What You See...
Chapter Ten
The AntiClimax
So… It had come to this: a smashed up car against a brick wall.
The wreck was inconvenient, at best. Now he had to walk Aki and her uncle to the middle of the city, where the police station resided.
Trust this to be a one-police station-city.
The walk wasn't terrible. Few people were on the street, and no one was in a way to look at them strangely. Moderate temperature, crickets chirping, overcast sky lit up from the city's own luminance… yes, it was a nice night.
Except when he thought about the psychotics that were, no doubt, stalking their every step. They were thoughts that made him press onwards.
Surprisingly, they made it to the building unmolested.
Although… that only turned out to be a minor blessing in light of the oh-too-familiar man who had gathered around him a crowd of police workers, convicts, and general folk around the area and was preaching thusy:
"…And blessed is the Greek, for he shall inherit the earth!"
How he got there, Gray never figured out. Not because it was mysterious and supernatural – it was actually quite simple – but just because he could never be arsed to figure it out.
But Gray was going to stand for it no longer! These lunatics had given him hell from the first day on the job, and now it was time to strike back!
He stormed up the steps, shoving past the masses until he was face to face with this multi-faced rat.
Now, Gray wasn't sure what he intended to do, exactly, but it was going to be good… sorry, totally sweet. He deserved that much.
He grabbed a hold of the multi-personaed person's shirt, and glared deep into those shallow eyes.
"Listen buddy, no one wants to hear it. Why don't you just give it up, and become a normal, productive citizen?"
Instead of accomplishing pure terror, as intended, and getting the man to settle down, it inspired to lunatic to scream and fight back.
"No one can oppress us! For the little people!"
With that, the man punched Gray. It was a weak punch, but his position on the stairs and lack of preparation made him an easy target – he fell back, past the crowd that parted uniquely for him, and knew little more of the event after his head struck the concrete.
The crowd applauded politely, until someone realized that it wasn't an act.
---
The only way Gray knew he was dead was that Robert's voice was babbling away to him. Aside that, he might have assumed it was the local medical hospital by the peeling eggshell white paint, the midroom curtain, and, of course, the various types of hospital equipment laying about the place.
"Oh, and sorry about that whole trying to kill ya thing… I mean, you know how it is, right?" Robert finished his babble, yet continued staring at his fellow guard with that happy-go-lucky grin on his face.
"Yeah," Gray croaked, "Don't worry about it."
A pity. He thought, for a scant and fleeting moment, that he had made it to heaven.
As it turned out, he had been taken in with a mere concussion. And he couldn't stay at the hospital anymore, as the nurse so kindly informed him ("Get out!").
On his way through the lobby, he heard a collection of familiar voices – per always, incentive to flee had he not already been spotted.
"Hey!" Ryan beamed, waving him over. A gesture that he observed, though he sluggishly dragged his feet for the six foot distance… and was just in time to overhear the last of a particularly vehement argument.
"…But it was fun!" Jane was insisted, "Let's all do it again sometime!"
"Hell, no!" Neil argued, though amended a few moments later, "Any other lifetime, maybe. Right now, I've got too much to lose."
"What happened with Elliott and Aki and… what's his name?" Gray asked, interrupting but not really caring. At least, not until he was the exclusive recipient of some rather angry glares.
Ryan pulled him aside to explain the situation: how 'what's his name,' was safely back in an institute…. Though not that institute; Aki was given, custodially, to her uncle; and Elliott was arrested for smuggling all sorts of things, drug trafficking, ("counterfeiting, extortion, fraud, forgery" as Jane added), slavery, and a few misdemeanors. Most specifically, parking tickets….
"You all right? You look a bit pale," Ryan observed, lastly. Gray smiled and nodded.
"I just remembered, I have to feed my… er… dog. I've left her alone far too long and she likes to chew the furniture if she gets hungry, and uh… yeah, see you around sometime."
And with that, Gray escaped his torment.
Or so he thought.