Blindsided 12

For the second day in a row, Robbie sat opposite Shar at the breakfast table as he shovelled cereal into his mouth. Physically, he felt much better than the previous day, but mentally, he was on the verge of a breakdown. Glancing up, he caught Shar staring at him and quickly looked away.

The conversation was sparse that morning. With Robbie having told Shar the whole story on the car ride home the previous evening, there wasn’t much left to be said.

Suddenly his phone rang, making Robbie jump and causing him to spill a spoonful of oats across the table. Knowing who it was, he stared at the screen, hoping the ringing would stop.

“Is that her?” Shar asked from across the table. “The Agatha woman you told me about?” Robbie looked over and nodded his head. “Answer it, Robbie, and put it on speaker. I want to hear,” she added in a reassuring voice. “Remember, I’m right here with you.” Nodding again, Robbie took a deep breath before placing his pink polished finger on the screen to answer the call.

“Good morning, Sweetness,” Agatha chimed out in a cheerful voice. “Feeling better after your little tonic last night, I imagine. Well, the bad news is, you’re going to have to take one every day from now on.”

“And I don’t suppose you’re just going to give them to me?” Robbie replied in a downbeat tone.

Agatha laughed. “Smart, girl. No, you’re going to have to earn them, of course. Every day I’ll give you a challenge. Complete it, and you'll get your tonic. Fail, and you’ll still get it, but only after paying a forfeit.”

“Fine,” Robbie growled. “Just tell me what I have to do, already.”

“Less of that attitude, Missy,” Agatha stated in a much harsher tone. “And you’re to address me as Mistress, remember?”

“No!” Robbie declared forcefully, surprising both Agatha and Shar. “I don’t know what you want from me. But one thing I do know. Is that you didn’t go through all this trouble of putting me through surgery and poisoning me just to hang up and let me die now, did ya? Plus, I imagine it wasn't that easy setting things up at that club last night," he added confidently. "Here’s how I see it, Agatha. You need me for something, and I need the antidote. I'll do what you want but drop the mistress nonsense and just cut the crap, will ya?"

There was a moment of silence before what sounded like a slow clap came through the receiver of the phone. “Bravo, Blondie. I guess you still do have a pair of balls after all. Well, for now, at least.” Agatha remarked. “Fine, let's get to it. Ask the good Samaritan from last night to do your makeup. I’m thinking dramatic eye look. She’ll know what to do. She is a beautician after all.”

“How do you know about her? Robbie asked, raising both eyebrows and sounding confused.

“The same way I know that bouncer from last night is probably having nightmares about her from the emergency room this morning,” Agatha replied in a sinister-sounding voice. “I can see everything you do, my little dolly. So, don’t get any ideas about trying to outsmart me. It’ll end badly for you. I promise!”

“You’ve been watching me?” Robbie yelled out in surprise. “Why are you doing this to me? Surely It can’t just be because I turned you down in that bar?”

“Enough questions, Blondie” Agatha snapped. “Back to business. For today’s challenge, after the do-gooder has done your makeup, head back over to Grandma’s attic. There’s a costume waiting there for you. Put it on and go to the shopping centre with the fountain. You have until 2 pm to procure a thousand pounds. I don’t care how you do it. Beg, steal, rob a bank! Get it, and you get your next vial!”

“So, this is all about money, then?” Robbie shot back angrily.

“Perhaps,” Agatha replied with a giggle. “Perhaps not. You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Or perhaps I refuse to play your game and go to the police instead,” Robbie shot back. “I mean, how do I even know this poison you're talking about is real?”

“You could be right, Miss Smarty pants. Perhaps there is no poison!” Agatha answered in an eerily calm voice. “Perhaps, it’s just a coincidence that you feel so much better this morning after drinking my tonic! But ask yourself this. Are you willing to bet your life on it?” There was a click before the line went dead.

Robbie’s eyes widened as he looked over at Shar. "Are you ok?" Shar asked pushing her lips into a half smile.

"No," Robbie replied, shaking his head. "This is so fucked up. What does this bitch want from me?"

"I can't answer that, I'm afraid," Shar replied in a soothing tone. "But it seems like, for now at least, you better do what she wants. I can help you get ready if that's what you want. But if we're doing this, we have to hurry. My first appointment is at nine.”

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With a familiar musty smell filling his nostrils, Robbie slowly plodded through the unnervingly quiet costume shop. Scanning around for any signs of life, he batted the heavy faux lashes that Shar had glued to his eyelids and resisted the urge to rub his eye.

Continuing down the aisle, the frustrated young man eyed the cluttered rails of old costumes and shuddered at the thought of which one would soon be replacing the comfortable outfit Shar had lent him. A princess! Wonderwoman! Little Bo Peep!

“Hey there,” came a sudden and loud-sounding voice, making Robbie jump so high he almost peed his panties.

“Jesus Christ,” Robbie shrieked, turning around to see the woman that worked in the store appearing from behind a rack of clothes. “You can just jump out at someone like that. You almost gave me a heart attack.”

“Oh, sorry, I was just doing a stock inventory. I didn’t mean to scare you,” the woman replied in her lifeless Brummy accent. “Wait a minute, Tinkerbell! Is that you?”

“Yeah, it’s me,” Robbie replied, feeling his cheeks turn red under the thick layer of makeup plastered to his face. “I’ve come to pick up another costume.”

“I know,” the woman announced before rearranging her rather eye-catching headband. “I just didn’t know what time you’d be arriving. Your boyfriend picked you out a real doozy this time. Will you be wearing it out again?”

“Yes, but that man isn’t my boyfriend. I’m not gay! I told you last time that I didn't know who he was.” Robbie angrily wailed. "Why would I ask what he looked like if he was my boyfriend?"

“Whatever,” the woman remarked, stretching out the word while placing her hands into a W shape. Irritated, Robbie folded his arms and rolled his eyes.

(See image 20)

“Just give me the costume already, will you?” Robbie said while tapping his leopard print pump. (A pair of shoes he was finding much easier to walk in, but still quite annoying, given their lack of support in the sole and their tendency to slip whenever he took too large a step).

“Sure thing, Tinkerbell,” the woman replied. “I’ll just go grab it from the backroom. Do you want a wig cap? I mean, you do have quite a lot of hair.”

“A wig cap!” Robbie announced while screwing up his face in confusion. “Why would I need one of those?”