Make Willing the Prey (Dreams by Streetlight) Read Online Free PDF Page A

you come pick
me up?”
    “Jina?  Where are you?”
    “At the Seven-Eleven on 12th
Street.  Stan and I—”
    “Don’t worry Jina, I’ll be right
there.”  She hung up the phone and threw on a pair of jeans.  She knew that
Jina would call her, but she hadn’t planned on it being this soon.  She drove
off to rescue her friend.
    When Jina slid into the passenger’s
side of Sandy’s car, her face shimmered with tears.  “I-I’m sorry.  I—”
    “Don’t worry about it.  We can
talk when we get to my place.”
    At Sandy’s, they curled up on her
couch with blankets and two cups of hot chocolate.
    “Ok, Jina.  Tell all.”
    “There’s not much to tell.  We
had sex, and that was enough for me.  I fell asleep, but Stan got pushy and
woke me up after about an hour.  He wanted to go at it again, but I wanted him
to take me home.  He just started yelling at me.  We fought for hours, and I
told him that I wouldn’t let him back in the band.  He seemed more hurt by that
than by anything else.  Before he could get mad again, I left.  I didn’t want
him to lose it and hit me.”
    “I’m glad you left when you did, Jina.”
    “I think I learned my lesson. 
Stan is a jerk, and always will be a jerk.”
    “That’s what you said last time.”
    “Yes, I know, but I was drunk.  I
should have let you hold me down and keep me from going with him.”
    “You know I’m not going to do
that.”
    “I know.  But sometimes I wish
you would.”
    Sandy reached over to give Jina a
hug, and jumped back, startled.
    “What’s the matter?  Sandy?”
    She shook it off.  “Sorry.  I’ve
been a little jumpy lately.  The blanket tickled my arm.  I’m ok.”
    Jina gave her a questioning look.
    “There have been a few weird...
things… happen the past few days.  Actually, the past week.  Ever since I
started getting those flowers.”
    “Oh?”
    “Each note has a mention of a
game, and something silly to do.  Like burn a rose, and spin around, things
like that.  After I do the thing, something creepy happens.  The first time,
there was this hideous spider on my reading glasses.  The second time, a lizard
crawled out from under the empty box of chocolates, you know, the ones you
wanted me to share with you?  Then, tonight outside Neverland, the wall next to
my car was covered with ants.  It was the same wall that I had drawn some roses
on as part of the game.  I’ve been a little jumpy since the spider, but more-so
now, since the ants.  There were so many ants.”
    “Sandy.  I had no idea.”
    “Well, I didn’t make the
connection between S.A. and the creepy stuff until tonight.  Before they were
just coincidences.”
    “Maybe S.A. is an occultist. 
Like, black magic?”
    “You know I don’t believe in that
stuff, Jina.”
    “Ok, then.  Something more
logical.  Didn’t you eat S.A.’s gifts just before seeing spiders or
creepy-crawlies?”
    “Hmm...  Yes, now that you mention
it.”
    “And did anyone else see what you
saw?”
    “Not that I know of.  I was alone
each time.”
    “There you have it.  Drugs. 
Hallucinatory drugs.”
    “That’s a possibility.”
    “If I were you, I wouldn’t eat
anything from that guy again.  And, just in case it is black magic…” 
Sandy gave her a sharp look.  “Well, it’s possible, even if you don’t believe
in it.  Anyhow, just stop playing the game.  Don’t do the little things he asks
you to do anymore.”
    “You have a good point, I
suppose.”
    “One more thing.  Does he know
where you live?”
    “I don’t think so.  None of the
roses have been delivered here.  The first rose could have been from
him, but it didn’t match his pattern.  It wasn’t even delivered by the same
flower shop.”
    “Even so, I think you should call
the police, and let them know you might have a stalker.  He could always follow
you home from school, and it wouldn’t hurt to have the extra look-out from the
cops in case he decides to