Chapter 4
Homunculus returned to the apartment and went straight to the bed to have a lie down he'd wore himself out a bit.
Eike walked in sometime later.
Eike: homunculus? You here?
Homunculus appeared behind him.
Homunculus: honey, I'm home. (he grinned)
Eike didn't appreciate his joke.
Eike: didn't think you'd be here, thought you would've left.
Homunculus: I was going to…. I'm so unpredictable even I don't know what I'm doing sometimes.
Eike: well I'm glad you're still here.
Homunculus: oh really …and why is that? You want something from me?
Eike: no nothing just nice of you to stay even after I left angry with you.
Homunculus: my my, how considerate of me.
Eike smiled at homunculus sarcasm, Eike didn't like it all the time but it amused him that no matter what they were talking about homunculus always had a sarcastic answer.
Eike: anyway I'm going to bed now.
Homunculus: oh by the way is anything wrong Eike?
Eike: (hesitant) no… no why should you think that?
Homunculus: hmmm…no reason Eike, good night.
Eike: will you still be here tomorrow morning?
Homunculus: well I'm not staying the night, I've got things to do…. and I don't much like sleepovers… I'll come back tomorrow morning if that's what you'd like?
Eike: yeah okay see you tomorrow…. good night Hom.
Homunculus: oh and one more thing Eike…. don't abbreviate my name. (teleporting)
Homunculus concentrating all his power used it to see the outcome of Eike's tumour, to see if he was gong to be okay, homunculus looked for a long time and the time line revealed that every future choice made would always result in that Eike's death no matter what, this time he was destined to die and nothing could be done, or could it?
The next morning…
Eike sat at his kitchen table eating his cereal, like he did every morning. It got to about 12pm, it didn't look like homunculus was showing up.
But all of a sudden there he appeared in front of Eike.
Homunculus: sorry I'm late… the traffic was bad.
Eike: I was beginning to think you'd left for good.
Homunculus didn't answer.
Eike: so… erm you want anything to eat or to drink?
Homunculus: no Eike, I am not human remember?
Eike: right.
Homunculus: why did you want me to come back?
Eike: well ah… just wanted to see you that's all.
Homunculus didn't answer again.
Eike: what's wrong? You look…. Bothered about something.
Homunculus: as if anything would bother me Eike.
Eike smiled.
Homunculus: so what's on the agenda today?
Eike: I have to go to the museum soon.
Homunculus: shall I come with you?
Eike looked at homunculus not expecting him to answer like that.
Homunculus: really Eike…it's rude to stare.
Eike: oh I'm sorry, yeah you can come.
Homunculus: shall we go now?
Eike: yeah just let me get my coat.
Eike returned with the familiar green jacket he always used to wear.
Homunculus grinned.
Eike: what?
Homunculus: I always hated that jacket you know.
Eike: oh thank you.
Homunculus: (grinning) anytime.
Eike opened the front door.
Homunculus: oh are we walking?
Eike: yeah, will you be able to walk all that way okay?
Homunculus never liked to look weak so he smiled
Homunculus: yes I should be okay.
They left the apartment and began walking to the museum.
Eike: been a while since you saw this place huh?
Homunculus: I don't know…while I'm not in this form I have no idea of time. days, weeks centuries could have past but I can never tell when I'm in the stone.
Eike: oh… so what's it like in that stone?
Homunculus looked down remembering his prison.
It took homunculus a minute to answer.
Homunculus: (quietly) I hate it.
Eike: this may be a stupid question but why?
Homunculus: I don't have a soul …but it's like my thoughts, my knowledge and memories are trapped in one place… it hurts.
Judging by homunculus's expression he wasn't lying.
Eike: if your not in this form are you always sent into the stone?
Homunculus: yes… I am the philosophers stone… I can't die I am forever but when this body 'dies' I simply have to wait in the stone again for another stupid human attempting to create life to bring me back.
Some children in the square seemed to stare at homunculus as he walked past them with Eike. Homunculus stared back until they freaked out and ran away.
Homunculus: heh I always win a staring contest.
Eike laughed.
Homunculus leaned on the town hall wall.
Eike: you tired?
Homunculus didn't answer.
Eike: can your powers get us there?
Homunculus looked up and smiled, he looked so tired.
Homunculus: I'm not a taxi you know (grinned) lets go… hold on.
The two teleported and were now standing outside the museum.
Homunculus: how's that?
Eike walk to the door and knocked it. Eckart answered.
Eckart: oh hello Eike… come on in, oh you have a friend with you?
Eike: erm yes this is eh…. Is Margaret home?
Eckart: yes she's up in the tower.
Eike: ok I'll go see her then.
Eckart closed the door.
Homunculus: oh you came here to see that Margaret girl?
Eike: yeah.
Eike began to walk to the tower, homunculus stopped following and faded away.
Eike: homunculus… homunculus? (he turns around to see that homunculus has gone) wonder where he went?
Margaret: Eike! (opening the tower door and walking out)
Eike: oh hi there I came to see if you were ok after yesterday.
Margaret: yeah I'm fine, but yesterday the strangest thing happened come inside and I'll tell you all about it.