The Joining: The Cycle of the Shards Book One

35: The Reveal

     The red, slightly rusted pick-up truck pulled to the side on the street bordering the school, and idled, smoke slightly drifting out of the exhaust. Inside, Richard Edison watched as his son, or rather the alien that was inhabiting his son's body, unbuckled his seatbelt. Making a decision in his head, Richard unbuckled his as well.

Hearing the telltale 'click' of the belt detaching from the holder, Kyle looked at his father. "What're you doing?"

"I'm not letting my son walk in to a place alone and fight some ungodly alien without help. I'm coming with you."

Kyle's eyes widened, and he put a hand on Richard's arm. "That's not necessary. I'm not going to be alone. You've done enough already."

Richard blinked a few times. "Don't you have children on your planet? Don't you understand why I need to go? If you die, he dies."

Kyle sighed, tired of the charade but not willing to give Critock back complete control of his body until the last moment had come. "If I die, then the entire planet likely dies. It's going to be hard enough to stealth around in there, I can't have an entourage with me." He shook his head. "We do have children, Richard. I do know how you feel." Critock's words came easily to his mouth, though Kyle still held on.

Richard looked at his boy, still slightly unbelieving as he saw only his son's face when he looked at him, not some alien monstrosity. "How long have you...been here?"

"I've been with Kyle since just before mid-day yesterday."

Richard turned, and faced forward, ignoring the sounds of the traffic around them. "The night before...We had a fight. I'm not good at this. I'm trying, God knows I am. But I wasn't ready for this."

Kyle blinked back the wetness that was coming unbidden to his eyes. "Get home, Richard. Get somewhere safe. With any luck, Kyle will be home soon and this'll all be over."

"I just..." A single tear fell down his father's cheek, the first time that Kyle could remember ever seeing his father cry since his mother had left. "I wanted him to know that I love him. I don't know if he knows it and now it might be too late."

Kyle looked at his father, and squeezed his arm. "He knows. He loves you too." With that, he reached over and pushed the door open, and moved out of the car, closing the door behind him. As Richard fought his continuing urge to follow, Kyle marched towards the west entrance of the school, knowing that at this time of day it was most likely to be empty. As he walked, he slowly released his grip on his consciousness, allowing Critock to seep in more and more. As he reached the door and placed a hand on the handle, looking in to see the expected deserted hallway, the transformation had completed. Kyle had disappeared into the back of his mind, with no hold or control on anything any more. Instead, there was only Critock.

Claire hated the school when there was no one around. Truth be told, she wasn't much more fond of having to be in it at any time, but something about the oppressive silence that was mixed with the slight fear of a door opening with a teacher behind it ready to scold her for being out of class at the wrong time was just tearing at her brain, and she hoped with everything she had that she'd be able to find out just what had happened to Daniel.

She wasn't a stalker, and she wasn't crazy! At least that was what she kept telling herself as she peeked into the library windows, trying to locate her boyfriend. She strained her neck to see from one side of the room to the other, but with no positive results. She sighed. This was the last place she knew of that had a study hall, and where else would they have sent him since the office was apparently closed for the rest of the day. What was she going to do now? She couldn't just go back to class. Even if she wouldn't get in trouble, the dread and concern for his well being would eat her up for the rest of the period. No, he had to be here somewhere, if not in class, then maybe hiding out somewhere? Maybe up here? She climbed the steps of the east wing, careful to take it slow lest she be discovered, and peered over the top step.