"Sorry Yo, I didn't mean to upset you."

"No you're right. My ass and my stupidity still dealing with Nicholas and the Gypsies got me into trouble and this time, jail."

"Here," Jeanette handed Yokushi a long robe, "I've gotten the basic form sketched so I think we can call it quits for today at least."

"Okay," He slipped out from under the sheet he used as drape around his body, wrapping himself in the long warm terry cloth. Wanting to change the subject of Nicholas, Yokushi shifted the focus to her, "So how's the job going?"

"When it doesn't interfere with my painting fine," She laughed but Yokushi knew she wasn't kidding for he knew Jeanette thought of her art as part of her religion that showed her faith, how was beyond him, but if it made her happy that was all it was really about.

"I'm sure if it did interfere you'd quit."

"Nope, can't quit, it pays for fresh paint and canvas. It hasn't been too insane lately but the bar is expanding so business will pick up. Even tonight they are starting with the open mike thing. Can't believe some people have balls to get up there and make fools out of themselves. "

"Actually that sounds like fun to watch."

"What about you?"

"What me get up on stage...no way...no how...can't sing."

"Not that, do you have a job?"

"My probation officer actually assigned me a job, with regular pay and everything. Terribly responsible dontcha know."

"Dare I ask?"

"Actually, you are going to freak. I'll be working at the art museum."

"Holy god, doing what?"

"Well she said she saw my aptitude with computers. I am going to be logging artwork into a new database. Little did she know my computer aptitude was for pure thieving purposes only."

"How'd she pull that off for someone with a record? no offense."

          "None taken, I thought the same thing. I think it's her way of testing me, to see if I'm on the straight and narrow. Akimi, is a strange one,

           she is almost like the Japanese military, so in control and Ms. Discipline. Its a wonder she doesn't want me to study Budo or something,

           you know traditional Japanese shit," he mockingly stood in the martial arts positions he has seen on television, which drew

           laughter from  Jeanette. "Hell, she knows I'd be tempted to steal some of that stuff. But just to piss her samurai butt off I won't"

"You rebel you. When's your first day?"

"Tomorrow why?"

"Because I am going with you that's why! Like you or her could keep me from going."

"Should I, or the museum be worried?"

"Only if you didn't let me go with you."

"Maybe my probation officer should be worried about you."

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"Okay I know it's not wise to piss off a woman, especially a red head," he winked at her

"Good boy, go ahead and get dressed I'm going to crash before work tonight and you call me before you leave tomorrow for work."

"Yes mame." As he mockingly salutes her as if she had taken Akimi's place for Ms. Discipline, she throws his jeans in his face laughing.

-2-

As they walked towards the museum Yokushi knew Jeanette was excited, so he tried to keep a brisk pace to hide his apprehension. An eight hour a day job, enclosed within an office, and responsibility. Why did this worry him so. Isn't this what he wanted? Stability? Not needing Nicholas or the streets. Why was he wanting to run? Freedom. Could he truly be free of anything anymore? If not Nicholas he had to be accountable to, now it was the museum. God he was scared.

"So is this going to be your regular working hours afternoon to evening?"

"Yeah, I guess they think more can get done while there are less people in the museum."

           "Sounds logical, if you were in the main part, but aren't you going to be in another part of the museum."

"Don't know," He shrugs it off as he holds the front door for her entering the front of the building.

Going up to the security desk, "Hi, name's Yokushi Shimna, I am here for my first day in the archives. I've filled out all the paper work except for the ID badge thing, do I need one?"

"Here take this temporary badge until we get you your official one. My name is Ted, for the most part I am night shift here at the morgue. Security will let you in but you will have to lock up afterwards. Just make sure all is secure, we will make our rounds and stuff but it would just make my life easier. Besides anything comes up missing comes out of your pay, not mine."

"Now that is an incentive."

"Tell me about it. And how about your friend here?"

"I know she is probably not allowed in with me, but she is an artist and she would love to see where I work."

"That's fine but don't let too many friends come in okay...remember..."

"Yeah anything comes up missing it is my fault."

"You got the idea and we do have cameras here in the main sections and around the more expensive exhibits, here wear this visitor pass. Follow me and I will show you to the dungeon."

"Dungeon?" Yokushi held back slightly having not to pleasant memories of prison triggered by that word.

"We call it that for fun, don't worry." Ted showed them both to the archive room. As Jeanette walked in she let the smell of the old paint and plaster take her imagination. Yokushi walked behind her as if she was his tour guide into the past. Art hung from the walls, stood stacked upright gently one against the other and waited patiently for new eyes to one day appreciate them once again.

          "Wow, I wish I had time to help you go through all this. This is insane."

Already feeling the walls enclose around him, he decided to focus on work so hopefully the time here would go faster. "Well you go and play nicely in the art and I'll work on the computer, see what all I have to set up."

"Sure thing."

"Thanks Ted."

"No problem, just give me a call if you need anything." The door slammed shut.

"Okay," Yokushi sat at the computer not really interested in the artwork, for the number of pieces alone that surrounded him began to overwhelm him and the closing of the door still rang in this ears.

"Yo, this is amazing some of these pieces are ancient, paintings as well as statues. Gods look at this stuff."

"Mmm, ancient art, maybe that is why they are in a museum?" Humor, he thought, keep humor and maybe keep sanity.

"Smart ass."

Jeanette worked her way down one wall towards some covered pieces, her senses open trying to feel her way through the history. Slowly she came upon a large covered statue the marble pedestal peaking out from one corner, tempting her.

"What's this I spy with my little eye, " she lifted the cover and read the inscription: " Thorn Vancanis, Whose beauty and art will last forever."

           She pulled the rest of the tarp from the statue and gasped as the life like eyes caught hers. Yokushi looked up to see what was

           wrong but once he look onto the statue he couldn't look away. 'Holy shit,' he thought.

"I've never seen anything so life like. Oh my god, they've used human hair," she ran her fingers thought the black silken strands, " glass eyes I think, and real clothes; shirt, trousers and even boots. This doesn't look like a statue, looks more like a store manikins, but the date on it, 1795. I don't think they used manikin then...did they? At least not this life like. This is amazing. Yo come look at this."

With out thinking, he forcefully broke the hold the statue had on him, "No, sorry, work to do lady," his body wanted to go over there almost yearned to go over, but he forced his eyes down to the computer screen. 'God this place is gonna drive me insane,' he thought.

"This artist put so much feeling into it, he seems almost in pain. Thorn Vancanis, I don't remember any artist of that name, but the way he is standing it is almost as if he is ready to start dancing, I wonder who he was."

"May be there is something in the data here about it, I will tell you if I find it." He started to go through some of the papers and files next to the computer as if he were truely searching, not just hiding from those eyes.

"Goddess he is beautiful, so much yearning...don't you feel it?"

"Nope it's just you witchy poo"

Jeanette looked down at her watch, "Damn, I've gotta go." She gathered her things and headed for the door, "Come by the bar after work, k?" She turned to look back at the statue, something calling to her...

"Sure, not going to do too much tonight just setting up the basic filing systems and junk, at least that is what the paper work says to do for tonight."

           "See ya," she had to break the spell, had to leave...had to...the door closed behind her and the sound rang in Yokushi's ears as if it was

            sealing him within the room forever with that...statue...those eyes. He tried to keep working but gradually he felt more and more like he

            was being watched. He looked up and scanned the room for video cameras. None. Strange he thought no video in here.

            A few of the paintings were facing him, but the only one that was truly looking at him was the statue.

Hours went by, as he forced his fingers to work. Music, god how he wished he had a radio or a CD player down here. It would distract him enough that he would be able to drown out the...eyes. Definitely had to bring one tomorrow. Yokushi at one point had to stop, for each time he tried to input data he lost his place, he had to put it in twice...three times...four. He stopped, stood and stretched. 'Okay,' he thought, 'this is getting me no where.'

He could hear his own breathing, feel and almost hear his own heart beat. Then there were faint noises, he dismissed them as probably rats or something, but then the noises almost took on vague tones, then speech. He turned tried to focus in on where these noises were coming from. The statue.

He knew no one was in the room with him, he would brave it and go over to see what was un-nerving him about this thing. Getting closer, he studied the figure, but this only fueled his imagination, his uneasiness. He saw the statue dancing, reaching out to him, pulling him in. He shook his head. Climbing up onto the pedestal, heart pounding, he felt stupid but he heard himself say, "Stop looking at me!" But now being so close he felt his hands move over the statues chest and up to it's face touching lightly it's soft black hair. "I wonder if you were real or just someone's wet dream." Words whispered into his mind, 'real...I...am real.' He jumped back, shocked.

"Now I'm hearing things, damn it I am so screwed up I am hearing a statue talk and Christ I think I'm getting turned on by it." he began to laugh, but before he could get away, he found himself moving closer to the statues face having the overwhelming desire to kiss it.

        "Hey Sleeping Beauty, if I kiss you, could you then help me escape me, this life? this city? Nicholas?" He closed his eyes and broke

        the spell of the statue, "God I need therapy and a drink. I'm pathetic acting like fucking Cinderella, wanting a statue to be my knight in

        shinning armor. Damn." He jumped down and gathered his coat. "See ya tomorrow Thorn."

He couldn't turn around, he had to leave then and there or he would be caught by those eyes again. He waved at the security officer on his way out and he headed for Jeanette's bar. The emotions mixed in him to the point he didn't know what he was feeling. Heat rose within him as he imagined himself with the statue. In his mind he made the statue move, reach out grab him and possess him. The vision made him painfully aware of how lonely he felt. Within his own imagination, he let his instincts find his way down each street and alley way towards the bar. Automatic pilot was a good thing.

One more street over and he would be there, but he stopped he didn't want to dream he was creating to end in the reality of the bar just yet so he leaned up against the wall of the alley way to feed his fantasy a little more. Lighting a cigarette illuminated his little area of the alley for an instant. He took the nicotine in allowing it to calm him before slowly blowing the white smoke into the night. Relaxed and supported by the wall his mind turned to the statue again. He wondered if it were created due to inspiration of a living man, how that man would have been. He looked as if he were rich, maybe a prince. Was he cruel? Was he loved? Hated? Yokushi doubted such a man would have thought twice about him. His lips encircled the cigarette to draw another drag when he felt he wasn't alone in the alley. His eyes shot around searching for anyone else.

"Whose there?"

One eye reflected his ember of light, as the stranger walked from the shadows.

        "Didn't mean to freak you out, can I bum a cig from ya?" The young man was definitely not one to blend into a crowd. Yokushi

        fumbled with the pack trying to pop loose one cig. He was definitely taken aback by the stranger.

"Here," he watched as the stranger leaned in to get a light, Yokushi noticed he only had one eye the left one was covered by a leather patch. The light also showed the color of the man's hair, shock red, shaved on the sides yet so long that the length covered the sides when he moved. He stayed within the light and looked up, breathing in the smoke as if sniffing the air.

"Thanks man, " The young man smiled then moved back and picking up a guitar case slowly made his way to the bar.

'Oh yeah, open mike,' he thought. The night was getting stranger by the minute.

 

-3-

            The words whisper into his mind. "Real...I ....am real" Blue moon light fell through the darkness landing on the form of the statue.

            The  inscription seemed to radiate light from within, its words aglow and burning into Yokushi's mind...Whose art and beauty will last

             forever. He moved toward the statue suddenly his way blocked by bars that sprung up in front of him. He tried to walk around them

            but each time bars blocked his way, until the statue was enclosed. He looked to the statue's pedestal, this time a small stream of deep

            crimson blood flowed over the statue's name. He walked around trying to see where the blood was coming from. It was bleeding

            from it's back, it's clothes caked and sticking to its surface. The blood from the statue began to pool, and move, swirling in front of him.

            It gained in mass, grew to tower him forming and re shaping into a duplicate of the statue. Yokushi instinctively moved away from it.

             It moved it's arm in a liquid gesture reaching out as to lure Yokushi back. Yokushi watched as the duplicate began to move in

            sweeping motions as if to communicate to him something. He felt himself wanting to join it and as if it heard his yearning it came

             to him stopping suddenly inches from his body.

Yokushi looked up into the still handsome face of the duplicate, it leaned in as if to kiss Yokushi, his eyes began to close in anticipation. Without warning a stabbing pain pierced his back as he screamed the duplicate returned to it's original form. Blood flowed free over Yokushi, showering him in crimson. He sat up screaming into his room, reverberating through the walls.

 

-4-

Minutes later, the phone rang, making Yokushi jump back towards the wall, he reached for it.

"Hello?"

"Yokushi, it's me, I just had a dream, I need talk about it." It was Jeanette.

"mm...okay, let me mmm...get some clothes on, do you want me to come up?"

"What's wrong...wait you had a dream too, didn't you."

"Yeah and s...stop using that intuition shit on me. "

"Yo, listen I am not trying to freak you out I just feel the need to tell you of my dream, warn you."

"Warn me?"

        "I know you don't belive in spirits, but I believe there is a spirit attached to that statue in a way I have never felt before. And in my

        dream it reached out for you, and in doing so more shadows came and surrounded you both. I am trying to figure it out what it means,

         but without researching that name I don't want to guess. "

"Researching the name?"

"Yeah, I'm going to go to the library later and then online to look up anything on the family of Vancanis. See if any in the craft know of em. I really don't think it was a painter or sculptor."

"Oh, great my luck it'll be some psychopathic serial killer."

"Why do you say that?"

"My dream the statue bled from it's back like it was stabbed, and the blood..." he stopped himself not knowing if he should tell her about how he was attracted to the figure of blood, how he wanted to help it and how something else stabbed him in the back with pain enough to wake him. "There was a lot of blood."

"There was blood in my dream too, but it wasn't the statue who was bleeding."

"Say what?" he shivered.

"You were bleeding from your neck, and there were so many shadows surrounding you. Please Yo, when you go to work this afternoon, cover that statue up that will at least give you a minor protection. I want to make a charm for you, to keep you from harm."

"But I don't believe in that stuff."

"Then why are you scared?"

How did she?

          "Besides there are things out there Yokushi that don't care if you believe in them or not they exist and they can effect you."

"That's a cheery thought, alright all right I will cover it. Hell I need to get some work done anyway, can't do it with him watching me."

Yokushi's use of words to make the statue alive made Jeanette uneasy. "Take care. I'll see you tonight, stop by the bar."

"Don't I always?"


 

-5-

The door closing behind him made him move further into the room, as if it physically pushed him in. The statue was how he left it, staring and in a gesture of calling, why he felt it wouldn't be just like that he didn't know. He moved quickly to the tarp, grabbing it up with all intentions of covering those eyes. He wanted to do it fast so he wouldn't be caught in it's gaze. Yet when he jumped up to the pedestal he heard the voice again.

'No...please....free'

          He was caught, the eyes pulled him in, he dropped the tarp and leaned into the statue, trying to get his balance. Images from his dream

          came back to him. The blood running down it's back but this time there was no way bars could come between him and the statue,

         he had to know. His curiosity moved his hands to unbutton the shirt, and slowly move it to the point he could slip a hand in, feeling

        the sensual smoothness of the statue, which now to him didn't feel like stone at all. As his hand wrapped around it's body he had to

        move his body closer. Then he found it, a hole, a wound just where he dreamed it would be. But there was something more

        something in the wound that didn't feel like the rest of the statue. He moved and pulled the shirt up then down over it's shoulders.

        There to the left of the spine and under the left shoulder blade a wooden rod about half inch in diameter and just slightly protruding from

        the body of the statue like it was cut off from a longer rod. He had the impish urge to pull it out but there wasn't enough to get a hand hold

        on it. Pliers. That might work. He ran with the idea totally forgetting Jeanette's warning and his dream. When he came back he didn't

        hesitate maneuvering himself to get the best leverage, he wrapped the jaws of the pliers around the rod and pulled hard.

        White fire pain ripped through his back threatening to explode through his chest. As he fell backwards off the pedestal he saw the rod

        fall past his head covered with fresh blood. Darkness.