The rough ride up Luke's driveway was less than forgiving, with the camping goods in the back of the truck clanging and banging with every bump. Each jolt sent twangs of searing pain through my already aching head. Realisation dawned on me as I brought the vehicle to an abrupt stop – I hadn't had any alcohol since last night. No wonder my head was pounding so fiercely.
Feeling a wave of relief wash over me as I switched the ignition off and the constant jolting of the vehicle ceased, I braced myself for the next challenge. The door of the truck let out an almost unbearably loud squeak as I opened it, and I quickly jumped down from the cab. I took several strides toward the back of the truck, my mind set on unloading the camping supplies, but then I hesitated. This was a favour for Luke, after all. He can unload the camping supplies himself, I thought, doing an about-turn and changing course for the front door.
My approach to the front door was less than graceful. Almost stumbling up the first of the three cement steps, I was thankful for my swift reflexes as my hand shot out to grab the railing, saving me from a fall. Steadying myself, I brushed away the stray hair that tickled my face and approached the front door with a renewed sense of determination.
Wrapping my knuckles sharply against the wooden door several times, I shifted my weight from foot to foot as I waited for Luke to answer.
But all that greeted me was silence. The lack of response was unsettling. Where was Luke? The quietness of the house felt ominous, almost as if it were holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
Guess I'll just let myself in, I thought to myself, rummaging through my handbag for the spare keys I knew were buried somewhere inside.
"Shit," I mumbled as the keys slipped from my grasp, clattering to the ground. Bending down to retrieve them, I winced as a sudden rush of blood to my head brought on a dizzy spell. With one hand gripping the slender metal bars of the railing for support and the other retrieving the keys, I caught a glimpse of a figure from the corner of my eye. It was the neighbour from across the street. He was standing in his front garden, hose in hand, casually watering some small shrubs. I could feel his gaze following me as I straightened up, and I offered an obligatory wave. After a brief pause, he waved back, his gesture slow and deliberate.
A sudden burst of cold wind sent a shiver down my spine, my shoulders involuntarily shuddering in response. Hurry up, I urged myself, quickly inserting the front door key into the lock and letting myself inside.
"Luke, are you home?" I called out, the door clicking shut behind me. The response was the same as before – silence.
As I walked into the living room, I flipped the light switch, bathing the room in a warm, welcoming glow. But almost instantly, the lights flickered, causing the fine hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. I knew that response all too well – it was a sign of a Portal being activated. A new, instinctual fear washed over me, a sense of unease that seemed out of place in the familiar surroundings.
Without hesitation, I retreated to the kitchen with determined haste. The house, usually so familiar and comforting, now felt different, almost foreign. The flickering lights, the silence, the unexpected chill in the air – all of it contributed to a growing sense of apprehension. What was going on? Was Luke the one coming and going through the Portal or…? I let the thought trail off as I battled to banish images of Joel from my mind.
"Luke?" I called out again, my voice carrying a mix of tentativeness and resolve. As I reached for a knife from the block on the kitchen bench, my actions felt both necessary and surreal. The death of Joel, Chloe's disappearance, and the general chaos that had become my life since learning about Clivilius had left me on edge. Life was tough enough before, but now, it seemed infinitely more complicated. And dangerous, I reminded myself, feeling the weight of the knife in my hand, its handle solid and reassuring against my palm.
"Luke?" My voice echoed slightly as I dared to take another step toward the living room, my nerves stretched tight.
Suddenly, the carpeted stairs creaked under the weight of soft footsteps, and my heart leapt into my throat. I gulped dryly, bracing myself for the unknown.
"Cody!" I exclaimed, startled as he emerged from the staircase doorway into the living room. My surprise was mirrored in his wide eyes.
As Cody quickly made his way toward me, his expression shifted to one of concern. "What the hell are you doing with that knife?" he demanded, his voice laced with alarm.
I could feel my cheeks flushing with warmth and embarrassment. "I... I thought... nothing, really," I stammered, my words tumbling out awkwardly as I lowered the knife, suddenly feeling foolish.
Pausing a few feet away, lines of deep thought etched into Cody paused a few feet away, deep lines of thought etching his forehead. His fist was clenched, a physical manifestation of the tension that hung between us. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, so fraught with emotion. Something's happened, I told myself, feeling a sharp inhale of breath catch in the back of my dry throat.
As Cody unfurled his hand to reveal the Portal Key, a surge of realisation hit me. "I know you know what this is," he said, as I stared at the device, my mind racing with a thousand unasked questions. How did I not see this already? How did I not realise who Cody really was? The revelation was staggering, and for a moment, I was too stunned to even let out a gasp.
“So, you are a Guardian, then?" I found my voice, though it was tinged with disbelief and a growing sense of betrayal.
"Yes," came his simple, yet earth-shattering reply.
"I thought Luke was the only one," I said, my confusion genuine. The implications of Cody's revelation were vast and complex.
"No."
"How many of you are there?" The question felt monumental as it left my lips.
Cody shrugged. "Dozens, if not hundreds." His casual response only added to the shock that was slowly taking hold of me.
If my mouth had extendable joints, it would have dropped to the floor with a heavy thud. What does this mean? I wondered silently, my mind struggling to process the enormity of this new information.
"I honestly don't know, Gladys," Cody said, his voice calm as he reached out and gently took the knife from my firm grip.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I probed, the hurt and confusion propelling me into the kitchen. Almost instinctively, I began systematically searching every cupboard for a bottle of wine, seeking some solace in the familiar.
Following me into the kitchen, Cody placed the knife on the benchtop. "It's a dangerous lifestyle. I wanted to protect you," he explained.
"Like you protected Joel?" I snapped back, the words laced with hurt and accusation. The feeling of betrayal cut deep.
"That's not fair, Gladys," Cody retorted, his expression turning into a scowl. "I had nothing to do with Joel's death."
My eyebrow raised in genuine surprise. Part of me wanted to believe him, to trust that he was telling the truth. But after this revelation, how could I be sure of anything? How could I trust him the same way again?
"I didn't," he insisted, his voice firm and earnest. His words hung in the air between us, a challenge to my trust and understanding of the situation.
"Do you know who killed Joel?" I asked, my voice edged with frustration. The lack of alcohol in the kitchen was only adding to my growing agitation, and I slammed the last cupboard closed in annoyance.
Cody shook his head quickly, his response immediate. "No, I don't," he said, his voice carrying a note of sincerity, but I couldn't help feeling a twinge of skepticism.
Giving Cody a disbelieving scowl, my attention shifted back to the fridge. Surely there's a bottle chilling in there, I thought, urging myself closer in desperate hope.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" Cody asked, effectively deflecting my interrogation away from himself.
His question caught me off guard, and I stopped mid-step, reminded of how this visit had begun. I turned back to the bench and retrieved the small notepad and pen from the top drawer, scribbling a note for Luke as I answered. "Luke asked me to pick up some camping goods that he had purchased. It's all in the truck in the driveway."
"I see," Cody replied, his face breaking into a delighted grin. His reaction seemed out of place, almost creepy, and it only served to deepen the mystery surrounding him.
Unable to bring myself to probe any further into Cody's enigmatic behaviour, I decided to focus on the task at hand. "Come help me unpack. I need to take the truck with me," I instructed, trying to sound more in control than I felt.
Without speaking, Cody made a hasty beeline for the front door. Following him out the door, the back of the truck opened with a clang and Cody reached in to grab the first item.
Curiosity, mixed with a desperate need for answers, got the better of me. "Come home with me," I told Cody, stepping beside him and reaching inside the truck. "I want to hear more of your Clivilius."
Cody, his arms full, leaned across and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. "I can't right now, but I will tell you more soon," he promised, his voice carrying a hint of something undefinable.
"How soon?" I asked, wary of immediately trusting Cody's reply.
"Hopefully later tonight."
The word 'hopefully' didn't instil much confidence in me. It was too vague, too uncertain.
"Do you want me to pick you up from somewhere?" I asked, trying to inject a bit of hope into the situation.
"No," said Cody quickly, his face breaking into a cheeky grin. "I've already activated my Portal in your kitchen and registered the location."
Convenient, I thought cynically, but my skepticism was quickly overshadowed by a sudden realisation. "Chloe! She's with you, isn't she?" I accused, the anger rising swiftly within me.
Cody's grin disappeared, replaced by a taut, serious expression. "I'm so sorry, Gladys. I never meant for that to happen." His words did little to quell the rising storm inside me.
Hot tears swelled in my eyes as I fought to keep my voice steady. "I want her back!" I demanded, my voice breaking.
"I'm sorry, Gladys," Cody apologised again, his voice filled with genuine regret. "She can't come back."
In a fit of grief and anger, I screeched, "You bastard!" Dropping the small box I was holding, I thumped Cody's shoulder with my fist as hard as I could.
Cody placed his box on the lip of the truck's bed and turned to face me, trying to pull me into a consoling embrace. But the grief for Chloe, my lost loved one, was too much. I fought against Cody's attempts to comfort me, until finally, I collapsed into his arms, utterly broken. "You've taken my baby," I sniffled between heavy sobs, my shoulders jolting with each one.
"I'm so sorry, Gladys," Cody repeated, breaking free from the embrace and picking up the box he had set down.
A heavy sadness enveloped me, a betrayal that cut deeper than any physical wound. Cody and I worked in silence, unloading the camping goods from the truck and leaving them in Luke's living room. Each movement felt mechanical, devoid of the usual energy I had. My mind was clouded with anger and a profound sense of sadness. As I moved through the motions, the weight of loss and the complexity of my relationship with Cody weighed heavily on me, a burden that seemed almost too great to bear.
As soon as the truck was emptied at Luke's house, I made a hasty retreat. Had I not needed to take the truck with me, I would have left it for Cody to handle by himself. After all, it seemed like the least he could do, considering the pain he had caused me by taking Chloe. It felt like a small act of retribution, though it did little to ease the sting of losing my beloved pet.
Barely able to look at Cody, let alone speak to him, I promptly climbed into the cab of the truck and started the engine. The jolt of the vehicle as it backed down the driveway seemed to mirror the turmoil inside me. I fought against the concoction of emotions swirling in my aching brain – anger, betrayal, grief, and, confusingly, still a hint of love. Deep down, I knew it wasn't really Cody's fault that Chloe had escaped through the Portal, yet the revelation of his Guardianship cast a long shadow over my feelings for him. But what do you really know about the man? I asked myself, the weight of this new information pressing heavily on my mind. If he could hide such a critical piece of his life, what else might he be concealing?
The dark mists of doubt clouded my thoughts as I glanced at the empty passenger seat next to me. "A glass of wine will be the first thing I do when I get home," I muttered under my breath, trying to push away the unwelcome thoughts and focus on the road ahead.
