Appropriate Time

8 Those moments of epiphany

Cuin had this dream.

He was fishing in a grassland's creek with a bamboo fishing rod. He had put a big fat worm at his hook and jumped the line in the water.

Immediately he felt the click. A fish had bitten in the hook. When he pulled in, he noticed it was heavy; he couldn't weal the beast in despite all his effort. Too much resistance. It was like pulling a dead horse. No luck. He braced himself another time, and slowly but steadily, there was movement. Finally, the water opened itself, and the face of Thruce, Baron of Everton, appeared above the stream with the hook attached to his sunglasses.

That's when he slowly woke up.

First, there was a slight pain in his eyes. He squinted his eyelids.

Then he saw a white curtain.

Strange, he thought. I don't have a white bedroom curtain in my house.

Within seconds it came back to him. He wasn't in his house. He was in Los Angeles with Daphne. They were at Dave's.

But then again, Dave's spare room's window curtains were not white either.

Where am I? The very thought hurt his brain.

He turned his head to the side of the bed. Somebody was sitting there, reading a newspaper. I must be still dreaming. Cuin wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Where, where am I?" He uttered slowly, tongue thickened.

The newspaper lowered, and Thruce, the Unwell Everton, looked at him, smiling.

What the fuck?

"Ah, this is great; you are finally awake. You are in the hospital", Thruce explained, folding his paper and putting it at the side table.

"Can you remember what happened? You almost drowned and hit your head. You have been unconscious for the better part of twenty-four hours."

"My head hurts," Cuin tried to sit straight.

"Wait, let me help you." Thruce adjusted some pillows and helped Cuin. Then he yelled, "Nurse, Nurse, he is awake!"

Within minutes a male nurse appeared at the door with a big smile.

"I am so glad, Mister The Black Justien. We were very concerned about you."

He walked to Cuin and took his pulse. "Ah, 120 over 100, that's good, that's really excellent. I'll fetch the doctor."

Thruce told Cuin exactly what happened on Monday. When they brought Cuin to the hospital, he had never left his side.

"You've been here all that time?" Cuin asked. "Did I talk I my sleep?" He needed to know.

Thruce laughed out loud. "No, you didn't. It was a coma. You have been in a coma for twenty-four hours straight.

"I will call your lady and Dave. They are at the house. We all pitched in, but she was exhausted."

"You don't even know me," Cuin stuttered. "You probably saved my life, and now you tell me you sat at my bed all those hours. Why?"

"I like you. Dave is a friend. Of course, I stayed when they asked. I am that kind of a guy, you know." Thruce smiled again.

This was really awkward. There was no way I could kill this guy now. Damned!

"I've got a split-headache," Cuin grabbed for his skull. He touched the bandages. "Whoa, still feeling soar!"

But Thruce wasn't listening. Instead, he walked to the door and shut it. He then walked to the window adjacent to the hallway and closed the shutters as well.

"There is something I need to tell you."

Cuin listened.

"I think the government wants me dead. I know this to be true; a friend at high places has told me so. Hell, I had to bribe him big time to tell me the truth. The State has ushered a death warrant on my head.

"Why? Because I know things. Because I know things, and I am not afraid to vent them. Because I let people laugh, and that's something they don't want. They want their people to be gloomy, scared, afraid. Too afraid to do something about their miserable state. Too scared to revolt. I make people laugh. I make them think so that they come up with shit.

"Anyway, they hired this big shot assassin. My source tells me he was already in town the other day. They were in a hurry. With the upcoming elections and all.

"So," he now looked at Cuin directly. "That got me thinking.

"And hell, if I am not mistaken, then you came along. Going fishing is a good cover. Just one push into the stream, and I would have been dead fish.

"It was YOU! I know it was you. I saw your face when you touched me and lost your balance. It was deliberate. It was deliberate, and I should have been in that water. Hell, I just told you a few minutes before I couldn't swim!

"Did you come up with your plan to make it look like an accident then and there? Did you... now? DID you?!"

He looked at Cuin and sat down next to the bed. It was quiet for a few minutes. Neither of the men spoke.

What was there to say?

Cuin was flabergasted.

What the fuck? Did somebody rat on me? Thruce found out it was me? His cover was blown big time. What else was there than to tell the truth. The guy was a fucking genius to put two and two together.

He concluded it was time.

"I," Cuin scraped his throat. "I can't deny any of your allegations. You are right; it is me. I am the hired help. The government has put a big prize on that tiny little head of yours. Hell, I am paying for this hospital bed because of your money. You didn't come cheap, you know."

Thruce wanted to know. "How much?"

When Cuin told him, he laughed. He laughed out loud.

"What are you going to do?" Cuin asked, looking at Cuin intently.

"Hell, if I knew." Cuin stopped smiling. His face was all serious now.

"Let me see. I can't go to the police. Then the government would hear about it, and they put a stop to it. They even might find another assassin to do the job for you."

He looked at Cuin. "And they probably kill you with me altogether. No loose ends."

He stated. "No, I can't go to the police. I could run and hide. But what's the point. They would come after me anyhow. I would be a sitting duck, no matter what. Anyway, where would I go? There is no place I can hide. They own the shit. No, I am screwed. "

He stood up and faced the wall.

When he turned, he had a gun in his hand and pointed it at Cuin.

"I could kill you here and now, couldn't I?

Cuin backed down in his hospital bed.

This was it. Goodbye world.

But Thruce lowered the black Smith's and Wesson and sat down again.

"Neh, I can't kill you. I would be arrested immediately, and they probably hang me for it.

Besides...", he put away the gun in his jacket. "I don't kill. That would cramp my style. I am a conman, not a killer."

He continued. "So, here we are. Where does that leave us? Checkmate! I am at a loss here. The stupid thing is, I like you, you know?!"

Cuin looked at Thruce. His mind was racing.

"There is no way you could just pretend to forget, you know, and let me finish the job, now could you?"

"Nah," Thruce smiled. "No way."

He was curious. "Would you have gone ahead with it, knowing I was the one who saved your ass out there?"

"No, that's the whole point," Cuin assured him. "I just had concluded I couldn't kill you any longer, anyhow."

He looked at the door. Approaching footsteps.

"I am in big trouble now. This shit isn't going away."

"Yes," said Thruce. "I know."

That's when the door opened, and the doctor came in with the nurse.

"Ah, Mister The Black Justien, how are we feeling today. You look a bit better than the last time I saw you". He laughed, "But then again, you were in a coma the last time I checked. This is so much better.

"Could you leave for a moment so I can check on this guy, Baron? It won't take more than a few minutes".

"Yes, of course," Thruce walked to the door. "I'll be outside fetching something to drink. Do you want me to bring you anything?"

"No," Cuin said. "Just you come back, you hear? We are not finished."

"No, we are not." Thruce agreed. "I'll be back!"

When Truce was heading for the elevator, he spotted Dave and Daphne hurrying in. He waved. When they met, he explained the doctor was with Cuin and that everything was okay.

Daphne sighed a relief sigh. "Oh, Thruce, I am so glad. I was so worried."

"Yes," Thruce answered. "We all were. But things are looking good. Now, who wants something to drink? "

"I come along with you," Dave turned, and both men walked away.

Daphne shouted, "Make that something with alcohol in it, you hear?"

A few days later, Cuin was discharged from the hospital. Everything was fine; there were no complications of any sort.

They were at the house when the phone rang. It was for Cuin.

It was Thruce. He sounded agitated. "Could you come over" he whispered.

"I've done something stupid. Of course, I couldn't help it; they were going after me. But still, Oh My God! Cuin, come over, please? Don't tell Dave and Daphne... I need your ass here. Hurry, please."

"What's up, bro?" Cuin looked at Dave, who was standing next to him.

"I killed them, Oh God, Cuin. What am I going to do? I killed them both. I... ". Then the landline went dead.

"He wants me to come over for a while," Cuin explained to his audience.

"To play chess." I might take him on his offer. I am feeling great again,".

He looked at Daphne. "No need to fuzz. I'll be okay.

"Dave, can you take me to his house? I won't be long. I'll ring you when I want a ride back".

"That's okay," Dave smiled. "The three of us can go to The Mansion again. We need to go out as well. It's been a hell of a time those last few days. Come on, I fetch my car keys".

Cuin kissed Daphne and waved at Pernell. "See you guys back in a few hours. Have a great time".