Bring Glory(Us) Life

Chapter 8- The Color of Life

        Quite out of character, Lachlan had the sudden burning urge to investigate his strange companion. All his life he had followed orders and done what he was told, never stepping out of line. Now, curiosity was clawing at his mind, an annoying presence that followed him from room to room, whispering in his ear.

        He tried to look her up, but she wasn’t famous enough to pop up right away in the search. Unlike his father, he didn’t have access to the kind of sites that kept track of people, and he didn’t want to sift through the millions of Google hits, so he decided be radical: he would follow her home someday.

        Having made the decision to do such, he was plagued with doubts. Lachlan was hardly a master of stealth, and Kilay seemed to be rather perceptive, so wasn’t it logical she would catch him following her? She wasn’t gushing information about herself, so he couldn’t ask her to bring him home with her. So what was he to do?

        By the time they returned from a bout of minigolf he had made up his mind and was ready to but his plan into action, before he lost the will to do so. He waited until Kilay had rounded a corner, then approached his driver.

        “Is the car ready?” he asked. The man nodded, rounding the block to fetch it.

        “Of course young master, though I don’t know what you could need such a vehicle for,” he said. The day before, Lachlan had requested his driver get his hands on a car that could blend in anywhere, a cheap, run of the mill, everyday car that wouldn’t stand out. Lachlan got in the passenger seat, so as to avoid looking like he was being chauffeured around.

        “Follow that girl, but don’t let her notice we’re here,” Lachlan ordered, ducking down in his seat to watch her.

        “As you wish...” the driver said, giving his odd young charge a curious look. Never in his long years serving the Barclay family had he even seen the boy act as he was today. Perhaps he had caught a head cold...?

        Kilay walked down the block a ways, then flagged a taxi. She seemed tired as she walked, feet dragging on the pavement. It was with great relief that she climbed into the cab. Lachlan fixed his eyes on the vehicle, motioning to his driver to pursue it. They wound through the city, past bustling traffic, between towering buildings, into the depths of the metropolis, before arriving at the central hospital. It was the best in the region, especially for cancer and deadly disease treatment.

        “Thanks, I’ll be back,” Lachlan said, clambering out of the car. He followed Kilay in from a distance, as she checked in at the register. She moved to the elevator and hit the button to go down. Lachlan raced toward her, motioning to the secretary that he was with her, hoping to convey the message correctly. The woman nodded him on, to his relief, and headed after his odd companion.

        Luckily there was more than one elevator, and he waited until she hit the button for the floor she needed before ducking into the one next door. The elevator plunged deep into the ground, the air cold and sterile against Lachlan’s skin. The machine came to a jerky halt and hissed open. Peeking out, Lachlan made out Kilay’s figure down the hall. He padded as quietly as he could after her. Luck was on his side, as she seemed focused on her destination and didn’t look back toward him.

        They entered another very white, very bright room that reeked of disinfectant and other chemicals, scents he associated with death. There was a desk in the center, and a man sat at a computer behind the counter. He looked up and smiled at the woman.

        “Kilay, good to see you looking well. How have you been today? Feeling any better?” Kilay made an abstract motion with her hand, then shook her head.