Metamorphosis

6. In the captivity of darkness

Lucy woke up the next morning from an unexpected dream.

For a moment, it transported her into another reality, absolutely unrelated to her actual life, helping her briefly forget it and experience something she had not felt in a long time.

In the dream, she was happy.

She opened her eyes, and her chest constricted unpleasantly with the joyless realisation of where she was and what she had to do. Her studies, which just a few days ago seemed like an unbearable trial, faded in comparison to what was happening to her now and what lay ahead.

All her not-so-distant events in Birmingham seemed to have happened many years ago, and her concerns seemed trivial and foolish.

Lucy sat on the bed and rubbed her eyes wearily.

Strangely, the pleasant dream did not fade away as usual; instead, it was complemented by details.

It was Westminster embankment in London. She was heading towards the bridge, and L was walking beside her. It seemed as if she had finally seen him after a long separation, and peace and tranquillity reigned in her soul.

Lucy frowned.

She could not shake the feeling that she had known L for a very long time, that he was the closest and most similar person to her in the whole world.

And this vision was nothing like a dream. It was a memory.

But when did it happen if she met L only yesterday?

Perhaps it was a play of her overloaded mind? Maybe she instinctively attached herself to the only person on the planet who expressed a readiness to help her?

Yesterday L did agree to help Lucy. Perhaps he couldn't abandon her to the whims of fate, as there was still a chance from his perspective that she was not a deceiver. Yet for some reason Lucy understood that he simply couldn't act otherwise.

After L gave his consent, he planned to start the journey to Avrog the day after tomorrow and then refused to discuss anything further because the time had long passed midnight. However, Lucy could not sleep a wink for a long time due to an abundance of thoughts.

'You don't realise what you want to do,' L muttered instead of a greeting when he came downstairs.

Lucy tensed — he could change his mind at any moment.

'It will be very tough for you,' he continued. 'We need to get to Avrog as quickly as possible, so we'll have to walk very fast in any weather.'

'I understand,' Lucy said in an even voice. 'I understand, but I have no other choice.'

'Okay. I have a meeting with Johnson at ten, then we'll plan the route.'

He gulped down a glass of water and headed back upstairs. Lucy breathed a sigh of relief — he had not changed his decision, so there was still hope that she could help her father.

A few hours later, Lucy and L began planning their route. L's expression remained grim.

'How did the conversation go?' Lucy asked.

'Johnson essentially reiterated what he wrote in his article. Erraticus and other states plan to announce the EDP and hold a vote among the citizens on the nineteenth,' L explained, checking the calendar on his laptop. 'So, we need to arrive in Avrog no later than the eighteenth. Johnson said he supports the idea of a protest but doubts its effectiveness. I tried to convince him otherwise.'

'I think it should work. Erraticus is...'

'The ruler of Codor,' L clarified.

'Got it. Did Johnson mention anything else?'