In a lifetime

Chapter 37: Eli Bennet

After last night I fear that this is just the beginning of worse events yet to come.

After Joseph had his nightmare he tried to play it off as if it wasn't a big deal but I know there's more to it, maybe he was reminded of his time down at the experiment facility.

It's hard to help and do something when he won't let us in. We all left when he was asleep and when morning hit.

I went home to freshen up and change. I asked Veronica to meet me at my house to talk about a few things and asked Nessa to come along to bring some light to the situation.

They knock on the door when they arrive and they greet my dads and they wave and head to my room.

Taking a seat I clear my throat, "Joseph is different, I mean after we found him he's been acting different, I'm not the only one who noticed right?" I say and Veronica and Nessa look at each other sighing.

"No you're right and I fear this could be dangerous for everyone if he continues down this path," Nessa says and I had a question for her, "did any of the witches before show things like this?" She shakes her head and I look at the ground.

"Well, he isn't opening up so it could be that everything that's happened he's never really got a chance to process it, it doesn't have to be a supernatural thing," Veronica says looking at her nails. She's right he hasn't been opening up but at the same time would I if I was in his shoes, if only we knew more of what's going on with him.

"I'm just really worried for him, everyone's been targeting him and he's had to push himself, no one should go through that," I say getting up.

None of us has reached a solution for this situation but I hope we do soon, for Joseph's sake.

Nessa says she has to meet up with her friend to finish the reports on Joseph's missing report and will talk to us later.

Veronica stays in my room as I walk Nessa out. One of my dads catches me saying, "what's bothering you?" I don't even know where to begin.

"I'm just really worried for one of my friends, he's had a hard time lately but he isn't opening up and he's acting different," I say avoiding eye contact and my dad sighs, "well if it's recent maybe some space will do some good but also ensure that he knows your there when he needs you, it also wouldn't hurt to recommend a therapist" 

I always forget that he's a physiologist himself, I thank him for the advice and head back to my room.

Veronica pulls me in and says "we need to find Laurel to speed up the process to end this, thanks to Daniel we found out that the dairy acts as a map and has all our locations so in theory, we should locate Laurel" I hope she's right but what was it that Joseph said a few weeks ago? That she could have a cloaking spell activated.

I don't tell her so then she can at least try. She points out our location as well as Joseph's. She literally speaks to the book saying, "find Laurel" yeah I don't think it works that way.

It doesn't work, obviously, and I can see her starting to doubt herself until she says, "show me the dark magic" the map alters, and now there is only one dot on it, Laurels.

"This is great we have to tell the others," I say and before I walk out of the room Veronica stops me. "If we mention Laurel's name to Joseph it'll probably trigger him and we're trying to avoid that," she says and I understand where she's coming from but this also gives me a bad feeling.

"This will still be here so we'll investigate it tomorrow," she says and she begins to walk out and I lead her outside.

She gives me a reassuring smile before heading home.

This is a terrible idea, I mean going after Laurel alone is probably suicide and I have the choice to let everyone know but at the same time Veronica is right, we're doing this to help Joseph and doesn't need any more danger or stress.

I groan as I fall on my bed and stare at my ceiling until I begin to fall asleep.