short story: Are You Still Hurting? (7/7)end

7

No matter what corner or room the singer tucked herself into the buzzing and chatter of her family and Mina’s relatives follow her.

In the stained mirror she saw the brown roots of her hair spreading and when she stretched her mouth open to see the hole in her gums it bled black.

Seven rooms and twenty-nine corners later she screamed. She sat up and hit the walls around her with her fists until her shoes and feet joined in. Small holes began to dent the wall.

"Stop it! What are you doing!" Mina’s voice arrested the musician.

"I can't find any fucking privacy in this house!" she raised her voice. "My family is here and nobody will answer questions. In case you haven't noticed it's a pigsty in here."

"You are completely overreacting!" Mina grabbed the smaller woman's wrist. "You don't know what happiness is. You wouldn't know it if it hit you in the face!"

"Apparently not! Get the fuck away from me or answer my questions!"

"What?" the larger woman screamed. "What are your questions and why do you feel you can ruin my family’s vacation!"

"Where's my brother!"

"He's right over that!"

The singer followed Mina’s finger into the hallway where a gentle hissing noise led her to another corner down another twisting hall.

Sid's long face was hidden beneath a gas mask. In his hand a hose sprayed its fumes.

"Sid!"

The sister ran to her brother and blocked his way. Whether his eyes met hers was a mystery. Behind the mask he could conceal his actions. "Sid, is your cell phone working?"

The brother did not acknowledge his sister but pushed past her with the hose. She pinched her nose and watched him pass.

"Sid!"

When there was still no answer she looked to Mina.

"Does he have fucking wax in his ears!"

"The mask might make it hard for him to hear."

"Doesn't he see me?"

Mina shrugged.

One more corner and the young man pulled his gas mask off, shaking his head free, his hair falling in all directions.

The singer ran to his side and grabbed his arm.

"Sid. I need to borrow your cell phone. Mine is at Mina’s house. Please."

The brother did not acknowledge his sister. He passed her and dragged his equipment down the hall.

Through the labyrinth of the old house the musician tripped down the stairs to the cellar. Her left hand clutched the egg-shaped pills in their jar. This time when she reached for them they were present.

They rattled with each step she took. Her bloodshot eyes found the final step and with tears rolling she sat. She emptied all of the candy-covered pills onto the wood. Ignoring the splinters she ate them one by one, swallowing dry. Each burned her throat but the action was mechanical.

When the final pill slipped down a raw throat the singer was already coughing.

She fell over on the floor to roll in dirt. One cough followed by another until it was the sound of a death gurgle.

Teeth littered the floor as the woman lost them in her coughing fit, gums bleeding and eyes raining.

Her stomach pushed up the poison and her throat was swollen.

A small insect crawled from her mouth and spread its wings, buzzing away. It was followed by another, and another. The singer could feel each creature leave her body but her paralysis prevented action. The swarm crawled from her body and overtook the cellar in as little as ten minutes.

It would be less than an hour before the bees moved upstairs, impervious to Sid's spraying. They took over the halls of the mansion. Their stings were enough to exterminate Mina and Sid's family.
The mansion would become the world's largest beehive.