Chapter Sixteen

Comfort

The unused classroom was silent when Jeffrey finished speaking. He was sat across a square table with Paige sitting to his left. Opposite them sat Naomi and Zach and both of them weren't entirely sure how to take in the information Jeffrey had just explained to them.

When the two of them had arrived in the classroom and saw Jeffrey sitting there they had been confused at why there wasn't a policeman. Paige was quick to explain that she may have slightly lied to them and Jeffrey had managed to persuade them to sit down and just listen. He had explained to them everything Ruby and Tanzi had told him and Paige, about the List and about the death waiting for them if they didn't do anything about it.

When it was clear that neither Jeffrey or Paige were going to say anything more, Zach spoke up, "This is a… particularly weird kind of joke," He frowned and looked at the serious expression on the old bus driver's face. "Though I have a feeling it isn't one." He leaned back in his chair and latched his fingers around the back of his head. "Jesus…" Zach let out a long breath. "What the hell am I supposed to say to all this? If it were just you, Paige, I'd call you frickin' crazy to go along with you talking to that voice but… Jeffrey, you too? You wouldn't believe something like this without good reason, would you?"

Jeffrey deliberately didn't respond. He wanted the two students in front of him to work it out in their own minds. He didn't want any of his words to influence their decision – after all, it was a decision that would put their very lives on the line.

Zach looked to Naomi. "What do you think, Naomi?"

Naomi seemed deep in thought and her eyes were looking between Paige and Jeffrey, looking far past them. At Zach's words she regained her focus and slowly spread her hands out on the table in front of them. "It does sound fantastical…" She started, her speech immaculate as ever. "It is undeniable that the skies opened up above London and I have always found it hard to believe that it was some kind of publicity stunt for a movie. How can it be possible that everyone saw different things, after all? But to think that we are on some kind of list… that we are in danger…" Naomi shivered. "I know what danger feels like and I do not feel it." Naomi looked to Paige and tried to discern anything from her nonchalant expression. "Though I do not believe you would talk about death threats on a whim. You get ridiculed enough for talking to that voice you say you hear… I doubt you would risk something like this."

As Naomi grew silent she glanced to Zach. Zach just shrugged. "I'm inclined to think you're all nuts but at the very least I believe that you believe in it. If there is some kind of threat to our lives… Christ, that sounds weird to say, but if there is… then I think talking to this Ruby and Tanzi would be a good first step."

"I agree," Naomi nodded. "I think it would be foolish to dismiss the notion but it would be equally foolish to buy into it, hook, line, and sinker. You said the two of them were out trying to find somebody else on this list… when can we expect them back?"

"Ruby will phone once she has successfully got in contact with Jay Scythe," Jeffrey explained and cast a sideways glance at Paige. "Though it has been a little while. They said they would be leaving first thing in the morning."

"They might just be having trouble in finding the guy," Paige reassured.

At that moment, a faint vibrating noise could be heard from Jeffrey's breast pocket. "Speak of the devil…" He murmured as he pulled his dated phone out and flipped it open to put it against his ear. "Jeffrey speaking."

The three students watched the older man as his expression changed slightly. A downcast of the eyebrows, a slight frown. Whatever was being spoken on the other end of the phone wasn't good news, that was clear.

"I see… I am terribly sorry," Jeffrey finally said. "Are the two of you okay?" He waited for a response before nodding slowly. "We will meet you out in the car park. I have Zach and Naomi waiting to meet you… yes. I understand. Keep well. If you can, take a moment to take your bearings. Something like that isn't easily ignored. We'll see you soon, okay? Take care, Ruby."

For all his excuses that he wasn't good at this kind of thing, Lucas had done a pretty good job at arranging a wonderful dinner for he and Lacey. Becky had supplied them a backroom, a table, and a set of chairs. Sure, there were boxes pushed to the walls but it was spacious enough to not feel claustrophobic.

Lucas himself had worked hard to get everything else sorted. He had been hiring himself out as a gardener and general handyman for the older folks of Eastbourne and had gained a reputation for being reliable and hard-working.

One of the very few perks of not having a home nor a real job meant all money could go towards what he wanted. So he had found a recipe for a succulent sounding fish dinner at the library - fried it up, mixed up the sauce and boiled up some vegetables. It wasn't fancy but it certainly looked and smelled nice.

So everything had been going pretty well; only Lucas was quick to realise that once he and Lacey had sat down that Lacey didn't seem all herself. She was quiet at the best of times but this wasn't her normal shyness. It was like her mind was elsewhere and Lucas' own thoughts were spinning, wondering if he had done something wrong.

"Is this…" Lucas started, his eyes downcast. "I'm sorry, this isn't good enough, is it?"

"Hm?" Lacey looked towards Lucas, startled.

"This is a pipe-dream, isn't it? Someone like you and someone like me," Lucas sighed, feeling defeat roll over his shoulders. "It was never going to work out, was it?"

"N-No, no!" Lacey exclaimed, shaking her head rigorously. "That isn't… this is great! The effort you've put in, it means a lot to me!"

Lucas sighed. "You don't have to console me. Tell it to me honest."

"I mean it!" Lacey bit her lip in concern. "It's just something else." Her voice trailed into nothing more than a murmur.

Realising that perhaps her mood wasn't his fault after all, Lucas was eager to help. "I'm willing to listen, if you need to talk about something."

Lacey's eyes lit up slightly. It seemed that now Lucas had given her permission, it wouldn't feel like a burden to tell him.

"I-I recently met some people…" Lacey started and from that point it was like the floodgates had opened. She spoke to Lucas about Ruby and Tanzi, about Death and the List, about the death of Daniel. When she reached this part of the story, Lucas drew in a breath.

"That guy was an asshole but I'm not sure he deserved to die. Becky's a bit broken up about it. She never talked to him but she saw him frequently." Lucas rubbed his cheek a moment before leaning forward. "…So, do you believe it all?"

"I'm not sure," Lacey said. "But Ruby was speaking like she knew what she was talking about. They already have Jeffrey – a school bus driver – and Paige convinced. She's a student in the same college as me. They were going to try and get in contact with the other students involved today. If it's some kind of joke then it seems like they're going too far. I dunno… I got a feeling that it might all be true and th-that scares me."

"You gotta listen to that feeling, Lacey," Lucas said firmly. "That's instinct – and instinct has saved lives for millions of years. I see why you're so withdrawn. This isn't the time for a dinner like this, is it?"

"I want it to be," Lacey admitted truthfully. "But I feel like I-I let them down… they asked me to help but I wanted to be here, with you."

Lucas smiled softly as he looked at Lacey's expression. "We can always do this another time. I'm sure Becky won't mind."

"That's not fair. I feel happy with you, Lucas. I don't want… want whatever is going on to affect that."

"Well, whether we like it or not it has affected it," Lucas shrugged. "You want to go to them, don't you? To help them and to perhaps find out for certain whether this is real or not?"

Lacey nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Lucas… I'm not doing a very good job at being a g-girlfriend…"

"Oh?" Lucas raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing at his lips. "Are we officially a couple now?" Lacey's face instantly went red at Lucas' words, as if she hadn't realised what she had just said. "I mean, after the kiss I assumed we were an item but neither of us said it out loud. Ha! You look so cute like that." Lucas reached forward and gently grabbed Lacey's hands from the table. She glanced up at him in surprise. "I wanted to do all this for a reason. I told you I had something very important to tell you, didn't I?" Lucas leaned forward over the table, gently squeezing Lacey's hand. "My life has been a very hectic one but I've always grown up believing that when you say something, you mean it, no matter what. If you don't mean it then there is no point to saying it."

"L-Lucas…"

"Shh…" Lucas whispered. Everything seemed to grow quiet around the room with only the faint buzz of the old electric light proving a relief from total silence. Lucas seemed to enjoy making Lacey wait and after a moment she squirmed, her eyes searching Lucas' own for the words. Finally Lucas couldn't hold it in any longer. "I love you, Lacey."

A strange feeling hit Lacey then – something she had never felt before. It was almost like relief, like sitting with a book on a hot summer's day or huddled in bed with a cup of hot chocolate in a downpour… It was a very unique feeling… a very comfortable feeling. She looked to Lucas and found herself struck with the sudden image of being able to spend her whole life with this boy – no, this man – who despite his circumstances had never once complained.

For the first time in her life, Lacey found that she knew exactly what she wanted to say and she said it without hesitation or a stutter. "I love you too, Lucas."

The two of them leaned forward over the table and kissed. It was a light kiss and didn't linger but Lacey found it was one hundred times better than their previous kiss. That kiss was one of impulse on Lucas' part. This kiss was very much deliberate.

"I want to help you," Lucas said after a moment. "With whatever this is, with Ruby and Tanzi and this so-called list. If your life is danger in any way then I want to be there. I've never been more certain of anything in my life, Lacey. I want to be with you and I want to protect you and I will stop at nothing to ensure your safety." Lucas slowly stood up from the chair and grabbed the now cold half-eaten meals. "We should head to your college and meet up with them. Times like this call for working as a team."

As he turned around, Lacey could only stare at the back of his shirt and feel as safe as she ever had. She had no doubt that Lucas would protect her and deep inside her heart she was glad to have someone familiar to help her with this whole crazed situation.