The Transformation: Chapter 7

Still feeling deeply traumatized and overwhelmed by the day's headline news, I decided to walk around in Central Park, and lick my wounds. Acknowledgment of my great debt of responsibility for the lives I have taken has left me feeling grief stricken. I sat down at a park bench to grieve for the unknown innocents, and reflect upon my next possible destination. Intellect warns me not to stay in the city for too much longer, if I wish to maintain anonymity. 'Where shall I go?' I wondered.
    I decided to go to down into the subway and allow the train to take me where ever it may carry me. Riding along in the train, I look out the widow, to see the graffiti on the subway walls. As we came to each stop, even in my humanoid form, my eyes miss nothing. I read all the graffiti messages on the walls. We came to a stop and I noticed an etched chalk message stating, "Don't Take the ROSE", and I decided that this message must be the answer to one of my most important questions. I got off the train and walked up closer to the wall to study the message. "The 'rose', is this in reference to the monster I am hunting?" I wondered aloud. It must be about him - who else could it be about? Or, is it merely a coincidence? Not likely. My F.B.I. training taught me to be observant, and to see the hidden clues in everything around me. This message is obvious to me. The monster may be here right now! There may be a survivor of his savage attacks. He or she may still be here, if they were brave enough to leave a public warning to all. I must find the person who left this message.
    I traced my index finger over the edge of the first chalk letter. The chalk smeared under my fingertip - this message isn't that old. It would have smeared off before now, if it was old. If I scan the city in my energy form, I may be able to find the author of this message. I need to find this survivor.
    I quickly altered my form so I could scan throughout the subway system. After finding nothing I could use, I then decided to go up and search the city. As I scanned the city I noticed that there was a great deal of interference at a communications tower. I could not discern the source of the interference there, but I saw one tall slender man with white tendrils fanned out in the shape of wings. He wore his grey hoodie with a tattered brown leather jacket covering it, and a pair of denim jeans. He was looking at graffiti on the wall of the side of a building near the communications tower.
    "Maybe it is the creature I seek? It does not 'feel' like a human energy field." I thought.
     As I moved closer to the being, cautiously seeking an advantageous position to attack, I observed that the creature was shorter than the Thing that attacked me. It sensed my approach and then it turned and saw me. He was now startled, his tendrils uncoiled, as if ready to attack. Not making a move, as if threatened by me, waiting to see if I'm going to strike first.  
    I was not in the mood for a for another conflict, so I decided to cut to the chase.
   "I am Zana Morningstar, former F.B.I, and I need to know if you are the one who wrote "Don't Take the Rose" on the subway wall?" I asked.
   "Perhaps, why?" he asked.
   "Then, that means you have seen the creature I hunt? With the rose, he rapes or kills?" I asked impatiently.
"You must mean Offenderman." He said, and then he slightly tilted his head to the side.
"Who did you say, Offender man?" I asked. I almost laughed, thinking 'How appropriate', if that is the name of the Thing!
"So, you have met him, I take it." He said, with some confidence.
    The anger rose up inside me with unbearable force, at the memory of what Offenderman did to me, and I couldn't suppress my rage, when I shouted, "YES, AND HE KILLED ME, SO I'M GOING TO MAKE HIM PAY!!!"    
The man nervously began to step backward a few steps, and readied his tendrils in expectation of an attack.
    I then noted that this man was intimidated by me, I then said, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you!  By the way, who are you?" I asked.
    He then said, "My name is Archer."
    "O.K...,  Archer, thanks for answering my questions, I'm sorry if I was rude, but do you know where I can find this Offenderman?" I asked.
    He then held a finger to where a mouth should be, and answered "I don't know, but he is not someone I want to be around." He answered.
    "Of course, thank you anyway." I responded.
    I then left his tower, and moved as fast as I could,  looking throughout the entire city. The faster I moved, the more area I covered, and it wasn't long before I found Him - hunting new prey. I saw him holding out a long stem red rose before a woman, and she was about to take it, when I used my telepathy to intervene, and shouted into  her mind, 'DO NOT TAKE THE ROSE!'
    Before she could accept the rose, she paused and said in a drone-like monotone, "Don't take the rose... I must not take the rose." Then she walked away.
    Before the woman left, Offender tried to recover his control over her by pleading charmingly with her, "Please, take the rose, Miss. I won't bite."
    Then she looked up at him, and she almost gave in to his sweet charms.
    Quickly, before she could submit to him, I spoke into her mind and ordered her to raise her handbag and batter his face as hard as possible. She did what I told her to do, and it surprised him enough to give the woman time to run from him. As she bolted away, I let out a little snicker.
    Offenderman heard my victorious evil little giggle, raised his head and turned toward the sound. He said, "That wasn't a very nice thing to do, you know..."
    "I suspect you had a hand to play in her "little-old-lady" purse bludgeoning tactic?" He purred.
    "Of course, who else?" I replied.
    "I can do MANY fun things..." I said.
    Offender then smiled and said, "Ohoooo, that sounds yummy, I would love to see what delightful pleasures we could have together..."
     I responded, "I would like to see you try..."
    He lunging toward me and coiled his tendrils in my direction, attempting to capture me. I evaded him by turning translucent and slipping through his grasp.
    I giggled, and then I mocked him with a little "tsk,tsk,tsk...don't you know that you can't rape pure energy?"
   "Oh, is that so?" He said.
   "Awww, is poor little Offender disappointed?" I taunted.
   "Oh, Noooo. I always love a challenge." He purred.
   I smiled and calmly said, "Good Luck with That One!" And vanished before he could get the last word.