There's an Invisible Man Sleeping in My Bed

Chapter 26

           Colt hovered in the seat next to Thalia, watching her talk with Ruth. Their conversation was about what Ruth’s sister had discovered on the group. A slight frown tugged at his lips. Thalia had explained about this Joanna’s research on spirits and how, in an effort to prove their existence, had trapped her house. At the time, he’d allowed Thalia to convince him to stay behind. Now, listening to a conversation he didn’t have the back story on to understand, he wished he’d followed her anyway.

            The scrape of a chair beside them had all three turning to look. William dropped down into it and propped his cheek on one hand, smiling at the girls. Colt rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Thalia. But her expression wasn’t it’s usual smile of welcome. In fact, her forehead was creased with what looked like concern to him, her gaze locked on her cousin.

            “Will,” she said, her stare looking like it was an attempt to pin him where he was. “What happened?”

            Her cousin eyes widened a touch before his smile snapped back into place. “What do you mean?”

            “Move your hand.”

            William shrugged and waved his free hand at her. Thalia frowned. “No. The other one.”

            This time, his hesitation was obvious to all three of them. Finally, he sighed and dropped the arm, revealing the purple edged reddish pink of a bruise that stood out starkly on the one cheek. “It looks worse than it is,” he said, turning away slightly so that side of his face was hidden. “In a week, it’ll probably be mostly g-”

            He was interrupted by Thalia leaning over and pulling his face closer to hers. With gentle fingers, she touched the wound, ignoring the sudden colour that rushed into her cousin’s face. Only when she was satisfied that it was indeed a minor injury, or so Colt guessed, did she let him go, still frowning. “Have you put ice on it?”

            William made a face, then winced. “Yes. I did it right after I got it. It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

            Ruth glowered, arms crossed over her chest. “You come here with a bruise like that and expect us not to worry? This is exactly why I keep telling you that you need to stop picking fights with people. One day you’re going to end up in the hospital.”

            “I don’t pick fights!” he snapped. Seeing the shocked look on their faces, he sighed and dropped his tone. “I don’t pick fights. Or at least, I haven’t since I got to high school. I just don’t refuse people who pick them with me. And this fight wasn’t something I could have gotten out of, anyway.”

            The lines on Thalia’s face deepened as she reached on hand out to touch her cousin’s arm. “What happened?”

            William sighed and Colt didn’t need to have had telepathic abilities awakened to know that this wasn’t something he wanted the girls to know. “It happened when I was on my way to the dojo on Saturday morning. I was downtown, just passing the Tim Horton’s there, when three guys coming from the other direction ran into me. I don’t know if they took exception to my face, were hungover or still drunk or something, whatever the reason, the three of them decided to jump me.

            They at least had the sense to drag me into the alley. I really can’t afford another trip to the police station. Mom says next time it happens, I’ll be spending my summer at a military camp. Anyway, they weren’t the usual kind of idiots I fight against. The three of them had skills. They’d obviously trained in something, thought I could only tell it wasn’t karate since I know those forms.

            Long story short, they were good enough that once I had a chance, I broke and ran. I’ve already spoken to sensei about working out against a bunch of the other students at once just in case something like that happens again. Next time, I’ll be the one to send them running.”

            Colt took in the raised chin, eyes brimming with confidence and the faint smile that William wore and snorted silently. The boy was so used to fighting against the untrained brawlers that seemed to be ninety percent of the young men in the area, that he thought with a little bit of practice he’d be safe. He snorted again. William was half-trained at best, and if the three men who’d attacked him had been fully trained, he’d be surprised the boy was able to walk around.

            Then again, he thought, remembering everything he’d read about how society had changed during his time in the bottle, it doesn’t seem that being assaulted is such a common thing. In fact, I don’t believe I’ve seen a single footpad since my release. Not that Thalia frequents the areas I’d expect to find them, thank the stars, but I’d still have expected to see maybe one, or even just a pickpocket, about.

            Thalia’s voice brought him back to the present. By the angry looks on Ruth and William’s faces, he guessed Ruth had made a comment about William ceasing his fighting or that he was being stupid. Thalia, ever the peacemaker, held up her hands and stepped verbally between them. “Ruth, that wasn’t nice and hardly fair since it wasn’t Will’s fault he was attacked. And Will, you know we both worry about you, especially since you constantly seem to end up in these kinds of dangerous situations. And with that strange group having taken an interest in you…Can you try to be more careful?  I know asking you to stop fighting entirely is impossible, but perhaps, just try to avoid people who are looking for a fight?”

            Both of them looked away for a moment. Ruth turned back first and sighed. “Sorry, Liam. That wasn’t fair. It’s just harder to take things in stride when you come back with such an obvious injury.”

            His eyes moved up and he met her gaze. “It’s alright. I shouldn’t get on your case like that. And I guess I should try and be more careful. At least until that group of weirdoes goes away. They might try and blackmail me if they were to find out about the fighting. They seem like the type to do it.”

            A smile brightened Thalia’s face, and Colt settled back down. If she was happy, then everything was fine. And if it meant that he had to keep both Ruth and William safe, then he’d do it, without complaint. As he eyed the way William had taken Thalia’s hand, Colt sincerely hoped it didn’t come to that.