Tangled Up

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash 

Lucille hid her steps beneath the croak of frogs and the cicadas in the trees. She was home in the darkness of the night, and her prey gathering in the cabin felt like an intrusion. Every muscle in her body tensed, her fangs ready to tear apart Nazi flesh; however, she wasn’t supposed to kill anyone unless absolutely necessary; she was just here to spy. She took this job to take out her rage at losing the only love of her life, who just wouldn’t stop protesting even after Lucille warned her that protesters often went missing. When she died, Lucille felt a part of her go. This job was dangerous, but she felt so close to Claudine this way.

She got closer to the cabin, using her special hearing to catch what they were saying. "I don't like this; something feels like it's out there watching us," said one of them.

"Don’t worry; I've set up traps in case anything happens. I've got you covered."

Lucille sniffed the air, trying to capture the smell of magic nearby. She could see them sparased around the area. She would need to be extra careful. She approached the cabin, trying to hear their conversation and avoid activating any traps. All the while, it felt like something was watching her. One of the Nazis came out to take a smoke break.

One of the creatures spotted her; so she attacked the closest nazi to her before the zombie creature bolted for her. "Too slow," she scoffed. She threw his body at the creature, and it crumbled, but reanimated. A silver bullet pierced her side, and she cried out in pain. "I knew they'd send something like you," one of them spat at her.

"Good, then we can skip the introductions."

The Nazi raised his gun to fire again, but Lucille moved quickly. She lunged, grabbing his wrist and raking her claws across his face. He screamed, stumbling back, blood streaking down his cheek. Before she could continue the attack, one of the zombie creatures snarled and sprang toward her. Another Nazi aimed and fired. Lucille twisted away, but the movement sent her straight into one of the traps. Dark energy surged up, coiling around her like a serpent. It tightened, pinning her limbs, ignoring her struggles. She snapped her teeth and thrashed, but the sinister force refused to release her. Panic clawed at her chest. She had one option left- one she had hoped to avoid. The director who sent her on this mission had assured her that all she needed to do was howl, and help would come. But howling meant admitting she was trapped, vulnerable.

Her breath came fast as the Nazi with the crystal stepped forward, the undead closing in behind him. She clenched her jaw, every instinct screaming at her to fight.

A heavy silence fell upon the swamp. The nazi and the zombie creatures stepped closer to her. She snapped one last time because she refused to close her eyes. Two of the creatures bit and scratched at her. She tried to swat them away like mosquitos.

The nazi cocked his gun, aiming right between her eyes. She thought of Claudine, and smiled at the thought of being able to join her in the afterlife. She drew one deep breath, and then she heard another growl similar to her own, but different. Alligators raced from the swampy waters like soldiers, and they attacked the zombies. Crystal-Nazi guy glanced over his shoulder. He and Lucille blinked, hardly able to believe their eyes. A Black woman with reeds and lily pads strewn throughout her long, curly hair. Her eyes were brown as mud. She stepped from the waters like a ghost. The moonlight lighted up scales across her neck, her body and claws along her fingertips. "What the hell are you?" Crystal-Nazi guy turned the gun on her, but she was so fast. She grabbed his throat and hoisted him into the air. His feet dangled as his gun dropped to the ground. She grinned and ate his head before he could say anything.

Blood splattered over Lucille. The creature turned to her, and Lucille felt embarrassed under the net. She touched it, and it evaporated under her touch. "Well that was a moment I'm not proud of." Lucille stood, morphing from a large bear-like wolf form back into a black woman with long locs. "Thank you uh-?"

"Alice."

"Alice. Name’s Lucille."

"You're hurt."

"What? This? I'm fine." Lucille tried to smile, but she winced.

Alice took Lucille’s hand- a mix of scale and flesh, and guided her to the cabin. "I will heal you."

"That's not necessary."

She turned to Lucille. "No?"

Lucille locked eyes with Alice, as a flush crept up her neck. The attraction hit her like a spark catching dry tinder.

"Fine," she huffed, feigning reluctance, though her pulse betrayed her. She trailed behind Alice into the cabin, the scent of damp wood and lingering smoke curling around her. Alice knelt by the hearth and coaxed a fire to life with practiced hands. The flames flickered, casting dancing shadows across her face. Lucille watched, mesmerized, as the golden glow kissed Alice’s sharp features, highlighting the wild, untamed beauty in her storm-gray eyes.

Then Alice turned and approached Lucille, closing the space between them. The air bloomed with something charged with each step she took towards Lucille. She inhaled sharply- Alice smelled of moss after rain, of sun-warmed earth and deep, untouched forests.

Without a word, Alice pressed her palms to Lucille’s torn flesh, her touch burning and soothing all at once. Tender warmth spread through the wounds, mending skin and knitting muscle. Lucille gasped, her body thrumming from the closeness, from the strange, undeniable pull between them.

"You rest and I will go get us something to eat."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I know a weary soul when I see one, and the director told me to help, so here I am." She saw this as an extension of her duties; Lucille focused on that rather than the simmering attraction to her. She left before Lucille could ask anymore questions. Before she knew it, Lucille fell asleep. When she awoke, it was raining. She wondered where Alice had gone, but she returned with dead fish in her arms. She was dripping wet; she left puddles on the floor as she went to go roast the fish. "Are you okay?" she asked. Lucille glanced at the wounds, and they were healing, but not fully done. "Yeah. Listen, you don’t really need to feed me or anything. I'm alright. I think I’m gonna head out."

"It's raining."

Thunder cracked across the sky. "How long have you lived in this swamp?"

"For years. I was raised here."

Lucille wondered if Alice was lonely, and she just wanted to entertain human company. Truthfully, Lucille didn't want to go out in the rain. So, she let Alice cook for her. They shared a meal of roasted fish on the floor. "You always cook like this for strangers?" Lucille asked.

"Only ones I work with; I don't get much company out here; I figured I’d make the most of it."

"So you're trying to keep my company is what I’m hearing."

"Is it working?"

Lucille shrugged playfully. "Let's see how good this fish is first."

Alice chuckled. "It's nice to have someone human to talk to."

Lucille looked at her for a long time, and she wondered how long it had been since she last just sat with someone. Her

eyes softened, her shoulders relaxing. "Yeah, it is."

"Where did you grow up?" Alice asked.

"I grew up in Rodessa."

"Small town. Did you like it there?”

Lucille grimaced and shook her head. "Not at all."

"Why not?"

"I was turned there."

"Oh! We don't have to talk about it if it brings up sad memories."

"Nah. It's all good. I- uh - my parents weren't nice people. A lot of abuse went on in my family. One day I went to see my grandma, met someone along the way, and they promised me that I could have true power at a cost. I had brothers and sisters to look after; I wanted to stop the abuse so badly. So, I took them up on the offer. I killed my grandma; I killed my parents. I became a monster."

"Were you really? Or did you do what was necessary?"

"Sometimes those lines blur for me."

"I can understand that."

"I'm sorry if that felt like dumping on you."

Alice shook her head. "Thank you for sharing."

"Thank you for listening. I haven't felt so comfortable with someone since, Claudine."

"Who was that?"

"She was my partner, but she died."

"I'm sorry to hear that. How did she die?"

"And now?"

"I don't know," Lucille admitted.

"It's okay not to know."

"Thanks." Lucille pulled her knees to her chest.

"So, what now? Back to the hunt?"

"Yeah. Sometimes, though, I wonder when it’ll ever end." She bit her lip. "I take these kinds of jobs to feel close to her."

"And do you?"

"No, but it's better than feeling nothing," Lucille confessed. "If you don't mind, I'm a little tired. I think I will sleep some more."

Alice gave a firm nod, watching as Lucille finally relented and settled into bed. The storm rolled in overnight, drumming against the roof in an unrelenting rhythm. By morning, the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, the rain still cascading in sheets beyond the window.

Lucille stirred, wincing as the ache in her wounds reminded her of her limitations. But staying still had never suited her. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, testing her weight, her jaw clenching.

"I'm going out," she muttered, half to herself, half to Alice.

Alice, who had been tending the fire, whirled around. "Lucille, you're still healing." Lucille ignored her and limped toward the door, gripping the frame as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Alice’s voice rose.

"What would Claudine say if she saw you acting like this? Would she want you stumbling out into the rain while you're still bleeding?"

Lucille hit her with a scathing glare. "Don't you dare-"

Before she could finish, Alice pulled her into a hug, arms warm and steady despite Lucille's resistance. The fight drained from her, her body sagging into the embrace. "I'm sorry," Alice whispered against her shoulder. "Just… let me take care of you. Please." Lucille exhaled, the tension melting away. "Alright," she murmured.

Sleep claimed her before she realized, the warmth of the fire lulling her into a dreamless slumber. When she awoke, dusk had settled, the cabin bathed in soft light. Alice stood by the window, her silhouette tense against the dim glow outside.

"You don't have to stay here with me," Alice said softly, her fingers tracing the condensation on the glass. Lucille studied her, something unspoken hanging between them, heavy as the storm outside.

"I like being here with you," Alice said, her gaze steady despite the flickering fire light. "Unless… you want me to leave. Do you?"

Lucille hesitated, her fingers tightening around the rough fabric of her blanket. The truth pressed against her ribs, restless and unrelenting. She turned her head, staring at the rain-slicked window as if the answer could be found beyond it. But in the end, she couldn’t lie. "No," she admitted, voice quieter than she meant. "I like that you stay."

Alice's smile was slow, unfolding like the first light of dawn. Lucille's chest tightened- how unfair it was, the way Alice's smile could soften her edges so easily.

The next morning, the rain had passed, leaving the world fresh and glistening. Alice checked her wounds, her touch warm and careful, and together they ate another meal of fire-seared fish.

"Thanks for taking care of me," Lucille murmured between bites, glancing at Alice.

Alice grinned, her face brightened. "No problem! You should be all healed up by tomorrow. Then you can go get tangled in more nets," she teased, her eyes speckled with tease.

Lucille groaned, pursing her lips. "That was not my proudest moment," she muttered, snatching Alice's fish right off her plate and holding it just out of reach.

Alice gasped, mock offense written all over her face. "Hey! Gimme that back!"

She lunged, and Lucille laughed- actually laughed- as she twisted away, keeping the stolen prize aloft. Alice chased her around the cabin, all playful growls and nimble steps, but Lucille was quick despite her wounds.

She made a fatal mistake when she backed into a corner. Alice pounced, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Gotcha.”

Lucille smirked, stretching her arm high above Alice’s head. "You're so short," she taunted.

Alice narrowed her eyes. Then she grabbed Lucille’s collar, yanked her down, and kissed her. For once, Lucille didn't think about blood and fighting and death. The fish was forgotten, tumbling to the floor as she pulled Alice closer, lost in the taste of wild berries and roasted catfish. Lucille savored the warmth of Alice in her arms, fully immersed in the present and ready to let go of the past.

Maybe getting tangled up in Alice wasn't so bad after all.

When it was time for Lucille to go, she kissed Alice again. "I hope you come back some time."

"I think I will."

Over time, Lucille would come visit Alice. She stopped looking for Claduine in her missions, and started looking more so to coming to see Alice- to coming home.