Juan Diablos, Phoenix AZ, 1:30 AM:
Juan sat up in his bed in a cold sweat. His head still spinning, he
groped for the cigars on the nightstand beside his bed. It was that
dream again, that horrible dream. He tried to forget the horrible
images that danced behind his eyes as he lit the cigar and inhaled the
sweet, relaxing smoke. He cocked his head back to casually exhale, but
instead the smoke caught in his throat, he choked and sputtered. He was here.
"Jesús, me tira un hueso aquí. Una noche, sólo un noche pacífica...
What do you want now?" Juan managed between coughs. "I'll have no more
blood on my hands, no more."
Grndpraz sat on the dresser across from the bed, his head down. "Juan, you don't listen. I've been talking to you all night."
"You can't mean... no... no I won't!"
"Juan, listen to me," Grndpraz hissed, raising his stare. His dark eyes
plowed into Juan's brain, scratching at his soul. Juan slapped his
hands over his eyes, shivering in fear. He wept lightly as he prayed
quietly in Mexican. "Juan, I want you to get out of Phoenix. Pack up
your things, get in your car, and drive. You'll know where to go."
"No, I won't listen to you any more. Bad things always happen when I
listen to you!" Juan snapped. He lowered his hands only to find
Grndpraz standing next to the bed. With a small shriek he clapped his
hands back over his eyes, sweating and shaking more violently then
ever.
"Juan, don't be that way... listen to me..." Juan's hands moved slowly
from his face, his head moving hypnotically upward. His eyes locked
with Grndpraz' and his stomach lurched. Fire burned in his head, his
eyes teared up. He was helpless but to stare mesmerized into the flames
that burned within Grndpraz' eyes. Juan listened mentally in the silent
night, and then, he was gone. Juan sat in stunned silence for a moment,
slowly seeping back into his body. The night rose back up around him,
and he got out of bed to pack.