Sixty-five

When the door opens my eyes find Geralds immediately. He doesn't bear the countenance of someone bringing good news.

" No answer. I left a message. It's late. The girl that man the phone has probably gone home," He says calmly.

" Can you find Eric? The Dean," I'm not ready to give up. If something is going on, Eric must know about it. If Mason has gone missing and I have gone missing, then something is in the works.

He doesn't get a chance to sit back down, "I'll give it a try to his home phone. We know each other through Mason. He is not my favourite person though. The man is so sour that if you leave him long enough around gherkins, I can guarantee you they'll pickle in under thirty minutes," He laughs at his joke, but can't say I disagree. He doesn't wait for me to respond and slips out of the door.

" It will be fine. No need to worry about it.

It's late and people have gone to bed or they are out," Soph tries to soothe my growing concerns. It doesn't help. Not in the least. Not when you know what I know.

Instead, I give her a frazzled smile and try my best to keep calm and not run for the hills. Not that I'd make it very far in my sorry state.

Silence settles over us, while we wait for Gerald to come back with news. Sophie is quiet which feels quite un unnatural since the girl can't stop talking no matter what.

After what it feels like forever, Gerald comes back wearing a rather long face and I don't need him to tell me anything. I already know and it's not good.

" No answer, "That's all he says, and I know I can't stay and wait to heal. It will take far too long and I can't bear not knowing. It will drive me insane and I'm not far from it anyway. Why speed up the process?

" Can you take me back? Or can I borrow a car? I will bring it back. I promise," I sluggishly rise from the bed, the room begins to spin, and tilt. I sway on my feet, my legs give under me, and I collapse. Sophie catches me before I hit the floor, and throws me back onto the bed.

" You'll die in a car crash if the poison doesn't kill you first," She chides, as she rearranges the line to my drip. It must've moved when I collapsed. It's a risk I'll have to take.

" I'll take you, but first we will stop at the hospital to get you treated," Julian takes a step forward and I'm glad he doesn't fight me on this.

Sophie looks up at him slightly scandalised that he is willing to take a dying patient from under her care, to which Gerald shrugs.

" She will go anyway. I'd rather make sure she makes it down there alive. I'd rather sleep at night peacefully, " Gerald explains. It doesn't matter the reasoning behind his kind deed, as long as he takes me to Morston.

" We will leave as soon as Sophie makes sure you're patched up to last the ride from here to Aldore," He says as he struts outside, leaving Sophie and me alone.

" This is stupid," She mumbles under her breath, and I don't want to fight with her. I'd rather preserve the little strength I have left to survive the trip to Aldore.

" It's just a few days. So what if the people you know don't answer your call? Wait until morning, and try again. You're risking your life. You might die on the way down. We should wait for the blood work to come back. I need to know for sure about the poison in your system. I might be wrong, and if don't treat it with the right medication it's certain death," She keeps speaking, as she changes the dressing on my wounds. It's more of the same. How idiotic is my decision to leave? She goes into great detail about the risks I'm taking, but my mind goes to the people I have left behind. I have to try and find them.

The ball of dread that has wrapped around my insides is gripping me with an iron fist, squeezing and scraping, tearing me a little more with each painful second.

" It's the best that I can do with what I have," She pats my hand gently to get my attention while I push myself up on the bed, and try my luck again.

Sophie unhooks the drip bag and offers me her hand to lead me outside, where Julian is waiting.

Thankfully he has pulled the car right outside the log cabin, and I don't have to walk far. It's a sturdy car, suitable to travel the rough terrain. It is covered in mud from the tyres to the roof of the car. The only thing that's fairly clean is the windscreen.

" Thank you," I say to Sophie as she yanks the door open and finds the hook that doesn't fit with the rest of the accessories but I know it's been put there because of the workers that get injured and have to be taken to the hospital in that car.

She straightens in front of me and gives my shoulder a light squeeze," I'd hug you but I don't want to break any more of your bones," She gives me a sad smile and leans inside the car," Don't drive too fast along the dirt roads. Her spleen might burst if you do," And with that, she pushes me inside the vehicle and straps the seat belt loosely around my chest. I know it won't stay that way, but I don't dare say anything to upset her.

" Give me a call once you get to the hospital, " She says to Gerald who gives her a curt nod and revs the engine.

" Don't worry. It's not my first time," Gerald says with a smirk directed at Sophie. She nods and smiles back at him before shutting the door, while we pull away and turn around on the muddy grounds before slipping onto the bumpy road.