Chapter  6

   Soft tendrils of cool evening air were rippling the around the
edges of the drapes when the figure on the narrow bed began to stir.

   Slowly he opened his eyes, blinking to focus them in the almost
totally dark room.  He lay still for several minutes, making sure
that the headache was gone, then sat up and swung his legs over the
side of the bed.  He wasn't surprised to find himself wearing only
jockey shorts, but what did surprise him was his body.  It wasn't his.

   Getting up, he flipped the light switch on then went to the closet,
opened the door. Arrogantly he stripped off the shorts and studied his 
reflection in the full-length mirror attached to the door.

   "Oh, yeah! This is much better," he said, running his hands lightly
down his chest to the flat stomach, liking the quiet strength his body
seemed to exude.  Turning in profile, right, then left, he continued to
take stock of himself.  Turning to one side again, he peered over
his shoulder, reaching back with both hands to run them slowly over his
naked hips and behind, nodding his approval.

   He moved closer to the mirror to get a better look at his face.
A bit longish in the jaw but handsome. He smiled at himself. *Smile's
good, too*, he thought. "And the eyes.*

   Satisfied with what he saw in the mirror, the cocky young man leaned
even closer to the mirror and looked deep into the green eyes looking
back at him. Looking deep within and behind those eyes, he felt
the fear of the one waiting uneasily in the dark place, and smiled.

   "I don't know who you are," he said, smirking at his reflection.
"So, I figured I'd better get a look, while things are quiet.  Whoever
you are, you've got a great body." He touched himself. "The girls are
gonna love it!"  Then he was still for a moment, delving into the
other's anxious feelings. He smiled at the face in the mirror again,
and thought, so the other one could hear, *Get used to the darkness.
You're gonna be spendin' a lot of time in it.*

   A sound in the hall made him stop and look toward the door.
In a moment the door would open and old Howard would come in.  Taking
one last quick glance at his reflection, he quickly pulled the shorts
on and lay back down on the bed.  Taking a deep, slow breath, he
closed his eyes and sank down into the darkness within.

   He chuckled, his laughter touched with hardness and cruelty when he
felt the other one shiver as they passed.

   *Don't go no where*, he taunted, then blended into the blackness.