I love yeh, reviewers!
Oh yeah, before I forget---FLUFF WARNING: Rather fluffy scene at the end. If you like that sort of thing, enjoy it, cuz it'll probably be the only one. If you don't, when you get to it you can just skip to that lovely "submit review" button at the bottom. :) I hope you're all getting prepared for a sad ending, we're just a few chapters away. . . .
One of the Three
The sun was setting. True, the sun couldn't actually be seen from the path, but the light fell at a slant: golden, flickering through the leaves, like a flame in danger of going out.
He was scared. He wasn't sure why. His lone footsteps fell, even and rhythmic, growing more rapid as the light dimmed. If he could only get out of there before the light was gone, he decided, everything would be alright. So he ran faster. Because everything had to be alright.
He'd killed the snake, of course. Broken its flexible spine with one crack. That didn't bother him. Then he'd pulled her away, and felt how cold she was, and saw the pallor of her skin, and then he started being scared.
Wygsyact had laughed. Downright gleeful, he had dragged away the anaconda's body, muttering something about "fresh meat", leaving Tom with the dying girl. That suited Tom just fine. He sent shocks through her body to start her pulse again, and then levitated her in front of him. Now he ran.
The forest came to an end, and a few minutes later, Whirl-A-Gig Avenue came into sight. He decided holding would be less conspicuous than hovering, so he took a moment to gather her in his arms before running again. She was so cold.
Rhombus Street ran parallel to Whirl-A-Gig, though hardly anyone used it except the homeless and maintenance crews. It was nearly empty now, dark and narrow, lying behind all the magnificent buildings. Tom took this road, took it to the English Embassy. He prayed no one they knew would see them. He didn't want to explain---didn't think he could if he tried.
Back door, stairs instead of the popular lifts, up to the fifth floor. The keys were in her pocket.
He gently set her down on the unmade bed, adrenaline ebbing. Placing his fingers on her neck, he decided her pulse was growing stronger. A small bit of relief.
"Smells?" said the myna bird quizzically. "Smells? Smells?"
"Shh," Tom said.
For once the bird listened, eyes focused on Kate's body intently. Tom sat down in a chair by the window. He began to wait.
* * *
Slowly, laboriously, Kate unclosed her eyes. The darkness that greeted her was so deep, so complete, that she had all but decided she was dead, when an all-too-familiar voice began to cry, "Smells like squid!"
She was alive, and her face was smushed in a pillow.
A dream, then. No wonder that room was so huge. . .and that means I didn't really see Tom with that woman! Yess!
"Katie?"
Huh?
She felt the weight of him sitting on the bed, then his hand on her shoulder. "Katie. . ."
Tommy. . .she imagined herself replying, with a laugh.
"Please wake up," he was whispering in her ear. There was a sense of urgency in his tone. "Please. . ."
"Since you asked nicely," she mumbled, though the words weren't audible through the pillow. She rolled over, wincing---her back hurt something horrible, her ribs felt bruised.
"Katie!" Tom exclaimed.
"Tom!" Kate replied, confused. Before she could make sense of what was happening, he'd pressed his lips to hers.
After a moment he pulled back, smiling, eyes dancing. "God, I was so. . .what made you go there, Katie? Why?"
"Me? I was following you!"
"What?" He hesitated, furrowing his brow. "Why would you follow me?"
Arrrrrrrghhhhhhh! Kate inwardly groaned. The woman had been real, then. Honesty is the best policy, but lying is a better defense. . .this is just great, though. He's going to think I'm a moron, and I just got him to kiss me! HE KISSED ME!
"Katie?" Tom was searching her eyes. "Why?"
"I. . . ." She sighed, looked down, at the ceiling, then at him again. "Who was that woman?"
"What woman?"
"The one with the long brown hair you were holding hands with!" she blurted out.
"Who---Ms. Murgen?"
"I don't know her name," Kate said huffily.
Tom relaxed his posture in relief. "Katie, she's the niece of my teacher. I was taking her to see him for lunch."
"In the middle of the rainforest?"
He nodded. "That's where he lives. A bit of a hermit, really, but he's very knowledgeable. Come with me tomorrow, if you don't believe me."
Kate considered it for half a second, before she decided she would rather play catch with a Bludger than go into the rainforest again anytime soon. "Promise me you're telling the truth?" She looked into his eyes. People looked away when they were lying, she'd heard.
Tom didn't so much as blink. "Promise."
Deja vue, Katie thought, as he held her hands. The first night he'd come, she'd woken up to him being there, she'd been angry, he'd somehow stopped it, it was all the same.
Except, well, he hadn't kissed her then.
Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, her mind sing-songed. But they just gazed into each others' eyes, for the longest time, it seemed. Eventually something occurred to her.
"You saved me," she said suddenly.
He shrugged, looking pleased with himself. "Well, yeah."
She paused. How do you thank someone for saving your life? "Well, thanks."
"Anytime."
A long, awkward silence ensued. Kate found herself looking at their hands nervously. What, am I supposed to say something, now? I already said thanks. . .what else is there to say? What time is it? God, I'm going to be in so much trouble at work. . .at least I'm not dead though, right? He kissed me. Does he want to kiss me again? Should I be looking up at him right now? Reluctantly, she glanced up through her fringe. I love his hair. . . .
Tom grinned. "Get some rest, pretty girl."
"You too," she said. Not exactly scintillating. "Well, not that you're a girl, but---"
He laughed and stood up. "Night, Katie."
With that, he left.