The air was still, and the night was young. A full moon hung in the sky, unable to light the ground as fog covered it, "Yo, Andre." A voice crispy and as young as the night. The fog was damp, frosty, and behaved like smoke. It dug into Andre's ears, drowning the sound of the night's atmosphere. Andre's head slowly turned, and he bit his lip but didn't draw blood, just to get his blood rushing to reset his heart. It thumped like a sledgehammer being swung in constant, rapid strokes. Despite every time he breathed in, the wet air attempted to drown his lungs; he could still smell the sweet scent of cologne. "Aye?" His voice cut through the smoke. Then, out of nowhere, hidden in a river made up of fog that covered his legs, a hand grabbed him.
Andre's legs kicked and fought the air, and a yell came out of his throat that almost blew his eardrums. Suddenly, a cackle that turned into a chuckle filled the space around him. "Got yo ass good." It was Samuel Jacobs, his best friend. A relief coiled around his body like a snake meant to comfort.
Andre's lips wavered as they parted to take in air. "Man... ain't it crazy how this fog came out of nowhere? I mean we were walking to your house and it—" Samuel's brown eyes traced Andre's lips, and his voice cut through the noise, "Geee, Captain obvious. Do you have to detail everything like I ain't see it with my own eyes?" He bent his fist into a knuckle and nudged Andre's shoulder.
Despite Samuel's playful gesture, Andre couldn't help but notice his lack of a smile. Also, how the vibe was as tense as Andre's hair was thick. Andre's face curled into an awkward smile, digging his hand through his afro. "Yea yea...you right, it's just-," his voice fading into a whisper. Samuel cut him off again, "Man, chill your balls."
The smell of gasoline sank its way through the fog, and then the soft sound of a growl. The soft crushing of rocks grinded against the road. Then, two beams of light, dulled by the fog. Revealing Andre and Samuel, just before it came too close. A short sound of a trumpet, "Damn, nigga almost hit me. Get out of the way, Dre.." Samuel's voice jumped, still muffled by fog, as he got back on the concrete.
Andre was still lost in his head, as something yanked him to the sidewalk. It was Samuel, again, noticing something was off. Andre looked at the car that trailed off into the distance. By the time it was 3 feet away, his vision blurred.
Samuel had pulled Andre too close. His head buried into his chest. Andre's ears became dancers with it. It stomped and then tapped. It stomped again, then tapped. It was the rhythm of Samuel's heart. It was matched by the rattle of his breath escaping and entering. At first, Andre's calm drenched down from his head and down his body, but then.
It stomped and stomped. It didn't stop stomping the way it sped up as if chased. It was his own heart. He could feel Samuel's breath glide through his coarse hair. A warm breeze by the time it reached his scalp. For a brief moment, Andre had almost forgotten that they were outside, halfway between the sidewalk.
Samuel's hand dragged from where it rested, covering Andre's arm and then landing onto Andre's back. At first, Andre returned the gesture— awkwardly raising his hand and limply hugging his friend. But then, Samuel's legs pressed too firmly against Andre's. Andre's flesh seemed to burn, but there was no heat, not even the warmth from Samuel.
"Bruh...what are you doing?" Andre said in a yell that came out like a whisper. Although Samuel's face was veiled by the night and masked by the fog, Andre could see a clear smile that revealed all of his teeth. "Andre, I never knew hugging your ass would feel so great. I have to have more." Andre's heart became an anchor for his mind as it sank into his stomach. He looked for Samuel's eyes just in the hope that there would be laughter in them. But what he saw made his breath choke him. It was Samuel's glare.
"Jessica told me what happened." Samuel continued as if responding to himself. Yet, Andre could feel a cool that blasted beneath his skin, beyond the flesh and bone. Directly into his soul. Samuel knew. Andre's eyes started to treat the air as if it were a war. To the left, it bounced. To the right and trembled. Refusing to meet Samuel's eyes again.
"Come, Andre, kiss me like you ass did Jessica, my fucking girlfriend of 5 years! Since middle school— I loved.." Samuel said, squeezing Andre even harder between his arms. Their bodies became like puzzle pieces that didn't match, forced together. Chest to chest. Crotch to crotch. Legs to legs.
"Andre, I have known you since last year. Today was the perfect weather– I knew your folks would be gone. Did you know I even got close to you just because of that? I started to mimic how you talk, so you think we would relate." His voice was like punches as he spoke. Each line pummels Andre's mind. "Why today? I couldn't help myself! That helpless look in your eye, the way you scare easily! Can you feel it?" He said, looking between the two of them. "It grows even as I speak about it!"
Andre's entire body felt loose. It was as if it didn't even belong to him and would slide off from his soul at any moment. That's when Samuel interrupted his thoughts, "It's time."
Something happened that can't be expressed in words — all Andre knew was that his clothes were tattered, he had a busted lip, and his entire body was wet, as if the fog had drenched him.
"Damn, you were even better than her," Samuel said, cutting the silence. Andre couldn't see him, but Samuel's muffled voice echoed into his ears. "You tell anyone, you are dead." The fog didn't keep him from seeing Samuel, but the wetness that filled his eyes did. That and something else that would have him scrubbing his face the rest of his life.
Samuel's presence disappeared, leaving Andre by himself. Then, Andre started to hit his shoes and punch at his shoe laces. "If only–," he started trying to suppress his emotions, which were constricting into a rage. "If only you were tied!" He yelled at his shoes and the laces, which hung limply next to them. The fog hugged Andre's back and entire frame, and yet at this moment, he felt thankful for it. The way it hid the scratches and even the wetness that wouldn't dry.
Andre's clarity slowly came back, but the woody scent of Samuel's cologne still drenched his body. "Anyways, I have to get my ass ready for work tonight." It was as if Andre's mind had deleted what had just happened to him. He became himself again, forever changed.
His house wasn't too far away. It only took him 3 minutes to get there. He stood on the porch panting as though he had just ran. He grunted, pounding on the door, and each knock reminded him of Samuel's heartbeat. The way it was an odd dance that wouldn't stop stomping. It kept repeating in his head that he hadn't even realized a voice calling out to him, "What the hell happened to you? My baby, oh my god, my baby!" It was his mother, holding a baby on her hips. It smelled of fresh diapers, coconut butter, and baby wipes. She pulled for him, and he instantly snatched back, "My bad, Ma... got into a fight."
She stepped aside from the door, a frown on her face that barely hid that she knew it was a lie. "Come in, baby-," her words hadn't even finished, but he instantly went back to when Andre told him to "Come" kiss him like he did Jessica. "Sit down," she continued, rambling about how she had just bought him these new clothes. Andre looked at her, his eyes stiff. "Ma, I can't... I fell on my ass earlier and it hurts."
"I'll go grab an ice pack," she paused as if to question herself. "Let me see it." Andre's heart throbbed. It was his mother; she had seen him that way plenty of times. "You are only still my baby!" But his age wasn't why he hesitated. He didn't want her to see "the aftermath."
Andre's lips wavered as they parted, "Ma.."
His eyes didn't have their usual glow. His throat couldn't voice his usual jokes. But he wanted to confess something. "Samuel..." But before he could continue, a knock echoed from the door. His mother went and opened it. Andre saw just the hair of who it was and took several steps back, stumbling. "Sam, it's you! How have you been? Andre got into a tussle, so I know your company will cheer his ass up. What's wrong with your face, by the way?" His mother asked, and Andre could've sworn for a second he could see through her. He looked at the dead skin caught between his fingernails.
"My pet did it." He said, his smile turning into a half-cut smirk. Then, he scanned the room and locked onto Andre. "Been a while, my nigga."
He followed up, his words caught in the air like butterflies meant to bless. "Who the fuck would hurt my Andre?" Andre's mother cut him off, "Language, sir!"
"Sorry about that... I'm just so mad." Andre's mother smiled, happy that Andre had someone to support him.
"Andre, I'm heading to the store to get something to fix you up. I'll be taking the baby with me." Andre's mother told Andre, but then she continued, "Will you two be fine by yourselves?" "N-," said Andre, but Samuel cut him off, "Yes, we will."
Andre's mother hurried out, baby in hand. "I'll be quick." The door closed, and the silence became unforgiving.
"We are alone, again. Did I hear wrong earlier? Or did you try to snitch?" His face was flat as the air was still. Andre looked to his left, wondering if he could beat Samuel to his room.
Samuel, noticing that Andre didn't respond, began to yell, "Answer me, damn it! Answer it or I'll.." There was a soft click of something metallic. Andre completely gave up on running instantly. "No, I didn't snitch bruh.. May you put that away?" He tried to seem as proper as possible, but the unease from within him laced his words.
"Maybe. Maybe not. Take me to your room." Samuel said, hitting whatever he had on a table, leaving a slight dent in the wood.
"Samuel. You will not break me." Andre said, his voice raspy and low. Then, Samuel responded quickly, "What about your mom and baby brother?"
Andre's tone changed completely, he didn't expect Samuel would go so far, "I'll do anything..Just don't hurt them."
"By the way, I recorded some stuff. You snitch, the entire internet sees, and you are dead." Samuel said, not even looking at Andre. Andre could feel yesterday's food creep up his throat. It all made sense now— everything did.
"Samuel, Jessica told me you two weren't together," Andre blurted out randomly to take the anger off himself. "Tell me more," Samuel said, now looking directly into Andre's eyes.
"Look at me while you speak." Andre looked at Samuel, unable to lie, "She said you threatened her." Samuel leaned his back against the door, sighing as he slid down it. "You knew that, but stayed my friend, why?" Andre didn't hesitate, "Because you're my bro unconditionally!" Samuel's eyes started to leak, and then it turned into a rain. His voice trembling and full of hurt, "I'm sorry, Dre.."
"I threatened you earlier because Jessica said you were going to tell your folks I have a gun while on probation." Then, Andre looked at Samuel, his left eyebrow raising, "What about outside, not even 10 minutes ago...you know the thing that just happened between us?" Samuel's face scrunched up, "Nigga, you told me to meet you at your house, how the hell would I have done anything with you 10 minutes ago when I was with Jessica, call her, you'll see." Andre's throat was crushed by how thick the atmosphere had gotten. It didn't look like Samuel was lying.
"Samuel, before you came in, was it foggy outside?" Samuel nodded his head, "Yeah, it was, but before I came in, the weirdest shit happened. I saw a guy wear a necklace that looked just like the one I gave you. I started to believe Jessica because I felt like you sold my gift." Andre's head felt as though it were about to explode. That's when he finally rubbed his chest, near his throat. "It's gone." Andre said, before asking, "What did he look like?" Samuel paused for a second, "Tall, black, kind of looks like me, but he's way more buff. Oh, yeah— another thing, a car keeps circling, too." Then Andre digested that before asking, "What about the thing?" Samuel laughed, "You know all that gay shit you're doing, all these girls thinking you're this cool guy. Nah, he's crawling and twerking." Andre laughed at Samuel's joke, but then everything clicked.
"Also, dude, you stink. You smell like old people— woody and musty." Samuel said as he pushed his gun into his pocket. "Also, are we going to your room or not— I don't feel safe with some guy lurking around your house even with my gun." He continued.
Andre went towards Samuel, his footsteps gentle. He took a deep inhale of the air and let the scent coat his taste buds. There it was that familiar scent of sweetness. "Samuel, you were there earlier. That scent you wear is too distinct..." Samuel looked at Andre, insulted. "Call Jessica, she'll tell you."
"But, Samuel... I saw Jessica's car earlier. I'm the one who put those bulbs in. I remember the left bulb being less bright than the right one. And that car..." He didn't need to say the rest. "Also, Jessica always complained about having a gas leak problem..."
There were two scents. The first one was you...The other is probably the man outside." Andre continued as clarity began to fill him to the brim. "It makes sense, when I got hugged earlier— that hug was too strong to be you." He didn't stop there, "By the way... I told you to keep the necklace cuz my step dad is a thief, if the man has it outside...you gave-" There was a slow clap.
"Didn't know you had a brain," Samuel said, laughing, before he lifted his curly, black hair, showing his ears. They didn't have holes. "You aren't Samuel!" Andre screamed. "Samuel" smiled from ear to ear, "Bingo."
"But how do you know everything...?" There was no response, but Andre could hear the soft sounds of something being torn. That's when "Samuel's" face split open, and out came the face of an older man. If Samuel were 17, this guy had to have been 20 years older than that. That's when it clicked. Andre knew that face. "Jessica's pops?!" He screamed.
"But you sound and act too much like Samuel..." Andre said, whispering. Jessica's dad gave a question that would echo in his mind forever: "Was Samuel ever real, or has it always been pretend?" That's when that old, woody scent came in waves. Just like the shock that covered Andre's entire being.
There was a calm that washed and rinsed Andre's bones and an agitation that planted itself into his flesh. "My mom should've never been here and you aren't Jessica's dad... I think when you did what you did earlier, I forgot that fact— no one should've been able to answer the door. When I knocked, it should've been silence..." Jessica's dad began to rub his chin. "Go on."
"First off, my mom would never... not in her life baby me up and she's only seen me without clothes by accident... My baby brother is allergic to coconuts, too." Andre said as his brain began to hyperanalyze.
"Keep going, Mr.Detective." Jessica's dad said, rubbing his thigh. "Wait, you can't be Jessica's dad— Jessica's dad is in the hospital! I know because he's there for me...He got hurt trying to save me." Andre continued.
There was a dead silence. Too silent even. Andre cut it, "So, who are you?"
"I am the fog." It said. Andre looked it up and down, "No, tell me who you are."
"Andre, look outside." Andrew opened the door slightly and noticed something. There was no fog or even dew.
"It didn't leave, it's here, with you." It said as if it were not speaking of itself. "Why?" That's all Andre's mouth would let him.
"You are a bad person, Andre." Andre's eyes widened when he heard this. "Don't say anymore..." Then it continued, "Murderer." It started, but Andre felt it like a hammer. "Rapist." It continued, and Andre's mind was beat. "Face stealer." Finally, his entire physical being was slammed into the floor, even as he stood upright.
"I know what you are."
Its face transformed back into Samuel, "Andre, stop." Then, to Jessica, "Andre, I want to live." To his mother, "Andre, don't hurt my baby!" And finally into Jessica's father. "You bitch, I'll kill you for what you did to my daughter."
"Haha, I knew it..." Andre said, pulling something out of his pocket. It was his necklace. "How do you have that?" It screamed. But Andre didn't respond. He placed it on his neck, and whatever it was vanished.
"Imagine fucking with someone who has a dad that died playing with voodoo." That's when Andre could hear the soft sounds of Samuel's voice echoing, "Andre, wake up."Suddenly, he found himself lying in his bed, and his best friend staring at him. "Yo ass stay having nightmares."