Continuation of Jennifer

         I turned around to look at what I had done. Smoke was seeping out from underneath the door, flames danced in the windows.
         "What did you do?" I thought.
         "Ha, I did what you don't have the guts to do, I took care of the problem." The voice in my head responded.
         His name was Jack, my life would be so much simpler without him.
         "No, you would barely have a life without me, fuckhead." Jack said. "You need me."
         I sighed and, started walking to my car parked across the street. I got into the driver's seat and, looked at Charles. He was sitting in the passenger seat, drinking some water. He was wearing a white suit with a black tie and, sun glasses that covered most of his face. He is bald and, has a black goatee. Charles was the only one who knew about Jack, about my search for Jennifer. He even helped me look for her, he was the one that found Jennifer for me.
         "How'd it go?" He asked.
         I looked down at my feet. "Same as it always does, she wasn't the one. Jack killed her." I said somberly.
         "Aww, I'm sorry." He started patting me on the back. "You'll find her one day."
         "Please tell me you don't trust this guy, it doesn't make any sense, why he would help us?" Jack said.
         "He's our only friend if we cant trust him then there will be no one else and I need his help to find Jennifer." I thought. I faintly heard Charles talking in the background.
         "You really gotta quit it with this Jennifer business even I know its unhealthy." Jack said.
         "Shut your mouth!" I yelled aloud.
         "Huh?" Charles said spilling his water.
         "Sorry, I was talking to Jack." I said, I gave Charles some napkins that were in my car.
         "Well, forget what I was saying I'll find the next one as soon as possible, goodbye." He opened the door and stepped out.
         Jack was gone, for now at least. Sometimes I'm able to get him out of my head, I drove home in silence. I live in an apartment building in the middle of the city. I always admired the doors to the building. They were oak and had exquisite scenes carved into them. My favorite was of the angel located in the middle, she made me think of Jennifer.
         "Everything does." Jack said annoyed.
         She was pointing a flaming sword to clouds, while lightning struck the ground around her creating a cage. I notice that there was dry puke in the bottom right corner, I debated on whether or not I should clean it. I decided against it. The stench of stale urine leaped into my nose, the local homeless man that lived in the alleyway next to the building seemed to have marked his territory. I walked into the building and was met immediately with the thunderous boom of dub step coming from the end of the hall. One of the other residence was pounding on the door the music was coming from. His name was Harold Farley, he was in his mid fifties and, had stayed in shape all his life. He had short greying black hair, a bushy moustache, and brown untrusting eyes. I'd seen him watching me leave a couple times, I don't think he trusted many people in this world.
         "I could always kill him, he's bound to cause trouble sooner or later." Jack said nonchalantly.
         I didn't bother responding, so many of his solutions involved killing people it was tiring after awhile. Life was tiring.
         "Maybe for someone like you fuckhead, if you just let me take the reins things would be so much easier." Jack growled.
         I sighed and, continued walking down the hall.
         "James, you asshole turn that shit off!" Harold yelled.
         The door was shaking, I half expected it to fly off it's hinges. He shot me an angry look, scowled and then went back to screaming. I went up the stairs to the second floor, on the way there I bumped into Jessica. She was in her twenties, her blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail, she was wearing a tank top and, black pajama pants covered in skulls. She was a good person from what I could tell of course, she'd also told me she hated dumb people so it's hard to be sure. I'm kind of surprised she didn't hate me for that reason.
         "Just give her time, she'll wise up." Jack said.
         He was probably right. Her piercing blue eyes met mine.
         "Hey Phil, what a bunch of fucking idiots." She said.
         It had started out as a cheerful greeting but, had been drowned out by the frustration in her voice. She rushed passed me. I went down the hall to apartment seventeen and, took out my keys to the building. I started to shake uncontrollably, I dropped them, this happened every time I returned home after a failure. It felt like I was having a heart attack, I started to hyperventilate, the world started spinning. Just when I thought I was about to faint, all the feelings stopped I steadied myself, reached down and, picked up my keys. They fit snuggly in the lock, I gently pushed the door open and, went inside. The smell of vanilla greeted me, I always tried to keep a candle burning of this scent. I felt around for the light switch to my right and, flicked it on. I walked into my kitchen, on the table there was brown paper bag in it was two thousand dollars and, a picture of my most recent failure. She had a huge smile, my eyes started to water. Charles always gave me money after each failure, he said it was to cheer me up. I had requested he also give me a picture, as a memento.
         "You don't find it weird at all that he gives us all this money." Jack said.
         "Please just stop, I'm tired." I said slowly.
         I walked towards the door to my bedroom and, went to my closet behind my clothes on the wall were pictures of women, all of them were at one point Jennifer, I added a new one to the family.
         "Goodnight." I said running my hand down the wall.
         When I looked at my bed I realized how tired I was and, flopped down on top of it. I put my keys on the table next to my bed and, stripped down to my underwear. I began to stare at the ceiling.
         "You know things are never going to change, Phil." Jack said, it sounded like it pained him to tell me this. "You're stuck in a cycle of false hope, pain, and misery. Let me help you, I can fix this."
         "No." I whispered out loud.
         "Why do you keep fighting this! You know you can't last forever, I can feel you getting weaker each day. Just make this easy on yourself, I'll even give you some say, just give me control." The disdain had returned in his voice.
         With the conversation over I closed my eyes and, tried to find the little respite sleep offered. I was driving, I was talking to someone on the phone.
         "I love you." The sweet voice on the other end said.
         It was hers, Jennifer's. It felt as though an electric shock was going through my body, the colors of the world became more vivid, even the air smelled different.
         I struggled to speak. "I-I love you too." My voice cackled.
         Before I could truly take in the moment, I was awakened by the buzzing of my alarm clock going off. I slapped the snooze button on it and, laid in bed thinking about the dream. My eyes started to water.
         "Why couldn't it have been real." I thought.
         "Cause look at you fuckhead, you're pathetic. You're never going to find love you've already given up, if you think this quest for Jennifer is a quest for actual love then you're crazier than I thought. Think about when you actually tried it was nothing but excuses." Jack said. "It's a bad time, we're such good friends I wouldn't want to jeopardize that, I'm not ready for a relationship." He said with disgust. "My favorite is when there's another guy. Oh, I've known him longer, that's code for he's better than you and, really who wouldn't be." He took satisfaction in hurting me. "Now get the fuck up and get ready for work."
         The alarm on my clock went off again, and with that lovely start to my morning I jumped into the shower. My mornings were always a blur. I looked at myself in the mirror I was wearing my uniform, black pants and a purple shirt. I inspected my short blonde hair it was a little messy, I used my hand to fix it, I was to lazy to comb it. My hazel eyes stared back at me, I was clean shaven. I flexed, if I didn't Jack would bug me about it all the day, I was in pretty good shape. Jack made sure of that, he always pushed me to workout and, when the inspections was over I was ready to go to work. My occupation was cashier at the local supermarket it wasn't the most lucrative job but it was good enough. As I stepped out of my apartment building and onto the street I noticed Harold's red sedan speed pass me. I looked through his window and, just for a moment our eyes locked.
         "I know your secret." They seemed to say.
         I shook it off and started walking over to my car. On my way there I heard the high pitched voice of Harold's wife, Cindy, behind me. I turned to greet her. She was in her mid-twenties, she had brown hair and, green eyes. She looked like one of the models you'd see in magazines. She was always smiling, always laughing, as if she didn't have a care in the world. Everyone always wondered how someone like Harold could be married to Cindy. The story went that Harold used to be quite wealthy, he owned a string of successful restaurants. He had never been married, my guess was because he has always been the untrusting, grumpy, son-of-a-bitch that I know today, and one day he saw Cindy walking on the street it was love at first sight for him. Within a year they had gotten married, Cindy had come from a poor family and wasn't used to the luxurious life Harold lived. He spoiled her, there was nothing she couldn't have. Unfortunately, Harold's business went under and, all the money he had saved up had went to Cindy. When the money ran out some of those closest to Harold were worried that Cindy would leave him, they'd always suspected she was in it for the money. To their surprise she stayed with him and, has supported him through everything.
         "Hi, Phily." She gave everyone a nickname, the only thing she did was add a Y to the end of your name but, the way she said it still made it feel endearing. She was caring a basket.
         "HI." I said meekly slightly waving at her.
         I start walking in the direction of my car, when I looked down the alley next to my building. There murmuring in his sleep, cuddling a whiskey bottle was Carl. He had moved in here a couple days ago I only ever saw him in the morning, the couple times I did I left him money, I wouldn't toady I had realized he only spent it on booze. Cindy walked up next to me as I was inspected him.
         "Poor guy." She said in a hushed town so she wouldn't wake him.
         She put down the basket she had been caring next to him, it was filled with baked goods.
         I looked over at her and smiled she smiled back. As I was about to open mouth to say something Carl farted, the smell immediately found its way into our noses. Our eyes both started to water, we parted ways plugging our noses and, waving goodbye to each other. Jack was laughing hysterically. I got into my car and, drove to work. It was about a ten minute drive. In the parking lot someone cut me off and, stole the parking spot I was heading towards.
         "Fucker." Jack growled.
         After driving around the parking lot again, I found a spot even closer than the one I had originally wanted.
         "See we were lucky that guy cut us off." I thought to Jack.
         "It's the principal!" He snapped back.
         As I walked towards the store, I ran into an old acquaintance from high school.
         "This cocksucker." Phil said, as if he was saying it under his breath, when he saw him.
         "Hey, Phil." He said holding out his hand and, flashing a smile showing off his perfect white teeth.
         He was a couple inches taller than me so I had look up to look him in the eyes. He was wearing a fancy suit and tie, I'm sure they were all big name brands. As I went to shake his hand something happened, everything stopped and, I was able to peer into Jacks thoughts of what he would do if he was in control right now.
         "Hey, Dick." He said, as he shook his hand.
         "You know I prefer Richard." Richard said uncomfortably.
         "Right, right, right, sorry." Jack said unconvincingly. Throughout this scene I was watching above floating seeing my own body under someone else's control.
         "You know what, you're just the man I wanted to see, can you please follow me to my car?" Jack said more, in a commanding voice than a pleading voice.
         "Sure." Richard said, a little sheepishly.
         Jack escorted him to the car.
         "Okay, I need you to turn around, I want it to be a surprise." Jack said in a cheerful and creepy way.
         Richard did a little nervously.
         Jack opened up the passenger door and, reached into the glove box. There he pulled a hunting knife, its handle was black and, had an image of a snake wrapped around a heart its jaws clutching the top left of it, poison seeping out of its fangs.
         "Listen I have to get go-" Richard started to say.
         Before he could finish Jack had stabbed the knife in his back, he had aimed it so he wouldn't hit Richard's spine, he wanted him alive for now. Before Richard could react Jack had kicked out the back of his knee causing him to fall down. Richard rolled over on his back screaming.
         "Shhhhhhh." Jack said smiling, holding up a finger to his mouth.
         Jack got down on his knees and clutching the knife with both hands jabbed it into Richards stomach. He began twisting.
         "Why are you doing this?" Richard screamed.
         "Why the fuck do you think you have the right ask me anything?" Jack snarled.
         He took the knife out of Richard's gut and, put it to his neck.
         "Open your mouth and, stick out your tongue!" Jack's voice boomed with this command.
         At first Richard shook his head no but, once Jack started to press down on his neck he obliged. With a swift movement Jack grabbed his tongue and, cut it out.
         Richard started to make hurried gurgling sounds. Jack shoved his tongue down Richard's throat. As he was choking on it, Jack decide to go back to the cut he had already made in Richard's abdomen and, enlarge it causing his entrails to stick out. He did this while smiling and, laughing psychotically as blood sprayed all over him. He then turned up to look at me. This horrific scene cut out and, I was back to shaking Richard's hand. Something was different though, I had a smile on my face but, it was not my own it was from cheek to cheek. It held a sinister intent.
         "Hey, Dick." I said.
         With those words coming out, that were not my own I quickly regained control of my body.
         "You know I-." Richard started to say.
         "Sorry, Richard I have a friend who likes to be called Dick." I said awkwardly.
         There was a long silence.
         "Well, I have to go to work." I said hurrying past him. "Nice seeing you." I yelled over my shoulder.