12th Day of Xmas

Elle reading a book.

Elle was sitting in her living room reading a book, it was a nice crisp afternoon, a chilly 60 degrees and for Southern California it was cold, she was relaxing and having a good read when she started to hear it, the drums from her neighbor. They had started early this morning and it was such a racket, she knew her neighbor, he was a nice older divorced man and she would have never thought he would be someone to get drums, though he might have been going through a mid life crisis. 

She had been hoping that it might be something that he would just lose interest in so she would give it time before she had a talk with him. Soon the days started to get more and more bombarded by the music, the beats of the drums, she tried to sleep, but anytime she tried to sleep she would hear the beats in her mind. Finally she gave up and decided to go talk to him, she was done with it, it had been days of pounding away and it needed to stop.

Elle going to talk to the neighbor.

She got dressed, waiting for him to start playing so she knew he was home, she stepped out of her door and heard the beats more clearly, it was almost calling to her now, she had to end this. She needed to talk to him. She headed down the sidewalk, it was becoming louder and louder, she passed a few people but no one else seemed to notice it, though she was too rattled to see that for herself. She got to his door and banged on it, the echoing in her mind of the drums still pounding away and she barely noticed that he called out "come in."

She opened the door and walked in about to yell at the man, but she stopped dead in her tracks seeing a younger man sitting in the middle of a drum set.

Elle's neighbor, though younger and with an evil look to his eyes.

The man's walls were filled with classic Jazz players, but the young man seemed out of place, except for his eyes, his eyes were experienced somehow, more knowledgeable. She looked at him, "Oh excuse me I was looking for."

Before she could say the name the young man smiled, "you were looking for me, yes it's me, the drums, I started to play them after they appeared when I opened this thing and found drum sticks. Worse was that I couldn't stop, I had a feeling I couldn't stop until I found my mate, I knew it wasn't going to be someone my age, when I started to get younger myself."

"Wait what?" Elle asked confused.

He held up a finger to quiet her, "After my wife passed, I had been so lonely, I never would have thought I could find someone like her again, but as I was playing I knew I wouldn't, I don't want my equal anymore, I want someone I can control, someone I can make mine, and someone who looks like living sin, but who would never know any better to leave me either." The look in his eyes scared Elle.

She felt a shiver rush through her body and she turned to go, "I, umm, sorry I, umm bothered you," she said turning to leave the house, this weird feeling about being with him hitting her. 

He started to laugh, "run, it's too late, you're mine already, you will be back my dear."

Elle made it down the street and around the block she was heading for the police, knowing she could talk to someone, as crazy as she might sound she needed to say something. It wasn't long before she started to hear the drums again, it was calling to her, she had to fight it, she tried to fight it. 

Elle changing to the beat of the drums.

Elle didn't notice as her outfit changed, becoming a sleek sexy dress, or that her hair was cascading down her shoulders turning bright blonde. She knew she had to keep moving, then she stopped in her tracks, she smelled a flower, it smelled familiar, and she giggled thinking it was like his cologne. She shook her head, "no you can't you have to go back to him, no I have to " she paused wanting to fight it but she turned and looked back towards the drumming, it was calling her home. She was so close to the police station but she headed back to the house, where he was waiting with open arms.

Elle changed and loving her husband and life.

Days later, Elle was standing in the bathroom, her husband or the man she thought was her husband was upstairs playing his drums, he was so handsome, playing some old jazz or something, she never understood it, all she knew was that she loved him and would do anything for him. They were going out and he bought her a new dress to wear out, she always had to look her best for him, and she was always the hottest woman in the room wherever they went. And she knew deep down with the beating of her heart, she was his, her heart only drummed for him.