Mystery Lights

Chapter 13

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

Third Person POV

At first, Saint felt very nervous at getting caught by his father sneaking out of the house late at night, but Saint decided that he had to stand his ground because it was the only way for him to cure himself of this psychological affliction.

"Father," Saint said firmly, looking his father in the eye and trying hard not to flinch when his father stared him down. "I have decided to leave town over the weekend."

"Just exactly where are you going and why?" Saint's father asked him.

"I am going back to that forest where my bright flashes started. I am going to do some deep and prolonged meditation and reflection over there, something like a retreat that monks do every now and then to cleanse their souls," Saint replied, already making his way down the stairs.

"How are you going there? Are you going by yourself? Isn't it a dangerous thing to do?" Saint's father's questions came in quick succession.

"Perth is taking me there," Saint replied shortly.

"Perth?" Saint's father raised his eyebrow, and then... "Ohh... Perth! Your former driver. Is he available and willing to take you there?"

"He is already waiting for me outside the house," Saint said, heading for the door. "I'm sorry, Father, but I really have to do this."

Saint's father sighed in resignation. He could see that Saint was determined to do what he wanted to do and that nothing could sway him.

"Good luck then, son," Mr. Suppapong said. "Come back safely, please."

"Thank you, Father, I will," Saint replied before walking out the door and closing it behind him.

Perth stepped out of his car the moment he saw Perth walk out of the gate.

"Are you okay with riding in my car, or would you prefer that I drive you in your car?" Perth asked.

"I'm alright with riding in your car," Saint replied.

"Very well, then," Perth said, walking over to the passenger seat and opening the door for Saint.

"There was no need for you to do that for me," Saint remarked with a smile.

"Your intermittent bright flashes are unpredictable," Perth said by way of explaining his chivalrous action, "so it's always best to take precaution."

"Thank you," Saint said as he got into the front passenger seat.

"Where am I taking you?" Perth asked, before turning his engine on.

Saint gave him the address. Perth entered the address into his GPS. He refrained from asking Saint why he wanted to go there. If Saint wanted to let him know he would tell him, if not, Perth wasn't going to push him to tell.

Surprisingly enough, there were still a lot of cars on the road even though it was already late in the evening. And then again it was a Friday night so there must be some people who had plans to go out of town for the weekend just like Saint was doing right now.

Perth kept quiet as he drove, focusing on the traffic around him.

Then Saint broke the silence.

"Thank you for making yourself available for this trip, Perth," Saint said. "I really appreciate it."

"You know I will always help you whenever I'm available," Perth said. "I'm sorry that I had to quit being your driver because I needed to earn my physical therapy license."

"Of course I understand that you need to do something more than just driving people around for a living," Saint replied.

Perth did not reply to that remark. Another period of silence followed.

Soon Perth's GPS instructed him to make a left turn on a narrow road. The road was dimly lit with long distances in between lamp posts.

"Just where are we going?" Perth asked with a nervous chuckle.

"We will stop to check in at that small inn at the end of this road," Saint said. "We will stay there for the night and then tomorrow morning I will go some place by foot. You don't have to accompany me to where I am going."

Perth got very curious and worried at the same time.

"I don't want to intrude into your privacy," Perth began, "but at the same time, I am worried about your intermittent bright flashes which might cause you to come into some kind of harm."

Saint had forgotten about that. He had just been so intent in going to that part of the forest where he and his first cousin Tanya had stopped and kissed and had almost gotten into the point of incestuous intimate activity.

"I... I guess I will be needing you to accompany me," Saint acceded to Perth's suggestion.

Perth saw the small inn before they reached the end of the road. He parked his car in the small parking lot and helped Saint to take his duffel bag from the trunk of his car. He took out his own as well.

The clerk at the desk looked at Perth and Saint curiously when they walked into the small lobby, probably wondering why they were checking in at such a late time in the night.

"I hope you have a room available for us," Saint said with a smile and a bow to the clerk.

"We do," the clerk replied. "Not too many people come to this place."

After going through the check in process the clerk handed Saint the key to their room.

It was a small and cozy room with a fireplace and a room refrigerator. There was a small and narrow shower stall and toilet as well.

"Would you like to use the bathroom first?" Perth asked.

"Okay," Saint replied, opening the narrow closet at one end of the room and placing his duffel bag inside.

Saint took out his pajamas and fresh underwear. The bathroom contained complimentary bath towels and toiletries. Saint closed the bathroom door and started his bathroom rituals.

Perth leafed through a magazine while waiting for Saint to finish his shower.

A minute had not yet even passed when there was a knock on the door.

Perth went to open it.

Zee Pruk stood outside, a duffel bag slung across his shoulder.

"May I talk to Saint, please?" Zee asked.

"He's taking a shower," Perth replied.

"Oh, okay," said Zee. "Please tell him that I'll be waiting for him in the next room."

"Sure," Perth said, wondering if Saint had known about this beforehand.

Perth was about to close the door on Zee when Zee said, "Tell him what he's trying to do is not what I recommended."