Chapter eighteen

Chapter eighteen


Ethan

Immediately the elevator door closed, my composure crumbled. I sat down inside the elevator, my head pounding heavily. I couldn't see or focus on anything except the headache.

If I thought my last headache was worse, this one was on another level entirely. Now my head felt like it was cracking open. Pain radiated from behind my eyes to the base of my skull.

Blood trickled down my nose on to the elevator floor. I bit down on the scream and squeezed my eyes shut. My chest was locking up. My brain was on fire. Images flickered too fast to process.

I collapsed on the floor and tried to breathe through the unimaginable pain, but I couldn't. My entire body seem to have lost control.

Maybe the doctor was wrong. My death wasn't going to be in six months. It was right now. I was going to die, I knew that with terrifying clarity.

The elevator stopped, indicating we were on the top floor. Thank God, this was a private elevator. I didn't have to worry about anyone coming in. Except Millie.

The pain increased as her name crossed my mind, but my heart seem to hurt more. I had her back in my arms. After eight years, I finally had her. But my stupid degenerating brain had to ruin it.

If I wasn't literally dying in a friggin’ elevator, I would have laughed at the terms I described my brain with.

Ten out of ten on nicknames.

I searched my pockets for my medication, but realized I didn't have any on me. I cursed under my breath as I remembered I was just on my way to get new ones.

Seems I have to find a way to stop this without my medicines. If only I took the last dose in my drawers, I wouldn't be in this position. I'd assumed I wasn't going to have an episode till I get back from the hospital.

Fuck me.

Flashes of memories I knew weren't mine crowded my brain as my head continued to hurt. I tried to find something to ground me, something to stop the pain. But I couldn't find a memory to hold on to.

The only time I was ever truly happy in my life was with Millie. But it was so long ago and I couldn't trust my brain to provide an accurate memory.

I pushed back the pain and tried to remember the feeling of being in love. The certainty that there was a pretty girl somewhere who was just mine. I focused on our firsts. The first day we met. Our first date. Our first kiss. Our first everything.

My brain might be going on unofficial lockdown, but those memories couldn't be altered no matter how severe the damage got. They were fully ingrained in me like the air I breath.

The pain slowly reduced until it didn't hurt anymore. I panted, relief washing over me at the absence of the pain. I laid there until I felt strong enough to stand up.

At least now I knew how to push the pain back. Remind my brain of the great memories.

Will it permanently stop the degeneration of my brain? Probably not, but it would stop me from freaking out whenever I wanted to kiss someone.

I held onto the railing and pulled myself up. I wiped the blood off my nostrils with an handkerchief. Only then did I open the elevator doors.

I stepped out to see Millie pacing the hallway, her phone on her ear, and her voice trembling as she told whoever was on the other line to hurry up.

She stopped pacing when she saw me and rushed towards me.

“Are you okay? What happened to you?” She asked with a worried expression.

“I'm fine. How are you already up here?” I asked.

The private elevator was the only one that reached the top floor. I'd made it like that to avoid running into my tenants all the time. If she got here before me, she probably took the other elevator to the lower floor, and took the stairs for the rest of the way.

“You were in there for so long, I thought something happened to you. I already called building maintenance to come get the elevator opened.” she said.

Despite the slight throbbing of my head, I smiled. I was glad that I had wiped the blood on my nose or she would have freaked out even more.

It was nice seeing her worry about me just like old times. I wanted to lean forward and rest my head on her shoulders, but I knew that would only worsened the headache. I needed to get away from her.

It was ironic how she was both the trigger and the temporary cure for my condition.

“I’m fine. I…uh… got stuck in there. There's nothing to worry about.” I said.

She didn't seem convince in the slightest. I needed to get away soon and take those tablets before it happens again. But I didn't want her to suspect anything.

This wasn't how I wanted to announce my impending death. In the hallway, after a spiral episode. And especially, not to her.

She stepped closer to me and placed a hand on my forehead. Her brows creased in concentration. I leaned into her touch, enjoying the warmth of it.The pain subsided entirely at her touch.

“You're burning up really bad.” she frowned. “Your temperature was normal a few minutes ago.”

I took a few steps back and flashed her smile.

“I'm fine, really. Maybe it's because I was in there for so long. I'm gonna go take a shower and lie down. See you later.” I hurried towards my unit after that. I didn't give her a chance to follow me before shutting the door.

Once I was inside, I rushed to my drawers and took out the medicine. I swallowed them dry.

I laid on the bed and waited until the pain stopped and the room stopped spinning. I didn't want to think about how I hurt Millie's feelings when all she was doing was caring for me. If I allowed the thought into my mind, a different part of me would start to hurt. I didn't need anymore pain today.

I couldn't let her see me like that. Broken, vulnerable, powerless against my own body. Because then I'd have to tell her everything. That I had somehow took a tablet that was blocking some of my memories, and that everytime I saw her, my brain gets triggered and wants to access those blocked pathways.

And that my countdown had started a year and half ago when I saw her again. Because that would mean I had to let her go, but I was never going to do that. I'd lost her once. I wasn't willing to lose her again. Even if I was at the risk of turning into a real life zombie.

When I felt better, I picked my phone and called Kane. He answered after the second ring.

“Have you found anything?” I asked.

“I think so. The random locations, I think they're a message.” he said.

I sighed. I had already figured that out. I hadn't informed Kane of the details because he didn't need to know. I just told him I'd figured out the message. I had taken steps to ensure my mother's and aunt's safety if he decided to go after either of them.

I was certain he would make his entrance on the day of the gala at the Valhalla club. All the hints he dropped pointed towards gala. There would be enough crowd that he wouldn't be spotted easily. But he wouldn't get away from me now.

“I figured that out already.” I said.

“No, not that. It's like a puzzle. A code. It didn't make sense no matter how much I tried to decipher it. I figured it wasn't meant to be decipher by just anybody. I've forwarded it to you.”

My phone dinged at that the same time. I put the call on speaker and checked my inbox. Kane had forwarded the geographic map, pinpointing the locations of our target.

I stared at the picture, trying to make sense of the random line. It took a few seconds before it finally clicked.

“Darkwood?” The word didn't make any sense. I certainly haven't heard it before in my life. Why would he drop this one word?

On the other line, Kane had gone completely quiet. I checked my phone screen and saw he was still on the phone.

“Kane?” I called.

“It's the name of a place.” he said, his voice cold.

“If it's a place, then it must be where he is hiding. Do you know where it is?”

Kane exhaled heavily.
“I'm not sure it's a place you would want to go. It's…not safe.”

Anger sparked in me. This is the first Iead I've gotten in two years. I wasn't going to just stay back and do nothing.

“Well, I'm going. And you're taking me.” I said firmly. I didn't like pulling the boss card, but damn, does he get on my nerves sometimes.

Kane was quiet for a few seconds before he said, “Yes sir.” his voice laced with amusement.

He ended the call after that. I was left staring at the map on my phone, wondering why on earth my father would use a game I played as a child to lead me towards a dangerous place.

One things was certain. When I do find my father, it wasn't going to be a happy family reunion.

I was going to fucking kill him.