Chapter 5

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Chapter 5

The window creaked and flapped down against the back of his legs as William hauled himself inside and tumbled down to the dirty concrete floor.  Pain spiked through his knee and pushed the fog back for a moment.  He sat, sucked a deep breath in through his nose. 

Dust.  Ancient residues of oil and metal were the first odors he could make out.  He wiped some of the thick grime off his knees as he stood.  At least his new home wasn't a landfill or under a bridge.  He tried to count his blessings.  An abandoned warehouse wasn't as bad as many of the other options the voices could have come up with.

As the fog began to roil back into his vision, William snatched up the bag of bruised apples and the carrots, furry with tiny roots.  He took an apple first, reached under his hoodie and wiped it on the t-shirt.  Each action was precise.  The focus on the bodily sensations kept the voices distanced, quieter.

If only he could maintain it, keep them away.  If he could show Jess they were gone.  Would she want him again?

The thought of her, of good times, took form, solidified into memory as the fog built up around him again.  He saw her, sitting across from him.  They were outside at a cafe.  She adjusted her glasses and smiled at him as he fell into the memory.

 *

William's hand went into a pocket, pulled out the small box.  "Close your eyes."

She snorted.  "You think?"  She left one hand out on the table.  William opened the box, set it on the table and moved her fingers to it.

He waited.  Her fingers explored in the box a long moment, ran over the diamond's facets.  She pulled it out.  "Wow."  Her smile returned and slowly, she reached out.  "You going to put it on me?"

William took the ring, and positioned it above her left hand.  "So, that's a yes?"

"It's a yes."

William looked down, eased the ring onto her finger.

 *

The memory blurred, became a different one as he looked at their hands together.  His palm turned up and she eased something into it.  Two small pills.  Around him, the room was white, undecorated.  His hand tightened around the pills.

 *

The attention to his straining fingers drove the memory and the fog from William's vision.  He looked down at his clenched hand, saw apple juice and crushed chunks dripping down from it.  He shook it out, wiped it against his pants as The Caretaker leaned over him.  He turned away, frowning.  He wanted to be at Jessica's place, waiting there instead of in an abandoned building.

You need to eat, The Caretaker said.

William looked up at her.  His lip rose, exposed a few teeth in a snarl.

Eat. The Hunter stood beside him.

The Advisor took shape on his other side.  You need it.

William looked away from them.  It was useless to talk.  And he knew they were right.  If he was here to protect her, he not only had to be nearby, he had to be physically strong enough to act against whatever was threatening her.  If only the voices would give him more information, he would be better able to protect her.

Eating these cast-offs, squatting in abandoned buildings might help him get stronger, but it would only drive her further away.  He sat for a moment, stared at the food and knew it was more important to do whatever he could to keep her safe.

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