We Care (MGMT: Bendrew)

Chapter 8: Sent To Heaven?

Here I was, lying down on the floor and staring at the ceiling fan, and only now have I realized how hungry I was.

Ben was also by the floor, sitting as eyes wandered across the smooth marble floor tiles, the jade green linen curtain fabrics, and the simple paint on the designs.  They looked completely different from the flowery ones in his "Inn". More modern, and less... flowery. I imagined his neck snapping with the sudden turns and bends it made.

He was still holding unto the fancy little cardboard decoration and he looked so fascinated by the room that it was already ridiculous.

We were quiet for the first several minutes, taking time to cool down from our uncalled for evening run, but just watching him look around made me tire more. I decided to not watch him and looked back up at the ceiling fan.

Neither Luke nor Katie seemed to be on our tails earlier, though I'm not really sure what Katie looked like, only what she sounded like. There were too many things bugging my mind, but they mobbed up too much that I couldn't pick out which question to toss at Ben first. Finally I gave up trying to pick a question, and looked back at the man who seemed to be in deep thought as he stared at his reflection on the turned off television screen.

"Hey Ben, speak up." I finally demanded, rolling closer to him.

He sighed as he put down the cardboard. "Where do I begin explaining?"

I began counting fingers: "Who's Luke, Who's Katie, Who's who..."

"Luke is a kind of special detective. And I suppose that Katie is his assistant." Ben's eyes fell to the marble design under his legs and he traced them with his fingers.

"And they're after you because...?" I tried pulling myself up. I was too tired but I needed to know so badly what Ben was all about. I ended up sitting facing him, watching him rub his hands on the floor.

"I don't know if you would understand what I am about to say..." He murmured.

"Try me." I said, my voice deep and challenging.

"It will be hard for you to take in." He said again, obviously not wanting to reveal anything.

"Did you kill anyone?" I started. If any way to get anywhere, it would be by me suggesting answers.

"I am innocent." Ben said simply, still settled on the tiles under him.

Another sigh.

A long moment of silence.

"You talk too much like a kid, Ben." I said blandly, finally annoyed that he didn't want to say a thing.

His eyes darted up to me, as if what I said insulted him beyond belief. "I am not. I am at least 9 years old."

"What?" I choked a laugh.

I know I was starting to get annoyed, and I didn't know Ben that well, but when he shot that joke, it caught me by surprise, I couldn't help it.

"Way to use sarcasm, Ben--"

"--But I'm not lying!" He sat up straight, this time putting on that serious face, exactly like the one in my dream that it alarmed me and made me stop laughing. "I have forgotten the calculations, but I am at least 1.756 your age."

"Ben," I furrowed my eyebrows and raised my hands to my temples. "No math, please, not this time of night."

"I am not from here." He continued, having a hard time getting it out of his chest. He was beginning to talk faster.

"...Yes, because last time we met, that was in Arizona."

"Yes, but I am not from Arizona as well." he was panicking.