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“Now, what should I make for lunch?” I said happily as I rummaged through the contents of my cabinets. I had a variety of pastas and canned foods, along with boxes of rice and a few types of hot cereal. In the end I decided to go with something simple- a tuna sandwich. I pulled out a can of tuna and put it on the counter, then I went to the fridge to grab everything else I needed. Mayonnaise, sweet relish, mustard, tomato, and red onion. Next, I went to my cupboards and retrieved a bowl. I grabbed a can opener, a fork, a knife, and a spoon from my silverware drawer and took everything to the counter. I reached under the sink to grab a cutting-board and set it next to my laptop, and I eyed the screen for a moment.

“You still there BEN?” I asked curiously, and I watched the screen closely while I waited for his response. For some reason, it no longer bothered me that BEN could see and hear everything I did. Either I still hadn't recovered from my shock, or the effects of my dream hadn't worn off yet. When BEN finally responded, I put a hand on my keyboard to engage in a short conversation.

BEN: Yeah, I'm still here.
BEN: What are you making?

Me: Tuna sandwich.

BEN: Alright, then what's with the tomato and the onion?

Me: I dice the onion and put it in the tuna, and I slice the tomato to put between the tuna and the bread.

BEN: Alright.
BEN: Speaking of, you didn't grab any bread.

Me: Yeah, I must've forgotten to grab it. Hold on a tick.

BEN: Okay.

With that I paused my conversation with BEN to get the bread out of the fridge. I quickly retrieved two slices and popped them in the toaster, then I put the bread back in the fridge and turned my attention back to BEN.

Me: Thank you for reminding me, saved me a good five minutes.

BEN: Your welcome, but why did you put the bread in the toaster?

Me: To toast it obviously~

BEN: I see that, but why?

Me: I like my bread toasted. The change in texture works well with the tuna and the tomato.

BEN: Ah, alright. I'll have to try it sometime.

I smiled and went back to making my lunch. I opened the can of tuna and drained it in the sink, then I grabbed a paper-towel and pressed it into the tuna to get the rest of the fluid out. I put the tuna in the bowl and threw the can away, then I opened the mayo and put a spoonful of it in the tuna. I rinsed the spoon and opened the relish, and put two spoonfuls in the tuna. I washed the spoon again and left it in the sink, then I closed the mayo and relish. Then I grabbed the mustard and put some in the tuna, and afterwards I put the mayo, relish, and mustard away. I mixed the tuna with the fork to blend everything, then I grabbed the onion and put it on the cutting-board. I took the knife and cut the onion into fourths, then took about three layers of onion off of one of the fourths and diced it. I mixed the onion into the tuna, then rinsed my knife off and grabbed the tomato. I cut two slices off the tomato and cut those slices in half- at around that time the bread finished toasting. I grabbed the toast and a paper plate, and proceeded to put my sandwich together. I spread about one third of the tuna on a piece of toast, then arranged the tomato slices on top of the tuna so that I could have a little of everything with each bite. Then, I put the other piece of toast on top, and I took a bite. Then BEN decided to speak up.

BEN: How does it taste?

I finished off my bite of food and put my sandwich down to type up a reply- I didn't want to talk while I was eating.

Me: Tastes good. I like tuna.

BEN: You're very efficient while cooking.
BEN: How many recipes do you know?

Me: That depends. Do you mean legit recipes, or personal recipes?

I looked away from the screen for a moment to take another bite of my sandwich, then I turned my attention back to BEN.

BEN: Both.

Me: Well, I've only got a few recipes memorized, and their pretty simple. But I have three or four dozen personal recipes that I've written down, and another hundred or so recipes I've collected elsewhere.

BEN: So you must like cooking.

Me: Yes, but I get into moods where if I do so much as look at the stove I want to break it. I live off of snack foods those days.

BEN: Interesting
BEN: Hey, I have to go for a little while. A, friend of mine is calling me.

Me: Alright. Um, tell them I said “Hi”.

BEN: Are you being serious?

Me: Yeah. I mean, why not? They already know about me.

BEN: Strange woman indeed.
BEN: See you in a little while Fae.

Me: K, BEN, see you later.

With that BEN got off for a while, and I was left to finish my food without his company. So I finished off my sandwich and put the leftovers in the fridge for later, then I went about the business of deciding what to do until BEN got back on. In the end, I decided that it was high time I spent some bonding time with Mai. So I put my laptop back in the living-room and plugged it back in, then I walked over to Mai's cage to get her.

“Hey there Mai-Mai, you wanna take a shower with me?” I asked gently as I took my snake out of her cage, and I had her wrap around my shoulders so that I could carry her to the bathroom. Once there, I set her in the tub, then I walked into my room to grab some clean clothes. I grabbed a green tee shirt and a pair of shorts, along with some underwear, then I went back to the bathroom. I closed and locked my bathroom door out of instinct, then I stripped down and stepped into the tub. I picked Mai up and put her around my shoulders, then I grabbed the shower-head and turned on the water. I had one of those bathtubs made for people who like to sit down while they shower, so it was as if there was a chair built into the wall- so naturally, I sat down. Then I got to work on washing Mai, and in the process, I cleaned myself. I knew if anyone was to find out they'd think I was crazy, or worse, that I was doing something perverse things with Mai. But the reality of it is that I felt comfortable with the snake wrapped around my waist and shoulders- and having the warm water clash with her naturally cold body- it was just a strange sense of comfort. Like pressing ice to a fresh burn, or applying medicine to a rash- having Mai with me in the shower just felt nice. There was nothing extra to add- its incredible how deeply I'm attached to the reptile

Cleaning the snake was easy enough, especially when she'd move so that I could wash her properly. I only needed a washcloth and for the shower-head to be set on rainwater. Mai would slither around me as I wiped her scales off, and she would move under the water to clean off when I held the shower-head up to my shoulders. She knew what I was doing, and I knew that she enjoyed being in the shower. I stopped before the water could run cold to prevent Mai from getting uncomfortable, then I dried her off with a towel and put her on the floor while I dried and dressed myself. Afterwards, I picked her back up and carried her out into the kitchen- I had a little something in the fridge for her to eat, but it had to be boiled first. I pulled out Mai's snack and set it on the counter, then grabbed a pot, filled it with water, and put it on the stove to boil. As for the snack, it was a baby goat- I'd put it in the freezer about a week before I decided to contact BEN. It was whole, unskinned, ungutted- basically looked like it'd thrown it in the freezer while it was still alive. But it was dead when I froze it- I strangled it beforehand. Sounds cruel, but hey, I don't particularly care about goats. Once the water his a rapid boil, I took the goat out of the bag I'd put it in and I dumped it directly into the water, then I set the timer for half an hour. The goat wouldn't cook or thaw completely in that time, but once it was out it would have warmed all the way through and hit just the right temperature for Mai's consumption.

Once the goat was on the boil, all I had to do was wait, so I decided to get on my laptop and work on one of my stories- one of my more private stories. Mai stayed wrapped snugly around my shoulders as I made my way back to the living-room and sat on the couch, but once I sat down she snaked her way down my back to lie on the sofa next to me- her head was on my thigh. I opened my laptop and slipped it onto my lap so that I could rummage through my files, but as soon as I opened my document manager, I froze. Every one of my files had been renamed, and all of my organization folders had been deleted. I quickly scrolled to the first file to open it- it was a story I'd finished three years ago that had been saved to my “F” folder. I clicked the next one to find that it was a poem I'd saved to my “L” folder. I clicked a few more, and my suspicion that everything was in random order had been confirmed. To say that I started to freak out, would have been an understatement- and when I started to try to rename and reorganize my files, things only got worse. Every time I tried to rename a file, a message popped up saying that it wasn't allowed. I was able to create folders and give them titles, but whenever I tried to move a file to the folder, a message popped up saying that the action was forbidden. I could feel another panic attack creeping up on me, and seeing as I doubted my arm could handle another attack with a knife, I thought it would be best to take some medicine for it. Speaking of- I checked my arm because I suddenly noticed that it hurt, and I saw that it was bleeding again. I was up and off of the couch before Mai had a chance to move her head.

I rushed into the kitchen to bandage my arm. I grabbed some gauze and some tape from under the sink, and I wrapped my injury. Then I walked to my bathroom to grab a small bottle of pills from the medicine cabinet. They were a special type of pill- they acted a lot like pot. Whenever I took them I got hungry and became really mellow- someone could have put a gun in my face and I wouldn't have minded. I took a pill out of the bottle and put the bottle back in the cabinet, then I went back into the kitchen to retrieve some ice cream from the freezer. For starters, I hated taking pills of any kind- I always felt like I was choking after I took them. So I started putting pills in spoonfuls of sherbet whenever I had to take them, it made them easier to swallow and I didn't think that I was choking afterwards. As for the effects of the medicine, in a sense I guess they helped at times. I've been called anorexic because of how seldom I eat and such, so whenever I go a long period of time without eating because I'm not hungry, I take a pill so that I will eat. Since they also mellow me out- make me calm and relaxed- I tend to take them whenever I go to really loud and crowded places so that I won't have a panic attack. That being said, they are useful, but I still hate them. I've never believed in pills- yes, its hypocritical for me to take them, but if I found a means of fixing my issues without them, I'd ditch the medicine in a heartbeat.

So I downed the pill with a spoon-full of ice cream and I sat down to wait for it to take effect- it only took three minutes. Not long after, the timer went off, and I removed the goat from the pot of water to let it finish thawing and cool. I set the timer for twenty five minutes then went back into the living-room to get back to trying to see what was up with my files. Since I'd mellowed out thanks to the pill, I wouldn't have to worry about having a panic attack. I continued to try and reorganize all of my files- in vain- until the timer went off again signaling that it was time for me to feed Mai her snack. So I grabbed my beloved snake and carried her out into the kitchen to feed her. I set her on the floor- I noticed the knife I'd left there and decided I'd better pick it up- then I put the goat on the ground and watched as she chowed down. I've always liked watching serpents swallow their food whole, but thanks to the pill watching Mai eat wasn't as exciting as it usually was. Once she was fed I took her and put her back in her cage to rest for a bit- I'd have to leave her alone for a few hours to let the food settle in her gut. Then I went back into the kitchen and proceeded to clean up the mess I made- I disinfected everything I used and mopped the floor, then I went back into the living-room to mess with my files again. By that time it was almost five o'clock in the afternoon- and as soon as I sat back down BEN messaged me.

BEN: Hey, Fae, I'm back.

Me: Welcome back BEN.
Me: Did you mess with my files by any chance?

BEN: Yes, I did.
BEN: I did it last night while you slept, I wanted to see how you'd react.
BEN: But after seeing the panic attack you had earlier- I'd meant to fix everything before you had a chance to see what I'd done.
BEN: Thanks to my “Friends” I haven't been able to get to it.
BEN: Are you alright? Your making a strange face.

I brought my hand up to my face to rub my eyes. Another side effect of my pills was drowsiness- I rarely ever suffered from it, but I did if I took the pill within twenty-four hours after having a panic attack. So, my strange expression was me trying to fight off the urge to pass out. Great, now I had to tell BEN that I was on pills- well, he knew I had them, but not that I took them.

Me: Sorry BEN, its the pills.

BEN: Pills? You mean the ones the doctors send you every thirty-five days?

Me: Yeah, I had to take one.

BEN: Why?

Me: Because when I found my files all messed up I felt another panic attack approaching. So I took a pill to prevent it.

BEN: Fae, what exactly do those pills do?

Me: The same things pot does. They make me hungry, mellow me out, and dull whatever pain I'm in. I actually think they might be made from marijuana, because they're just to similar in effects.

BEN: They do all that? Are there any other side effects?

Me: Drowsiness, dry throat, blurred vision, memory loss, and sleep paralysis.

BEN: Don't take those pills anymore. I don't like what they do to you.

Me: BEN, I only take them when I have to. Trust me, I hate them too.

BEN: Fae. Do not take. The pills again.
BEN: Am I being clear?

Me: Yes, BEN, your being perfectly clear. But I can't not take the pills anymore.

BEN: Why?

Me: I hate saying it- believe me if I wasn't all doped up right now, I'd be literally beating myself up- but I need to take them.

Me: I'm required to attend some very loud, and very crowded events. If I tried to attend one of those without taking the pills, I'd wind up in the hospital- then I'd get even worse.

BEN: Fae.

Me: Sorry BEN, I can't not take them.
Me: If there was another way- a non drug related way- I'd ditch the pills in an instant.

BEN: Alright, I have no choice but to accept that. But that doesn't mean that I approve.

Me: That's fine.

BEN: So, I assume that you're drowsy based on how your acting.
BEN: You look about ready to faint.

Me: Oh, I might- probably will actually.

BEN: Then you'd better just lie down and sleep it off.
BEN: I'll fix your files while your asleep.

Me: K.

BEN: Go to sleep~

Me: Alright, goodnight BEN.

I was so tired because of the medicine that I didn't catch the sudden change in how BEN had said goodnight to me. Had I been able to pay attention, I would have caught the “~” at the end of the line, and I would have worried. But I hadn't caught it, so I payed it no mind. Instead, I put my laptop on the armrest and lied down on the couch. I was out cold in less then a minute. And again, I had a very strange dream...

“Welcome back princess~ You weren't gone long~” The male voice I'd heard earlier rang through my ears. I tried to move, only to realize that I couldn't- he was holding me again. I closed my eyes and sighed- I felt him run his fingers through my hair.

“Hmm~ Y'know, I like redheads~ And you, my dear, have the the perfect shade of red hair~ Crimson, like a pool of fresh blood~” He cooed, and I felt him lifting some of my long hair to his face. I don't know if he was smelling it or trying to get a better look at it, but I didn't want him messing with my hair either way. I tried to shake my head to make him let go of my hair. Instead, he put his other hand on the back of my head to hold me still.

“Come now princess, don't be like that~ Let me admire you for a while~” He chuckled, and on impulse I started to struggling in his grasp. Knowing that he wasn't a demon must have given me the will to put up a fight- that, or he wasn't trying to keep me calm anymore. If anything, he might have been using his control over my mind to make me angry.

“Let go of me.” I said calmly, and I heard and felt him chuckle again. At least he dropped my hair.

“Alright, I'll let you go~” He said with a chuckle.

“But first, I want you to close your eyes for a moment~” He said calmly, but I could still hear the amusement in his voice. Now where had I heard that statement before? As if I even need to ask myself. The last time he'd said that he'd kissed me and I woke up. If this was his idea of a game, then I didn't like it- not one bit.

“Your not going to kiss me again are you?” I asked dryly, and I felt him chuckle again before he ran his fingers through my hair- again.

“No~ I just don't want you to see me just yet~” He said calmly, and like the fool I was, I closed my eyes for him. Much to my surprise, I felt him let me go, then I heard him take a step back. As soon as he stepped away I snapped my eyes open, and to my surprise I saw that I wasn't alone anymore. Floating in the air in front of me, was a python with feathered wings. It was black and white stripped, and the feathers on its wings were also black and white- so the serpent really stood out against the seamless darkness that surrounded us.

“Who are you”-

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“Now, what should I make for lunch?” I said happily as I rummaged through the contents of my cabinets. I had a variety of pastas and canned foods, along with boxes of rice and a few types of hot cereal. In the end I decided to go with something simple- a tuna sandwich. I pulled out a can of tuna and put it on the counter, then I went to the fridge to grab everything else I needed. Mayonnaise, sweet relish, mustard, tomato, and red onion. Next, I went to my cupboards and retrieved a bowl. I grabbed a can opener, a fork, a knife, and a spoon from my silverware drawer and took everything to the counter. I reached under the sink to grab a cutting-board and set it next to my laptop, and I eyed the screen for a moment.

“You still there BEN?” I asked curiously, and I watched the screen closely while I waited for his response. For some reason, it no longer bothered me that BEN could see and hear everything I did. Either I still hadn't recovered from my shock, or the effects of my dream hadn't worn off yet. When BEN finally responded, I put a hand on my keyboard to engage in a short conversation.

BEN: Yeah, I'm still here.
BEN: What are you making?

Me: Tuna sandwich.

BEN: Alright, then what's with the tomato and the onion?

Me: I dice the onion and put it in the tuna, and I slice the tomato to put between the tuna and the bread.

BEN: Alright.
BEN: Speaking of, you didn't grab any bread.

Me: Yeah, I must've forgotten to grab it. Hold on a tick.

BEN: Okay.

With that I paused my conversation with BEN to get the bread out of the fridge. I quickly retrieved two slices and popped them in the toaster, then I put the bread back in the fridge and turned my attention back to BEN.

Me: Thank you for reminding me, saved me a good five minutes.

BEN: Your welcome, but why did you put the bread in the toaster?

Me: To toast it obviously~

BEN: I see that, but why?

Me: I like my bread toasted. The change in texture works well with the tuna and the tomato.

BEN: Ah, alright. I'll have to try it sometime.

I smiled and went back to making my lunch. I opened the can of tuna and drained it in the sink, then I grabbed a paper-towel and pressed it into the tuna to get the rest of the fluid out. I put the tuna in the bowl and threw the can away, then I opened the mayo and put a spoonful of it in the tuna. I rinsed the spoon and opened the relish, and put two spoonfuls in the tuna. I washed the spoon again and left it in the sink, then I closed the mayo and relish. Then I grabbed the mustard and put some in the tuna, and afterwards I put the mayo, relish, and mustard away. I mixed the tuna with the fork to blend everything, then I grabbed the onion and put it on the cutting-board. I took the knife and cut the onion into fourths, then took about three layers of onion off of one of the fourths and diced it. I mixed the onion into the tuna, then rinsed my knife off and grabbed the tomato. I cut two slices off the tomato and cut those slices in half- at around that time the bread finished toasting. I grabbed the toast and a paper plate, and proceeded to put my sandwich together. I spread about one third of the tuna on a piece of toast, then arranged the tomato slices on top of the tuna so that I could have a little of everything with each bite. Then, I put the other piece of toast on top, and I took a bite. Then BEN decided to speak up.

BEN: How does it taste?

I finished off my bite of food and put my sandwich down to type up a reply- I didn't want to talk while I was eating.

Me: Tastes good. I like tuna.

BEN: You're very efficient while cooking.
BEN: How many recipes do you know?

Me: That depends. Do you mean legit recipes, or personal recipes?

I looked away from the screen for a moment to take another bite of my sandwich, then I turned my attention back to BEN.

BEN: Both.

Me: Well, I've only got a few recipes memorized, and their pretty simple. But I have three or four dozen personal recipes that I've written down, and another hundred or so recipes I've collected elsewhere.

BEN: So you must like cooking.

Me: Yes, but I get into moods where if I do so much as look at the stove I want to break it. I live off of snack foods those days.

BEN: Interesting
BEN: Hey, I have to go for a little while. A, friend of mine is calling me.

Me: Alright. Um, tell them I said “Hi”.

BEN: Are you being serious?

Me: Yeah. I mean, why not? They already know about me.

BEN: Strange woman indeed.
BEN: See you in a little while Fae.

Me: K, BEN, see you later.

With that BEN got off for a while, and I was left to finish my food without his company. So I finished off my sandwich and put the leftovers in the fridge for later, then I went about the business of deciding what to do until BEN got back on. In the end, I decided that it was high time I spent some bonding time with Mai. So I put my laptop back in the living-room and plugged it back in, then I walked over to Mai's cage to get her.

“Hey there Mai-Mai, you wanna take a shower with me?” I asked gently as I took my snake out of her cage, and I had her wrap around my shoulders so that I could carry her to the bathroom. Once there, I set her in the tub, then I walked into my room to grab some clean clothes. I grabbed a green tee shirt and a pair of shorts, along with some underwear, then I went back to the bathroom. I closed and locked my bathroom door out of instinct, then I stripped down and stepped into the tub. I picked Mai up and put her around my shoulders, then I grabbed the shower-head and turned on the water. I had one of those bathtubs made for people who like to sit down while they shower, so it was as if there was a chair built into the wall- so naturally, I sat down. Then I got to work on washing Mai, and in the process, I cleaned myself. I knew if anyone was to find out they'd think I was crazy, or worse, that I was doing something perverse things with Mai. But the reality of it is that I felt comfortable with the snake wrapped around my waist and shoulders- and having the warm water clash with her naturally cold body- it was just a strange sense of comfort. Like pressing ice to a fresh burn, or applying medicine to a rash- having Mai with me in the shower just felt nice. There was nothing extra to add- its incredible how deeply I'm attached to the reptile

Cleaning the snake was easy enough, especially when she'd move so that I could wash her properly. I only needed a washcloth and for the shower-head to be set on rainwater. Mai would slither around me as I wiped her scales off, and she would move under the water to clean off when I held the shower-head up to my shoulders. She knew what I was doing, and I knew that she enjoyed being in the shower. I stopped before the water could run cold to prevent Mai from getting uncomfortable, then I dried her off with a towel and put her on the floor while I dried and dressed myself. Afterwards, I picked her back up and carried her out into the kitchen- I had a little something in the fridge for her to eat, but it had to be boiled first. I pulled out Mai's snack and set it on the counter, then grabbed a pot, filled it with water, and put it on the stove to boil. As for the snack, it was a baby goat- I'd put it in the freezer about a week before I decided to contact BEN. It was whole, unskinned, ungutted- basically looked like it'd thrown it in the freezer while it was still alive. But it was dead when I froze it- I strangled it beforehand. Sounds cruel, but hey, I don't particularly care about goats. Once the water his a rapid boil, I took the goat out of the bag I'd put it in and I dumped it directly into the water, then I set the timer for half an hour. The goat wouldn't cook or thaw completely in that time, but once it was out it would have warmed all the way through and hit just the right temperature for Mai's consumption.

Once the goat was on the boil, all I had to do was wait, so I decided to get on my laptop and work on one of my stories- one of my more private stories. Mai stayed wrapped snugly around my shoulders as I made my way back to the living-room and sat on the couch, but once I sat down she snaked her way down my back to lie on the sofa next to me- her head was on my thigh. I opened my laptop and slipped it onto my lap so that I could rummage through my files, but as soon as I opened my document manager, I froze. Every one of my files had been renamed, and all of my organization folders had been deleted. I quickly scrolled to the first file to open it- it was a story I'd finished three years ago that had been saved to my “F” folder. I clicked the next one to find that it was a poem I'd saved to my “L” folder. I clicked a few more, and my suspicion that everything was in random order had been confirmed. To say that I started to freak out, would have been an understatement- and when I started to try to rename and reorganize my files, things only got worse. Every time I tried to rename a file, a message popped up saying that it wasn't allowed. I was able to create folders and give them titles, but whenever I tried to move a file to the folder, a message popped up saying that the action was forbidden. I could feel another panic attack creeping up on me, and seeing as I doubted my arm could handle another attack with a knife, I thought it would be best to take some medicine for it. Speaking of- I checked my arm because I suddenly noticed that it hurt, and I saw that it was bleeding again. I was up and off of the couch before Mai had a chance to move her head.

I rushed into the kitchen to bandage my arm. I grabbed some gauze and some tape from under the sink, and I wrapped my injury. Then I walked to my bathroom to grab a small bottle of pills from the medicine cabinet. They were a special type of pill- they acted a lot like pot. Whenever I took them I got hungry and became really mellow- someone could have put a gun in my face and I wouldn't have minded. I took a pill out of the bottle and put the bottle back in the cabinet, then I went back into the kitchen to retrieve some ice cream from the freezer. For starters, I hated taking pills of any kind- I always felt like I was choking after I took them. So I started putting pills in spoonfuls of sherbet whenever I had to take them, it made them easier to swallow and I didn't think that I was choking afterwards. As for the effects of the medicine, in a sense I guess they helped at times. I've been called anorexic because of how seldom I eat and such, so whenever I go a long period of time without eating because I'm not hungry, I take a pill so that I will eat. Since they also mellow me out- make me calm and relaxed- I tend to take them whenever I go to really loud and crowded places so that I won't have a panic attack. That being said, they are useful, but I still hate them. I've never believed in pills- yes, its hypocritical for me to take them, but if I found a means of fixing my issues without them, I'd ditch the medicine in a heartbeat.

So I downed the pill with a spoon-full of ice cream and I sat down to wait for it to take effect- it only took three minutes. Not long after, the timer went off, and I removed the goat from the pot of water to let it finish thawing and cool. I set the timer for twenty five minutes then went back into the living-room to get back to trying to see what was up with my files. Since I'd mellowed out thanks to the pill, I wouldn't have to worry about having a panic attack. I continued to try and reorganize all of my files- in vain- until the timer went off again signaling that it was time for me to feed Mai her snack. So I grabbed my beloved snake and carried her out into the kitchen to feed her. I set her on the floor- I noticed the knife I'd left there and decided I'd better pick it up- then I put the goat on the ground and watched as she chowed down. I've always liked watching serpents swallow their food whole, but thanks to the pill watching Mai eat wasn't as exciting as it usually was. Once she was fed I took her and put her back in her cage to rest for a bit- I'd have to leave her alone for a few hours to let the food settle in her gut. Then I went back into the kitchen and proceeded to clean up the mess I made- I disinfected everything I used and mopped the floor, then I went back into the living-room to mess with my files again. By that time it was almost five o'clock in the afternoon- and as soon as I sat back down BEN messaged me.

BEN: Hey, Fae, I'm back.

Me: Welcome back BEN.
Me: Did you mess with my files by any chance?

BEN: Yes, I did.
BEN: I did it last night while you slept, I wanted to see how you'd react.
BEN: But after seeing the panic attack you had earlier- I'd meant to fix everything before you had a chance to see what I'd done.
BEN: Thanks to my “Friends” I haven't been able to get to it.
BEN: Are you alright? Your making a strange face.

I brought my hand up to my face to rub my eyes. Another side effect of my pills was drowsiness- I rarely ever suffered from it, but I did if I took the pill within twenty-four hours after having a panic attack. So, my strange expression was me trying to fight off the urge to pass out. Great, now I had to tell BEN that I was on pills- well, he knew I had them, but not that I took them.

Me: Sorry BEN, its the pills.

BEN: Pills? You mean the ones the doctors send you every thirty-five days?

Me: Yeah, I had to take one.

BEN: Why?

Me: Because when I found my files all messed up I felt another panic attack approaching. So I took a pill to prevent it.

BEN: Fae, what exactly do those pills do?

Me: The same things pot does. They make me hungry, mellow me out, and dull whatever pain I'm in. I actually think they might be made from marijuana, because they're just to similar in effects.

BEN: They do all that? Are there any other side effects?

Me: Drowsiness, dry throat, blurred vision, memory loss, and sleep paralysis.

BEN: Don't take those pills anymore. I don't like what they do to you.

Me: BEN, I only take them when I have to. Trust me, I hate them too.

BEN: Fae. Do not take. The pills again.
BEN: Am I being clear?

Me: Yes, BEN, your being perfectly clear. But I can't not take the pills anymore.

BEN: Why?

Me: I hate saying it- believe me if I wasn't all doped up right now, I'd be literally beating myself up- but I need to take them.

Me: I'm required to attend some very loud, and very crowded events. If I tried to attend one of those without taking the pills, I'd wind up in the hospital- then I'd get even worse.

BEN: Fae.

Me: Sorry BEN, I can't not take them.
Me: If there was another way- a non drug related way- I'd ditch the pills in an instant.

BEN: Alright, I have no choice but to accept that. But that doesn't mean that I approve.

Me: That's fine.

BEN: So, I assume that you're drowsy based on how your acting.
BEN: You look about ready to faint.

Me: Oh, I might- probably will actually.

BEN: Then you'd better just lie down and sleep it off.
BEN: I'll fix your files while your asleep.

Me: K.

BEN: Go to sleep~

Me: Alright, goodnight BEN.

I was so tired because of the medicine that I didn't catch the sudden change in how BEN had said goodnight to me. Had I been able to pay attention, I would have caught the “~” at the end of the line, and I would have worried. But I hadn't caught it, so I payed it no mind. Instead, I put my laptop on the armrest and lied down on the couch. I was out cold in less then a minute. And again, I had a very strange dream...

“Welcome back princess~ You weren't gone long~” The male voice I'd heard earlier rang through my ears. I tried to move, only to realize that I couldn't- he was holding me again. I closed my eyes and sighed- I felt him run his fingers through my hair.

“Hmm~ Y'know, I like redheads~ And you, my dear, have the the perfect shade of red hair~ Crimson, like a pool of fresh blood~” He cooed, and I felt him lifting some of my long hair to his face. I don't know if he was smelling it or trying to get a better look at it, but I didn't want him messing with my hair either way. I tried to shake my head to make him let go of my hair. Instead, he put his other hand on the back of my head to hold me still.

“Come now princess, don't be like that~ Let me admire you for a while~” He chuckled, and on impulse I started to struggling in his grasp. Knowing that he wasn't a demon must have given me the will to put up a fight- that, or he wasn't trying to keep me calm anymore. If anything, he might have been using his control over my mind to make me angry.

“Let go of me.” I said calmly, and I heard and felt him chuckle again. At least he dropped my hair.

“Alright, I'll let you go~” He said with a chuckle.

“But first, I want you to close your eyes for a moment~” He said calmly, but I could still hear the amusement in his voice. Now where had I heard that statement before? As if I even need to ask myself. The last time he'd said that he'd kissed me and I woke up. If this was his idea of a game, then I didn't like it- not one bit.

“Your not going to kiss me again are you?” I asked dryly, and I felt him chuckle again before he ran his fingers through my hair- again.

“No~ I just don't want you to see me just yet~” He said calmly, and like the fool I was, I closed my eyes for him. Much to my surprise, I felt him let me go, then I heard him take a step back. As soon as he stepped away I snapped my eyes open, and to my surprise I saw that I wasn't alone anymore. Floating in the air in front of me, was a python with feathered wings. It was black and white stripped, and the feathers on its wings were also black and white- so the serpent really stood out against the seamless darkness that surrounded us.

“Who are you”-