Globe Tracers 1: The Case of Thomas Crain

Chapter 30: Choices

Kyle:

I woke up on a small bed that felt like it was made of just wood and a few blankets. Thomas was sitting next to me as I jolted myself up, feeling like I needed to move that moment, but as I came up, I forgot why. "You're alright," said Thomas, putting his hand on my shoulder.

I looked at the boy, "Thomas, you're not tied up. Why are you still here? Or is here still-"

"The home of the gargoyle? Yeah, we're still there. Jason had to fix your leg and he left me here with you saying he had to get something to treat the wound. He said you were lucky that tourniquet held at all since it looked like a total amateur put it on you. I think he had to free me so I could watch over you. Almost like he actually cared about you hmm?"

I sat up a little. "I got it, I got it," I said. I sighed and held my head. "I figured it out before I faded out there. What my kind did was wrong. We're the monsters." I admitted. I gritted my teeth as it felt like half my mind wanted to attack me just for saying that. What that meant... my mother and father even...

I looked down at my leg, seeing a series of strong cords on it and a board held tightly over it. I could feel almost nothing below my knee as I lifted it up. Thomas quickly lifted up a hand in front of my face.

"Hold on, Jason said you should still leave it alone. You could make it worse."

"Not really," I said. "I had tissue rebuilding drugs injected in me a while ago. Bet you that wound is well on its way to healed by now." I looked around the new room. "Still... we're still in Jason's house?"

"One of the bedrooms," Thomas explained, nodding. I looked around seeing the room was just a bed in an otherwise bare area.

"No, that's not why I'm asking. It's the same shack and all I can see that, but Jason is the one who fixed my leg?"

"What, you think I know proper tourniquet procedures?" asked Thomas in return. "I'm smart, but I'm still nine."

"True." I looked at my sides. "Why do I still have my swords? All that time and he still hasn't taken them from me."

"Really I don't think he cares. It's not like you weren't pathetic enough fighting him with working legs."

I raised my head and put it on my fists. "You are really good at pointing out inconvenient truths you know that?"

"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment," Thomas said, with a grin.

"Alright listen. Jason is out, hence we need to get out of here."

"Not exactly disagreeing, but you have any ideas?" Thomas asked.

"I might have a few," came a voice above him.

Thomas spun around. "Xao! Jessica!"

"What took you guys so long?" I asked.

"I'll take that as a thank you," Xao commented.

"We figured if the big guy wanted to kill you, he would have done it already," Jessica began explaining. "Kyle draw out your sword and get ready with your...trick." I obeyed, pulling out the sword Jessica had gifted to me, waving for Thomas to moving away. "We're coordinating something right now, so just play along."

"What might that plan be?" Asked a deep voice above them. It was Xao and Jessica's turn to quickly turn around now. I was expecting them to jump back and start leaping into action, but they just stood there acting completely stunned.

In fact, what Xao pulled I really didn't see coming. He gave the gargoyle a fearful grin and said, "Um... nice knowing ya'll." He then vanished in a blur of colors and shot out the open door into the rest of the house.