Static Reflections: Book 1 of The M... - Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Boris didn't understand why he killed her. Well, he understood why he killed her. But he didn't understand why he killed her. Astrid Delaney, Water on Fire's manager. An innocent jaguar that didn't deserve what had happened to her. It was all his fault.
He hadn't known her well. Nick was closer to her than any of the band members. Boris often questioned if there was something more between them, but he knew Nick wasn't an idiot. He would never put the band in jeopardy for something silly like love. But he remembered that Nick told him she had worked hard in life to get where she was. The otter had taken that away from her.
And now, he was driving away erratically from the scene, covered in blood with loud music blaring on the car radio, nearly having a panic attack right there in the front seat. His eyes flicked up, and he looked into the tilted rearview mirror, seeing the twisted reflection that filled his entire body with hatred every time he saw it. It wasn't him. It was what was inside of him. What had made him steal Astrid's future.
"How could you make me do that?" Boris cried out, looking into the mirror, who just blinked back at him, black eyeliner seeming bolder than ever around his eyes. Specks of black blood covered the dark brown fur.
Then, the reflection spoke. "Because it needed to happen. I've manipulated the technology there to carry no memory of this event."
"But why her? She didn't deserve that!"
"You think I care?" The pseudo responded.
"You can't just make me kill random strangers?"
"I choose who I choose," his counterpart explained, then laughed. "It really is a shame. She was pretty, too."
Boris frowned. "Don't make me sick."
"It's best when pretty people die," the reflection said. "They look so beautiful when they scream, plus their blood feels the best against your flesh when it sinks into your fur."
"I hate you," the otter hissed.
"You're lucky I'm saving him for last." The dark form's pupils shifted to the left, looking into the seat next to Boris.
His head turned, and he glanced at the German shepherd he had previously knocked out and kidnapped. Just the implication of the future that was in store for him made Boris feel queasy. ". . . I know."
The dog's eyes flitted open slowly, and immediately he saw the cascading road before them. "What the . . . ? Where . . . ?" His head moved, and he saw Boris next to him, covered in crimson and breathing heavily. He was still wearing his black suit from their concert. The canine jumped, and he pressed himself back against the door. "What the hell?! Boris?! What the fuck's going on?!"
"Stop yelling, stop yelling!" Boris shouted back. "I can explain."
"You better fucking start!" Tyler yelled.
"Just calm down, and I will."
"How can I calm down when you look like that?!"
"I know! But at least let me tell you!"
"What the fuck happened?!"
Boris came to a red stoplight, and the car slowed to a halt. "I . . ." He took a moment to think, looking out the window at a collection of buildings and willing his mind to work. "Agh! How can I explain it properly?"
"By just telling me!" Tyler yelled. "I'm freaking out!"
"I know!" Boris sat back, frustrated that he couldn't properly find the words to explain. Or maybe, he was just too afraid to confront Tyler with that. He simply needed more time. "Just . . . let me get somewhere first."
"Get somewhere? You look like you just committed a murder!"
"Because I did, Tyler!" Boris cried. "I killed Astrid! This is her blood! It's her blood, Tyler!"
The shepherd's semi-built body deflated, and he just sat there in shock. "I . . . wow . . ." Then, his pointed ears perked. "Wait, are you going to kill me, too?!"
"No!" Boris shook his head. "No, of course not!"
"Then what's going on?!"
"Stop yelling! I'm right here!"
"I can't help it!"
The stoplight turned green, and the car began moving again. "I will tell you if you just let me get to the mansion," Boris stated.
"That's where we're going?! Your mansion?! What, do you have a bunch of bodies hidden there or something?!" Tyler's eyes were wide, and they never left Boris.
"What?! It's not like that, Tyler! You don't understand!"
The German shepherd, realizing he didn't have any other option, sunk back into his seat. "Mmm . . . I'm going to wait until we get to your place and you explain everything to me. But after that, I'm leaving. I didn't know you were fucked in the head like that, man."
"No! I'm not!"
"Whatever." Tyler turned his head and looked out the window, and they didn't speak for the rest of the drive. Multiple times he thought about opening the door and rolling out when the road was clear, but something always stopped him. If he were a geyser, there was a large rock keeping him from blowing.
Boris entered his quite messy room; fur still wet from the shower he had taken. Once he and Tyler had gotten to Downing Manor, he had thrown his bloody clothes into the wash and then almost immediately gotten into the shower, scrubbing all the mess from his fur violently. He had felt extremely uncomfortable knowing who it had belonged to. The otter didn't want to be in his own skin then.
Not only did the cleaning process take a while, but he couldn't help but just stand under the hot water, staring at the cream-colored tile wall. Boris could just barely make out his warped reflection thanks to the glare of the light above. After he pushed his guilt up the hill and stuck a thin twig under it, he got out of the shower and dried off, slipping on a new suit.
If someone had met Boris with his formal manner of speaking and dress or knew his lineage, they would assume his bedroom was prim and proper, like the rest of Downing Manor. In reality, there were suits thrown around that he didn't bother to clean up, school papers all over his desk along with trinkets his sister Leah had always teased him for having, and some trash from when he would eat after a kill when he was still alert. Not only these things but there was a chair and easel with a half-finished painting in the corner.
In the middle of the room was a sight he didn't enjoy. Even creating it was difficult. Tyler sat in a chair, completely bound to it by a rope Boris had found in the luxury shed outside.
"Do you always take really long showers?" Tyler grunted, shifting a bit. "This is really uncomfortable."
"I'm sorry," Boris sighed. "I didn't know how else to make you stay here other than this. The shower only took a long time because I was removing the blood from my fur. I suppose I must seem insane to you."
"Seem? You are!" the German shepherd screeched.
That hit the otter right where it hurt most, and he got to work untying the canine. His gaze was one of sadness and his hands were moving weakly. "I truly am sorry . . . ."
"Where did you even learn to tie knots like this?"
"I didn't! I just . . . kind of can now."
"Just like you can kind of kill animals?"
"Will you just let me explain the situation?!" Boris shouted, finishing untying Tyler's rope with ease and pulling it off of him. It fell to the floor with a small thump. "I know you're scared and I understand but give me a chance to tell you what's going on!"
The German shepherd immediately leaped out of the seat at Boris when he was free. The otter was absurdly quick, jumping out of the way and swiftly taking out a small pink makeup case. He flipped open the lid, bringing his hand to the mirror's surface. Tyler couldn't see from where he was standing but out of nowhere, Boris was holding an ancient silver blade that had a golden handle with a round pommel housing a ruby gem. The weapon looked sort of like a mini sword. "Tyler! Stop attacking!" the otter screamed.
The dog's hands went up in surrender. "Woah! Woah! How did you do that?! What's happening?!"
"Just let me explain for the hundredth time! Sit down!" Boris demanded, jabbing the air multiple times gently to threaten him.
"I'd feel much better if I was allowed to stand," Tyler said calmly, hands still up. "Please."
Boris kept the dagger pointed. ". . . Okay."
"So what's happening? This is insane," Tyler blinked, keeping his brown eyes on the silver of the knife.
"I'm under the control of a demon," Boris explained. "His name is Absalom. At least, I believe he's a demon."
"What? I don't understand." Tyler stepped forward slowly. "I think maybe you've gone a little crazy, dude."
"It's true! And now you and Nick both know!" Boris exclaimed.
"Nick?! He knew this whole time?"
The mustelid swallowed. "Y-yeah . . . He was the first one I told."
"And you kept this from us?!" Tyler shouted angrily. "The rest of your friends?! Me?!" Now there were two knives in the room, including the one in his back.
"No! I mean, yes . . . but only because I couldn't tell you!" Boris explained. "I mean it!"
"Oh, but you could fucking tell Nick? Really?" Tyler crossed his arms. "And possession? I really think you're just fucking crazy. And maybe Nick is, too, for letting you get away with this."
Boris frowned. "Ugh, it's not like that! And I'm not lying! You saw me pull the Blade of the Mirror out!"
"Blade of the Mirror?"
"I'm possessed by a demon or creature that manifests through mirrors. He gives me my weapon from any reflection nearby. I have this makeup case for easy access. I stole it from Leah."
"And how come you can tell all this to me now?" Tyler asked. "How would Absalom just let you tell me?"
"Because . . ." Boris looked down after that. "I don't know. Anyone who knows about Absalom can't be affected by his powers but if I tell them his name they also become connected to him somehow. It sounds counterintuitive, I know."
Tyler shook his head. "I can't believe this is happening. This can't be real."
"I know . . ." Boris moved to sit down on the bed.
"How and when did this even happen?" Tyler asked.
Boris looked down, shaking his head. "I don't know . . . He just appeared one day. I haven't the faintest idea of how it happened or why."
"And what about Astrid? Why her?" Tyler continued the barrage of questions, but all he got was another sullen headshake. The dog scoffed. "So you don't know anything? That's just great. And what about me? What do you plan to do with me, huh?"
"I don't know," Boris shrugged sadly. "I don't know what I thought when I grabbed you. Maybe that I could take you with me, or something."
"And what? Make me your accomplice?"
"Tyler!" Boris gripped the bedsheets. "I never asked for this! I never wanted this! But this is how it is. I have to do this."
Tyler let out a long exhale, and he began pacing back and forth in front of the smaller animal. "So what now? What the hell do we do?"
"Well, now that I've done this to Astrid, the Mortal Guard will probably be right on my tail. Absalom talks to me through mirrors, and he told me that they're like a supernatural police force. Considering I committed a crime of a supernatural nature, they probably want to capture me. No, they definitely do."
Tyler took all of this bewildering information in as he spoke. "You just told me about it so easily. It makes sense that they would be worried. Wait, wait, wait! Couldn't you just go to them for help if you don't want to be possessed? Maybe they know how to get rid of it."
Boris snorted. "I would if I could, but I've already committed the crime and not just that. Worse things will happen if I don't do this."
"Do what?"
"Kill for him."
"Worse things like what?" Tyler wrinkled his nose.
"You don't want to know," Boris warned.
"Actually, I do. That's why I said it."
"I can't tell you," the otter sighed.
"Of course," Tyler huffed, already over it. "Then what are you gonna do?"
"Leave. Tonight," Boris answered with a bit of wariness lacing his intonation.
"What? Really?"
"Yes. I have to make those kills for Absalom, and now that they're trailing me, I'll need to stay on the move."
"What about your family?" Tyler queried. "They'll be worried sick."
"Heh," Boris smiled sadly. "If only . . ."
"And . . . what about us? Are you just going to leave us? Me?"
"No. You're coming with me." He nodded toward a dark red suitcase that sat at the foot of the bed. It had already been prepared for a trip and Tyler could see a black garment sticking out of the zipper.
"What?! Why?!" Tyler raised his voice again.
"Because I already told you about all of this, and a lot more animals could die if I let you go around telling everyone!" Plus, I'll eventually have to . . .
"What if I promise not to?"
"Ugh . . . I can't risk it. You're coming with me."
"And then what?"
"I don't know."