The Creation (Book III)

(11) Present: 2024

(11) Present: 2024

I really wish I was a runner, I thought as I rounded another street corner and was smacked in the face with snow. My meaty legs just weren’t built for running. Kicking and birthing babies, possibly, but running, no. They slowed me down with their weight, which is probably one of the reasons Xavier used to complain about me running slow all the time. My legs were most likely the reason for it.

Xavier.

His name somehow made me faster. I shoved myself forward and tried not to hit anything as I ran up the steps to my apartment. I’ve never run up stairs so fast in my life. It was not nearly as wonderful as I had imagined it. By the time I got to the door to my apartment I actually thought my legs would give out. A vampire in poor shape? Possible.

When I swung open the unlocked door—totally forgot to lock it earlier—I didn’t bother trying to act casual. I shielded my eyes and stepped inside, closing the door behind me. There was shuffling, gasps, and a smack sound followed by Matthew grumbling. I waited until Joanna stopped muttering curse words before I looked up at them. To my relief, they were both pretty much covered. They had my quilt, usually hung on the back of the couch, covering them as they looked up at me from the floor.

“I have to talk to you,” I said to Matthew, who looked both surprised and annoyed at my presence.

“Why?” Joanna questioned as she tried to scoot away from him while holding the blanket to her chest.

“I think Xavier is alive.”

I’m pretty sure a talking rabbit hopping through the apartment would not have shocked them as much as what I had just said. They both had identical looks of astonishment and pity. Clearly they thought this wild red head in front of them was out of her mind. She’s lost it. Totally nuts.

“Why do you think that?” Joanna asked in a too calm of a voice.

That’s when I told them of what happened earlier, leaving out the parts of my breakdown and of Liam. I also didn’t tell them anything about me coming here a few hours ago in order to not embarrass them. I’m sure if Joanna had walked in on me doing it, she’d never let it go.  I guess I’m just more of a private person. When I finished tell them about not feeling my creator’s death, the room became quiet. I could tell by Joanna’s awkward expression she was prepared to let me down gently. I looked over at Matthew, who had this sort of calculating look on his face.

“What do you think? Could he be alive?” I demanded desperately, chewing on the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood.

“Lucy, Xavier died—“ Joanna began.

“It’s possible, I suppose,” Matthew interrupted. “When it comes to our kind, anything is possible. But where would he be if he were alive?”

I slumped my shoulders and took a seat at the kitchen bar. “That’s where I’m confused. If Xavier were actually alive, he would have found me. No doubt. Which is why I needed to talk to you. A witch could help find him, correct?”

Matthew pursed his lips and leaned back against the coffee table. “Yes. But we’ve already tried this, Lucy.”

I frowned deeply. Yes, I have asked Matthew for help before. About a year or two after my creator’s death I went to Matthew to help me bring my beloved back from the dead. At the time Matthew wasn’t in the greatest of moods because of relationship problems with Joanna, so I begged him to help me. After yelling at him, Matthew called a witch to help me. The witch, Shana, told me it’s impossible to bring back a life with no body, and since his body was burned in the fire, Xavier was trapped in hell. So we ended up having a ritual where I called upon Xavier’s spirit. It didn’t end well. We couldn’t contact him, and I left in a cloud of grief.