Kalyla’s pager went off. He checked it. “Ah. I’m sorry. I have to get back to work.” He stood and looked down at LM. “Will you be okay if I leave you?”
LM nodded. “Like I said, I’m going to return to Jeff. I have until tonight to really decide.”
“Why? What happens tonight?”
The half-fey fixed his gaze on the chapel’s plain cross. His feathers rustled as he realized that he was inadvertently doing it again – waiting for Capernaum’s reassuring touch. “I’ll talk to Raven about possibly living with him.”
“Ah.”
LM shot a glare at him. “It will be a temporary thing. I will stay with him until I can figure out everything else in my life. Provided he even takes me in, of course.”
“Of course. I wish you well.” The pager went off again. “I’m sorry. I really have to go now before I get in trouble.”
Then, go. I’ll be fine.”
Kalyla quickly left.
LM slumped back in his seat and waited.
Capernaum didn’t appear.
If he did appear, how would I react?
What would I say?
What would I want?
If he reappeared, I’d have to let go of him again.
LM rose from his folding chair and walked to the stained glass door. The light on the other side poured through the glass and colored the half-fey in royal blue splotches.
It doesn’t matter. He won’t reappear. I’m on my own.
LM opened the door and reentered the world of motion and noisy people. He quickly transformed into Capernaum.
He felt safe.
And he remembered….
***
LM opened his eyes. Darkness surrounded him. It engulfed him. It swallowed him whole.
No light. No sound. Just darkness. Velvet lined, heavy cloth darkness and it was going to suffocate him.
His eyes widened, but that didn’t do any good. Didn’t help at all. He hyperventilated.
When will he remove the tarp? How long will he keep it on this time? When am I going to get out of here? I want to get out! Out! Out Out Out Out!
A door opened. A flame, so small yet so warm, broke the dark. “We had a power outage.” Capernaum said. “Are you okay?”
LM’s breathing returned to normal. “Yes. I’m okay.”
I am safe.
****
A whole flock of nurses walked his way, talking 150 pages per minute. Their chatter pulled LM out of his memory. He shied out of their path.
As soon as they were gone, he relaxed. He straightened his shoulders and walked with all of the confidence he could manage to project.
I could walk away.
Instead of returning to Jeff and Raven and Missy, I could go down to the first floor and walk out the front door. I could leave and never turn back. No one would notice. No one would worry and chase me down.
But they aren’t Capernaum. They don’t have a long history with me. They don’t know me. Maybe I should give them a fair chance.
A nurse walked alongside a coughing patient with an IV pole. LM avoided them too.
I will give Raven a fair chance as long as he gives me one. If it doesn’t work out, then yes. I will leave. I think that’s perfectly fair.
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