The Elements

Chapter 18 - Xavier's Story

I shrugged, somewhat unsure. "I... guess?"

"Great! I take that as a 'no', so I'm not gonna - " Xavier was rushing through his sentences way too much not to be suspicious.

"Nope, nope. Tell me."

"Aw man, you're no fun to joke with!" Xavier complained, but I wasn't going to let him get away with it.

"Just tell me."

Xavier exhaled, his features shifting back to that of reluctance. "Fine," he finally sighed, looking me in the eye. "But it's not exactly a happily-ever-after story." His words were also exercising my heart too much. Not a happily-ever-after story? He looked too serious to be joking around with me. What had happened, exactly?

"Well..." Those few moments of suspense were killing me. "Oh, never mind, no -"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what did we say just now? No delaying anymore." I interrupted, shooting Xavier a look.

"Gosh, fine. You're so domineering!" I rolled my eyes to Xavier's complaint. "Actually... I think it would be easier if - I just show it to you." I raised my eyebrows so high I was sure they flew right off my face.

"Yeah, and you're going to introduce a machine that you made to go back into the past and show me everything, right?" I scoffed, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Uhh - not exactly. But it is concerning a machine." Instead of the pride that usually radiated off Xavier's face whenever he spoke about his creations, anger, disappointment, and hesitation splashed across his face. My heart was palpitating hard within my chest - what was it that could make him look so... sad?

"I'm gonna bring you somewhere..." Xavier's every step seemed to scream "RELUCTANCE" as he led me out of the manufacturing area.

"Wait, how about Aura and - " I caught myself just before I could say Olivia. "How about Aura? Shouldn't we wait for her to be back?" Hesitation was written clear as day on Xavier's face as he turned to look at me.

"Can we just... do this ourselves? I don't really want too many people watching this." The uncertainty and the fear on his face touched me. At least I could help him by agreeing to his request. So I nodded my head, watching a tidal wave of relief wash over his face as he led me forward.

However, I still had to tell Aura about this change of place. I lingered behind for a while, whispering to her through the earpiece, "We're going somewhere else... I'll tell you where it is later. But Xavier - he doesn't want you coming for some reason... You're not done planning yet, right? I'll tell you what it is later when you get back."

"Got it," Aura replied. I hastened my footsteps and caught up with Xavier, who came to a long, winding staircase.

"Up here," his voice echoed down to me as I walked up the spiral stairs, and with my bad stamina, I was heaving and panting by the way I was less than half of the way there.

"How... much... more...?" I wheezed, breathless.

"Almost..." Xavier's voice seemed very strained, though I wondered whether that was from climbing the stairs or from the fact that I was going to see whatever sad thing that he so desperately didn't want me to see.

Suddenly, I stumbled forward, my foot expecting another step but instead stepping on air. I landed on the floor with a loud "thump!" My clumsiness sure was trouble with a capital 'T'. "You okay?" Xavier asked, offering me a hand that I took gratefully. I dusted off my skirt, knowing that my face was undoubtedly glowing beetroot red even in the dim lights.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Though I am glad that at least you are as clumsy as me," I teased him. He rolled his eyes before leading me forward, into a small, dark room lit with only candles. The walls were damp and soggy while the table - the only piece of furniture in the room - was rotting and wet, with a weird contraption seated on it.