A Winding Road to Revenge

The Sun Doesn't Shine on the Sinners

Luke's cheek was on fire and he wasn't entirely sure why.

He could feel a softness beneath him and he was fairly sure he was lying down but that didn't seem to match up with any of his day that he could remember.

He'd slipped out of his room in the early morning, all the things he deemed important packed in his bag and off he went. He'd caught the first bus of the day and rode it until he felt like he'd gone far enough, then got off and continued on foot.

The day had seemed strange though. The sun that had been shining so brightly through his bedroom window that morning seemed to dim the further he'd gotten into the city. In fact, by the time he stepped off the bus, it seemed to have gone away completely, the streets filled with dark shadows and smoke. It had only just gone lunchtime.

Luke remembered walking and not really knowing where he was going, just endless wandering until he found somewhere that seemed like a good idea. Everyone around him had just been going about their days but he couldn't help thinking that they all knew he was lost and were laughing at him inside their heads. Which looking back was very silly, if anyone around him was thinking anything it was that he should probably stop clutching his pocket because no one was going to rob him.

It wasn't that he suspected anyone around him, it was just that Luke couldn't get rid of his father's voice in his head, 'thieves and criminals the lot of them. They are where they are because they couldn't be bothered making an honest living. The people in this part of the city have earned it. If they wanted to work to get here they could.'

But after all the things he'd seen on his travels, Luke was more certain than ever that his father had been wrong about a lot of things.

Luke's eyes seemed to be bored of looking at his eyelids because they pulled themselves open and he was able to take in his surroundings.

The softness had been a bed would he'd guessed but that was about all he could figure out. He didn't recognise the room and despite the various medical implements and boxes of supplies, it didn't seem much like a hospital either.

He was about to try and heave himself out of bed but then a small woman came into the room. She hadn't realised he was awake and was humming to herself as she rooted through one of the boxes. Despite not knowing where he was there was something reassuring about her, the way she was smiling as she hummed made him feel like he probably hadn't been kidnapped.

She was small, well he thought she seemed small but Luke knew that if he stood up she may easily be the same height or taller than him. She had a floral scarf wrapped around her head and a white turtleneck jumper with a red cross on the arm.

So he was definitely in some form of medical place.

The woman muttered as she dropped something. Luke wasn't sure what it was but he could hear it rolling across the floor towards him.

"Oh good morning," she said, finally noticing his open eyes as she'd turned towards the bed to retrieve whatever she had dropped. It lay forgotten under the bed now. "Actually it's more like good evening," she added with a quick glance at her watch.

Evening? Where had the rest of the day gone?

Luke tried to sit up but was hit with a wave of nausea. The woman rushed to his side and grabbed his arm.

"Easy, you've had quite the knock to the head." Luke squinted at her. That would explain the killer headache. She rearranged his pillows to prop him up a bit and dragged a stool over to the bed. "Now," she said with a very kind smile, one of the kindest he had seen in a while. "I'm Myra, what's your name?"

Luke swallowed. It should be a simple question, he knew the answer well enough. It was just he wasn't quite sure where he was - more importantly how near he was to home.

"Luke Daniels." He shouldn't have said the last part, he should've just settled for 'Luke'. It was a force of habit, his father was always introducing himself with his full name and the 'Daniels' part was always said like it was something to be proud of.

He watched Myra carefully but her face was unfazed. She didn't instantly call someone, didn't give him the pitying look he got from the woman who found him the first time he tried to leave.

Everyone in his area knew him, people further out knew of him. It seemed he was far enough that he was just some kid.

It helped him relax a little.

"Nice to meet you, Luke Daniels," Myra said, holding out a hand for him to shake. "May I ask what pronouns you use?"

"He and him."

"She and her," Myra replied, pointing to herself. "We picked you up from near Baker's Circle after you fell and knocked yourself unconscious."

"We?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, at least not yet."

Luke didn't quite understand what kind of an answer that was. "Ok?"

"I'm sorry," she said, squeezing his arm. "I know this must all be rather confusing and I'm sure you want to get back to where you were going."

Luke wasn't sure how he was going to explain that he wasn't quite sure where he was actually going. He just swallowed and offered a smile.

"Unless you haven't got anywhere to go?"

Luke didn't question how she knew. Maybe his face had given him away, it had an awful habit of doing that. He was just grateful that she figured it out, his head was pounding quite a lot, his ribs ached, and talking seemed to be taking rather a lot of energy.

"Well, you can stay here until you feel better, then we'll go from there." Luke smiled gratefully, though he still wasn't quite sure where 'here' was.

Myra got up and poured him a glass of water. "You drink that and have a little sleep if you feel like it, I'll go tell the others how you are and be back to change the dressing on your cheek later." Luke raised his hand gently to his burning cheek and felt the fabric of a large plaster. That explained the source of the stinging, though he was mildly concerned about the extent of the damage to his face - he rather liked it unmarked.

Luke didn't know who the others were but he didn't care. In fact, he quite liked the idea of people being concerned for some random person's wellbeing - it made him feel reassured that he was in a good place.

Myra paused at the door on her way out. "You're safe here Luke."

And for the first time all day, he truly felt it.

"Thank you."