Fractured paths

Meeting between worlds part 2

The next morning, after sleeping in the guest room and on the couch respectively, Lucy and Regulus sat down to breakfast with Albert and his family.

Jonas stared at them, even as Albert nudged the boy and whispered for him to quit. Albert's wife, Natalie, tried to keep from staring too.

"You'll be on your way again today?" said Natalie, attempting a polite tone.

"Yes. We don't want to be any more trouble," said Regulus.

"No trouble." Natalie seemed stunned he would say that. "The forest is dangerous right now."

"They say people have... vanished," said Lucy.

"Yes," Albert said. "Ten so far. We only found two—dead."

"That's horrible!" said Lucy. "Any idea what happened?"

"Wish I did," said Albert. "I'd feel a lot safer, and my job would be simpler."

"Dad's a police officer," Jonas whispered to Lucy and Regulus.

"Explains the uniform," Reg mumbled with a glance at Albert's light blue shirt.

"So, there's a killer on the loose? It's okay, sir. We know how ta defend ourselves," Lucy said.

"We're not even sure it is a killer." Albert took a sip of coffee. "With the two we've found we still don't have a cause of death. Both are quite dead, of course, but we don't know how. There's no sign of violence, abuse, beating, or organ failure—nothing. It's as if they dropped dead—for no reason."

Lucy and Regulus didn't have to say it. There was only one way to die like that—the Avada Kedavra curse.

"What do we do?" Lucy whispered.

"This is all the more reason to leave now," Regulus whispered back.

"But... they can't defend themselves against... that. We should help. That is what witches an' wizards are for—ta protect the mu—" She checked the table before she finished the word. No one seemed to have heard her.

"We can protect them by finishing our mission. I'm the only one who can do that," said Regulus. "I don't care what it takes. We just need to keep going."

On the way out, Regulus jerked his silver boot buckle into place. The boots, once elegant and well-kept, now looked like he'd dragged them through the muck for miles; five-day forest treks didn't agree with them. He would have to get new ones soon, and this seemed to annoy him.

Lucy did her best to be pleasant. "Sincerely, thank ya so much! We needed the rest and food!"

"Take care now." Albert's forehead creased in worry. "Stick close to each other, take a bus. Walking is too dangerous."

"I know, sir, but I'm afraid It's important we keep goin'. Again, thank ya. Ye've been so kind."

"It's only what any decent man would do," said Albert. "Take care of yourselves."

"Aye. Thank ya, sir."

Regulus finished buckling his boot and stomped out of the house.

Lucy offered their hosts an apologetic smile and ran after Regulus. "Oi! Wait!"

"Keep up," Regulus hissed.

"It's not very kind of ye ta take me with ya just so ye have another person ta snap at!"

"If you were quiet and thought things through more, I wouldn't have to!" Regulus snapped.

"Hey! Wait up!"