To Be A Carnivore

Chapter 10 Passing

Avoiding Mr. King completely wasn't possible given the fact that I was heading a project for him. I never would've thought I'd feel safe beside Justin Myles. But I did. It was my boss's first visit to the site and my first time in one of his personal cars. The ride took my mind off many things.

My boss had rad wheels. I usually don't say rad or use it but it was impossible not to gawk. His car was a Tesla Model S. It was fast, beautiful and expensive as hell.

"Don't touch anything" my boss warned. I tried to make myself smaller realizing how obviously excited I was buckled in the passenger's seat. My boss didn't share my enthusiasm. He was on edge. His irritation mirrored by his fast and even reckless driving.

My boss's weariness grew worse when we got to hospital. He looked like he was about to blow a fuse observing everything around him like a deer caught in headlights. I was growing concerned.

I finished compiling the results of the medical records for the chosen participants and giving them to the appropriate doctors. I even finished checking up on each detail of the project. The whole time my boss was beside me like he was in a war zone.

"Sir, are you okay?"

You know something seriously wrong when your boss unwittingly follows you to the comfort room and almost enters a cubicle with you.

My boss sighed discovering his whereabouts as he looked around confused. His mind was in gutter from the moment we got to St. Mary's.

Justin Myles went to the sink and splashed his face repeatedly with water like he wanted to drown in it. I was rightfully concerned. I stood there watching him awkwardly.

"I was having flashbacks" my boss said looking at his reflection. He was talking to me... I think. He was wet all over not just his face but his clothes as well. "Leave it to uncle not to pull his punches."

The mention of Mr. King and the remark made me defensive. "I think we're doing fine sir. Everything is in order."

My boss looked at my reflection for some time struggling with something behind his blue eyes. He turned around slowly and leaned against the sink with his arms crossed.

"It's not much of a test if it isn't hard on anyone" my boss told me. "Don't worry. It doesn't have anything to do with your work. It's just..." he sighed again. "cruel to me."

"Sir?"

My boss was lost in thought again. Then his eyes became more determined as he looked at me.

"So you want to know everything" my boss remembered. "Then, I guess I can tell you."

"About what?"

"My mom had early onset Alzheimer's."

That shut me up. I didn't know. Anguished eyes looked at me with a voice laden with pain. I saw the vulnerable Justin Myles again just like that time he was sleep talking. Only now, he was in perfect health but with so much more pain.

"I was so young back then. To say it was extremely difficult is to say it lightly. We had the best doctors money could buy but they helped little. I watched as my mom slowly... just... forget. She used to look at me with all the love in the world but after awhile, her eyes were vacant. She didn't know me - her own son. But I couldn't blame her. She was very sick."

A sharp intake of breath made me flinch as my boss stared at his hands. I listened closely like I was unwrapping the layers of Justin Myles until I was left with a small boy and his mother who couldn't recognize him.

"She was never the same. There were times she would get so mad and so confused that she'd hurt me. My fucking father didn't want to put her into a home because he was embarrassed that his wife was peeing on the floors and acting like a child but he didn't divorce her either because she was still the heir to a fortune. But he was never home. It was just me and my mom - Dr. Malik and uncle and the caregivers and the forgetting..."