. The choice is easy.
“If it’s OK with you, I think I’ll stay put,” I tell her, half expecting a swipe across the face.
“You’re sure about that?” She asks me, her face just inches from mine. “Once you’ve chosen, there’s no going back, ever.”
I look to the brunette. She smiles, and I feel that I’ve made the right choice.
I nod, “Yep, I’m staying. No hard feelings.”
She laughs and rolls her eyes, “Don’t flatter yourself, old man.”
Then launches herself into the sky and is out of sight within seconds, leaving a Superman-type swoosh of colour behind her.
“What the…” I say, watching the colours fade into the air like mist.
“It’s pretty cool the way she does that, huh? I wish I could do it.”
“Who is she? And, who are you?” I ask, now totally confused.
“You’ll get all your answers soon,” She tells me. “Come on, let’s go.”
She helps me to my feet. I’m a little unsteady, but we don’t walk far. With a swift move of her arms, a flaming doorway appears in front of us, the shock of which almost knocks me to the floor.
“What the hell is that?”
“Well, what do you think it is?” she laughs.
She turns to me, and I look deep into her eyes. The warmth is still there, alright. Only now it’s deepened and is swirling like pools of hot lava. She steps forward, and only then do I notice the small horns protruding from that beautiful, thick hair and from her tight little peachy ass, a tail.