Chapter 14: ALMOST A FATAL MISTAKE

LILA

I take a deep breath, suddenly feeling very exhausted and sick of the sudden changes and the fact that I am entering this new world and cannot tell a single soul about it.

I have been operating purely on adrenaline and anxiety for four days and I have not slept properly and I am packing my entire life into boxes to make a sudden, mandated move into goodness knows where and there is a part of me that is twenty-four years old and frightened and wants to just tell the truth to someone I love.

But I still want to live. So I’m stuck.

I sit down on the arm of the sofa.

"Look... something happened," I say.

"Tell me," he says.

I look at him and remember Mr. Sterling’s face, the resolute determination in his expression and tone when he told me that if I were to disclose this to anyone, I would die.

But surely, I can pour out my heart without going too close to the sun, can’t I?

"I saw something," I say. "In the alley on Monday night.”

“Was it the people that fought? I thought you said it was close to this apartment.”

I startle. I had completely forgotten about that tale of mine. Shit, I should have just retold him that story and painted it to seem like I was running away for the sake of security.

Well, I have gone too far. Might as well continue to ride with it.

“I... mean.. that fight, yeah, but somehow more? Something I can't explain. And it... it wasn't like the other times, Ezra, it wasn't at the edge of my vision or gone before I could look at it properly. It was real and I was standing right in front of it and I know what I saw."

Ezra remains quiet, but an expression, one that I’ve seen before, begins to form on his face.

"I really cannot tell you everything, not yet. But I've been seeing things my whole life that don't make sense and I've been writing them down and trying to understand what they mean, and I think, I think..."

"Lila."

I pause with some relief, because I really had no idea where I was going with that sentence.

“Yes?”

"Lila." He leans towards me. "I need you to listen to me, okay? Because I care about you and I want to say this carefully."

“What... what is it?”

"We've had this conversation before," he says. "About these things you claim to see and I'm worried about you. I don’t know why you’ve refused to get help."

"You think I’m making it up? The things I see?”

"I know you think that they’re real. And Lila, that’s concerning."

"If only you knew." I find the familiar anger and bitterness rising again.

He chuckles and the sound grates against my ears. "Lila, I suggested therapy last year because I love you and I'm watching see and experience strange things that surely are just a figment of your imagination, and now you're leaving your apartment abruptly because you ‘saw’ these things near here again? Come on. You’re supposed to be a smart lawyer so use your brains and get help.”

I stand up, my head banging with anger, no longer thinking quite clearly. “I hate it where you’re so dismissive of me. Look, let me tell you something, alright? All the things I see are real. They are not a figment of my imagination. If only you knew of all the supernatural that exists in this world, that there are creatures that...”

A loud banging noise interrupts me, followed by a grating sound echoing from the fire escape.

Ezra stands up. "What was that?"

I shrug, but can already guess that it must be Bartholomew. But, surely, he cannot see the creature, can he?

Ezra lunges for the window, throwing it open with a violent jerk. He leans out, scanning the rusted metal platform, looking out at the fire escape.

Suddenly, the noise stops.

He looks for a long moment, left and right, up the railing and down. He turns back. "There's nothing there."

"Must be the wind."

He looks at me. Then back at the window, still looking for answers.

"The old pipes," I say. "This building is old. I told you it’s a shitty place, really."

He nods, not looking quite convinced.

"Well, if you are dealing with noises like this, maybe it is a good reason to leave.  I actually just came to check up and spend time with you but clearly, you are clearly busy so I should go.”

He looks at me for a very long time. "Look, consider what I said, okay? I can even help you with your therapy bills but you need help. I'll call you tomorrow, okay? When you're settled."

"Alright," I say, exhausted and relieved that he is about to leave me alone.

He crosses to me and cups my face in his hands. “I’m serious.”

“I’ve heard you, Ezra.”

He kisses my forehead and leaves. About a second later, Bartholomew emerges, glowering at me.

“You must be out of your mind, little lady.” His humour is gone in his tone and he’s radiating with anger.

“Excuse me?”

"You were going to tell him, weren’t you?"

I laugh nervously. "Emm... no. Of course not. I’m not stupid. I don’t want to die.”

“Yes you were. I heard the whole conversation. At first, clearly you were going for a painted story, but a little bruise to your ego and you were willing to risk death. If I hadn’t cut you shut...”

“Well, thank you for that. But let’s not dwell on it, shall we. I have less than an hour at the moment.”

Bartholomew comes closer, his eyes fixed on me with a sharp intensity. "Listen to me, kid, and listen well. You got off lucky this time. If you had told him and he had believed you, or if you had managed to prove it to him, my prince would have had to scrub the both of you from existence to protect the Conduit. And I assure you, he may have hesitated on killing you the first time because he had no real reason to, but he will not if he does."

“Gosh… okay. Okay, I’ve heard. No need to terrorize me.” I wipe a bead of sweat off my forehead. “I won’t tell him. Won’t even attempt to ever again.”

He nods. "You cannot tell anyone. Anyone at all. You keep chirping about the things you’ve seen, the things you’ll soon get to see, you'll be a security risk. And my prince? He is very good and getting rid of security risks.”