Proof #11
“What is that?” Tic asked, pointing to the door.
“Don’t answer it!” Jacob warned.
“I wanted to surprise you-” Joe motioned to the space around him. If he could hear the women, he certainly wasn’t paying any attention to them.
“What are you-” Jacob’s thought was interrupted by another slam at the door. One of the women began to scratch at it like a cat begging to be let in.
This was getting out of hand.
“Jacob… I’ve only really known you for a few days but they have been some of the best and happiest of my life…” Tears were welling up in his eyes.
“Oh fuck off…” Teddy whispered.
“I know this might seem sudden but I guess when you know, you know. I can’t stop thinking about you. For months now you’ve made me coffee, but now with you being here- you’ve made me complete.”
“Oh god.” Teddy threw up.
That horrible feeling in his stomach intensified. It was stronger than any he’d ever experienced before. He was pretty sure that any second he’d be following Teddy’s lead.
“Joe- If you’re doing what I think you are doing, maybe now isn’t the best time…” Jacob began.
“Anytime with you is the best time.” Joe said, oblivious to anything around him. There was a mania in his eyes that Jacob recognized.
“I’ve never felt as sure about anything as I have with you. I know it’s fast so I asked your friends to help with this, and they promised that they’d keep it a secret. Sorry to worry you- but you absolutely couldn’t know.” Joe said.
“Know about what?” Jacob already knew what was coming but maybe if he played dumb, it wouldn’t happen. He was feeling sick.
Another slam at the door. Jacob jumped through his skin.
“Uh… Joe? I think something is going on over there-” Jeff began pointing to the door, but Joe didn’t even hear him.
Instead he looked at Jacob with tears flooding down his cheeks.
His lip quivered as he produced a ring from his pocket.
It was ostentatious- the kind that Tic would choose for him.
Well, that would certainly explain where he’d been.
“Jacob, I know this has only been a few days-” Joe took a step towards him.
“Please stop-” Jacob retreated.
Another thud at the door.
A scream from outside.
Jeff raced to the door.
“Joe! Something is going on out there!” Jeff shouted.
“It’s soon, but I can’t wait another day.” Joe’s voice was quiet and full of reverence. Jacob could feel vomit rising in the back of his throat.
“Please wait another day.” Jacob urged.
Another thud at the door- louder this time.
“You’ve always made me coffee- but now I want you to make me the happiest man in the world-” Joe began.
“That’s a lot of pressure!” Jacob responded. “Is it hot in here? I’m feeling hot.”
“It’s the million fucking candles!” Teddy yelled.
Then Joe got down on one knee and held out the ring.
“Will you-”
Boom! The doors flung open revealing the women in full feral mode.
They looked voracious and Joe finally seemed to notice them for the first time.
Anger flooded his face as Jacob looked to the doorway to see Thomas standing behind them.
Bruises covered their arms and legs from where they had slammed against the doorway time and time again.
If the women appeared to be feral, Thomas appeared to be livid- overcome with rage and a fiery passion burning in his eyes.
“He’s mine!” Thomas screamed.
“What the fuck?” Jacob yelled as he stumbled away from the doorway.
“No one else can have him! He’s mine!” Thomas snarled with a brutal lust burning in his eyes. The ladies were clamouring towards him laughing and cackling like a horny, witchy horde. He tripped as he was backing away, and ended up collapsing into Joe.
“You’re interrupting something very important!” Joe snarled above the noise, but the others didn’t pay any attention. They were starving- and for some reason they all wanted Jacob.
“Back off!” Thomas yelled. Being sober, and not elderly, he managed to weave his way through the crowd and straight at Jacob. Within seconds he gripped Jacob by the arms and forced him into a rough kiss. Jacob tried to pull away, but Thomas’ grip was strong enough to keep him in place.
Unimpressed, Joe forcibly pushed them apart. Jacob fell to the ground as Joe punched Thomas in the jaw.
“He’s mine!” Joe growled, his voice low and ferocious. “Back the fuck off!”
“I love him! I need to have him!” Thomas roared, coming back at Joe and wrestling him to his knees.
Jacob quickly backed towards the front of the church.
He looked over to see Jeff and Tic springing into action, attempting to keep the women away from the chaos- they were feisty but not very strong.
Although Jeff did appear to be enjoying the situation more than Tic.
“You can’t have him-” Joe began- but then his voice slowed. His movement became more sluggish and uncoordinated. Then Thomas pulled back as if to punch Joe, when his body began to slow in a similar fashion.
“Oh fuck.” Jacob whispered.
The two of them began to sway for a moment as if they were dancing now. But then they looked at each other and both started to move in near perfect unison.
“-He’s mine…” They both said at the same time. Jacob backed away and they each took a slow clumsy step towards him.
Oh no… Jacob cursed. This wasn’t ideal.
“He’s mine.” They both said.
“Boys stop! You don’t want to do this!” Jacob responded. “We want to do it! We love to do it!” Edna cackled.
“I don’t think we’ve been introduced, I’m Jeff-” he said as he began to usher the women away from the others. Edna seemed especially fond of this by grabbing his ass.
“You’re mine.” Joe said.
“He’s mine.” Thomas responded.
“I’m not yours! I’m not either of yours!” Jacob yelled out as he felt his back collide with the altar.
“You must be mine.” Thomas grit his teeth.
“Mine.” Joe responded.
“Mine.” Thomas repeated.
Okay- Jacob could see where this was going.
“Stop!” He cried out. For a moment neither moved. Everything was still.
But then they kept moving.
“He is mine…” Thomas and Joe said in unison as they turned to face each other. For a moment, they simply faced each other as if sizing each other up. They stepped around each other as if beginning something else.
“Boys stop! I mean it! You need to stop this!”
“Keep going!” Rhonda screamed with a laugh. Jacob looked up to see Tic trying to keep them back. He looked horrified but whether that was their words, actions or hairstyles at this point was anyone’s guess.
They pushed each other. They hit at each other- each of them going a little harder with each pass.
The fury was mounting- seemingly becoming more hostile each moment.
Every step, push, prod was more angry. It was as if the echo chamber was amplifying their emotions more every minute.
Things were bubbling up and their fury was becoming palpable.
“Boys, calm down. Please just take some time to relax. We can talk this out.”
“You will die.” They both said.
Well- that didn’t go as planned.
They both reached into their pants and for a moment Jacob wondered what would happen. When they removed their hands Joe held nothing, but Thomas pulled out a pocket knife.
“Oh fuck.” Jacob whispered.
“You must be destroyed.” They both sneered.
“Thomas! Don’t!” Jacob exclaimed- but there wasn’t anything he could do. As Thomas moved his hands back, Jacob pulled Joe out of the way. Thomas swung, and the knife missed by inches.
“You will be mine.” They both said. Thomas took a step to the side and for a moment, they staggered.
Jacob took advantage and pushed Thomas out of the way as both of the men pulled back their arms. Then, Jacob stepped in between them and turned to Thomas - just in time for him to stab the knife directly into Jacob’s chest. Deep.
“Oh fuck…” Jacob exclaimed. His eyes went wide as his body went into shock.
He froze. Jacob looked down to see the knife sticking out of his chest. He forgot to breathe.
And then he staggered back, inhaled, and the full force of the pain made his vision blur.
He collapsed and fell into Joe, who caught him.
Whatever echo chamber was there had broken and Jacob could feel the magic he’d cast slowly easing away.
Whatever was happening, it felt like death.
“I- I…” Jacob began, but his voice felt distant and strange. Like it wasn’t his. Everything became an echo of itself and he began to feel oddly light.
“Don’t try to say anything.” Joe responded as he gently laid Jacob on the ground. “Just be calm. You’re going to be alright. I promise.”
“I’m sorry.” Jacob whispered. He reached out to Joe, to feel him grab his hand but it didn’t feel like his. It felt different. Everything felt very heavy.
“It’s okay. You got in the way. You’ll be fine.”
“No, I- I’m sorry.” Jacob felt a tear fall down his cheek- burning hot as his skin felt cold. “I should have told-”
“Don’t speak. Save your strength. You’ll be okay.” Jacob looked around. He could still see Thomas, and his friends, but everything looked like it had stopped again. It was just him and Joe at this moment.
“I never wanted to hurt you.” Jacob began. “I just wanted-”
“It’s okay. I love you. You’re going to be okay.”
“It’s okay if you don’t.” Jacob’s vision was getting blurry. “I know you might not and it’s okay.”
“But I do.” Joe responded. “I love you Jacob. I’ve loved you since-” Jacob tried to stay in the moment, but the words were becoming too distant. Too far to fully comprehend. He felt like he was living on the other side of a tunnel and being pulled into the darkness.
He looked up at Joe. He was still talking but the words weren’t registering. His mouth was moving but there was nothing there. He looked up into Joe’s eyes and could see his face. He held that image for as long as he could.
His sensations began to cease.
Soon, the only thing he could sense around him was blackness.
And then there was something else.
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