Chương 14: The Tale House

At the reception area of Lantern City hospital, Aqua Croft raises her gaze from behind the front desk just as Crimson walks in clutching a plastic bag.

"Is my son actually bringing me dinner?"

"I figured you wouldn't mind skipping the cafeteria tonight." Crimson admitted.

"You are the most considerate, affectionate... sneaky little trickster, you are definitely not borrowing the car tomorrow night."

"Mom..."

"There's a curfew. No car. But I'll take that." She snatches the plastic bag and rushes away from the front desk. Defeated, he turns to leave. But then he glances back. The sole other presence in the lobby is the nurse typing away at her computer. Crimson inhales, lifting his head... He's picked up a scent. With a quick look toward the nurse, he moves away from the desk... Following the scent, he strolls down the strangely silent hospital corridor. He halts at room 137, noticing the door slightly open.

He lifts a shaky hand and gently pushes it open. He steps inside. Holding his breath, the only sounds are the monitor beeps from behind a closed curtain. Crimson edges closer. Then, after a quick peek at the open door, he slowly pulls the curtain aside to reveal Gary Meyers, the bus driver. He lies unconscious in the hospital bed, hooked up to an IV bag and several monitors. Bandages wrap his neck and chest. With a nervous gulp, he moves closer, attempting to inspect the man's injuries when his eyes flicker open.

"Mr. Meyers?" The man's breathing turns rougher, gasping for air.

"Are you alright?" His hand clamps around Crimson's wrist. The boy startles and tries to pull away. But the grip only grows firmer. The heart monitor begins to go wild. The driver's breathing quickens, almost hyperventilating as his eyes widen. All because of Crimson. He wrenches himself free just as the nurse and Aqua burst in.

"What are you doing here?"

"Nothing, I was... I was just..."

"Get out. Go!" He retreats as they tend to the trembling, terrified driver. But the man's gaze remains fixed on Crimson, while the monitors sound their shrill alarms.

At the Tale Property, a Lantern City Deputy Sheriff Cruiser glides to a stop at the driveway's end, its engine falling silent. In the backseat, a German Shepherd pants heavily, its tongue dangling from its mouth. The deputy steps out while chattering into his radio.

"Looks pretty deserted. Does he want me to check inside?" He said to dispatch.

"Unit Sixteen, it's county property. Orders are to confirm it's empty."

"I don't think anyone's around."

"For heaven's sake, Sixteen, go in and see if somebody's there." Dispatch commanded, growing irritated.

"Copy that." Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The Deputy holds a tense gaze on the rundown house. He scans his surroundings, realizing just how isolated he is. Steeling himself, he heads toward the house. Then he halts abruptly. His eyes dart side to side as if catching a sound. Unsnapping his holster, he resumes his advance. The German Shepherd presses its nose to the cracked window. It tilts its head toward it.

The house window where Autzee stands. His eyes start to glow blue, like luminous liquid seeping into his irises. As the Deputy nears the house cautiously, a bark makes him jump. He shoots an annoyed look back at his German Shepherd and waves a hand at it, but inside, the dog begins whining and pacing across the rear seat. It erupts into a burst of barking.

"Hey, what's up, boy?" he said, but the barking turns frantic, the dog clawing desperately to escape the car.

"What the heck..." The dog's whines morph into yelps and strangled cries.

"Okay, I'm coming, I'm coming!" Now equally panicked, the Deputy leaps in, knowing the smartest move is to flee. And he does. The Cruiser screeches away, kicking up dust along the road. Through the house window, Autzee lets a subtle, satisfied smile cross his face. Until he spots someone standing in the settling dust... Crimson. He doesn't move to approach, though. Instead, he merely speaks...

"I know you can hear me." His ears twitch as he catches his voice.

"I need your help.

Crimson steps through the doorway. The house is in complete shambles. Smoke and flames have blackened the walls, and the warped, buckled hardwood floors are ruined from water damage.

"Nice place." Autzee just stares at him. Silence hangs in the air.

"Okay. I know I was part of why you got arrested. And that we basically told the hunters you were here. And I also don't know what happened with your sister..." He watches him, hoping he'll fill in the gaps. He doesn't. So Crimson continues.

"But I think I did something last night. I had this dream about... someone. But someone else got hurt. And it turns out that part of the dream might have actually happened."

"You think you attacked the Driver."

"How do you know everything? Are you constantly watching me? Did you see what I did last night?"

"No." Autzee replied without hesitation.

"Then can you at least tell me the truth? Am I going to hurt someone?"

"Yes." Crimson flinches at how blunt the answer is, so he asks another question, "Could I kill someone?"

"Yes."

"Am I going to kill someone?"

"Probably." His knees look ready to give out. He leans back against the wall, drained from all the worry.

"I can show you how to remember. How to control the shift. Even on a full moon. But it's not going to come for free." Autzee said, glancing over at him.

"What do you want?"

"You'll find out. But for now, I'll give you what you want. Go back to the bus. Go inside. See it, feel it. Let your senses, sight, smell, touch... let them remember for you."

"That's it? Just go back?" Crimson said, disappointed because he knew the bus would be heavily guarded.

"You want to remember what happened?"

"I just want to know if I hurt him. Do it. If you were there, you'll remember." After this, Crimson goes around the bottom of the driveway from the Tale house and crosses to Churro waiting in his Jeep. He gets in on the passenger side.

"So what did he teach you? How to roll over? Beg? Give him your paw?" But Crimson doesn't react, not even a hint of a smile. Just a nod.

"Did he tell you how to remember? And you think we can trust him? Anyway, whatever it is, let's do it."

"But what if I remember that I actually did attack him? And what if he dies?" He asked Churro.

"You didn't. And he won't. I promise."

"What if I go to sleep some night and it's you I end up going after? How are you going to feel if I kill you, Churro?"

"I'd prefer not to feel anything. I have a very low tolerance for pain." Crimson finally gives him a weary smile before Churro said, "You're not a killer. But you are a douche for making me sit in the" He starts the Jeep, pulling out.

The night had already fallen when Churro's Jeep rolled up to the chain-link fence encircling the high school's parking area. Crimson steps out from the passenger side, making his way toward the fence, his gaze locked on the school bus parked at the far end of the lot, yellow police tape wrapped around it. He begins to scale the fence, but halts as Churro starts to follow.

"Only me. Someone has to keep watch."

"Why is it always me who ends up on watch duty?" Churro grumbled, with a pout.

"Because there's just the two of us."

"How come it feels like you're Batman and I'm Robin? I don't want to be Robin forever." He whined.

"No one's Batman or Robin all the time. Just stay put." Crimson said through clenched teeth. Churro watches him scale the fence and drop onto the pavement on the other side.