Awake

Chapter Forty-Eight - Something In Common

The climb up to the second floor had been a little more fraught than usual – Ebb was still walking on crutches, after all, and was far less cooperative even than normal – but Carmen was glad to be upstairs again, walking along the grim corridors with Nigs and Kevin. It felt better to be here, where Ashley had never walked, than downstairs where she had shown Carmen everything.

It was strange to think how happy she had been before, investigating these endless corridors with the two boys, chatting and laughing, waltzing in a moment of glee, sharing life stories and trading jokes and insults. It seemed strangely idyllic now, whereas before it had only been what life was like, what work was like.

Carmen closed her eyes for a second as grief punched her in the stomach again. She forced herself to recall happy non-Ashley-related memories, playing them back to herself until the pain of it faded away to something more bearable. It was a method that had been working just fine for the last few days.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Kevin watching her with a worried but understanding look. She gave him a small smile in response and he nodded once, just a little gesture. There was a shared accord between them, something of grief understood and spread out. Nobody else need know the extent of her pain, or the reasons for it.

"Where are we going first?" Jonathan asked.

"To find Pippa," Kevin told him. "Then we'll head along to the door."

"Is there nobody you can ask?" Sandy looked confused. "Nobody who could tell us whether it is the door we'll be working with?"

Kevin shook his head. "No."

Carmen remembered what he had said, scarcely more than a week ago, when she had asked a similar question. There were three of them. Two are dead. The other is...not worth talking to.

"No," Kevin repeated, "we'll have to figure this out on our own. As resourceful, intelligent citizens of the world, with goodness and righteousness on our side. The plucky youngsters overcome all obstacles and save the day."

"He reads a lot of books," Nigs said, in response to Jonathan's look of bemused irritation. "And he's a pretentious little brat."

"Only two years younger than you," Kevin pointed out. "And at least a foot taller."

"My height has nothing to do with it," Nigs scowled at him.

"Of course not," Kevin gave him a brilliant smile. "You've overcome the crippling disability of your gnome-like stature, an inspirational example to us all."

"Alright, enough with the height arguments," Miriam interrupted. "Carmen, did these two always act like this?"

"Worse," Carmen clarified. "Much worse. It's like dealing with toddlers."

"Well, we had to put up with her," Kevin pointed out. "With her spontaneous dance parties, her reckless attitude..."

"Her constant complaining," Nigs took up the list.

"Her uncontrollable flirtatiousness..."

"Threatening to remove all her clothes..."

"Shirking off work whenever she could..."

"Alright, enough," Carmen glared at them. "I'm perfect and you know it."

"Of course, your highness," Nigs's eyes sparkled as he caught her hand and kissed it quickly. "I worship you with my life. I would do anything for you. As your humble servant, I stand before you defenceless and in awe of your grandeur."

"It feels," Sandy grumbled, "as if this venture is nothing but one big inside joke, and I don't get it."

"That's life, I'm afraid," Kevin shrugged. "Those of you not lucky enough to have the pleasure of my company before can't possibly understand."