THE GATES OF HAVEN: HEART'S HOME

CHAPTER 11

"Heh-heh. Deal. I'll say we've already eaten."

As we lay there, the occasional car drove by just above our heads, reminding us of where we were and where we were headed.

"Hey, Chel?"

"Yeah?"

"Did he ever tell you why he made you?"

"Yeah."

His reserved answer made me wonder if I would get another "long story, maybe later" from him.

"So?" I asked.

"Two years after he changed me, I asked him why. He said that he'd originally planned to feed on me, but, when he discovered my past, he felt that I would be perfect for 'his world,' that keeping this secret would come to me like breathing . He said he also felt that, if I were to live on, I'd have to deal with a lot of adversity, and he thought the change would give me the strength to deal with it."

"What did you think when he said that?" I asked.

"I thought he was full of shit. He didn't care enough about me to make a decision like that for my sake. He did it because he was lonely and wanted someone to talk to. I believed him when he said that he was about to feed on me, but I think he rationalized his reasons for changing me. He makes up convenient reasons for everything he does. He can make sucking the blood from a screaming baby sound like it's the right thing to do, if you give him enough time to work out what to say. He doesn't just lie to you. He lies to himself as well. And that, of course, makes him more dangerous than the average liar. It's the ones who truly believe that they're right who are the most difficult to stand up to."

"Do you think he would kill me, given the chance?"

"Honestly? I don't know. I've seen him kill people he claimed to love. I've seen him suck the blood out of innocent children. I've seen him do some seriously scary shit. But kill you, his only son? That I can't really predict. I didn't even know he had a kid till you showed up looking like him."

"I'm really hoping I can talk some sense into him. Do you think I'm crazy?"

"Nope. You never know. Anyone can change."

"That means a lot, coming from you, who knew him so well."

"Yeah, but don't get me wrong. I don't expect a great outcome from this. My reason for coming is more morbid curiosity. I want to see his face when he sees yours. Heh-heh."

We lay there chatting for a good hour before finally packing up and heading out for the last stretch of the trip. I was glad to have Chel with me. He knew his way around, was able to get us lodging quickly and seemed like a really intelligent and all-around nice guy. I liked knowing that he would be around for the long trek that lay ahead, and also that he would stand with me when I went to meet my father.

***

Two nights later, Chel and I made our way up the walk of my house together. We had arrived the previous night but needed to find shelter immediately before the sun rose, so we hadn't been able to visit until now. I opened the door and held it for him.

"Mum?" I called.

"Ah, Zach! You finally made it!" Mum called from the living room.

"Huh? You were expecting me?" I asked.

Just then, Alex walked into the kitchen from the living room. The stark difference between his surreal beauty and the drab kitchen only added to my shock.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I whisper-yelled at him.

"Later."

He smiled at me and then turned his attention to Chel.