Sixty-six

I find Gerald sitting in one of the many chairs that line the hospital corridor, dozing off. He drove all night. I hope he'd had some rest because there is more driving to do.

" Gerald," I grab his arm and give him a light squeeze," We have to go," He wakes up, looking confused for a moment before getting his bearings.

Rubbing his eyes," Are they letting you go? You were comatose when we got here," He says as the sound of feet shuffling over the smooth floor reaches my ears. I already know the nurse is glaring at my back for wanting to leave and hitting him.

" No. She shouldn't leave. If she does, it's a death sentence," The nurse slides to my side and grabs my arm.

I give him my most annoyed look that I can summon and yank my arm out of his grip. He raises his arms in surrender and steps back," It is your funeral, " He says as he turns away and leaves.

Gerald sluggishly pushes himself up," I think you should stay," I shake my head at that, and he sighs.

" How about this. I'll try to reach Eric again. If I can't find him I'll call Enid. She might know something. Mason has always been a secretive bastard, but Enid is pretty good at keeping tabs on his whereabouts," It's a peace offering. And I take it for the time being.

" I'm coming with you. I want to be there when you make the call," I say as he turns on his heels and begins to walk towards the exit.

When we reach reception, I let him deal with the woman behind the desk. She readily agrees to his request, and Gerald pulls out a notebook from his pocket, and begins to leaf through it.

When he finds the corresponding number he dials the number and waits, patiently. On the other hand I tap my foot, restless. The phone has been ringing for far too long. I throw a glance at the watch on the wall, and notice that is around eight in the morning. Enid should be at home at this time and awake. Plus Marie now lives there too.

After a few minutes he places the receiver down and looks at me with clouded eyes.

I'm not wrong. It took me a while to learn how it works and to trust it but I know how to interpret those little pangs in my gut.

Gerald turns his attention back to his little notebook, and begins to leaf again through it, a little faster than last time.

He dials the number and once again he comes up empty. No answer.

" We need to go. We wasted enough time as it is," I say as I begin to walk towards the exit. This the worst time possible to malfunction, but for now I'll have to travel the old fashioned way.

Whatever that bastard did to me in Kush has had an ever lasting effect on me.

At the top of the stairs, I stop and wait for Gerald, since I don't know where he has parked the car.

In the time he takes to catch up, I take a moment to look around a see what Aldore looks like. Graham was right, they do give a new meaning to phrase filthy rich. Aldore's streets are lined with stately homes, lavishly decorated with sombre colours, but that doesn't detract from their imposing beauty. Some of them are almost garish, a statement of their wealth, no doubt.

I've seen pictures in books, and articles but nothing quite compares to when you see it with your own eyes.

" No time for sightseeing. Let's go," Gerapd says from where he is standing next to the car. I didn't notice him walk past me. Too busy gawking at the houses and their strange clothing.

Considering the harsh winds that sweep over these lands for the most part of the year, people are dressed incredibly light.

A cool breeze brushes against my cheek reminding me that we need to go. I descend the steps slower than I wanted to, and slower than I can afford to move. On the bright side whatever cocktail they've put in that drip bag is doing its job. I don't feel like I'm about to die anymore, and I guess that's gotta count for something.

The engine rumbles to life, while I slide into the passenger seat and before I even have a chance close the door, Gerald pulls out of the parking spot.

" You're not human," He notes almost bored, " I've never seen anyone survive Monkswood poisoning. Not in your condition anyway. So what are you? In what kind of trouble Mason has gotten himself this time?" Gerald asks, gripping the steering wheel with white knuckled force. I don't know what to say.

He suspects, but that's pretty much it.

" Knowing won't do you any good. Just take me to Morston," I say with as much calm I can muster.

He scoffs," I see he rubbed off on you," Gerald replies with a hint of humour in his voice," And I bet all the money I have that when we find him, he is wearing the pair to that ring of yours isn't he? Bastard," Julian hums still amused, but I have a feeling that it's not in the hahaha way.

" Does it matter? What difference does it make?" I bristle. At my defensiveness, Gerald begjns to chuckle.

" You're a fucking child compared to him. He groomed you, didn't he?" Bollocks. That's what Mason was afraid off.

Just because I lived under the same roof with Mason, doesn't mean he took advantage of my tender age, naivety and manipulated my emotions.

I don't think he did. It was I who initiated.

He said no, I forced his hand, by kissing him. It's like dangling a piece of meat in front of an apex predator. He will go for it, no questions asked.

I knew what I was doing. It wasn't carelessness that led me down that path. It was the desire to break the spell I was under and once and for all put an end to the endless war I was waging against myself.

Mistakes were made, that's true, but I don't regret taking that first step. The moments we've shared has brought me endless joy. And all in all, I'd like to think that I'm not entirely clueless when it comes what and how I feel about Mason.