Timeless - Mark Tuan

Chapter 9

"What did you tell him?" Jinyoung asks Jackson when he comes back to the house after driving Mark back. 

"Just told him we partied for two straight nights and ended up in a friend's house." He looks tired, slumping on the couch across from me. "Fuck. He was so messed up." He glares at me. "What did you do to him?"

"Me?" I gawk at him in disbelief. 

"Anyway, we have to go." Jinyoung gets up. 

"Wait." Jackson stops him. "Did you try seeing what really happened here?" 

Jinyoung turns to me and we exchange a nervous look. 

"What?" Jackson's eyes are like tennis balls, going from me to Jinyoung and back. "What did you see?"

I look at Jinyoung and he shakes his head stealthily. 

"YAAAAHHH!" Jackson yells. "Are you gonna tell me or not? I thought you said you want my help? How can I if you keep secrets like this?"

_____

"You ok?" Jinyoung glances at me from the driver's seat. I didn't notice I've been silent since we left the house to track the demons who could've gotten Mae and Cecilia.

"Huh?" I look away from the window and at him. "I'm fine." I turn to the front where I can see the almost invisible thread the demons leave behind. Too thin that only the skilled eyes can identify.

 I've encountered them in one of my visits to Lady Ealasaid, who actually changed her name to Elizabeth. She was in Toronto then. I told her about my new ways of dealing with my youthful body, but, she won't want to change her ways. She's too obsessed on getting more powerful. If you'd heard of missing children in that area, it could be her. I shiver at the thought. 

Anyway ... So, she taught me about those demons and how to track and defeat them. One of her friends had been attacked and she asked us for help. It wasn't easy, but not that difficult if you've mastered the things you need to do.... just like Lady Ealasaid. 

"What were you thinking anyway?" He asks. 

I furrow my brows and turn to him in surprise. "You didn't hear me? My thoughts, I mean. You usually can, can't you?"

He glances, a bit surprised, too. "I know right. I should've. I don't know why I didn't. You were just especially quiet."

"Could I really do that?" I ask him. "Block my thoughts, I mean ..."

"Maybe... I don't know." He looks back at the road. "I haven't met anybody like you before, so, I'm not really sure."

"Take the right." I point at the road, seeing where the trail is going. We're already outside the city and in some rather quiet neighborhood. I'm getting more and more nervous as the thread thickens. I just hope we're not too late. I won't be able to forgive myself for leaving them earlier. I can't imagine living without Cecilia ... Ok... without Mae, too. "Jackson, you know what to do, right?" I turn my head to the back where the silent Jackson is still at a daze, trying to understand what he just learned earlier. 

"Jackson." Jinyoung raises his voice when the boy doesn't answer. "Concentrate on this."

"But.... Mark?" His face is troubled as he shakes his head. 

"Jackson." I snap my fingers in front of him, getting his attention. "Don't let me wave my finger at you." I threaten him. 

"No .... But .... Fuck..."

"Let's just leave him here." I tell Jinyoung. 

"No no." Jackson leans forward, looking like he's finally coming back to his senses. "I'll do it."