will you wake me up, if i bite your poison apple Who: Daisy, glimpses of Joseph, and a bartender (NPC) When: 2007 Where: Bar and then a random girl's home Warning: Violence and Death
He was gone. An hour and thirty-eight minutes she had been alone. Daisy wasn't sure what exactly she had done to make Joseph leave, certainly nothing outside of her normal. In the time she had had to herself, alternating between pacing and staring out the window, Daisy had run over the conversation the two had shared before he abruptly got up and walked out the door. Over and over again she had replayed it, and still it didn't make sense. She had wanted to go out -- she had dressed up and everything! Daisy, in her own way, had tried asking Joseph to take her out; of course, that way had been to crawl all over him, kissing him where ever she could find a bit of skin to press her lips against. Most of the time it got her exactly what she wanted, but tonight... he had none too gently peeled her off of him and left without saying a word. Daisy opened the door to the hotel room. She stood in the door frame, looking back and forth down the hallway hoping to catch sight of Joseph. Nothing. The ball of anxiety that had been building in her since he left felt like a weight in her stomach. What if he left her? What if he had really gone this time and had no intention of ever coming back? There was a voice in her head that reassured her that he would never do something like that. Joseph wouldn't have stayed with her this long if he had the intention of leaving her again. But there was another voice in her head, equally as loud as the first, that insisted she would be better off going out to look for him.
Daisy didn't know the town well, but that hardly mattered now that her mind was set on finding Joseph. Nothing mattered outside of that. It was remarkable that she had even had the forethought to grab the key and shut the door before she began trudging down the unknown streets. She wrapped her arms around her waist, the chill of the night air cut through her thin top and sent a shiver down her spine. Despite the obvious physical reaction, the thought never occurred to her that she would be better off returning for a coat. That would only take more time, precious time that she couldn't afford to lose. Right next to the motel was fast-food burger joint. Daisy didn't even need to peek into the window to know that she wouldn't find Joseph there. If he was about to leave her, he wasn't going to stop somewhere so close to where they were staying. At this time of night, she knew that a bar would most likely be his first destination, but where the nearest one was, she had no clue. Daisy must have looked like a lost little girl, stumbling down the streets, with a look on her face like she had lost her puppy; granted, a little girl wouldn't have been caught dead in the getup that she had on now.
Cars stopped more than once on her walk down the sidewalk, but she ignored them. Well, most of them.
"You sure are looking fine tonight."
"Where's the closest bar?" Daisy turned in the direction of the car, but her eyes were far from focused on the man speaking to her.
"Oh, you like to party huh? How about you just hop in and we'll have ourselves a party."
"Where's the closest bar?" She wasn't even really listening to the words he was saying. Daisy only heard enough to know he wasn't giving her the answers she wanted.
"We don't have to go to a bar, baby. I've got plenty of liquor at my house."
"Where's the closest bar?" Her eyes finally found their focus on him, but there was fire in them -- a burning that she had learned from Joseph. Her words were sharp, as though they were more threat than question at this point.
"Fuck it, crazy bitch. Probably not even worth it."
Daisy was already turning around before the stranger rolled his window up and drove away. All the better. She didn't need some low-life distracting her from her night's mission. Her walk down the sidewalk changed as she rounded a corner. This section of town was busier. There was a part of her mind, a small slice that was still cognitive of the world outside of the one she had created around Joseph. It was Friday night and the people were no doubt gathered on the town's main street to see what the night had in store. People would be gathered near a bar, right? Daisy followed the flow of people, growing increasingly frustrated the harder it became to weave through them. The catcalls were loud but fell on her deaf ears. Someone bumped her shoulder on their way past but Daisy didn't even bother to turn around. She spotted the sign up ahead, the one hanging over the bar where a group of smokers huddled together to talk and keep themselves warm. Like a child peering into a store-front window, Daisy placed both her hands on the glass and leaned her face in to get a better glance inside. A squeal of joy erupted from her, despite those around her beginning to stare, at the sight of Joseph. She would recognize him anywhere, even if she could only see the back of his head. "Joey!" she squeaked as she rushed over to the door and threw herself inside the bar. Smile stretched from ear to ear, her mind full of thoughts about how happy he would be that she found him, Daisy walked slowly up toward the barstool where Joseph was perched. She stopped short, debating whether or not a surprise shoulder tap or hug would be better, when she caught sight of the woman behind the bar talking to her boyfriend. The brunette, with her breasts practically spilling out of her top, was giving Joseph the kind of attention that made her blood boil. What were they talking about? Why was she laughing? Daisy felt a heat rise from her center and, if she hadn't know better, she could have sworn that her skin was about to burst into flames.
Jealousy had never been a factor in Daisy's life before Joseph; then again, there had been many things in her life that had happened during the months since they met that she would have never thought possible. Three weeks ago a waitress had flirted with Joseph. She had been willing to let her of the hook with a few glares and cutting remarks, at least until she dared to brush her hand against his when she came by to check on them. Daisy had promptly excused herself to the ladies' room. She didn't go to the bathroom, of course. No, Daisy had gone out back, behind the restaurant where the dumpsters were, and there she waited until the handsy waitress came out for a cigarette break. Even now she couldn't explain how the brick got into her hands. All she knew for certain was that one minute the waitress was asking her what was wrong and the next she was on the ground, begging Daisy not to kill her. She still remembered the laugh she gave in response. It sounded natural, like the ones she always gave Joseph when he said something funny, but it had felt completely different -- inhuman. Daisy didn't kill the waitress, but she had made sure that those hands wouldn't be touching anything for a very long time.
The memories were cut short as she watched the bartender bite her lip and draw circles on the back of Joseph's hand with a delicate finger -- a finger that Daisy would be all to happy to break for her. She felt frozen in place by her rage, helpless to do anything but watch as this slut put her hands all over her boyfriend. The other woman leaned forward to whisper something in Joseph's ear, drawing back with a smile on her face before taking off her apron and skittering out from behind the bar. She quickly joined Joseph's side and Daisy could have sworn that he caught sight of her before he cradled the brunette's face and pulled her toward him for a kiss. Her knees suddenly felt weak and it was a good thing that there happened to be a chair close by or she would have crumpled to the ground. Burying her face in her hands, Daisy watched through the cracks of her fingers as the pair passed by her, obviously too wrapped up in each other to notice her.
"You okay sweet cheeks?" Some drunken slob leaned over, as though checking on her would win him company for the night. She felt his hot breath on her neck and her stomach rolled, though Daisy couldn't be sure if it was because of the disgusting man next to her or the fact that the love of her life just walked out of the bar with another woman. Daisy didn't say anything, only turned her face to glare and him. She stood up and pushed him out of her way. By the time she reached the door and made her way back to the street, Joseph and the horrible brunette were a good distance ahead of her. Her body moved without her consent, her desire to find out exactly where they were headed taking over the wheel. The two could have easily seen her following them, that is if either of them could pull their attention from the other to notice. Daisy glared at them, primarily the bartender, with a gaze that could have bored holes into the back of their heads. She had no idea of how long they walked or even how they had reached the street full of houses. All of a sudden, her feet stopped. Again she was frozen; Daisy felt like a rush of ice water flooded her veins as she watched the tramp lead Joseph to the front door of one of the little homes. "Joey..." The whisper cracked it's way out of her throat. There was a sting behind her eyes as tears began to form. Without a sound from her, the saline drops streamed down Daisy's cheeks as she watched the door the couple had passed through, desperately wished for Joseph to walk right back out of it -- he didn't. The heavier they became, the more her limbs began to defrost. Without warning, her knees buckled and Daisy fell to the ground. She curled into herself; the pain of her skin scraping against the sidewalk went completely unnoticed. How could he do this to me? She had found him, nursed him back to health -- that had to mean something to a person! Without her, who knew what would have happened to Joseph? He'd be dead, that's what... The thought sent an ache through her heart that rivaled the one already ripping the muscle to shreds. She knew there was something between them; she had felt it the second she helped him into her car and took him home with her. He wouldn't turn his back on that. He couldn't. Daisy's tears began to slow as she picked up her head to glare at the house, which, for the moment, had taken on the persona of the brunette. Joseph wouldn't betray her, but who was to stop the other woman from trying to lure him away. No. I'm not being left again. Daisy pushed herself up into a sitting position, from which she then rose to her feet. Crying had never kept the others around. Crying wasn't going to keep Joseph around.
She waited in the shadows for what felt like an eternity for Joseph to finally leave the house. If she had a watch, Daisy would have seen that no more than an hour had passed -- as though that made any of it better. The gaze she gave Joseph as he walked by her hiding place was nothing short of loving, though her chest still felt as though there were a knife sticking out of it. I'll make this right. I promise. Again she waited, though not as long this time. Daisy wanted to make sure that Joseph was no where close by to try to stop her from what she had to do. Her heels made no sound as she crossed the front yard of the house she had come to despise. The front steps were another thing entirely. She cringed with every step she took, trying her best to walk on the balls of her feet to soften the sound. A moment of worry ran though her when she realized that she didn't have the proper tools to unlock the front door -- a worry that was quickly dismissed when she tried the knob and opened the door with ease.
"Back for more, huh? Knew you wouldn't be able to stay away for long." The voice called out from up the stairs in front of her. There was the fire that Daisy needed. It seared through her body, her heart beating in double time with its new found energy. A hand reached out for the closest object she could grab that had heft to it. The glass bowl, meant to collect keys and loose change, would work just fine. Just as she had made her way up to the door, Daisy balanced herself so that she could creep up the stairs without alerting the brunette that she was not Joseph. "Baby?"
"Not quite." The woman managed to take two steps out of her bedroom before Daisy brought the glass bowl up and then quickly down, shattering it on her head. Without so much as a grunt of pain, the woman dropped to the ground. Daisy stood over her, eyes ablaze with elation as she watched blood trickle from the head wound she had had no doubt given her. But Daisy was not finished. Dropping what remained of the shattered glass, she bent down to grab the brunette by the arm, ignoring the fact that she was clothed in nothing but a robe, and dragged her back into her bedroom. It took a little effort, but in no time she had managed to find a chair to set the other woman in, tying her to it with scraps of clothing she found around the room. Daisy's eyes had not missed the assortment of candles spread around the room, many of them still lit. Had she known to light them, or did he ask? The thought moved her over to one of the taller candles. She stared at the flame as she picked it up. Any time she looked at fire she felt closer to Joseph, as though no matter how far from him she was, the two of them were connected. Her eyes cut over to the woman, still unconscious in the chair. Daisy crossed the room back over to her and crouched just in front of her. She held the candle just under her hand. The skin had just begun to turn red from the first degree burn when the brunette woke up with a scream.
"Who the fuck are you?" Daisy watched with a grin as she fought against her bindings. Despite her lack of rope, she had made sure that it would not be easy to escape. "Untie me you crazy bitch." The other woman glared at her, as though she could possibly intimidate Daisy. That made her laugh.
"I came back to take what's mine."
"I don't have anything of yours. I don't even know you." The hardened look on the brunette's began to dissolve, as though the realization that she was not dealing with a completely rational person had entered her mind. Daisy could have cared less for the words coming out of her mouth. She was a slut and no doubt a liar to boot.
"You don't know me, but you know my Joey. You tried to steal him away."
The brunette burst out laughing; the shock of the sound caused Daisy to blink and jerk backward. "I don't know any Joey, but if you're talking about the guy who just left, I didn't try anything, sweetheart. He wanted to come home with me." Without thinking, she balled up her fist and punched the other woman in the mouth to quiet her. Lies. It's nothing but lies. The brunette's head drooped and it took her eyes a moment to focus. She spit out blood before looked back up to Daisy. "Makes sense. Why would he want to stay with a crazy bitch like you?" Daisy's eyes narrowed before she punched the woman again. She wasn't crazy, far from it; leave it to someone who was trying to destroy something perfect to say a thing like that.
She crouched down in front of the other woman again, making sure to keep herself out of her short reach. "What I'm wondering is why he would want anyone as insignificant as you." Her eyes trailed down from the brunette to the candle in her hand. Wax coated her fingers and wrist, but she couldn't recall feeling the hot liquid touch her skin. She waited a beat, long enough for another trail of wax to stream down across her knuckles, before extending the candle out next to the brunette's arm. The heat stung, but more than anything the pain reminded her of Joseph. Daisy watched as the woman's skin began to turn red. She ignored the cries, the sudden begging for mercy, and kept her eyes on the skin that had begun to crack and peel away. "The fire hurts, doesn't it?" The only answer she received was in the form of sobs. Daisy pulled the candle back before the skin started to turn black. She stared into the flame, then brought a hand up to slowly run over it. "It feels the same, doesn't it? Like when he touches you." Daisy kept her hand over the fire, moving it only slightly when it began to burn her, as she waited for an answer. The girl managed to squeeze out a "Yes" through her tears, which were beginning to border on hysterical. She laughed, that same inhuman laugh she had given the waitress. The brunette was just feeding her the answers that she thought Daisy wanted to hear; she didn't understand, nor could she. "But you see," she opened the brunette's robe and tilted the candled so that the flame touched the skin covering her collarbone. "You have to be strong to be with him. And look how weak you are." Daisy smiled smugly as the skin broke away like it had before on her arm.
"Please... I don't want him. You can have him. Just stop." That the other woman thought it was so easy was laughable to her. She couldn't walk away now. Daisy brought the candle down to the piece of clothing tying the brunette's leg to the chair. The fabric caught fire quick enough. "What are you doing?" She ignored the frantic question and took the candle to the other leg and set the piece of clothing there on fire. The flame met the fabric binding the brunettes arms, and then Daisy lit the bathrobe she was wearing on fire. She stood up and stepped back to appreciate the scene. It wasn't as simple as it was when Joseph used his abilities, but the end result would be the same. That was all that mattered to Daisy. Their relationship had to be purified of the smear this tramp had put on it, and what better means to use than fire. The chair itself caught soon enough and it wasn't long before the brunette was nothing more than a pillar of flames. Daisy began to circle around the room, lighting anything that she thought was flammable. She reached the bedside table where she spotted the brunette's cellphone. A thought occurred to her suddenly that Joseph might not believe her story. Why would he? Even as she was standing in the moment, watching the other woman burn, could she believe she was capable of such things. Snatching it up, Daisy set it to the camera function as she walked back to where she had been standing in from of the burning bartender. Posing like it was any other picture, she snapped a shot as proof of what she had done. There was no way that Joseph wouldn't believe her now.
Daisy took her time leaving the house, leaving a trail of flame with her candle behind her. She made sure to stop on the sidewalk out front to take a picture of the house itself, which which was starting to catch fire just as its owner had. The adrenaline coursing through her veins was enough to carry all the way back to the hotel without paying much attention to how exactly she got back, which was convenient, considering how the odds were likely that she would have gotten lost if she paid too much attention to the direction she was headed. When she opened the door to the hotel room, Joseph was waiting for her, obviously wondering where she had been. Before he could say a word, she threw him the phone with the picture of the bartender already pulled up for him. The smile on her face was nothing short of pleased; Joseph was going to be so proud.