The Devil's Death

Chapter Twenty Two:The Elegy

"I called Ore. She said her husband knows nothing about Carlen and he doesn't give a damn about him."
Light blinked up at me with a soft frown. Placing his mobile phone down on the nearby table he sighed.
"I'm sorry. I can't imagine the fear you must be carrying."

I had been running through our own list of contacts... Asking if they'd seen Carlen... Or even Aldwyn.

Pressing a hand to my head I was close to tears. I hadn't even been able to see his dad.
I hadn't even been able to see old Mr Russworth at a funeral of any kind. I sincerely wondered what happened with him...

A loud booming noise followed the opening of the large wooden lounge door.

Michael ran in happily still blissfully unaware of Carlen's disappearance while Atlas followed him in, loyally.

Running over to me with those gentle eyes I couldn't turn down.... It was so hard to tell him what was going on.

Fuck I wished Carlen was here and I didn't have to handle all this mess.

I forced a brave face and smiled up at him instead.
"How are you doing? "

He smiled wider "I'm good. Is daddy still working?"

I hummed smiling up at him and moving hair out of his face.
"Yeah... Daddy's busy with some family arrangements away from home. You know your grandpa... He uh... Needs a lot of help right now being so old."

Michael nodded at me, pouting his lips in a cartoonish manner. I noticed that whenever I lied to him he always quietly avoided questioning further, unlike most kids who were good at deducing. I didn't know if he was just stupid, simple or didn't care.

None of them were bad things. Sometimes kids didn't realise that by being too smart or nosy...they ended up involved in stuff they never really needed to be a part of... But forced themselves into the picture.

I didn't have to worry about explaining the tough stuff to Michael.

Michael sat down beside me and immediately pressed his head to my shoulder.
"Hi uncle Light!"
Light gleamed in adoration.. "Awwwwww Mike! Dont you get bigger and bigger every time I see you. Look at your hair!"
Michael was easily excitable.. "I know! It's getting so curly. Its just like Addies!"

Light giggled at his comment.. "Yeah both of you have the prettiest curly hair."

Michael giggled holding onto me tighter.
I pressed a kiss to his small head.
"Yeah. My little miracle babies. Both of you have the curliest of hair. It's so pretty."

Michael avoided my eyes placing a small pale finger through one of the pale rings of hair.
"They're made to be like clouds... And Aldwyn's are like smoke."

Huh. Interesting comparison.

Light finally sighed getting up.
"You keep on it Naiden. I'll see if Nord found anything from his team."

I hummed softly as Light smiled down at Michael and waved.

Michael curled his fingers in a childlike manner and kept his eyes glued to Light as he walked out.

Jeez. Where could his dad be...

___________________________

Carlen

People often talk about death like it has a smell... Which it did when chemicals and blood were involved.

Not now. Right now death was quiet, calm and committed.

The room was too quiet... And a bare bit of light kept fading in and out as I heard my own breathing fade with me.

A soft but low voice chuckled.
"Oh... It's you...again."