The Heart Collector (Under Editing)

Chapter Thirty-Five: Talk

"It's fake."

"What? You're sure?" Novus asked the forensics technician.

The next morning they asked for assistance from a member of the precinct's forensics team.

He nodded, "I'm positive. These are too white to be actual bones. Also, you see these little holes at the bottom and top of each bone. A needle pierced it and thin fishing wire threaded through them. This use to be apart of a full mannequin. Probably a skeleton used for teaching."

"Are these mannequins easy accessible or can only certain individuals buy them?" Fare asked.

The technician rubbed the back of his neck, "Those in the medical field or those teaching have them, but its not like their restricted only to those fields. While uncommon, anyone can buy them."

In a way, Fare could not help but feel relieved. She never knew that such a small sight could rock her core so hard. Seeing that finger sticking up out of the ground with Michael's wedding band was something straight out of her worst nightmare. Even with confirmation that it was not human, she was not certain she could ever forget that moment.

"Thank you for the help." Novus placed a hand on her shoulder, "Let's grab a bite to eat before we head back to the lake."

Fare was about to protest, but the look Novus gave her made her think otherwise.  

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Novus and Fare sat in a restaurant about ten minutes from the lake. They had just ordered their food. Fare sipped on her water while they waited. She knew that Novus wanted to ask her something by the way that he stared at her. Fare had an inkling on what it was.

She sighed, "Alright, out with it. I can tell that you want to ask something. You're practically vibrating."

"About the inscription on the statue. I asked someone to translate it. You were spot on for what it said."

"Okay, so what's the problem then?"

The waiter placed their food in front of them.

Novus sighed, "Come on Fare, don't play koi. It was Gaelic. Not to mention that it was out in the middle of nowhere where Gaelic isn't even spoken anymore. You mentioned that you were remembering somethings. Does it happen to do with your past?"

Fare admitted defeat. She knew that there was no way out of this conversation.

"Do you remember what happened back in the ambulance?"

He was surprised. He did not expect that to be her response.

"Yes?"

"The fire knocked something loose. For as long as I can remember, I was having a reoccurring dream. Although the word nightmare would be more appropriate. It was always the same thing. I was bleeding out in the snow. I always wondered how I ended up like that and the fire gave me that answer. It also answered the question that I had about that picture of me."

"I see. What about the Gaelic?"

"I had a flash of my mother speaking a little to me as a child. I knew it at some point. I must have remembered enough subconsciously."

Novus was not sure how to respond to that, so they ate in silence. There were a few glances here and there, but no one uttered a word. Fare did not even fight him when he paid for the bill. The car ride was not much better. The ten minutes felt like ten years. It was not until Novus parked the car that Fare mustered enough courage to speak once again.

"You've been quiet for awhile. Is something wrong?"

He unbuckled his seatbelt, "Nothing's wrong. I just-I don't know what to say."

Fare did not know what to say either, so she decided to leave it at that. They trekked towards where they were the night before. The lake sparkled in the light. When they approached the statue, they were surprised that the foliage that covered it not even a day prior was gone.

"What the Hell?" Fare stood in disbelief, "Am I seeing things or is the statue cleared of the weeds?"

"If you are, we're sharing the same delusion."

"Is this like the other statues of Lady Faina?"

"It is, but the inscription isn't."

"What?"

"Once I confirmed that your translation was accurate, I gave Hughes a call. I asked him to check the statue in Meridia to see if it had the same one."

"Did it?"

He shook his head, "No. In fact, the base was blank except for her name."

"So what makes this one so different?"

"I have a theory and I think that you won't like it."

Fare furrowed her brows.

"Do you remember how you ended up in Larkston?"