13 Floors in Every Direction

Chapter 18

Location: Jade and Lance's apartment in downtown New York City
Jade sat quietly in the dining room reading "Robinson Crusoe" for about the 200th time since he acquired the book in 1721. For being a 298-year old book it was still in surprisingly good condition even after going through both world wars.

"What are you reading?" Lance asks setting his laptop down on the table across from Jade.

"Robinson Crusoe," Jade says not looking up.

"Why do you read books in other languages?" Lance asks trying to read over Jade's shoulder.

"Because I had it because it was here and I enjoy the story?" Jade says confused putting the book down on the table and looking up at Lance.

"But why do you have it?"

"Because I didn't know English when I bought the book and I like the German one better." Jade is very confused at this point.
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"Hey, you coming to bed anytime in the near-ish future?" Lance asks from halfway down the stairs.

"Maybe in a few minutes, I'm almost done with the book."

"The book you've read a million times, the book you know the ending of by heart?"

"Yes, that book, and I am going to finish it once again."

"Ok..."Lance says sounding just so out of it.
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When Jade came up to their bedroom he expected Lance to already be asleep so you can imagine his surprise when he opened the door to find Lance half leaning against the wall of windows looking out. "I thought you would be asleep already?"

"This city is killing me,"

"When did you figure that out?" Jade asks walking up behind Lance.

"I think I've always known, ever since I first moved here. For the first couple months I brushed it off as anxiety- living on my own for the first time, New York City, getting the break I always wanted. But then you came along, and you made me forget about all the pain I was in, the day to day pain. You make me so happy, a kind of joy I can't put to words. And even then I knew what was going on I knew what the tests were saying. But I was so wrapped up in the whole couple thing and honeymoon marriage thing-"

"Lance we aren't married," Jade says cutting Lance off.

"Yeah I know, you know what I meant. I'm just scared." Lance takes a deep breath coughing a little.

"When are you seeing her next?"

"Tomorrow morning before we go get Matyo." Jade nods and goes to lay down on the bed.

"Did I ever tell you about the kid that used to live in my village that tried to trap and kill a pack of wolves that kept eating our livestock?"

"That's a strange question, why did you ask it the same way someone would ask if we had any butter in the fridge? But no I don't think so." Lance said half laughing.

"Ok so there was this kid, well I guess he wasn't really much of a kid he was probably 16 at the time but anyway, him his younger brothers and me decided that it would be a good idea to find out what had been killing all of our livestock. So we camped out under the stars for probably 3 or 4 days waiting for whatever it was to come and try to take more of our cows and sheep and whatever else we had. But I remember waking up to like a sniffing noise and coming face to face with the largest wolf-like thing I jade ever seen..." Jade's voice drowns out. "I never saw him or any of his brothers again after that night, and I couldn't get the eyes of the wolf put of my head for years. I learned shortly after WW2 that those eyes were not from a wolf, they were the eyes of a werewolf. I never forgave it for what it did to my friends or the other people of my village." Lance puts his head on Jade's chest letting himself drift off to sleep.