***
“Jake what were you thinking: no, no, what ARE you thinking?”
Thomas bellows.
“You know how hard it was to cover that little incident you just caused… good gracious man.”
“Just relax Thomas!” I reply. “Look, I saw Sam wandering through the old preservation zone, what am I suppose to do huh? Leave him to die?”
Thomas sighs and straightens his posture. “That’s almost understandable… I guess, but you didn’t have to take him to the Funerals, heck man you’re making up such a lie to your own son, you even have me entangled in a lie with my own myrmidons”
“That’s NONE of your concern Thomas. Your choices are your own decision,” I interrupt and get an inch away from the mask. “Don’t you understand I’ve never spoken to my son more than a couple of minutes here and there… I was just telling him a story.”
“The Time of Departure and the Dark Times isn’t some inept and cynical to yarn around with.” He faces away from me and gets closer to the ocean.
The Funerals… what a name for such a splendor filled place that expresses beauty and tranquility. But its name comes from consequence, and that bidding is mine alone. I close my eyes and lurch my head forward. I can’t seem to comprehend the nature of my acting, but it was instinctive… an act I wasn’t expecting to do. But I spilt blood in these sands and I can’t drive myself to think of it any longer, it burns too much… it enkindles water to accumulate itself in the bases of my eyes.
I get closer to him and stare across this fake ocean. “That’s my escape Thomas.” I mutter.
He nods. “Yes. Now that you’ve smothered your scent on Sam and Rebecca, and this little spot right here… it’ll just take Sam to return here,” he glances at me. “How do you think that will happen?”
I roll my eyes. “I don’t know. But-but it shouldn’t take long at all. He’s a rebellious one… and so is Rebecca.”
“Yah, just like you… humans,” he chuckles. “Sometimes I wonder how they can be so absentminded, yet such lively beings full of emotions. I guess it only took me to love one of your kind to find out how it felt.” He pulls the mask from his face and lets it drop to the sand. “I wish she were still here.”
“You still have Elizabeth.”
It took me quite a while before I understood Thomas’s ambitions. I knew something had to have happened to him in order to act as he does. When he had me examine Elizabeth William, and see that she is in fact a half-blood, I had a hunch he wasn’t telling me something. And now I understand everything. As clear as the sky that stands before me.
Thomas stares into the sky. “So you connected the dots.”
“Who was she?” I ask.
He takes a step closer to the calm ocean water. “Let’s just keep it at this. Love, your kind’s love… entangled me and I fell for it,” he turns to me. “I never knew that such a feeling existed. And I loved it.” He smiles as a black streak slithers down his cheek. “Elizabeth was but a baby when the Time of Departure occurred. And I must apologize, but best to speak of this at a different time. A time when we’re not confound to discretion.”
“Thank you Thomas, thank you for everything.”
He lifts his hand up. “Don’t thank me, don’t ever thank me. I do this on my own accord… and I know there’s still light at the end of the tunnel. I wish everything to return the way it was before the Time of Departure, and I won’t stop at nothing until I see it.”
His selflessness is a gift. And I love that about him… and him and I share an ambition one that I now see.
It might take a little longer than I expect, but I know, and hope my plan works.
“I must take my leave.” Thomas says. “They’re requesting me for questioning…” he pauses. “And look at this.” He holds the cell closer to his ear. “The President, Pre-President, and my Myrmidon Commander are all closely monitoring Sam’s progress and are seeking higher security to protect him…” he pauses again. “They’re speaking of you. They’re saying that the Guardians are scavenging through the old preservation zone near the Funerals.” His eyes open wide. “Do you still have the cell I gave you?”
I nod. “I do.”
“Ok, just keep it in your ear and poke the yellow button and you’ll be able to monitor our chatter anonymously. I’ll contact you after I get more information.” He hesitates and gasps. “My private line is telling me that they’re expecting me personally to speak.”
“Will you be ok?”
His face turns grave. “I should be fine. J-just go, hide some; where I don’t know, anywhere. Jump in the water to remove some of your scent.”
---
***
Sam