Forward slashes denote words spoken by Kurtis' father, differentiating them from memories of his past actions. This chapter will make more sense if you can remember the final few events of 'Home'.
I went to bed that night decided - I was leaving. There was no way I was going to stick around if that was how it was going to be. I'd begun to let myself think that maybe, just maybe, things could be different. Finally, I'd found somewhere with someone that I could settle down with for a while and live some semblance of a normal life, peppered with the adventure and travel that I craved. How wrong I had been.
However, the next morning I awoke feeling completely different. Anger must have clouded my judgement the night before, because with the sun of the new day streaming through my drapes, I lay in bed with a far more optimistic attitude. Grinning to myself as I showered and dressed, I examined my feelings and found, thankfully, that I had forgiven Lara. I didn't know when or how, but I no longer begrudged her the fight with Eckhardt. And I wanted to stay.
Just as I was passing Lara's door on my way down for breakfast, she came crashing out of it, not looking where she was going and moving with too much speed for pre-breakfast time. I just managed to hop out of her way, and she skidded to a halt, smiling sheepishly.
"Sorry," she said, looking as if she expected me to blow up at her.
I just began walking again, touching her wrist lightly as I passed her, saying, "Be careful, huh?" My air felt easy, comfortable. I wasn't a guest any longer.
The warning was apparently unheeded, as Lara then sprinted down the stairs, causing me to flatten myself against the wall in fear of being bowled down with her.
"See you at breakfast," she called, speeding across the hallway and into the kitchen.
I didn't see her at breakfast. By the time I had made it to breakfast, half a staircase and one hallway later, she was rushing out, again nearly knocking me over. I stood for a second, staring after her, trying to register just had happened, she'd left that quickly.
"What's the rush?" I yelled, following it with a muttered, "Gees," and sloping through the kitchen doorway, flopping into a chair and reaching for some toast.
"What's got Lara so psyched?" I asked Hillary through a mouthful of toast.
He set a small pot of jelly down in front of me and glanced me as he did, replying, "She's swimming her water course today. Underwater maze. Helps her to stay calm and hold her breath."
I frowned slightly as I grabbed the butter knife and used it to slather the jelly on my toast. Something didn't sit right. Hillary's sentence had set off an alarm bell and I had no idea why.
I continued to ponder the feeling as Hillary laid out a tray of toast, jelly, tea, and English breakfast. Finishing, he said, "I'll just take Bryce his breakfast, he's running the course for Lara." I nodded acknowledgement, and he left.
Shifting slightly in my seat, chewing on my toast and helping myself to some egg and bacon from the serving dish, I shrugged as I decided to cast the thought out of my head. It'd come to me later.
Later was not that far away as, after only seconds, I heard a shout from Hillary and the unmistakable clash of the breakfast tray dropping to the floor, forgotten in shock. At the crash, the floodgates opened, and a tidal wave of images and sounds rushed into my mind. Sentences spoken by my father in cruel training sessions came flooding back, unbidden, punctuated by flashes of memories of alcoholically induced utter STUPIDITY from just three nights previous.
/"Strength, Kurtis. That's why I treat you like this. You need to learn to be strong."/
"Bryce? Are you out for the count already? Sissy. Fine, you sleep, I'm going exploring." Me staggering off, leaving Bryce half conscious.
/"You're still alive aren't you? You survived."/
"Wow, this is something." The discovery of Lara's underwater maze course and the complex computers that controlled them.
/"Cruel to be kind, Kurtis."/
"I think it might have been just the right kind of surprise, Hilly." Lara's words that showed that the harsh approach had worked with her.
/"You won't survive by being molly coddled."/
"You'll be ok, Lara. After this, you'll be able to tackle anything." Me, smiling, actually proud of what I was doing, as I wrote subroutines and commands into the computers.
/"The training is tough because I want you to survive!"/
I knew exactly what was going on. Lara was trapped in the maze. And she was drowning.
Got me pegged and know exactly where I'm headed? Have an idea but can't quite believe I'd do that? Utterly confused with no clue? All loose ends will be tied up in the next and final chapter, which is sitting complete on my laptop. I just think I'll torture you for a while by not posting yet. ;-)