The Daylighter Apprentice

Chapter 22 - He Who Shall Not Be Named

The next few days, I keep my distance from Matt and he respects my need for time and space. We spoke and I reassured him that I wasn’t angry or hurt in anyway but nevertheless, all I can feel through our bond is loneliness and sorrow. My heart aches but I still can’t quite wrap my head around what I’ve gotten myself into.
I know for sure that I love Matt. Undoubtedly so. I would jump in front of a bullet for him but as with any relationship, sometimes things move too fast. And in any normal relationship, taking a step back is easy but in our case, we’re now bonded for life. There is no easy way to put the breaks on. This Is life now.
Feeling every emotion Matt does is still overwhelming. There’s no way to block it out or push it aside. In some ways, it’s been comforting knowing that he’s not angry at me but the constant sadness has started to get me down.
 
“You joining us for lunch?” Tom asks over breakfast. I consider declining but I know getting out of the house will be good for me. I’d debated going to stay with mum for a week but in the times of uncertainty here in town, I felt it best to stay put.
I nod.
“Yeah, who’s coming?”
“Well it’s me, Marie and Morgan. Chris will be working.” Tom replies, a mouthful of toast muffling his words.
“Sure. Sounds good to me.” I finish my cereal and put the bowl in the sink. I make to leave the kitchen but Tom stops me.
“What’s going on Dom?”
“What do you mean?” I frown slightly.
“You’re not yourself. Plus you’ve not been going to work for a few days. Has he done something to you?” He eyes my bite and my hand covers it self consciously.
“No. I’m just missing home, that’s all. Everything is completely new here and it’s just getting to me a bit. I’ll be OK soon.” I feign a smile but Tom doesn’t look convinced.
“If you insist.” He shrugs and I take that as my cue to leave.
 
Lunch comes round too quickly and we are sat in the same restaurant as when I first met Marie. She, Tom and Morgan are chatting about football scores but my mind is elsewhere. I’m looking out the window at everyone who passes by - when I still lived at home, me and mum would go and sit in the local coffee shop and people watch for hours. We’d make up funny stories for random people and laugh until our sides hurt. I smile at the memory but the smile quickly disappears as I feel a flood of terror wash over me. I try to not change my facial expressions or do anything to draw attention to myself so nobody recognises something is wrong. But what is wrong?
For the first time, I focus hard on what Matt’s feeling through our bond. Sheer terror and… anger? Frustration? But why? It was so sudden and unprovoked. I rack my brain for every possible scenario that could trigger such an overwhelming response. Was he hurt? Shit, what if he was seriously hurt and needed my help? Could Lucas have gotten him?
Confusion starts to seep in and I can almost paint a picture in my mind of Matt pacing up and down the lab, hands running through his hair. I discard the thought about Lucas - there’d have surely been pain by now.
 
“Dom?” Marie snaps her fingers in front of my face. I jolt back into reality,
“Sorry, zoned out a bit there.” I smile weakly. My food is in front of me and I pick up a chip and start to eat.
“I’ll say! Your phone’s been buzzing non stop.” Marie chuckles and I drop the chip. I grab my phone and see 5 missed calls and 10 new messages, all Matt. He wants to know where I am. I type that I’ll meet him at the lab.
“Guys, there’s been an emergency at work I really have to-” I’m cut off as the restaurant falls silent. I continue to shove my phone and keys into my pockets but Tom’s mouth drops open and around me, whispers are making themselves heard.
“It can’t be him?!”
“Surely not… he’d never show his face!”
“I don’t know… he looks like the type that would go hiding under trapdoors to me!”
 
I don’t have time to look around before I feel a hand on my shoulder. Tom’s eyes widen, Marie looks scared and Morgan can’t seem to work out whether he’s scared or completely baffled.
“Dom, you need to come to the lab.” Matt sounds so lifeless and not himself. My heart starts to race.
“How did you find me?” I turn to face him but he scowls.
“That’s not important. You need to come now. It’s an emergency.” He counters, tone icy and warning me against any further protest. I look to Tom who nods at me and I get up from my seat. Matt takes my wrist and leads me out of the restaurant, not saying anything to me.
 
He leads me to what looks like a boarded up shop front and pulls a piece of wood aside for me to enter the building. I stumble into the dark and he follows me, the wood banging shut behind up. Matt scoops me up without warning and within seconds, we’re in the tunnel below the lab.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” I demand and Matt sighs.
“Sorry for that. I’ve not left the lab in years and going out was a last resort but this is an emergency and you weren’t picking up your phone.”
“I was at lunch with friends.” My tone is clipped. Matt recoils and from the sadness that washes over me, I regret using such a tone. I make to apologise but he shushes me.
“I understand. I shouldn’t have expected you to drop everything and reply. I’m just stressed.”
“I can tell.” I take his hand and pull him into a hug. Warmth floods me as Matt nuzzles his head into my neck. Cold tears roll down my skin and it takes a second to realise he’s crying.
“Matt, what’s happened?” I press and he releases himself from the hug to look at me.
“The lab. It’s been destroyed.”