Sane (PAUSED)

Chapter 20

There he was.

After so long, there he was.

The room was very dark, the windows locked and the curtains shut closed.

The room was also very messy; there were clothes thrown everyone and if you look closely, there were pieces of broken china as if someone, fueled with rage, broke everything in this room.

He was lying on a bed in the corner of the room underneath blankets and quilts.

Lucy rushed to his side and sat down on the edge of the bed.

He was terribly pale and thin and a coat of sweat sat on his yellow skin.

Carefully, she lifted the blankets off of him and gently put her arms on his shoulders and slightly shook him.

"Albert? Albert wake up, it me Lucy."

He was obviously having a hard time breathing and he looked like he was in pain.

"Albert, please wake up. Please."

She was scared, terrified. What went wrong? What happened?

* *

The warmth of his hand warmed her soul and ignited in her fires she didn't know were possible to ignite.

She was so happy, so happy.

Over the moon happy.

She was finally leaving.

As she left her room, for the first time since forever, what should've been familiar to her wasn't.

She realized that she did not know what her home looked like.

There were lots of halls, lots of endless white walls and lots of...art?

It was everywhere, paintings hung on walls and vases with intricate designs and bright colors sat on tables that had sculptures for legs. Beautiful colorful carpets covered the floors and shining chandeliers hung from ceilings.

"Wow."

"That was my reaction when I first saw all of this too. But then, after a while, it lost its magic. It felt more like a prison, a prison made of gold. Still a prison though," replied Zac.

"Does my father strike you as artistic?"

"No he does not."

"Then why is his home a museum?"

"He is your father not mine."

Suddenly, she froze.

"What's wrong Luna?"

"Zac... I need to see that wave painting you told me about."

"Luna, we barely have time."

"Please Zac, I don't know why but I feel like I need to see it before I leave."

She could see him hesitate for a second but then he gave in.

"Okay, but quickly."

"Thank you."

His hand in hers, he guided her through more similar hallways and up a flight of stairs. Suddenly, they were standing in front of a huge wooden door with brass door handles.

"This is your father's bedroom."

She reached out towards the handle and pushed it down. Nothing happened.

She tried again, the door didn't move.

"It's locked..."

"As usual..."