A Cure for the Blind

Chapter 45 - Puppet Master

Chapter Forty-Five

Puppet Master

The world had stopped still. There was no sound, no scent, no feeling, no taste. Everything had changed, turned into nothing. Everything was upside down, nothing made sense anymore.

Victor felt himself falling into nothingness. His whole sense of right and wrong, past and present were ruined. His sense of self had vanished.

He was falling and there was no salvation. No light, no redemption. Just like he had chosen.

Had he been blind all along?

He felt frail and sick. Everything he fought for and most of what he believed in was ruined.

Was Amos Skeffington an innocent man?

Had he been poisoning and destroying a friend?

Was he really that kind of monster?

He slowly walked towards the couch and sat there, before he would lose what little strength remained in his legs. His head hurt, filled with too many memories, denial and questions, and so he rested it on his pale hands, trying to find some sense of vain relief. He almost forgot Jonathan's presence, but it didn't matter. Not much did.

He had been so sure. So certain.

How could this happen?

"Julius... My father... No," he managed to say. It couldn't be that easy to take all his certainties away from him. There had to be a ray of hope somewhere and he had to cling to it with all his remaining conviction. "It can't be. Amos Skeffington..." He lifted his head to stare at the man watching his decay. "You're lying."

Jonathan smirked. Not one ounce of pity crossed his features. "Why would I?"

"To protect Amos."

"Victor..." Jonathan replied as if he was patiently scolding a child. "Wait for me to start caring about Amos's condition and see how long it takes for him to die. But you probably already know that. I don't care for the Skeffingtons, only for their fortune. And money is, thankfully, immortal."

"It... it can't be," he whispered, still too shaken to face Jonathan like he deserved.

"Oh, but it is," the older man smiled, amused. "I don't blame you for not knowing, though... I was very surprised as well when Sir Julius first came to me. Although, I suspect my surprise was much more pleasant than yours."

"Julius..." Victor desperately repeated the name, as if it somehow would help him accept. "Why?"

"He was guilty of what your father was accused of," Jonathan explained, as Victor's eyes met him with a shocking speed. "I don't expect you to find that quite as amusing as I do." He took a deep breath, smiled again and paced the room. "Julius was, and has been to this day, carefully and expertly stealing and embezzling Skeffington's money. Your father's money. William found out and confronted him. He asked Julius to come clean in the name of their old friendship." The detective chuckled, like he was remembering an old joke. "Such a fool."

Victor frowned, though he didn't say a word. It was like he was immersed in the story. Besides, he couldn't help but agree. His father had been a fool.

"He told Julius he was going to let Amos know and, together, they could help him. Such a noble heart. Such a naïve, foolish mind."

"My father was honorable and loyal," Victor couldn't help but defend his father. Though he couldn't say he agreed or understood most of his actions, of one thing he was sure - he was proud of them. "He prized family and friendship above everything. His only flaw was believing that other men could be like him."