OF THE NIGHT ∘ Seth Gecko

12 | Recovery

CHAPTER ELEVEN
RECOVERY

IT TAKES ME about two days to recover from the exhaustion. In those two days I do a lot of sitting and lying on the bed and the couch, while either sleeping or watching TV. In comparison to me, Seth is much more active. He starts working on the robbery that he wants to pull in the town's bank and spends hours outside, studying the place. Sometimes he likes to spend time by himself, sitting outside of our room or staying awake while Kate and I are sleeping. I don't feel like I should let him be alone so much, but I also feel like I should give him his space.

Kate, on her side, is a good company and a useful one. She's always ready to help with whatever is needed and the two of us bond over going for groceries and lazily staying in our room. I act carefully around her and even though she doesn't open up to me about how she's handling with losing her family, when I catch her quietly crying once I make sure to silently comfort her.

Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I notice how these two days have helped me look better. The bags under my eyes are gone as well as the paleness of my skin, which is now back to its normal color. When we got to this motel, seeing myself in the mirror was unnerving since the lack of sleep and not eating made me look incredibly ill, not to mention that it made my bruised cheek more noticable. No wonder the lady at the reception looked at us suspiciously when we checked in.

The more I get back to myself, the more I think about my family and home. I doubt that they noticed I'm gone, but I don't know how long it will take for Seth to get enough money for fake passports, and it makes me wonder if they'll worry once they'll realize I disappeared.

When I get out of the bathroom, I see Kate sitting on the couch and reading a book that she found somewhere. It didn't seem like a very good book when I saw it earlier, but I guess it's enough to keep the teenager busy and somewhat entertained. It's only when I sit down on the edge of the bed, that I notice she is walking towards me with a look that makes me suspicious.

"What's up?" I ask.

Pushing her hesitance away, Kate replies, "I wanted to ask you for a favor. I want you to teach me how to fight."

My eyebrows raise at the request and it takes me several moments to come up with something to say because I'm so surprised. Even though Kate killed Culebras like I did, I still see her as a gentle girl-next-door because of her kind nature and her young age. However, after what we've been through I can understand that she might be traumatized and scared.

"Why?" I ask, deciding to test her through her answer.

She comes to sit next to me and sighs softly. "I don't want to be defenseless little Kate anymore. I want to be able to fight for myself and for the people who are important to me," she explains, her blue eyes meeting my brown ones. "Especially since we're still stuck away from home."

Her answer is the one that I was hoping to hear and I nod in understanding. "Okay, I'll teach what I know," I say and Kate smiles at me. "How much do you want to know?"

"As much as I can learn and do."

"When do you want to start?" I ask. Kate immediately stands up and says that now. Pushing myself up, I smile and say, "While Seth isn't here? That's a good idea."

It's unlikely that he will object to this, but I can imagine the look he will have once he'll find out about this and the comments he will make. However, I push him to the back of my mind and start instructing Kate. I show her how to stand in front of her opponent correctly with her strong leg at the front and her hands ready in front of her chest. She looks a little out of her element, yet she listens to me and does as I say.