The Time Warden's Son

Chapter 6

"You thought you could stop me, you foolish boy!" Lagabey yelled, "But all you managed to do was kill your friends."

"No, you killed them, not me!" I screamed.

Lagabey chuckled, "No, my boy, you killed them. You failed to stop me, and by failing they all died. So, dear boy, it was your fault."

"No!"

Lagabey raised his knife, "If you hadn't loved them so much, maybe they would have lived," and he plunged it towards me.

"No!" I screamed again.

I was not screaming in fear, I couldn't care less if the knife plunged into me, I screamed because I had failed, and my loved ones had died because of it.

"David!" the call sounded far off, but the voice sounded strangely familiar, "David!" the voice was louder, closer.

The scene around me began to fade like a mist. Someone shook me violently.

"David, what were you screaming about! I wouldn't be surprised if you woke this whole street!"

I opened my eyes, which struggled to adjust in the dark. There, in front of me, stood Charlie. His hair stuck out in a thousand different directions as he clutched my shoulders and proceeded to shake me awake.

I ran a hand over my eyes, "It was just a dream," I answered.

Charlie released his hold and let me fall back on my cot, "Huh," he grunted, "You woke me out of deep sleep. You're lucky it is only a few minutes till the alarm goes off."

Charlie turned the lights on, I winced at how bright they were.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Few minutes till seven," he began to rummage through some of the drawers in his dresser, pulling out pieces of clothing now and again.

"Seven?" I walked over to the window and pulled back the curtains slightly, sunlight streamed in, I let the curtains fall back in place.

"Last night, Thomas told me to tell you that he wants to talk to you as soon as you wake up. You should probably head downstairs, I think I heard him down there," Charlie said before walking out of the room and down the hall to the bathroom.

My heart began to speed up. I could only imagine why Thomas wanted to talk to me, I feared he'd discovered my purpose from Charlie. I slowly made my way downstairs. All the way, I tried to think of what to say to Thomas. I couldn't deny why I was there; I would have to tell the truth and hope he would give me some help.

I heard Thomas' voice from the front of the shop. The sound of another voice rang through the shop as well. I stopped in my tracks; I knew that voice, it sent shivers down my spine. I crept to the front desk. There, standing near the door, was Lagabey.

"Oh, David," Thomas said with a smile when he saw me, I cringed, "I would like you to meet Mr. Key," he gestured to Lagabey.

"Good morning, young man. I believe we have met before, have we not? Our paths crossed at the restaurant last night," Lagabey's cordial greeting and smile sent chills up and down my spine.

"The restaurant? I thought you were here all night," said Thomas.

Lagabey's grin grew bigger, "Oh, then it must have been someone else."

I could tell Thomas wasn't buying it, he looked intently at me, as if trying to solve a puzzle.

"That is odd," he mused, then he smacked his hand on the desk and said, "Well, Mr. Key, why don't I give you a tour of the place?"