Page 11 of Twisted Diaries of a Monster Groupie

Dear Diary,

Tell me again why I wanted to kidnap this guy? Note to self: even monster men can cause a girl to cuss.

XOXO – Roxy

Roxy snacked on a candy tray from the van’s delivery packages the next day while Acid went into a pawn shop to reluctantly sell his Rolex. When he stomped out like a spoiled baby he didn’t look too pleased, but he needed money and hoped it would give him enough to at least get them through a few days. It sure wasn’t going to get him any relief until payday though. He was starting to regret always blowing through his money on luxury items instead of saving for a rainy day. Right now, he was in the hurricane of his life with no lifeboat.

After he flopped into the driver’s side in a huff, he passed her a jewelry bag without so much as sharing a glance.

“What’s this?” She opened it, finding the cutest Frankenstein charm bracelet. “ Eek! It’s so cute. Is this for me?”

“It’s not much. I just thought you might like it since you didn’t get to enjoy the convention. Sort of a thank you for saving my ass.”

“I love it.” After she slipped it on with a smile, they headed toward his home. Things between them were silent until she asked, “So, why the long face?”

“They lowballed me on the watch. I was hoping to get something to pay off Donnie and get out of this mess.”

When he laid his head back on the seat with a pathetic sigh, she could see this was too much on him. Acid always seemed so confident and commanding, but it was clear to her now she looked at him through rose-colored glasses. He had problems like anyone else, and not just the celebrity crush that she’d known and loved on screen. “I could help you,” she offered.

“I doubt you can pay off the additional $100K, princess. But thanks for the offer.”

“No. Not that. After we figure this out, you could stop by my place. I can adjust your impulses in a snap. I could take care of those nasty addictions with a few tweaks to my dad’s chip, and you wouldn’t have to worry about those urges to gamble.”

He tilted his head toward her with a chuckle. “You think I’d be willing to let you tinker around in my brain with the chance you’d turn me into your freaky sex slave or something? Are you high? Was that candy you’re munching on edibles?”

That made her giggle as she checked the package to see if indeed they might have been. “Nope. Just snacks. Lame. Anyway, It’s not a bad idea. I could turn you into my little slut boy. You’d be cute in a tight pair of yellow Speedos feeding me grapes by your pool.”

“My pool?”

“Yeah.” She laughed. “You don’t think I’d stay in my dump of a shack if I could use your pretty ass to make me some dough, do you? I’d be crashing at your fancy mansion, living the high life. Then, I’d pimp you out like my Frank-n-hoe to those movie creeps. You’d made good money in the porn industry too with that big green monster between your legs.”

Acid didn’t seem amused as he looked out the window again to watch cars go by.

“Oh, come on. I’m joking. I wouldn’t hurt you… much.”

He had to finally break a smile as he closed his eyes to relax. “You’re a brat.”

“You’d love it.”

As they finally reached his vacation home, her eyes went wide. “Acid, your house is up ahead and it’s not looking good.”

“What are you talking about?...”

“Look who’s waiting for us,” she said, nodding toward the driveway as his eyes fluttered back open and sat up straight.

“Fuck! So much for paying for security.”

Standing there, leaning against a black SUV, was Donnie. His gangly figure cast a long shadow before him, and his henchmen were looking menacing on either side. They were armed to thegills and didn’t look happy to see them. She wasn’t sure if they were looking for Acid or an army invasion with how much steel they were carrying.

“Talk about overkill.” She cringed as his worried eyes flashed to her.

Seeing there was no way forward when a moving van blocked their path, Roxy slammed on the brakes, skidding to a stop just short of the driveway, andknocking over his mailbox. Unfortunately, there was no backing up in the clunker of a vehicle unless she took out a garden feature and a few palm trees.

Donnie and his men raised their guns, and her heart skipped a beat. “Oh shit.”

“Get out of the van, Green! We need to talk!” Donnie yelled.

“Not a chance! Put those guns down first!”

The men just laughed as Donnie looked around to see if they were as amused as he was. “Come on. I won’t hurt my favorite client. We have history, you and I.”

Acid knew better. As soon as he stepped from that van he was as good as Swiss cheese. But wait… Maybe that was the answer. A moving target wasn’t such a bad idea. He wouldn’t die if he wasn’t hit in the brain, so he just had to be crafty. He’d done it in the movies, why not real life? After all, he brought Roxy into this mess, and he wasn’t going to let her be target practice if he could help it.

Then he got a genius idea and shuffled through the boxes behind him. “I thought I saw one somewhere.”

“One what?” she asked. “What the hell are you looking for?”

“This!” Acid pulled a vintage military helmet from one of the delivery boxes, slapping it on his head preparing for his kamikaze mission. “Thank God for history nerds. Roxy, remember that scene in Toxic Traits where I went against the cartels and slaughtered the lot of them?”

“You’re not thinking about doing what I think you are, are you? That’s suicide!”

“You only die once… Or is it twice?”

Before she could react, Acid threw open the van door and leaped out, rolling across the pavement like a stuntman. Bullets sprayed around him, a few ringing off the brim of the metal hat. Wasn’t he smart enough to know those helmets weren’t bulletproof enough to save his ass if hit right?

She cursed him under her breath. Of course, he had to make a dramatic scene where she’d have to save his ass again. “Get back in the van, you idiot!” she shouted, but he was already up and running toward the house and fighting off several men.

One of Donnie’s goons aimed right for him, and Roxy felt her stomach drop. The shot rang out, and Acid stumbled, clutching just left of his collar as he slammed into one of the men, knocking him off his feet.

Soon, two more thugs were on his tail as blood soaked through his shirt, and it sent her into a fit of anger like nothing she’d felt before. As the metal music from the van radio seemed to get louder, her mind went to that dark place where thoughts of murder and chaos flared. It wasn’t like with Hank. No. This was seeing red, anarchy… visions of war.

“Dammit, you son of a bitch! No one hurts my man!” She gunned the engine and swerved toward the driveway, ramming the van into one of the henchmen, killing one on impact as another went flying.

When she spun the van around, she was headed to the leader himself. Donnie screamed like a little girl and his men scattered, giving her enough time to pull up beside Acid.

“Get in!” she shouted.

He winced in pain, managing to climb back into the van with one arm. “You could have hit me with this thing. I had it under control,” he groaned.

“I should have put you out of your damn misery for doing something so stupid. Do you have a second death wish, you green-skinned psycho?”

In seconds she hit the gas and was tearing out of the driveway like a pro. Another round of bullets ricocheted off the back of the van as she drove off, and they weren’t willing to wait around to see what would happen next.

Unfortunately, it was seconds before the SUVs carrying the enemy caught up to them and she wasn’t sure if they would get out of this one alive. To her annoyance, as gunshots rang out, Acid was on the passenger’s side laughing like an idiot.

“Did you get hit in the head or something?”

“This is fun! Go faster! I haven’t had this much action since filming A Monster’s Rampage. ”

She couldn’t believe he was so disconnected from reality as they sped through the city streets, dodging traffic and trying to lose Donnie’s men.

When she swerved to avoid an oncoming car, Acid groaned in the passenger seat, holding his wounded arm. “Easy on those turns, princess.”

“You’re bleeding all over the place. Find something in the back to wrap your arm.” Roxy looked over. “It’s glowing. What did my dad put in you?”

“I’m radioactive, remember. Wait until you see me glow in the dark. It’s cool as hell,” Acid said, annoyingly cheerful. Too bad you left the TV on last night or you would have seen what ol’ Acid can really do.”

“You’re lucky I don’t just hand you over to Donnie and be done with it. I can’t believe your stupid ass is enjoying this.”

“You wouldn’t dare. You like me too much.” She slammed on the breaks to make her point and, “Okay, okay! I get it. Just keep driving.”

As she weaved through traffic, the van screeched around corners and narrowly avoided fender-benders and flipping over. Now and then, a glimpse of the cars chasing them got closer in the rearview mirror making her curse under her breath. Donnie and his people were relentless, and just when she thought she’d lost them, they’d catch up again.

“I told you we should’ve gone to my place.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m a screw-up. What else is new?” Wincing as he shifted in his seat. “Fuck, this hurts.”

“If you keep bleeding like that, you’ll pass out before we even lose these assholes.”

Acid chuckled like this whole thing was a thrill ride. “I’ve been through worse. You should see how I looked before they first stitched my heart back together. This is nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. I think they hit something major. You’re going to bleed out if I don’t fix you.” She needed to get him patched up, but there was no way she could take him to a hospital. She had to figure out a way to hide them, at least for the night.

Her eyes darted to the street signs that lined the oceanside. “There’s an abandoned park ahead.”

She spotted the old park in the distance, hidden away behind a chain-link fence, growing underbrush, its rusty swings swaying in the wind. Several other vans, much like the one they were in, lined the fence as well from the business next door.

“Perfect. Hold on,” she said, yanking the wheel and veering into an alleyway where the van entrances were.

The vehicle bounced over potholes, but Roxy kept going, her eyes fixed on the park up ahead. When she looked back, she took a breath. “We lost them. We’ll lay low for a bit and make sure we’re in the clear. Meanwhile, I need to stitch you up before I have to bury your ass in that graveyard we passed.”

Acid grinned weakly. “I always knew you cared.”

Ignoring him, she pulled the van into a secluded corner of the park nearest the delivery vans, but a clear exit in case they needed it. The sun was setting and there wasn’t a soul in sight, which was exactly what she’d hoped for.

“I’m going to go to that store I saw a block back to get something to sew you up. We may have to ditch this van and find a new ride to throw Donnie off our trail.”

She opened the passenger door, dragging Acid out with her.

“I can walk, you know,” he muttered, though he winced as he tried to get out.

“Shut up and move.”

She led him toward the park’s public bathroom, and he wasn’t having it. “No way. It fucking smells like an asshole.”

“You have no choice. It’s not the most hygienic place, but it would have to do so they don’t see you if they pass the van. That or I can take you back to Donnie and he can match that hole in your shoulder with a few more.”

“No way. I’ll take the shit hole.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Once inside, Roxy kicked open the stall doors to check if anyone was there and dumped Acid onto the closest toilet seat.

“Home sweet home,” he joked, leaning his head back against the tiled wall. He was sweating now, his skin taking on a sickly hue. “I’m not doing so well, princess.”

“Just keep your eyes open. I’ll be back in five minutes. If I’m not, call for help. Here’s my cell.”

As the time rolled by it seemed like forever that she was gone. He closed his eyes seeing images of his brother coming closer into view. “I’m coming, bro. I’ll see you at the gates.”

“The hell you are,” she said as she stepped back into the bathroom. “This is going to hurt.”

“Mother fuck!” he screamed when Roxy poured a bottle of vodka directly onto the wound. He grabbed the bottle and gulped a bit down, trying to push through the pain. Even dead that shit hurts.

“Pussy.”

He hissed, gripping the edges of the bathroom stall walls, his sharp fingernails scratching at the chipped paint. “Wow, babe. You do like it rough.”

Roxy ignored his sarcasm, working quickly to clean the wound, finding the shooter hadn’t hit anything major. The bullet had gone clean through his shoulder flesh, which was lucky, but it didn’t make the process any less gruesome. Acid’s blood was a strange shade of green and oozed an odd mix of radiation and synthetic blood. How he was standing at all was a mystery.

“Why do you always have to make everything a joke?” she muttered as she wrapped his arm with the gauze.

“Because if I didn’t, this whole undead thing might drive me insane. Laughing at the absurdity of it all keeps me grounded.”

She finished tying off the bandage and sat back, studying him for a moment. There was something in his eyes she hadn’t seen before. Vulnerability, maybe? Or regret? For once, he wasn’t being his ego-driven self. He just looked drained from it all.

“You know,” he said after a long silence, “you didn’t have to get involved in this. You could’ve left me back there with those killers. Hell, you still could if you wanted to.”

“And what? Let him chop you up in little pieces?”

Acid chuckled weakly as he watched her finish up the wound. “Haven’t you already threatened that yourself?”

“Don’t get too comfortable. I haven’t decided if you’re worth all this trouble yet or not.”

“Sure, you have. You could’ve ditched me at any point, but you didn’t. I’m starting to think you’re enjoying this little ride. My little punk princess is saving her king.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” She stood up, shoving the leftover gauze in his hand. “I’m just in this for the science. You screwed up the feelings stuff when you used me for sex and ditched me. You didn’t have to say those things to make me think you care. You could have just fucked me and left it at that. Done and done.”

“Uh-huh. And those goo-goo eyes you keep giving me mean nothing, right? You wanted to hear it, and I said what I said.” Acid leaned forward, groaning as he shifted his weight. “So, what’s the plan now, genius? We just hang out here and get tetanus from a rusty nail or two until Donnie gets bored and goes to bother some other poor sap?”

“No. We’ll stay here long enough to make sure the bleeding stops, and then we’ll head to my place. It’s more secure than anywhere else. He doesn’t know who I am and…”

Then it clicked. The way out of this.

“We have to go back to your beach house,” she chirped.

“Back to my place? No way.”

“Trust me. We need that dead body, and you need security. We’ll use his own man to protect you.”

“He’s a stiff by now.”

“Exactly and you’re looking at the woman whose genius idea brought you back to life. A few tweaks to his brain and he’ll do whatever we say. I have the technology in my dad’s old emails he sent me. I even made a few chips for fun. The corpse’s brain is already a trained killer. Why not zombie his ass and use him for protection?”

“Well, look at that. My little mad scientist is a genius.” Acid grinned, pinching her cheek. “Always thinking three steps ahead, aren’t you, baby girl.”

“Stop that.” Roxy turned away, heading for the door. “I’m going to check outside and see if it’s clear. I need to hotwire a car for us. We’re too obvious in that van and it drives like shit.”

Acid gave her a mock salute, though his expression softened as she walked out of the bathroom. Alone in the dingy stall, he glanced down at his bandaged shoulder, flexing his fingers experimentally. The pain was dulling, but his mind was racing. Whatever was in his blood made him heal faster than average, but it still hurt like hell.

As he sat thinking of her mention of the sweet nothings they shared as they made love, he hated admitting he said too much. The truth was, Roxy had gotten under his skin in more ways than one. She wasn’t just the mad scientist whose studies brought him back from the dead. She was the only person who seemed to care whether he lived or died. And more so, she was the only woman he’d ever felt like this about in his whole existence.

If Donnie caught up to them, death would be something he’d see for a second time and that was something he wasn’t ready to face. Death without her wouldn’t be worth the trouble.

“I wonder if she can bring a guy back twice?”