Youth's Mist

Youth's Mist Ch 17

Joven

FINALLY! The less than polite voice has just said Pann is home and then hung up. I don't bother calling back, just run out the door to the Central Control Room.

"Whoa there Flash, where are you going?" Asks Patsy.

"Pann is home, I'm leaving NOW!" I mentally dare her to disagree.

"Did you not get our text message? Pann was at the fountain about an hour ago, which I'm guessing is wonderful news. But are you trying to scare her back into the hole from which she came? I'm denying you access to the tunnels, and don't make me call Stan or Hank," she adds emphasis by placing her hands on her hips. "You turn right around go back home, shave, shower, and for the love of Mist, put on clean clothes. Come back, I'll have your elixir waiting for you and a path cleared in the tunnel."

"Whoa, she was at the fountain? When? How long? No, I didn't get your message. Show me! I demand, as I walk towards the monitor in the farthest left corner.

"You want to see it now?" Patsy asks. I simply arch an eyebrow and point to the screen.

It only takes a few minutes to pull up the section of video I'm interested in. She's there! Holy smokes after five days, she's actually here! I study only her face, she looks tired, worn down— but then she winks!

"Did you see that? She winked! She winked!" by now both ladies think I've gone off the deep end, "wait, she said something, rewind it, hurry." I lean closer to study her lips. I've gotten quite proficient at lip reading thanks to Pann. Again, the wink, and then I read her lips. I slap my forehead! Poop pile in a compost!

"What is it?" they ask in unison.

"She's finally asking for Calvin, whoopee!" I shout and pump my fist into the air.

"Huh? Who is Calvin?" they ask. I'm beyond excited! I scream as I run out the door heading back home.

"Me! I'm Calvin!!!"

Knowing they are right, and hating it, I do as she bids and return a half hour later. Grabbing the elixir and well wishes from Patsy and Dorthy, I'm in UpAbove and at her apartment in record time. Slowing my breathing, taking a deep breath, and wishing now I had brought some flowers or something.

I knock, knock, and knock some more, no answer. No help from the troll either, and I press my head to the door to hear any movements from within; nothing. I try the handle, and I'm surprised to find it is unlocked. I announce myself loudly and enter Pann's apartment.

There she is! Passed out on the couch, blanket wrapped around her body. I check for a pulse, getting ready to call 9-1-1, when papers from her purse, thrown on the coffee table catch my attention. I scan them quickly, "fracture— concussion— prescriptions— monitoring— future complications." I look at her again. She's pale and clammy to the touch, and her right arm is in a cast.

What happened to you Pann? What have you been through? I try to wake her, but she just opens her eyes for a moment, gives me a sloppy grin and slumps back into the couch.

Think Joven, think. Taking my phone out I call Heif, no answer, he must still be on the plane. Call my parents? Oh, sure, and tell them I'm in a girl's apartment and she's unconscious, not good. She must need to eat. I go through her kitchen to find something edible, give up and order a food delivery. Not sure what she likes, but doesn't everyone love pizza? Only thing I know for certain is not to get yogurt.

On her refrigerator, stuck to a magnet is my cell phone number, and she's added little hearts around my name. I think I can safely assume that whatever happened to her, she hadn't willingly rejected me. This thought makes me happy and sad. I still have a chance with her, but will she approve of what I'm thinking must be done.

Waiting for the delivery, I reread the medical instructions. I'm no doctor but I don't agree with all these narcotics, but until I can get her seen by another medical physician, I'll have to abide by what's been prescribed. Looking around I realize how small but quaint her apartment is, she has turned something kind of sad into homey.

I mentally go through all my options. I don't have many. She needs 24-hour care, and I know she has no one. There's no way Mrs. Knobsview will help, after the week of my Dewstone isolation is complete, I'd come back and probably find Pann in a dumpster. I must stay in Dewstone, so it looks like Pann is going to be staying with me. I begin packing a few items in preparation.

Having only a mom in my life, there is nothing that really prepares a man to enter a woman's domain; her private bedroom. Walking in stealthily, half afraid she has some security cameras hiding somewhere. I'll be on the evening news, "Stalker Feeds Comatose Woman, Plays in Lingerie Chest."

Ugh! Where do I start? Having gotten her bag that she had by the front door, surely, I wouldn't need to add much more. Toiletries are complete, and I found her clothes drawer pretty easy, and commence to pack some warmer clothes. Her body is going to need time to adjust to the Mist and the cavern atmosphere. Leaving the worst, or best, for last depending on the level of stalker you are, I move to her lingerie chest for the essentials.

My first thought is to blindly reach in, eyes closed and grab, but that might not be helpful. Holding onto certain items in my hands with my fingers imitating tongs, and trying my boy scout best NOT to imagine any of this on Pann. Lastly, I reach for her pajama's drawer, now comes the true creeper in me. Sexy or conservative? The decision is actually easy, as she only has adolescent animal character pj's. The smile on my face is between goofy and excited, because I will be the first to buy her something from the store that I pass occasionally with skimpily clad plastic models. Decision made, this is the perfect pajama shirt, now just need to get her fed and kidnapped. I mean moved.

Pizza delivery is so much faster in UpAbove, but then it's probably ordered more often. I get her to eat a few bites, before she pushes it away. Even high on narcotics, she's probably still worried about calories. From my angle, her calories look great on her.

Quit staring at the sick lady Joven! I remind myself and then see her wince in pain, as she grabs her injured arm. I decide to give her another dose of her medication.

She keeps looking at me funny and now she's taking her finger and pushing my face. Previously she had been poking her finger around the room, giggling.

Finally, Heif returns my call and by now it's quite late or very early the next day. After a small, but heated discussion, I convince him to meet me at the south entrance with Newbie elixir. With my plan in place, I'm determined to go through with this—. Now, just got to get her to the park before sunrise and the ceremony.

*********************************************************

Author's note: Wonder what laws apply for kidnapping unconscious women? lol! Is Joven a hero or just a desperate man? What will Pann think of this development?

Thanks so much for the comments and support! I'm one very blesses author! Remember to tell a friend, hit the Like/Star button and follow me!

Music credit: Bach - Sinfonia from Cantata BWV 29 | Netherlands Bach Society