Realm of Noah

Chapter 11

12th November 2019

NOAH

"YOU FOOL!" Johannes let out, his earth-shattering scream enough to alert the whole neighbourhood.

Fergus gulped nervously, blood draining off his face as if he'd just seen a ghost.

"Can't you understand anything with that blubber of a brain?" Johannes fumed. "You absolute disgrace to a Spirit! You-"

"Fergus, Melody can't know that!" I interrupted Johannes, trying to understand the depth of the situation. "We told you before, didn't we?"

"I-I asked her to keep it a secret, Noah Stark," Fergus's eyes lined up with tears. "I swear to the Enlightened, I never meant to cause any harm."

"Bah! Take your pitiful apology somewhere else!" Johannes scowled at him.

"And, will she keep it a secret?" I asked Fergus patiently.

"She promised that she would," Fergus looked sincere. "All she asked was where you were, and I told her that I didn't know-"

"At least your brain has that much sense," Johannes interjected.

"I trust her, Noah Stark, and I think that you should trust her too." Fergus looked straight at me, ignoring Johannes.

I nodded. As brainwashed as Melody was, I could tell that she wasn't a snitch and that she would keep our secret. Maybe, telling her the truth was a better way to handle her. If she hadn't known, she could've gone straight to Augustus, and cried about missing me. Which would've led to an investigation I would've regretted.

What Fergus did was actually the right thing.

"I do not want to see your face for at least another week, Fergus," Johannes threw another dirty look, before prancing away like he was superior to the rest of us.

Not noticing that I was still on the call.

"Can't you see how two-faced he is?" I whispered to Fergus. "He calls you his son when he needs your help. But when you mess up, he insults you, Fergus," I pointed out.

"Noah Stark, do you really think I don't notice that?" He asked me gently. "I have been the prison guard for the Pit of Darkness for the last five years. I have seen Sir Johannes treat me in various ways, sometimes even worse than today."

"Then why do you put up with him?" I questioned.

"Because, he has helped me out in times of need," Fergus had an intense look in his eyes. "And as long as I'm a vessel to his pity, my life will be everything that I've ever wanted it to be."

"You mean that your crying is-"

"An act? Yes, Noah Stark. A man must do what it takes to save his family. If I must evolve to be a bumbling idiot to the criminal mastermind, then so be it."

I gulped nervously. What could've possibly happened to Fergus that made him depend on someone like Johannes?

And then I remembered myself, heavily dependant on the very guy.

"Never show that man your real face, Noah Stark," Fergus warned. "That's the only way to deal with him."

*****

13th November 2019

I couldn't sleep that night.

The dusk deepened into ultramarine blue, gracing herself with stars and a soft, round moon, the world quietened down to sleep. Only I wasn't affected by this magnetic spell, laying awake at night and trembling at what I'd been told.