Chapter 15
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Lyra
I turned on the engine, checked the mirrors, and put my foot down, heading to the clinic. I felt out of sorts and panicky as Charlie”s distressed words whizzed through my mind.
”Duncan”s gone, missing, and all that”s left is a big pile of gooey slime.”
I”d never heard Charlie so upset and shocked. He was usually calm and collected but seemed desperate to have me with him. My heart raced. My mind was full of worries. What the purple healing jibbers was happening? Everything was going wrong: Mom falling, Zalantha disappearing, and now the man I”d saved by opening up about my drinking problem had vanished.
As I sped through the traffic, I kept thinking about Zalantha. His absence left a void, and my heart ached for him. The memory of our last encounter replayed in my thoughts like a bittersweet melody, not to mention my fantasy of him with me in the shower.
Charlie”s words about Duncan”s disappearance and the slimy aftermath seemed surreal, and my mind couldn”t shake off the feeling that Zalantha might hold some key to this bizarre puzzle. The connection between the two incidents lingered in the air, and my heart felt torn between the enigmatic Zalantha and the unfolding mystery at the clinic.
I reached some traffic lights and glanced at my cell. I had to check if Mom was all right. Dialling her number, the lack of response fueled my guilt. I reflected on my decision to stop drinking, grateful for the strength I”d found. I was proud of myself for throwing that wine away. It felt powerful and was the first step to being in control, and that was what I needed. All I had to do was make sure alcohol didn”t pass my lips, and I”d be fine.
Convincing Mom to tread a similar path would be a longer, challenging journey. My concern for her lingered. Once I”d sorted out this issue at the clinic, I”d swing by and make sure she was okay, or rather, sober.
The lights went green, and I sped on. As I drove, I glimpsed into a small park where I”d once kissed Al. I still couldn”t believe he took off like that without even so much as a goodbye. I”d gone to his house to see him, but that new family were moving their stuff in. Now that I thought about it, I remembered the kids muttering something about the new place being slimy. I thought they were just kids messing about, but that comment stuck with me. I mean, who calls a new house slimy? I began to wonder if there was a connection.
After a few more minutes, I arrived at the clinic. Two police cars were parked outside, and my work colleagues were standing around nattering and gossiping.
Charlie came over as soon as I”d left the car.
”Thank God you”re here,” he said. His face was pale, and his forehead was sweaty.
”What”s going on, Charlie? You look like you”ve seen a young woman covered in a white blanket.”
”I feel like I have,” he said, sighing. ”You have to see this with your own eyes. It”s fucked up, seriously fucked up.”
I walked past my colleagues. Their eyes reflected a mixture of shock and pity. Nods exchanged in silent acknowledgement felt heavy with the weight of the unfolding situation.
As I stepped inside, a horrid smell blasted up my nose.
”Oh, that”s gross.”
”Yeah, it”s the slime we think.”
Cops were scattered around talking to workers and patients. I followed Charlie further down, but as we got nearer to Duncan”s room, a tall cop stood in my way.
”You can”t go down there. It”s restricted.”
”But she works here,” said Charlie. ”She saved the guy”s life. I only want to show her the mess, and we”ll leave.”
”Please, officer,” I said, smiling. ”Just a quick look-see.”
”Fine,” he said, tutting. ”You have one minute.”
He moved to the side, and we walked on. The ranked smell intensified. When I got to the room, I almost hurled. Inside, the walls, bed, and floor were dripping with a fine glittery slime.
”Oh my God, Charlie,” I said, holding his shoulder. ”This is nuts.”
”I know,” said Charlie. ”No one can explain it, but my main worry is how we”ll tell his wife that he”s just gone.”
”You”ve got a point there.”
I stepped inside, and an eerie feeling washed over me. The smell hung in the air, triggering a wave of discomfort. The glittery surfaces seemed to reflect the chaotic fragments of my life - Zalantha”s mysterious entrance, the unexplained events at the clinic - it was all too much.
The surreal scene intensified the bewilderment and unease, amplifying the overwhelming sense that something beyond comprehension was at play. The combination of the bizarre circumstances and the lingering mysteries made me question the fabric of my reality, leaving me confused.
”What the actual fuck?” I said, staring at the glittery surfaces. ”Why, or how would anyone do this?”
”Doesn”t make sense. It”s weird. Very weird.”
”What about the other patients?”
”They”re fine, but the cops are checking everywhere, and a forensics team are coming.”
I turned to Charlie, worried. Where the hell was Zalantha when I needed him most?
”You have to leave now,” said the tall cop from before.
”Sure thing,” I said, turning to the door. ”I”ve seen enough.”
We walked back down the corridor and waited outside. I was stunned, in total shock. I gazed up at the sky as a looming gray cloud drifted past.
”What do we do now, Charlie?” I asked.
”Beats me. How are we supposed to tell Duncan”s wife that he”s mysteriously disappeared?”
”I guess that”s the cop”s job, but we could swing by once I”ve seen my mom. I”m worried about her; she”s not picking up.”
”I”ll come with you. I”ll meet you there, though. I”m feeling peckish after that. I have my lunch in the car.”
”I don”t know how you could eat after that.”
”We all need our energy,” he said, winking.
”True.”
We nodded goodbye, and I paced towards my car. I had to get to Mom and make sure she was all right. I looked around, hoping to see signs of Zalantha, my sexy purple healer. Where the hell had he gone when I needed him most?
I got in my car and closed the door. Immediately, his familiar scent drifted up my nose.
”Zalantha?” I asked, my heart lifting. ”Is that you?”
”It might be.”
A huge smile poured on my face. I wanted to reach out and touch my alien, feel his warmth against my skin, but then I remembered I was supposed to be annoyed with him.
”Where did you go?” I asked, trying to sound angry.
”I had to check something. Sorry about that.” He sounded genuine. How was I going to stay mad at him for long?
”Fine, don”t worry. But check what?” Silence loomed, and I sensed he was tense. ”Zalantha, is everything okay? Do you know anything about Duncan and why his room is covered in slime? Has this got anything to do with that planet you came from, what was it called again?”
”Mesoterra,” he said. ”We”d better get out of here.”
The fact that he ignored my question niggled at me.
”But do you know what”s happening?”
”I might do.”
”Then tell me, please.”
”Not here, it”s not safe. We have to go somewhere.”
”Fine, you can tell me on the way to Mom”s. I have to check on her.”
I slid the key into the ignition and started the engine. Then I felt his hand on mine.
”Lyra,” he said, his voice deep and ominous as if he were about to ask me to marry him.
”Yes. Zalantha,” I said, hope filling my heart.
”You can”t go to your mom”s.”
”Why not? Has her house been covered in slime, too,” I said, chuckling at my irony. When Zalantha stayed quiet, panic rose in my throat. ”It”s not, is it, Zalantha? Tell me that Mom”s okay.”
”I”m sorry to have to tell you this, Lyra.”
”What, what”s going on?”
”I was just there. I had to check on her. And well, she”s missing.”
A wave of disbelief crashed over me.
”What, what do you mean, missing?”
”Just like Duncan.”
As Zalantha delivered the devastating news about my mom, my mind raced to comprehend the words. Was it my fault for leaving her alone? Guilt, like a heavy anchor, weighed me down. The thought of Mom missing, mirroring Duncan”s mysterious disappearance, intensified my distress. The world around me seemed to blur as I grappled with the harsh reality. A pit of fear exploded in my stomach. And my head whirled around.
A car honked. I looked outside. Charlie waved at me and asked what I was doing.
”He can”t know about this,” said Zalantha. ”Just follow him for now.”
”But what about Mom? Where the hell is she?”
”Don”t panic.”
”Don”t panic?” I said, my voice rising. ”Could anything else go wrong today?”
Charlie beeped again.
”Tell him you”ll follow him. On the way, I”ll try to explain what I think has happened.”
”Fine,” I muttered. ”You”d better because I”m losing my mind here.”
I wound down the window and told Charlie that I”d follow him.
”Are you all right?” asked Charlie.
”Yes, let”s just go.”
Charlie sped off, and I drove behind.
”Now, can you please tell me what the fuck is going on?” I asked, my tone desperate.