Devil's Touch

Ch 21 - Severed Bonds

"Can you get me some water?" A groggy Tim asked as he adjusted himself so that his left arm was dangling over the edge of the couch. His dark hair was messy reminding Gage even more of his brother and how he looked when they first met. "And could you maybe get me a little snack too?"

"Sure thing kiddo," Gage said ruffling Tim's already messy hair before he got up to walk into the kitchen for the things Tim had asked for.

He found Gene throwing the bloody towels in the trash and his leather bag sitting atop the counter. The old man looked up when Gage entered the room but he didn't say anything to him outside of a slight nod of the head. Gage was filling up a small cup with orange juice instead of water and was raiding the cabinets for what he needed for a sandwich. Finding a jar of peanut butter and some jelly Gage decided on that for the snack and walked over to the bread box, but before Gage could open it up Gene's wrinkled hand took a firm hold of his wrist making him look up at the old man.

"Don't get too attached," Gene said making sure that he was looking Gage right in the eye as he spoke so as to ensure that the boy heard him. Gage tried pulling away but found him unable to break the old man's grip. "That boy in there isn't your brother, Watcher, and you certainly can't pretend to be."

Gage pulled on his hand again this time much harder and managed to break free but still he couldn't bring himself to look away from Gene's cold hard eyes. "I'll permit you to tend him for now, but that child doesn't need another Devil in his life... Keep that in mind."

When Gage was finally able to look away from Gene's gaze he hurried over to the counter with the peanut butter and jam, quickly made the sandwich, and all but ran into the other room with Tim's little snack. He found the boy still lying on his stomach and when Gage came around the couch to look at him he found that Tim had fallen back asleep. Not seeing any reason to wake the boy Gage place the juice and sandwich on the small coffee table beside the couch. With a timid look in the kitchen's direction Gage walked over to the front window to wait for everyone else to return so they could decide as a group what to do about Greg and his Devil half.

He couldn't have been sitting there for more than a minute when he saw someone emerge from the woods off to the side. They were dressed in a white t-shirt that was dyed brown with dirt and mud. It was Joe. Gene had said that he and his granddaughter had been involved in the crash as well, but he'd also said that there was no need at all to worry about them and that they'd be fine on their way back after finding Tim. Sure enough both Joe and his cousin Andrea--who made it clear that they were to address her as Andy while they were here--emerged completely fine, a bit dirty but other than that they didn't look at all hurt.

Gage was about to announce that Joe and Andy were back but Gene was already heading outside the door to greet them. He was going to follow, but Gage didn't think that his presence was really required as the skinwalkers converged. Andy wasn't a skinwalker but it was very apparent that she knew about them and about Devils, something that wasn't expected but these days it seemed like everyone knew about Devils. Gene was talking to his grandchildren using his hands to gesture with before he finally pointed toward the house. Joe visibly tensed up and Gage could see that Andy didn't like whatever was said either seeing as she held her hand to her mouth.

I hope he's just telling them about Tim being hurt, Gage thought as he looked over at the boy who was still dead to the world. It was at the same time when Gage felt another chill run through him, it was the same chill he'd felt when they'd first come inside this house. He didn't know what it was, but Gage definitely did not like this place and he knew that those three knew why but he never brought it up to them. Whatever it was that was making him feel this way was something that Gage didn't really want to hear about.