Chapter Twenty-four

Shattered

After a long day of gutting fish, Richard returns to the home completely exhausted. He didn't sleep well last night as he couldn't stop worrying about Peter. The boy didn't come up for supper last night. When Richard went down, he found Peter curled up on his bed, fast asleep. He left his friend to sleep peacefully; at least he hoped it was peaceful.

He showers and dresses into a pair of clean clothes, then sets off to find Peter. First he checks his room. He knocks on the door. No one answers. He turns the doorknob and peeks into the room. The bed is made and the room is empty. Maybe Peter left. No, no, he wouldn't do that. Richard just got him here. Maybe he decided to walk around the home and get used to it. Peter will be fine on his own.

Richard returns to his room and begins to write his next letter to Gemma.

Dear Gem,

Enclosed is the next portion of your money I got last week. I know Ms. Spinner will take it from you, but I've told you multiple times. This way you won't lose it. Just relax. You'll get it back one day.

In answer to your previous letter, yes life here is still great, and no, there is nothing you can do to change your mind. Sorry, Gemma, but this is what I need right now. I wish you could be here though. The sights are amazing! I'm only going to make you jealous so I'll keep it brief. I really like it here.

Love, Richard

He responds to the other letters that he has neglected over the weekend. When that task is taken care of, he sets off to track down Peter and see if there's any change in his behavior. First he goes off to find Elsa. If anyone knows where Peter is, it will be her. She stays at the home all day anyway.

He checks the kitchen where she usually is. She isn't there. He goes to the laundry room where she usually is, doing laundry for some of the residents here. And surprise, surprise, there she is, folding laundry and setting them into their appropriate piles for the people they belong to. But she isn't alone. Peter is there with her, listening to her non-stop chattering and working quietly beside her by loading up another washing machine and setting up a dryer.

"Now, I would suggest going to Coldsleep Canyon first," she says. "Amazing sights there and really creepy looking sea creatures as well. Now, another cool place to visit is this abandoned structure at the bottom of the ocean I just found, like, two weeks ago. Apparently it's structurally unsafe, but I think it's pretty cool. There's also the largest muck pit I've ever seen by it. You should see the black pearls that I've found there."

Richard's blood turns cold. He knows that structure. It's Seablite. Elsa found Seablite during one of her sea ventures. He can see the look of recognition in Peter's eyes as well. Better change the subject now before Elsa continues.

"Hi, Elsa," he says and steps into the room.

Looking up she smiles. "Hello, Richard."

"What have you two been up to?"

"Lots of stuff," she says. "Peter here has just been the greatest helper ever! I think we should keep him."

"You've been helping, Peter?" Richard asks.

Peter looks up and shrugs.

"And he's a very good listener," Elsa adds. "He just soaks up my words and doesn't say much about anything I have to talk about."

Richard looks over at Peter. He looks much better than he did yesterday. Well rested and relaxed.

"Well, I have to start delivering," Elsa says and picks up one of the laundry baskets and fills it with stacks of clothes. "Thank you for helping me, Peter. I'll be seeing you boys for dinner." She leaves the laundry room as Peter cleans everything up and sets everything into their right place. Richard takes a few steps forward.

"I see you've met the eccentric Elsa," he says. "Hope she wasn't too much for you."

Peter shakes his head. Richard notices that he is still dressed in the same clothes as yesterday, which aren't looking all that fresh anymore. They are wrinkled and frumpy looking. That's a problem they will have to solve. Peter doesn't have any money and won't have any until the next pay day which isn't for two weeks yet. The only solution that Richard can see to this problem is lending a few pairs of clothes to Peter until he can get his own. They will be a little big on the smaller boy, but it's better than nothing.

"Do you like it here?" Richard asks.

Peter nods.

"Good. We should get you some work clothes for tomorrow. Come on, I can give you a few pairs until you get your own." He turns and begins to walk out of the laundry room and back to his own. He stops when he hears his own name called out. It's so quiet he could barely hear it.

"Richard?"

He turns and looks at Peter, who is running a hand down his scar. Richard sees him struggling for words.

"Sorry," he says so quietly it's hard to make out.

"What are you sorry for?" he asks.

"Sorry," the boy repeats. "Should've left, should've listened to you."

"It's not your fault," he responds.

"Sorry."

"It's okay. Come on, let's get you some new clothes."

As Richard leaves the laundry room with Peter following, he can't help but smile. Peter is talking. In short sentences yes, but it's an improvement from yesterday.

After digging out the two smallest pairs of clothes that Richard has, he passes them off to Peter, who nods his thanks and shuffles off to his room. Late that evening, Peter does arrive for dinner and sticks close to Richard's side. There are a lot of strange people at the home that he hasn't had a chance to meet yet. He shifts on his seat often. Richard also notices that when he can, he keeps his hand resting on his neck to cover up most of the scar. He doesn't want the others to see it. The sight will cause questions, questions that Peter will be uncomfortable answering. Richard is probably the only lucky one who came out of Seabilte. Since his hair grew back, he hasn't had to use his Dark Gift anymore. His scar is perfectly hidden underneath his hair. Hopefully he'll never have to use his Gift ever again. All it brought was pain.

That night Richard isn't able to sleep. He wants to sleep. He knows he has to sleep. His body just doesn't agree with him, so he lies awake in his bed until one in the morning. He kicks off his sheets and walks upstairs. Despite the fact that the sounds of the ocean used to scare him, he now finds them calming.

Up in the lounge, he sits down on one of the couches and looks out into the murky ocean. It's a quiet night. No fish darts across the clear wall tonight. If one does, it appears quite panicked and quickly scampers off as if a predator is chasing it. Then a flash of light appears. A dim, white light and then a red one just as quick. Red devil squids. Just like the ones Elsa usually plays with.

Looking down at one of his hands, he decides to have some fun of his own. Might as well to occupy his time while he can't sleep. He first tests it, trying to get the flashes of red and white just right. It's been over a year since he used his Gift. He's always been afraid of it. It just reminds him of his confinement and, of course, Doc. He runs a hand through his hair, feeling the raised skin there. He traces it, getting lost in the thoughts of it all. He snaps himself out of it, taking away his hand.

He tests his Gift a few more times until his hand can mimic the pattern of a red devil squid. He sticks his hand up against the clear wall and holds it there. A squid responds to his call and approaches. It's mesmerized by Richard's hand and just floats slowly by the wall. Its large eye stares back at him as it glows back at him. Staring back at the magnificent creature, he doesn't realize that his arm begins to take the colour of the squid. It creeps up his arm. The squid responds by reaching out one of its tentacles and touching the wall where Richard's arm is positioned. It hovers there for a moment until someone arrives and shatters the peace between them.

"Richard?" Elsa asks. "What are you-" After one glance at Richard's arm, Elsa is at a loss for words for the first time in her life.

Richard snaps to attention. The squid spurts some ink and dives away back into the ocean depths. He stops using his Gift and lets his arm return to his normal skin colour.

"Elsa," he says, "hi."

The girl is quite shocked. She looks at Richard and backs away. "What-what was that?"

"What was what?" he asks innocently, hoping that he can get out of this mess.

"Your arm!" she says. "It was flashing red and white. What was that?"

He's caught red handed. His heart is pounding away in his chest as he tries to come up with an excuse to explain this phenomenon. "I can explain all of this." He takes a few steps towards her, holding his hands up in front of him so she could see he isn't going to hurt her.

"Don't come any closer," she says, holding her hand up to stop him. He stops. "Just don't come near me." She presses her fingertips to her temples. "What are you really?"

Richard flinches. Those words sting. What is he? He's a freak. That's what he is. Plain and simple.

"I-I don't know," he answers truthfully. "I don't, okay? And I would appreciate it if you wouldn't freak out about this."

"How can I not freak out?" she asks. "I see you with your arm glowing, Richard. Glowing! How can I not freak out?"

"If you give me some time, I can explain it," he says as calmly as he can without his voice breaking.

She shakes her head. "No, no, I don't want to hear it."

"But-"

"Don't," she responds firmly.

"This is just as hard for you to understand as it is for me," he says. "I'm the one who has to live with it. It's a constant reminder that I'm not normal and that I'll never be normal. Please, Elsa, I need you to understand."

Elsa shakes her head, pursing her lips together in a tight line. "No, no, I just can't. Not now."

"Elsa, please," he whispers.

"Richard, don't. I can't do this right now. Just stay away from me for now. I need some time to think about this." Elsa turns away quickly and rushes back down the stairs.

Richard sinks onto the couch again, resting his head in his hands. He shouldn't have shown his Gift. It only causes more problems. And this problem will take a long time to fix, assuming it can be fixed.