CHAPTER
Eighteen
As I am finishing up my explanation of the recent events including Dr. Finley’s murder, my father’s existence and the incessant need to get to the bottom of what is going on here, all I see are two blank faces staring back at me. I don’t know what I expected laying all this on them so thick and so quickly. I blame myself for keeping it from them for so long. I should’ve let them in on it long ago. It was selfish of me to try to bear the weight all by myself.
The silence that followed my speech is broken first by Cynthia, “So what kind of things did your father find out about the, uh, Sumus Exitium?” She asks.
“I don’t know exactly,” I shake my head searching for a better answer, “secret things I guess. Things that they were willing to kill and imprison for. That’s why we need to find my father. He holds the information we need.”
“How the hell are we going to do that if this group of trained professional time-warpers can’t even find him?” Tristis’ earlier optimistic self is replaced by a skeptical realist. His moods tend to change dramatically in a very short period of time. One second he’s gung-ho about something and couldn’t be more excited, and then the next he’s completely against it. It’s like he’s some sort of reaction bipolar.
Cynthia chimes in sensing my discomfort with not being able to answer Tristis, “We’ll figure it out. We have something that the Sumus Exitium didn’t have—well, until now,” Her head turns to look at me. “but they won’t have for much longer.”
“Me?” I ask pointing at my chest.
“Yes. There’s got to be some way we can track him down using you and your childhood memories. Or maybe once we get away your father will reveal himself to us.”
“That sounds awfully optimistic for the position we are in.” Tristis sounds the voice of reason. “I mean—,” His eyes scan around the beach feeling the paranoia setting in, “if these people are as dangerous as we are being told, I think we need to be smart about anything we do. This isn’t some sort of game and we really don’t know what they are fully capable of. We can’t stay here. But we can’t leave. This is our lives. . .” His last words are trailed off as he remains deep in thought leaning up against a large boulder.
Tristis is right, everything has happened so fast giving me little to no time to really think about the whole situation. My reactions have been purely impulsive and responsive. Not really well thought out or progressive up until now. I think back to the decisions that landed me here in the first place. Following the drug dealers for a quick pull, escaping from the cops, choosing to join the secret society. I really have nothing to blame but my own impulsive thinking. For as long as I’ve been on the move I’ve never been so easily succumbed to anything else before.
Why didn’t I question this more before diving in headfirst?
“Maybe were getting a little ahead of ourselves.” My voice sounds much more level headed then I feel right now, “We don’t really know much about the sumus exitium and until we learn more we should stay put and keep our heads down. We do know that they are willing to kill already,” I feel a rock hardening in my throat as the words come out, “we must be as cautious as we can.”
“What are we supposed to do in the meantime?” Tristis’ question is a bit more forceful than I think he meant to sound, but I brush it off clearly understanding his level of confusion and frustration with the situation.
YOU ARE READING
Through The Ascension Room***Book One COMPLETE***
Science Fiction***CURRENTLY SEEKING REPRESENTATION*** (Comments and questions welcomed) Alexander Briggs lived much of his young life migrating from town to town, living off of the spoils of his untamed special ability, when one night his nomadic life is changed...
