Episode 172 - Loose Ends 2

Episode 172 - Loose Ends 2
Santiago looked at me, blinking, with a hesitant smile.

Santiago - Goodbye? What do you mean?

I put the cup down on the table. My hands were trembling, but I forced myself to hold his gaze.

Ness - I can't stay. Not the way you want. Not the way anyone here wants.

He frowned, confusion and pain reflected in his eyes.

Santiago - Ness… you just came back. You don't have to run again.

Outside, the café window glowed, as if my subconscious were reminding me what was right and wrong in my world. For a moment, I thought I saw Tobias's silhouette reflected in the glass, Luke's calm figure beside him. I felt a tightness in my chest.

Ness - I'm not going to run. I'm… they're calling me.

The silence between us was thick, broken only by the murmur of voices around us. Santiago leaned back, his expression a mixture of disbelief and worry.

Santiago - Is it about James? Your parents? Or…

I shook my head, my pulse racing.

Ness - It’s more important than that. I’ll explain it to you someday. But…

He stared at me, searching for the right words, he leaned back in his chair, his hands covering his face as if trying to hold back his words. He settled himself again, his hands on the table, staring intently at me.

Santiago - Ness, I'm your friend... I don't want you to put things off. I've known you since we started university, and I've been there for you every time you fought with your mom, when you got your job, when we went to your high school. I've been with you all this time.

Ness - Santiago... If I told you the truth... You wouldn't believe everything I went through.

Santiago - It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what you have to say, I'm here for you, okay?

I looked at him. I have an idea of ​​the face he was making because I could see Santiago's reaction as he extended his hand, lightly touching mine, without it being awkward. His hand was warm against mine, grounding me, but the spark that jumped from my fingers betrayed me. He pulled back slightly, because it was like one of those moments when you get electrocuted by touching someone.

Santiago - Ness… what's happening to you?

I pulled my hand away quickly, my chest tight. The coffee seemed smaller, the air heavier, as if Regum himself had stormed into the room.

Ness - I told you… you wouldn't believe me.

Santiago leaned forward, his voice trembling but firm.

Santiago - Test me.

I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. The words caught in my throat, but before I could speak, the lights above us flashed. I smiled at him and tilted my head slightly as I called the waitress over to pay. I took out my card and gave them the money, and we left the café.

Santiago - Ness…?

I closed my eyes, tears burning at the corners, and rode to the café parking lot. Without looking back, I placed my hands on the motorcycle seat, taking deep breaths to calm myself.

Santiago - Ness, you're scaring me now. This isn't normal.

Ness - No. It isn't. And it never will be again.

The silence between us was no longer normal. It was expectant, alive.

Ness - I need you to listen carefully... Okay?

Santiago - I'm listening.

I looked at Santiago and turned away, breathing heavily. Even though I had come all this way determined to talk, to finish the things I had left undone, now I was struggling to find the words. I looked around and noticed that there was no one else in the parking lot. I rolled my eyes, hands on my hips, while I tried to make up my mind.

I turned around and stood a few inches from Santiago, my face serious. I held out my hand in front of him, like when you're catching rainwater.

Santiago seemed about to speak at that moment, when a small flame lit up in my hand, resembling fire but blue in color, which changed to shades of green at the same time, the colors fluctuated, and Santiago stared at the flame with his mouth slightly open.

Santiago - What the f-?

Ness - You didn't see me for three weeks, Santiago. For me, it's been almost eleven months since we last saw each other.

Santiago - That doesn't make sense.

Ness - Does what you see in my hand make sense to you?

He closed his mouth and clenched his jaw, knowing he didn't have the answer to what he'd just said, knowing full well that this had no logical explanation.

Ness - Joe and I were in another world for ten months. It's called Regum. There, we discovered the truth about our lives, about everything. Things I can't explain in simple words, and there isn't enough time to talk about them.

Santiago couldn't say anything; he was focused on the flame in my hand, which moved and flickered like an uncontrolled fire. The flame danced across my palm, shifting from blue to green, then vanished into silver sparks that dissolved into the morning air. Santiago gasped, his eyes wide, his voice trembling.

Santiago - This… this isn’t possible.

I closed my hand, extinguishing the flame, my chest tight.

Ness - It seemed that way to me too, until Regum proved me wrong. Until my life changed completely.

He stepped back slightly, his gaze shifting between me and the empty air where the flame had been.

Santiago - Another world? Magic? Ness… this sounds crazy.

I swallowed hard, tears burning the corners of my eyes.

Ness - I know. But it's real. Every moment I spent there was real. Tobias, Luke, Joe… they're still there. And Regum isn't finished with us.

The silence grew heavier and more expectant. Santiago clenched his jaw and spoke softly.

Santiago - Tobias… Luke?

Ness - They're the best people in both worlds… I came to say goodbye. To finish what I started.

I said it with a smile on my face, as I touched his hand. He didn't pull away. He looked shocked, yes, but in the end, he seemed to understand that this was beyond my control and far beyond his. He leaned back on my motorcycle, catching his breath.

Santiago - So... It's been 10 months since you were in that alternate world here, that... Regum...

Ness - It's much more complicated than that...

Santiago - Really... Don't you have time to explain? Your magic, is that all you can do? Can you do anything else? I mean, can you cast normal spells or how does it work?

I laughed.

Ness - That's the Santiago I know...

We stayed in the parking lot, leaning slightly against the motorcycle, while I superficially explained everything that had happened, how my powers worked, what I could do when I was in Regum, and that I wasn't sure if it could really work here on Earth. Santiago listened to me attentively; after the initial shock, he seemed to accept everything easily, nodding and saying "Uh-huh" occasionally.

To be continued..