Mahogany and Teakwood

Chapter 18: Amaryllis

we were blind

reveling in the dark of night

thinking simple of love

Logan got a call in the early morning of New Year's Day. An acquaintance from a company he'd done IT work for was throwing a party and needed someone to set up some lights and computers at a location in Cassadaga. Logan didn't know much about lighting and projection, but the guy was desperate, and Logan was his last option.

The job would take him away from DeLand for at least half the day, he explained in the long text Virgil woke up to several hours later. It also meant Logan hadn't had time for his morning jog, and therefore one of the changelings would need to walk Nicodemus.

Roman wanted to go shopping for fireworks, so after breakfast Virgil volunteered for walking duty. As Logan had the car, Roman took his bicycle, and Virgil took the dog to Painter's Pond to play fetch.

Later, he knew Roman would want to head to the theater.

Virgil considered trying to talk him out of it, again.

He was sweaty, tired, and looking forward to a shower when he finally started to put Nic back on his leash. Naturally, that's when two squabbling squirrels came tumbling down a tree and tore across the park, and Nicodemus tore out of Virgil's grip to chase after them. Virgil swore and called the dog, but Nic had already bolted down the sidewalk and out of view before he could even stumble to his feet.

He cursed again, jogging in the direction he'd seen Nic go.

Logan will murder me if I lose his dog, he thought, his heart pounding. Fucking squirrels!

He wandered downtown, calling, frantically asking people if they'd seen the brown lab. Ten minutes passed, then twenty, and Virgil started to legitimately panic. Nic was normally so well-behaved that nothing like this had ever happened, and he didn't know what to do.

Should he keep looking, or go back to the apartment in case the dog wandered home? What if he didn't? What if Nic got hit by a car, or caught by animal control, or...Virgil swore fluently in Faery and stopped to catch his breath.

Calling Logan was obviously out of the question, but maybe Roman? Virgil would be forced to admit he'd lost Nic in the first place, but they'd cover more ground with a bike. Virgil was willing to put up with the inevitable teasing if it meant finding Logan's dog.

A flash of brown around a corner caught his eye.

He ran full out between two buildings, calling and swearing in equal measure, and stumbled to a halt on the empty sidewalk. Again, he paused to take stock of where he was, breathing hoarsely, Nic's leash still dangling from his fingers. A familiar, stately, red-brick building sat alone across the street; the front dominated by half-domed glass entrances and a ticket counter, situated under two bright red signs reading Athens and Theater.

Nicodemus sat placidly by one of the lampposts outside. Virgil exhaled in relief, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Nic, come!" he called, fully expecting the dog to romp over like he always did.

Nic didn't move.

The sun chose that moment to slip behind a cloud, and a chill slipped down Virgil's spine. The dog continued to sit, silent and unnaturally still; no wagging tail, no lolling tongue, no sign that he'd heard Virgil at all.

Instinctively he brought his hand to his chest, to feel the reassuring bite of Logan's pendant...

...which he wasn't wearing.