Puron Psych

27

Please comment and like this chapter - Let me know what you think!

(A double post because I totally forgot to schedule last weeks Chapter 😭! Sorry guys, I try to keep as consistent as I can. I'm in the process of something that causes a large amount of stress, the good kind, but it's all good!)

Hyde and Arnest were having a hushed conversation over a bowl of Giada's homemade stew. Yanpu tried again to approach Hyde but felt too intimidated to ask him directly.

Yanpu sat next to him at the coffee table, catching Arnest by surprise. Yanpu never got close to Hyde, not after what happened at the Wastelands.

Hyde paid him no attention. Rather, he was focused on the flavor of the stew he was slurping down.

Arnest fixed a small bowl for Yanpu, sliding the dish over to him, along with a spoon.

"What should we do? Harald can't stay at the west port for long. Didn't you say that you're on a deadline?"

"We don't have a choice." Hyde licked his lips. "He can't draw much attention to himself. He would be outnumbered. And I can't go to help him."

"Why not? You're strong enough to eliminate all of the officials in one go."

"That's precisely why I can't go. If the Westonian Officials are here, me killing them will attract attention. When they bring any of the important people of Westona to other countries, the facility never releases their full army of servicemen. Bomb will pinpoint our location."

Hyde balled his fists. "It's a test. I know the dastard too well. It doesn't help that the DTA is a procedure that the Duke can't reject. Itaria will be at war with Westona if he does."

"What if Harald gets caught?"

"He's a smart man. He won't. Kragites can predict Westonian's behavior easily."

Hyde downed the rest of his stew and placed the empty bowl on the table. "You're still developing the antidote, right?"

"I am." Arnest nodded. "If it's okay with you, I want to inject them on a daily basis. I'm trying to test how long you can go without another episode. When was the last time you've had one?"

"The night Giada hosted that feast for us."

"That was only 2 weeks ago. With this new concoction, I've gotta see if you can last an entire month. But I'm starting to suspect that over-exertion may be what's causing you to relapse that quickly."

"Another month of testing..." Hyde sighed.

"Is it too much? Does it bring back any bad memories from when you were a serviceman? I'm sorry, we don't have to—"

"It's not that. I wasn't expecting to stay here for that much longer, but until we get news of the Officials going North, we're stuck here."

"Hyde, I know more than anything you want to get rid of this curse, but remember what Pa Arnesto used to tell you. Remember? About Patience?"

"I'm not in the mood to hear that shite right now." Hyde gritted his teeth, feeling that Arnest didn't fully understand how painful it was every day to live with it. Every injection burned like the fiery pits in hell.

"Well if you don't want to hear Pa Arnesto's words, rest his soul, you sure as shite are gonna listen to mine. Some solutions may come in ways you never expect. They're not always dropped in our laps when we want them."

"I've been patient for 10 years... Now, it's urgent. I'm in dire need of a solution. How much longer do I have to wait before the "unexpected solution" finds me dead?" Hyde slammed his fist on the table, making both Yanpu and Arnest jump.