Road Trip [2]

We drive between the uncut grasslands. The sun’s heat over my skin becomes less of an annoyance and more of a comfort as I intensely describe my bizarre dream.

I describe to Ethan the peculiar poetry prank, the magical orbs, and the weird ‘memories’ of seeing those orbs when I was a child. I tell him all about Kairos, the god of opportunity, and what I had said to the doctor about Love being the most powerful magic of all. I tell him everything –as vividly as I could remember. There is, after all, no one better to bring me back to reality than this guy right here… the ole’ reliable best friend.

“He was strange,” I say, referring to the doctor. “Like a wizard in a doctor’s coat.”

Ethan scoffs at my description. “I would hardly call him a wizard.”

“How would you know?” I say, “It’s not like you’ve…”

It takes me all of five seconds to realise it – that it wasn’t a dream at all. Ethan’s silence only confirms it.

He stares at the road. I stare at him.

It’s the longest five seconds I’ve ever felt in my life.

“You… knew.” I realise. “You knew everything.”

He says nothing.

“But… how?” I ask. “And why?”

I study Ethan, wondering after a point if he’s going to respond to my questions at all. When he finally does, he says just one thing. “Everything you thought about Life? Was right.”

“I… I don’t understand.”

“The man you met is Dr Caesar Levett,” he explains, relaxing his tensed shoulders. “He’s been my family’s doctor since I was a kid.”

I wait for him to elaborate.

He doesn’t.

“So… what the hell was my appointment with him all about? The philosophical conversation? The… the magic?” I think about the word. “Magic…” I feel it itching its way out of my mouth. Strange how a word you’ve known so well all your life can seem so daring and unreal when you use it where it doesn’t seem to belong. Magic doesn’t seem to belong in the real world. It doesn’t seem to belong here at all… even if we dare to dream of it.

“Dr Caesar isn’t just a medical doctor,” Ethan tells me. We reach the end of the grasslands and Ethan shifts the steering wheel and takes us onto a road on the right, leading us down a perfectly paved road. “He’s also one of the most powerful kinds of people to exist on this earth.”

I’m stunted, wondering what he could mean by that.

Ahead of us, I spot a moderately guarded automatic gate. It takes my attention away from the confusing thoughts. Beyond the gate lies what seems to be an institutional compound spanning far into the great distance ahead.

Ethan flashes an identification card to a guard, who then allows him into the compound by opening the gate for us to drive in.

“Where are we?” I ask, observing the unfamiliar surroundings.

He drives into a multi-level car park, directly towards a space that seemed to be waiting for his car all along. The number ‘902’ is painted into the header of the space. My brow goes quizzical as I note this. It’s the second time that number has crossed paths with me today. It reminds me of Ethan –and of Dr Caesar.

Ethan parks the car. He turns to me.

“Welcome,” he says to me. “To my home away from home.”