The Essence of Water

NEW VERSION Chapter 27

Henry keeps the TV turned on so I can watch the news. The interview with the Handler repeats a few times throughout broadcasts but nothing useful shows up. There's no information and each time my face appears on the screen they ask people to call with information. For now at least I'm safe. Henry leaves a couple of times to feed the sheep but for the mostly he stays by my side with Jack. Henry lets me have my old room and I take a shower and change into clothes that smell of old memories.

I stare at the flowered wallpaper and horse posters. Nothing's changed and it oddly comforts me knowing that whatever might happen this room will still be the same. I trail a finger over the dresser where a small layer of dust has collected. I rub my hand over my side. The wound closed up but I still feel it, it aches like a sprain that hasn't been given proper time to heal. I don't tell Henry, he has enough on his mind as it is.

I walk down the stairs. Henry is taking leftovers out of the oven for dinner. "Feel better?" he asks.

"Yes, thank you." He puts two plates out and we sit down together, all evidence of my emergency operation on has been wiped clean. Gretchen won't suspect a thing. We eat Shepherd's Pie while Jack sits at our feet waiting for scraps. "I forgot how good she cooks," I say between bites.

"It's a redeeming quality," he agrees. I snicker and help Henry clean up when we finish. I stare out the kitchen window across the familiar fields.

"You know they watched our house for a while when you ran away the first time?" Henry asks.

I look at Henry. "Really?"

"They thought you might come back here for help or something. But I knew you were too smart to, even though a part of me wished you would," he says sadly.

"I was tempted," I admit.

"I'm sure you were, but after a few months they realized the same thing I already did and they disappeared. You know, your friend Trish went off to college and Rag followed her. She came around after you left and asked about you a few times to see if I'd heard anything."

"Yeah?"

Henry nods, "I like to think she would have remained friends with you, even if she knew."

"I'd like to think that too," I look at Henry and smile and he returns it. When I finish the dishes I watch the water drain. I could have used my power to clean the dishes with a single though, but the simple monotony of my old errand brings me a level of peace and odd accomplishment.

I stare out the window over the field again and a shiver runs down my spine. I feel like someone has called my name from far away. In the distance I feel a pull on my subconscious. I dry my hands on a towel go to the back door to slip on some shoes.

"You headed somewhere?" Henry asks looking worried.

"Just for a walk. Don't worry, I'll be careful," I tell him.

"Do want Jack to go with you?"

"No, I need to be alone for a little while. Besides, if people see Jack with someone other than you they might look twice and I don't need that right now." I slip on my jacket. Henry offered me a smile and I return it. "I'll be back," I say and step outside. The sun is slowly setting. I've still got about an hour before it gets dark. I walk along the fields for a bit until I decide that it's safe enough to walk along the road. After a mile I realize where I'm going, where I'm being called. When I finally make it and stand on the edge of the cliff the hairs on the back of my nick prickle. I stare out over the ocean.

I start to shake. "How dare you, you fucking bastard. 'I'll never ask you.' You only said that to me, because you knew the only way you could get me to leave was to push me over a cliff." I laugh bitterly at the irony. He's not the first guy to push me off a cliff. I'm shaking hard and my hands curl into fists. My nails bite my palms and I yell at the top of my lungs so my voice echoes across the cliffs and is lost in sounds of the waves. "Well fuck you, Aiden! I'm still going to come after you and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"