Shadows | A Forever Fan-Fiction - Sequel to Lights

Chapter Thirty-Four: Poisson de L'Argent

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, knowing that the words were meaningless, lost to the void that I had created.

"No, you're not," Eliza replied bitterly. "Duvall told us everything." She spat the words, every syllable an accusation, demanding everything of me. "Did you do that to Nicholson?"

"No, of course not!"

Rayes eyed me skeptically. "He didn't remove you from the list of residents," Rayes stated slowly. "He is in denial."

"Who? And of what?" I scoffed.

"Peter Duvall got on his knees and begged," Eliza growled. "Peter bloody Duvall! We hate him! And you just left, with a full extra month of rent in cash and a note stored in an envelope! A resignation letter, and no explanations! He's in love with you, can't you tell?!"

"Don't be ridiculous. He is incapable of any emotion even somewhat resembling love. And if I even cared for him-!"

The glass doors slid open halfway as I uttered the sentence, and Duvall regarded the three of us in the nearly empty waiting room expressionlessly before turning around and striding away.

"Go," Eliza snarled. "Go after him and tell him you're never coming back. Tell him, so that we can hear it through him again, because I'm not worth of hearing it from you." Her hands met my shoulders, and shoved. The ground was liquid, my mind a piece of blank slate. Eliza's eyes burned, and I started to try and explain, until I remembered... I couldn't tell her.

I stumbled away. The future was unthinkable. This reality was real. I often imagined the worlds upon worlds that must exist, the thousands of millions of versions of our universe that must exist, but I lived in this one. Everything was so hazy, the lines so blurred by fact and opinion, truth and mistruth, life and death.

"Duvall!" I called. We both stopped in the hallway, his gaze harsh and unconcerned, mine pleading and frustrated.

"There's nothing I have to say to you."

"Must I beg?"

He took a step towards me, the threat in his eyes flaring. "You don't belong here. If someone recognises you-"

"I didn't do that to Nicholson."

"Then who did? The other suspect?"

"You did me a great favour."

He seemed taken aback by my acknowledgement of what he'd done. "You ought to pay back the favour."

"I will. One day. But not now. I need one more favour, please."

"Why should I do anything for you?"

"I will explain everything." The plea withered under his glance. "Trust me. Please. I swear, this time I will- I will be honest with you, but you need... you need to trust me!"

"An eye for an eye, LaVaughn. I want my side of the deal before this favour."

I began to protest, but stopped. If he decided to revoke his offer, then everything was ruined. "I suppose you'd best follow me, then."

I moved my feet, every appendage feeling like liquified lead, nausea twisting through me like poison.

I paused in the hallway by the ICU.

"Get Dr. Morgan, please," I said softly.

"Can't you-?"

I slashed through his sentence with a dark glare.

He stepped into the ICU and returned moments later with Dr. Morgan. I led them to a remote hallway close to the ICU that was rarely visited and conveniently quiet.

"Yes?" Dr. Morgan asked tersely, eyes flicking between Duvall and I swiftly. "Oh, no. No, you're not-"

"We have to," I cut in. "We need the help too badly, and this is the only way." I turned to Duvall. "You will say I'm insane. You will say I'm crazy. I don't care what you say. But, I... if it's the only way I can get you to..." I broke off and shook my head. "I'll just say it then, okay? He's immortal. Every time he is killed, he finds himself caught in the Hudson.

Duvall stared at me for a moment, turning around to process the information.

"There are others," I stated gently.

"I'm sorry, hold on. What?!" Duvall demanded, whirling around to face us with angered confusion.

"You didn't actually expect him to believe you, did you?" Dr. Morgan huffed, shifting uncomfortably.

"Well, yes!" I exclaimed, gesturing at nothing in particular. "And now I've fulfilled my part of the deal, and you must do your part. Help us. Put the hospital on lockdown, and bloody do something, rather than just sitting there!"

Duvall turned halfway, stiffly, glaring at me, and then glaring at Dr. Morgan. "Excuse me?"

"You heard her," Dr. Morgan offered weakly, adjusting his scarf as he usually did when he was stressed. I raised my eyebrows.

"We can talk about this later, unless we're all dead because you stood here demanding answers," I snapped.

Duvall stared at me with open-mouthed frustration at my complete and utter disregard of his position before trotting off, seeming fairly miffed.

"I don't think he's going to put the hospital under lockdown," Dr. Morgan stated after he was long gone. There was a pause. I felt regret welling up inside of me. It was foolish of me to believe that he would listen.

"No," I agreed. "I don't think he is."

And that's when the chaos began.

-=+=-