Magic in London

Recovery - Part 2

Fiona thought that Chuck looked really rough, like he was ready to drop dead on the spot, but she was still relieved that he was properly awake for the first time.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Not good," Chuck said with a raspy voice. "I feel like I've been hit by a train."

"I think that's to be expected with what's happened. I'm glad you're awake though. It's been two days since all that happened."

"What?"

Chuck started to think about his job, friends, family. Everything that he'd missed. People would be so worried. How would he even try to explain it all to them.

"Don't panic. I just wanted to let you know so you are prepared for when you go back to the normal world. I'm not able to find Arthur, so I think it's best that you get back home for now. I don't want to push you though, so if you don't feel up for walking, don't."

"I don't know what you mean?"

"What's wrong?"

"I just don't understand what's happening."

"I know this is a lot to take in. I'm sorry that you've been dragged into this. If I knew this was going to happen, I would have never brought you back here. I only thought that Arthur would want to meet you."

"I just want to go home," Chuck said laying back down and letting the tears start to flow.

His head was pounding in pain and the rest of his body ached more than it had every done before. He kept his eyes closed and wept as Fiona looked over him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Genuinely I am. I never expected any of this. I thought that Toby had ran away because he was scared of being here, but that wasn't true. He'd known that George was going down to the basement. He'd been going for the last few days to speak to The Shadow Man, and he'd been tricked by him. That monster is the biggest threat to the universe. Arthur captured him and we keep him here to keep everyone else safe. The children should never go down there, but George managed to get passed our magics and he was lured in by the promise of power. Once Toby knew what was going on, rather than telling us, he fled and hoped that we would follow him. He just wanted to keep us safe, but because of that The Shadow Man was able to divide and conquer. The worst thing is that I don't know where Arthur is at all. He's been missing for the last few days, and no one knows where he went. I wish I had better news to share with you, but it's a bit of a mess all round. Do you have your phone with you?"

"What?" Chuck said through the flowing tears.

"Your phone, do you have it with you?"

"Yes. It's in my pocket I think."

"No, it's over here. I emptied his pockets," Millie said. "I didn't want it to get damaged. I've kept it charged for him."

"Thanks, Mills. So, who would be worried about you?" Fiona asked Chuck.

"What?"

"Who will have been trying to contact you? Just let me know and I can take the phone to the surface and text them. Let them know that you got caught up with a friend and will be back in a few days."

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know. I can't think right now," Chuck said through the tears that were steadily streaming down his face.