SECOND DRAFT: Hard Bank Left

14

Krys received news of Graham's presence in the complex through the grapevine. It was as though they didn't want her knowing that he had managed to make it there himself. She had been in the kitchen, preparing stew with Ve and the chef when Ve made casual mention of Graham being in the hospital. Krys dropped her ladle into the stew, her hands shaking. She grabbed Ve by the shoulders, shook her hard.

"What did you say?"

"About what, lovey?"

"About Graham."

"He's in the hospital. Heard Christian yammering about it yesterday."

"Yesterday?! Ve, why didn't you tell me?"

Ve shrugged and returned to chopping carrots.

Krys met the chef's gawking gaze with one that threatened to slit his throat if he stopped her. The Chef raised his hands, refusing to protest. Krys took off at a run. Up the long flight of stairs, she exited the main cavern system and sprinted for the medical cabin that overlooked the cliff face. She yelled at an attendant to get out of her way. The frightened look on her face would have been priceless if Krys had bothered to care.

Graham was back, Graham was here. Why hadn't anyone told her? How did he even get back? How did he know where to go? Why was he here? Did he have a tracking device on the WindSong? It didn't matter. He was here and she needed to see him. She needed to know that he was alright.

She was finally stopped by a set of heavy hands as she sprinted down the long hall lined with windowed doors. He was bound to be there somewhere. The hands, had different plans for her. She found herself being yanked backward, away from the hall where she was absolutely certain she would find Graham. Krys fought, kicked, screamed. The hands didn't relent.

"I need to see him! Why don't you want me to see him?"

The hands turned her around. She found herself looking at the stern face of Asper. He shook his head at her, placed his finger over his lips, and waved for her to follow. Krys obeyed, mostly because Asper frightened her and disobeying him might end up in her being injured, but partially because she knew he had her best interests at heart. For all his size and intimidation, Asper had always been very kind and gentle with her.

Asper lead her by the shoulder around the corner, behind the welcome desk, and up a flight of stairs she hadn't noticed before. At the top of the steps was a grand hall, complete with a long table and cozy fireplace. Asper placed his overlarge hand on Krys's head, turned it to her left. There, next to a large bookshelf, was a closed wooden door. Krys stood there, staring for a long minute. A large, gentle nudge on her backside broke her from her reverie. Heavy footsteps thudded down the stairs as she approached the door. Asper had left her alone with a wooden door in a place she probably wasn't supposed to be.

The knob felt cold to the touch, it clicked as she turned it. The door swung open of its own accord. Krys was greeted with the curious gaze of a man she barely recognized. More unkempt than usual Graham's face looked back at her through an overgrown beard, his hair hung, greasy and limp over his sunken eyes. He looked as though he hadn't slept since the last time she had seen him. There, on a hospital bed, in his dressing gown, he looked so weak and frail and helpless.

Slowly, she approached him, never breaking his gaze. His eyes seemed to be questioning if she were real. Did he think he was hallucinating. She had to show him that he wasn't. She had to show him that she was real and here and that she would never let him out of her sight again. She stopped at his bed side. He looked up at her pleadingly. Her hand found his. She squeezed it tightly. It felt so soft, lacking all its usual strength.