LINKAGE (boyxboy)

CHAPTER 6: SELF-KNOWLEDGE

Gavin sat quietly on the barstool in the Bethervan's kitchen, fidgeting with his fingers while focused on his thoughts. So much information was thrown at him in a matter of minutes that he was digesting it very slowly. He was alone in there though, the other three were still talking in the living room, but Gavin excused himself to be alone with his problems for a bit.

He was supposed to do what now? The entire idea of confronting an evil man like Kyedoth and being considered salvation seemed completely utopic to him. Gavin was the kind of person that only believes in seeing with his own eyes, and that wouldn't be the first time.

His past was irritating and bothering him very much. Every time that he tried and tried and tried to remember and then nothing comes into his mind, he just wanted to scream to make that irritation come out somehow and stop accumulating.

Gavin's moment of reflection was cut off by Lola standing in the door frame, whistling a melody that made his eyes snap directly at her in quite a shock. "Sorry about interrupting, but we're leaving already. We have some people to talk to. Are you coming?" She said calmly and softly, taking a seat on the stool next to Gavin. "Thinking too much?"

"It seems so unrealistic, like a tale. This situation is burning my neurons one by one because I can't stop myself from thinking about it." He said looking at Lola directly in the eyes. The good thing at the moment was that Lola was a perfect listener and the only thing Gavin needed was to be heard and understood. Obviously that Lola wouldn't get how he feels 100% but she got an idea of it and respected his time and limits so far. Isaac probably wouldn't do the same, and that's why Lola herself decided to deal with Gavin often.

"I hope we have enough time for you to recover from everything you've been through, Gavin. Time will heal you. You just need to be strong, and from what you survived 'till now, those things will settle into your mind quickly, I hope." She smiled. Lola had this thing about raising people's spirits that Gavin surely loved and praised that somehow faith paired him with such a good person like her. "I know some incredible people, scientists actually. Someday I can take you to one of them so they can examine you, and see if your memories could be recovered somehow."

"I would be very glad. I feel the urge to know who I was before I lost it, seems like I'm not myself... it's complicated to put it into words, but believe me, is an insufferable feeling."Lola got up from the stool and patted her hands twice into Gavin's shoulders, signaling it was time to go. "That's okay, Gavin. I get it. We're gonna help you come through this! But now, if you want to, it's time to go!" She said cheerfully, going back to the living room. Gavin followed her. "Yeah, I want. Don't want to bother Angelina and her family here."

"Darling, you'd never be a burden for any of us. Feel free to come here any time you want. Just watch out for the troops and the cameras on the streets. They are quick and easy to detect faces." Angelina cupped his face with one hand and smiled.

"Thank you for lighting my situation a little bit with the things you said. I really appreciated it" His tone was honest and his voice sounded really warm. Actually, he felt comfortable for the first time now. Lola and Angelina were really blessed people.

"I told your father I would treat you like a son of myself and I will! Oh, there's something I need to give you!" She ran upstairs and the trio looked between themselves trying to see if anyone knew what Angelina was about to give Gavin.

Then she came back with a brooch in her hands. It had thin traces, was dark blue and star-shaped, and contained the words TSM written in gold color above it. Gavin took it in his hands and almost didn't weigh it, but the words and the figure weren't strange to his damaged mind. "The soldiers that brought you found that on the pants you were wearing that day and I managed to get it back to you," Angelina said.