It was most interesting.
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Chapter 14
A Few Losses Are Always Anticipated
‘Do I know you?’ Julia scrunched her eyes.
‘No, you don’t. My name is Jeff, nice to meet you.’ He held out his hand.
She held out her hand and gave a firm handshake. Confident, even though momentarily weakened.
‘I’m Julia. You know I never sit with strangers. My parents would not approve. I don’t know what’s up with me. I’m not myself.’
‘So, did you have a rough night? Why were you confused as to whether I would be able to help you or not?’
‘Well,’ she squirmed in the seat. ‘I was just watching television. Then I felt the sudden urge to come down and stand right here next to you. Although right now I’m drawn to the toilet. It’s bizarre. I don’t even know you. Yet, there is something about you. Am I making any sense at all?’ She gave a nervous laugh.
‘Absolutely. My diagnosis is that you needed some company. Not mine of course. Maybe you’re lonely.’
‘Lonely,’ she paused. ‘I’m never lonely.’ She looked affronted.
‘Hmmm… tricky then.’
Her next question caught him off guard. It was true after all.
‘Was someone else with you? I was sure I saw someone with you a minute ago.’
‘He left.’
She knew.
‘Who was he?’
This was worse than he thought. ‘My grandson actually.’
‘I met someone last night. I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but I-I.’ She stopped talking and started to get up. ‘I think I should go and see a real doctor.’
‘I am a real doctor.’ His turn to look annoyed.
‘You seem nice and all, I’m sure you’re a doctor, but I think I should see my doctor. If you know what I mean.’
He smiled. ‘No offence taken. Good idea. I think your drink is waiting at the till.’
‘My drink, I forgot all about it. See you around then and thanks for the chat. I’m not usually this erm…scatty. Honest.’
‘I believe you.’ He really did.
Jeff turned back to his newspaper. After a few minutes, he peeked out and saw she had gone. The coast was clear. He sipped the last of his coffee and got up to alert Steven. Once in the male toilet, he knocked on the door. ‘Time to go.’
Steven shuffled out. ‘So?’
‘Not good. She’s hooked, but doesn’t know why. But all the same she’s disorientated.’
Steven studied the floor.
‘What’s done is done. Let’s go,’ Jeff said, as he put his hand on Steven’s shoulder.
When they rounded the corner Julia came into view. Not good. She was still there.
With narrowed eyes and a scowl, she hurtled into a barrage of questions. ‘I knew he was with you. I don’t know why I knew. I just did. Who are you both? Why are you here? What do you want?’
‘Young lady, you are confused. You said so yourself. Take a seat and I’ll introduce you to my grandson, Steven.’
‘We already met,’ she snapped.
‘Please sit down.’ It was not a request.
Julia’s face became calm. In a robotic voice, she replied, ‘Okay. I will sit down.’
***
Steven glanced at Jeff. He could tell Jeff was controlling her. ‘Is it necessary?’
‘You bet it is,’ Jeff replied.
Julia stared into space.
‘Have your drink Julia.’ It came out as a command and it worked like a charm. Julia raised the polystyrene cup to her mouth and took a sip. Then she looked at Jeff and waited.
‘You will forget Steven and me. We have never met. You will not talk to anyone about us. You will never see us again. You understand.’
‘Yes.’
It was sweet and simple.
‘It’s time for you to go now. Goodbye.’
Julia smiled, got up and started to walk out. It felt so cold, so calculated. Even for someone like Julia, it was harsh. She was not a bad person. Confidence was not the worst quality anyone could possess.
‘Sorry,’ Steven whispered.
Julia seemed to freeze at his words, but she shook her head and continued to the door.
The next minute seemed to go by in slow motion. Steven suppressed his horror as he watched Julia walk across the road without looking. There was nothing he could do as the large supermarket truck rammed into her.
Absolutely nothing.
***
The highlight of the following week had to be when Steven held a valid birth certificate in his hands, he finally had an identity. His name was officially Steven Simon Thorn and both his father and mother were unknown. Supposedly, he was an orphan. He hated that. He did have a father he loved. His biological mother did not deserve to be on his certificate, but his father had earned the right. Either way, it was not in his hands. It was under the control of his grandfather or evil controller, as he now thought of him.
As much as he had grown to like him Julia’s death had changed things. He could not accept what Jeff called a reasonable loss. Was everyone he was with destined to die even if he did not actually commit the murder? He could not accept that. With his foot completely recovered he wondered if he actually needed human blood.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
‘Steven, can I come in?’
Jeff.
‘Sure.’
Jeff opened the door. He stood at the entrance for a few seconds and rubbed his hand, his eyes fixed on the sash windows. Steven carried on downloading apps for his iPad. He had been dying to get an iPad since it was released. It made him feel like he was back in the land of the living. His grandparents never questioned the purchase. He would never have got away with it with his parents; his dad never bought him a gadget on a whim.
Finally, Jeff spoke up, ‘I’m sorry the girl had to die. I really am. It just happened. Mind control is a powerful tool. I-I have not used it very often. It was my mistake and I apologise. Please, can we put it behind us?’
Steven shrugged his shoulders and continued, still focused on the amount of free stuff he could get his hands on. ‘It’s done.’
‘I came to talk to you about something else. Can I sit down?’
‘Sure.’ Steven shuffled up the bed and reluctantly switched off the machine.
Jeff walked slowly towards him and sat down. ‘Judith is very ill. I’m sure you’ve noticed.’
Steven glanced at the small, ornate fireplace. ‘I have.’
‘I am also getting weak. The truth is we don’t really know why. Animal blood does not seem to satisfy us anymore. We think we need human blood. I want to look after Judith but sh-she is refusing to drink human blood. I-I…’
Steven noticed Jeff’s hands were shaking. He swallowed his pride and stretched out his hand. Jeff’s hand was frail and thin against his. He was sure if he tried he would be able to crush it.
Steven had to ask, ‘Are you planning to kill again?’
‘No, I-I think I will steal it. Mind control has its uses. I’m sure someone at our local hospital can help. I’ll bring some back for Judith, just in case.’ He gave a weary smile.
There was no point in holding a grudge. ‘I’ll stay with her, you go. By the way, I know you didn’t intend to kill her. Apology accepted.’
Jeff gave a half smile. ‘That means a lot. Thank you.’ He turned to go but then paused, his hands now on Steven’s shoulder. ‘Whatever happens I am already proud of you. You have inner strength; a quality no-one can ever take away. Hold on to your convictions. In time, every wrong will right itself.’
Steven was winded by the words. After a few seconds, he managed to splutter, ‘Thanks.’
Jeff had already gone.
Steven knew he had to keep his promise and keep an eye on Judith. First, he had a more pressing matter. Caitlin. It was time to track her down. He flicked the iPad back on and turned to the Facebook pag
e. The page dared him to write back. He already knew what to say. He had written the same speech out many times but he found it hard to follow through. He couldn’t contact her via the internet. There was no point in replying.
For what felt like the millionth time, he logged off and took a swig from his water bottle. The internet was a blessing and a curse rolled into one. It seemed like an easy way to find things out. Yet, nothing could substitute human contact. He needed to see Caitlin, not her words.
He flung the iPad on the bed and got up to see Judith. He knocked on the door and waited. A faint voice replied. He turned the door handle and made his way in.
The sight of her made him wince. She looked worse, a lot worse.
‘Can I get you something?’
‘Did Jeff go out?’ she whispered.
‘Yes, he did. I know it’s probably not my place to say this but death is not necessary. He will find a way to get blood. You don’t have to kill.’
Judith gave a low chuckle. ‘Come here.’
Steven moved closer and sat on a chair opposite the bed. The room had a rancid smell. It was as though Judith reeked of death.
She must have seen him scrunch his nose as she said, ‘You don’t need to control yourself. I know the smell. I’ve been around for a very long time. Do you know that I am one hundred and fourteen years old? My body is just starting to show its age. Thing is, it’s not impossible to live this long. The longest living human being was a French woman – she got to the age of one hundred and twenty two. And did you know that there is a woman still alive in the United States born in the same year as me? I was born in eighteen ninety six, a couple of years before the turn of the century. Edwardian Britain, a Britain with no real knowledge of war, an invincible empire.’ She coughed. ‘Water please.’
Steven reached for the glass on her bedside table and passed it over.
She took a sip. ‘Thank you.’
‘Don’t strain yourself.’
‘No, you have to listen. It’s important you understand. The Great War changed the world. Did you know that? Millions of people died. I was your age when friends, relatives and acquaintances died to preserve our freedom. Your grandfather was one of the lucky ones, although he did not feel so lucky to survive at the time. It was the worst thing we thought we’d ever see.’ She coughed again and took another sip.
Steven waited. He did not want to interrupt.
‘We were wrong. It was not the worst thing. It was the beginning of the end for many. The roaring twenties brought many good things. Automobiles. Moving pictures or talkies as they then became known as. Walt Disney produced Mickey Mouse. And of course Jazz and the infamous Charleston,’ she giggled. ‘I was quite good you know.’
‘I imagine you were.’
‘You are such a charmer, just like your grandfather. Anyway, I got to dress as I pleased, was wild for a while and even got to vote like a man. What a privilege! You should have seen us girls lining up the street. Imagine. Well, I guess you can’t – you take that for granted now.’
‘Sorry.’
‘Don’t apologise. Each generation is faced with a different set of problems. The thing is it couldn’t last. As you must know, or they surely teach you nothing at school, the bubble burst in 1929. The Great depression brought hard times.’
‘Not that different to now. The latest recession has brought a lot of problems.’
‘Yes, life has a way of repeating itself. Or, humans have a way of making the same mistakes,’ she chuckled.
Steven was mesmerised, he had no idea Judith was so fascinating.
He could not wait to hear the rest. The past was a scary and yet very insightful place sometimes. If only people paid more attention, the world would be a lot simpler.
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Chapter 15
Judith’s Story
Steven eased back. ‘When did you meet grandfather?’
Judith smiled. ‘I met him in 1920. I was twenty four – quite old to still be a spinster in those days. I had rebelled and become a member of the suffragette movement. I refused all of my parents’ suitors.’ She gave a cough that got mixed in with a laugh. ‘They got me in the end. I was bowled over by your grandfather. I didn’t stand a chance. We got married and I had Catherine the following year. The twins followed barely a year later. For some reason I found it hard to have more children until Ian came along ten years later. After that the Second World War consumed us. We had to go to America. Your grandfather could not miss the opportunity to be a member of the most exclusive scientific team ever created. And he would not leave us behind, he always put family first.’
‘That was where the attack happened?’ Steven could not help being sucked in completely.
‘Yes, we were attacked. My children and Jeff, they were worse off. I-I just got involved.’
Steven found it a strange thing to say. He dismissed it for now.
‘You have to understand that after everything we had been through. After the death we had seen. We could not be a part of it. We could not become killers. We accepted some death to survive, but we did not want to kill. You get that, right?’
Steven did not want to argue, he just couldn’t help it. ‘I never had a problem understanding it. But, your experience and mine are two very separate things.’
Judith coughed, took another sip of water and held out her hand. ‘Steven, people do strange things for love. I understand that. Just make sure you don’t end up hurting those around you. Love does not give you the right to end someone else’s life. Death is death. And it comes to all of us, even me.’
She was definitely rambling. ‘Unnecessary death is still confusing. You don’t have to die.’
‘I do have to die!’ The effort made her erupt into a violent cough. ‘Have you not been listening to a word I have said?’
‘Calm down, don’t overexert yourself.’
‘You don’t understand. No-one does. I should be dead. I was not meant to live so long. I was not like them. I was not one of them. Emily guessed. She was the only one that guessed the truth.’
He had no idea what she was talking about now. ‘Judith, you need to calm down. I’ll go make some tea.’
‘Tea? Good idea, go make tea. You are such an Englishman.’ She nuzzled into her pillow as a glazed look came over her face.
Steven found her chatter interesting. She just made no sense. The bats bit her like everyone else. She had told him so. At least, Emily had. Or maybe it was Jeff. She was definitely bitten by the bats. Someone had told him.
When he returned, Judith was fast asleep, her breathing forced. He left the tea next to the table and sat down. She looked so old all of a sudden, ancient – fragile. The hum of her breathing had a soothing effect. He eased into the chair and closed his eyes, he could not leave her. He did not know how much time had passed when the sound of footsteps roused him.
‘How is she?’ Jeff’s hair had regained its vibrancy and it was definitely darker, as though he had lost some of the grey. His face had been stretched, the wrinkles now barely visible, and his posture was now firm. Youth was on his side again.
‘I guess you were successful.’
Jeff made his way over to Judith and sat at her side. ‘I was. I brought some back for her. Did she talk to you? Did she say anything?’
Steven was not sure what she hadn’t talked about. ‘Quite a lot. She talked of the war, the Charleston…’
‘Charleston?’ Jeff interrupted, eyes raised.
‘Yep, apparently she was quite good.’
Jeff nodded, his moustache twitched. ‘She was, I mean, is.’
‘She said some strange things. She said she was not meant to live so long. She said she was not like you and that Emily knew. Does that make any sense to you?’
‘She’s losing it. I’m afraid she doesn’t know what she is saying.’
The way he said it did not leave Steven convinced. Was Jeff was holding something back?
Jeff stared at Judith; it
was a look of despair. ‘Anyway, you can go off now. I’ll stay with her. Thank you for staying with her.’
‘Anytime.’ Steven glanced back when he reached the door. Jeff stroked her hair.
The difference was striking. Judith looked like Jeff’s mother not his wife.
***
The sight of her pale and practically lifeless complexion made Jeff sick. Her refusal to drink human blood was having dramatic consequences. The blood of animals did nothing to improve her state of health. Jeff could not understand why she giving up on life, on him? They had always vowed to stay together. What had changed? He saw her stir and he leaned in closer. Her eyelids fluttered, her pale amber eyes in view for a split second, and then closed. They refused to cooperate. Her eyes were always the same, just as beautiful as the first day they met.
‘Something’s happening to me. I can feel it,’ she whispered.
‘You need human blood? Here have some,’ he said. Desperate, he brought the cup he had prepared closer.
She kept her eyes closed, but he could tell she was tempted by the smell.
In a pained voice she said, ‘No. I don’t want to drink blood anymore. I’m ready Jeff, I want to go now. I’m tired. We never expected to live forever. The extra time I had was a bonus. You know I was never meant to live this long.’
A lump caught in his throat. ‘Why now? You seemed so excited to come back. We’ve barely enjoyed it. I don’t want to lose you.’
She gave a throaty chuckle. ‘Don’t be silly. You’ll never lose me. This is just the way things are meant to be. I wanted to come home and end it here. I guess it happened sooner than I imagined. It’s time. It’s time for me to rest.’
‘Are you sure I can’t convince you to live?’
She shook her head, raised her hand up to his face and caressed it gently. ‘Not this time. I love you, my darling.’ She lay back on the pillow as a barely audible sigh escaped her lips and she exhaled.
The Evolution Trilogy: Hybrid, Complications & Return Page 41
