Chapter 2: Dooley Kane

[The Devil Inside]

The thunder rolls outside the flophouse you have rented for the night.

Markus is somewhere in this town, you just know it. With a population of only a little more than 500, you would think he would be easy to find.
Apparently he has some friends here.

Replaying the night from 2 years ago in your head, you recall the way he smiled as he pulled the trigger.
Thinking he had left you for dead, he confidently got onto his Harley and tore off through the night.

You would show him what happens when humans try to dine with giants...They get squashed.
Knowing that the best place to start your search would be the local V.A. hospital, you pull your coat over your massive shoulders.

[Avidos]

Dooley Kane picks up the half empty pack of cigarettes off the cheap table bolted to the wall and shoves them in his pocket.  He takes a final toke of the cigarette in his mouth before tossing it into his whiskey glass. He has a silent chuckle at the hiss it makes thinking of the cheap neon side outside his window.

“You did some number on me Markus but you didn’t see it through did you.  Killing you will not be satisfaction…not really but everything up to that point will be a gas.” His scarred face breaks into a smile as he shakes his head.

He steps outside, closing the door behind him, and makes his way to the beat up ’71 olds he drove into town in.  The creak from the heavy door precedes the loud bang of it closing followed by the rumble of the engine.

Somewhere before he exits the parking lot he has another bottle of beer in his hands. He finishes it along with another in a short amount of time. “You may not be at the VA Markus but I’ll get another face, another name, another soul who will get me one step closer to you.”

[The Devil Inside]

Pulling out of the parking lot, you notice a strange smell in your car.

Paying it no real mind, you glance one more time at the piece of paper ripped out of the phone book. Noting the address again (1007 Center St.), you pull your local tourist map out to make sure your directions are correct.

Steering wheel in one hand, bottle of beer between finger and thumb, and map in the other hand...you drink, drive, and unfold at the same time.

It isnt until you have the map completely unfolded that you notice that the route to the hospital has been etched (burnt?) into the map.

[Avidos]

Kane blinks before rubbing his eyes then looks at the map again. He reaches into an inside pocket and pulls out a prescription bottle. He  flips the top then shakes a half dozen or so white pills into his mouth as he crunches them down.

"Not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me or if the bad days...the bad old days have returned. Blood for blood and by the gallon." he remarks as he blinks trying to clear his head.

The car gives a whiney shimmy as Kane makes a hard right on Burkett Avenue. He jerks the wheel hard to avoid a stray mutt that appeared in his headlights sending his car through an askewed stack of crates before it rights itself. Sure he felt the car take a few extra humps, sure he heard the screams, sure he heard people yellowing murderer but he didn't care. He couldn't care because he couldn't be sure if this was real or just in his head.  He always heard voices.

The car makes another turn, this time to the left as the battered green sign read Center Street. He could hear sirens as well as the disincarnate blue strobe lights pass him on the way somewhere. The VA was visible now through the steam rising from the vents in the steets.

Kane wheeled into a parking place that had some Doctor's name on the placard. He takes out the half-empty pack of smokes and shakes one free into his mouth. The metallic chink with the spark of flint shortly follows. His mind seems to race in a myriad of thoughts as he rubs his temples while finishing the cigarette. He then steps out of the car with a loud thunk of the heavy car door closing behind him. Walking up to the placard, fe rips off the concrete wall sending it clinking across the asphault ,"thanks Doc..." he mused. He then enters the VA doors. 

[The Devil Inside]

Immediately upon entering, your senses are assaulted with the scent of lilacs...Strong lilacs.

You walk up to the reception desk, and are informed that Markus does indeed work here.
It is just then that you hear the "click click click" of shoes behind you, and feel a small hand touch your shoulder through your worn leather coat.

"Mr. Kane....If you would follow me, im sure the problem could be sorted out," You hear a small, almost mousey voice say from behind.

Turning to assess this new intrusion into your world, you see a tiny woman (about 4'10") wearing a doctor's coat, black horn rim glasses, and more important to you.....No wedding ring.

[Avidos]

Kane didn't recognize the sweet little number addressing him. But she was wearing one of those white coats. Flashes of bright colorless light with scattered memories mixed in arcing gossomers flooded his head. Muffled voices confusing him as if any of this was real. But she looked like an okay sort of dame an angel even. Kane shook his head as he knew an angel would be the last thing that would ever appear before him to carry him to the hereafter. 

"Sure thing doll"  Kane even managed a smile as he followed her with a bit of swagger after all this had to be another dream . 

[The Devil Inside]

Trailing behind her, so as to get a better view of her assets, she takes you into an area in the basement. It appears to be some sort of waiting room, but there are only 2 chairs.

The beige carpeting is calming. The chocolate-cream colored walls seem to radiate peace. The single overhead light burns bright on the ceiling, the focal point of the room, obviously.

She gives a mischevious smile and tells you to wait while she slips into something a little more comfortable, sliding out of the door.

After she closes the door behind herself.....You hear it latch.

[Avidos]

The room seemed decent enough to Dooley for he had seen worse but that overhead light invoked nightmarish fragments to hit his mind like high beams on a dark stormy night. The kind of light that hits you as you make a sharp turn only to have a  big truck in your face. When you are both laying on the horn trying to claim the little bit of real estate thats keeping you both from crossing that outside white line. Because you both know that line is the only thing seperating life from a drop off into oblivion.

The sound that the latch made as it connected behind the door made Dooley give a silent chuckle as he shook another cigarette free from the crumpled package. A short while later he exhales the first toke of nicotene, "Markus was smart to use you doll. Don't worry...I'll make it quick for you to show you no hard feelings." He then takes another toke while he waits for the door to open again.   .

[The Devil Inside]

Sitting....Waiting....
Minutes turn to hours.
Hours turn into an afternoon.
Into evening.
Morning.
Night.
Morning melts into a shifting cacophany of laughter outside the walls.

Your shoulder is sore from the hard, heavy wood of the door. Throbbing pain aches in your knuckles from incessant pounding on the walls, the light bulb mocking you, smiling.

The scent of cheap office carpeting is driving you mad.

Taking out your knife, you begin to etch in the wall.




*click*
The door swings open, revealing a hallway filled with white light.

[Avidos]

Kane had to squint several times to adjust to the new light source but it signalled freedom from the blood-smeared erratic etchings that covered the walls. Freedom from the cold acrid smell reminiscent of the morgue. Sure his shoulder ached, sure dried blood was caked in layers on his hands but details were a scarce commodity.

Kane entered the hallway still thinking this was still just a bad dream.

[Avidos]

Kane walks down the bright hallway filled with bright white light.