The Curse Conduit
Chapter 16

The little group settled at a table in a corner of the restaurant away from prying eyes. Kimberly and Elizabeth managing to sit next to each other, flanked on either side by the four men. Derek beside Elizabeth and Simian had sat next to Kimberly. After the waiter had taken their drink order Derek asked Elizabeth a question. “So B e…..Elizabeth what are you doing in London?”

She smiled. “I live here, just down the street actually.” That got a surprised look from all the men.

None the least Derek. “Oh. So what where you doing up north?”

“Besides attending one of your concerts. Working. The boss figured I was going to be there anyway so gave me a few things to do. But it is nice to be home.”

She saw the expression on their faces change and she felt a little sad. If anyone could understand being homesick it was these men. “Do you get to stay in London for a while now?”

All the men nodded but Derek answered for them. “Yeah. Like you said it will be nice. I hate waking up and not knowing where I am.”

Only his friends knew the hidden meaning to Derek’s words and they had nothing to do with strange hotel rooms.

Casta wanted to move the conversation along before it got to sombre. “So do you ladies come here for dinner every night?”

Both Elizabeth and Kimberly giggled just a little and Kimberly nudged her friend. “No, this one didn’t do any shopping. All I could find in the fridge was mouldy cheese and an orange in desperate need of help.”

Just then the waiter came back with their drinks and they all scrambled to look at the food menu.

With dinner ordered Uriah felt he could ask his own questions. “Elizabeth have you been ill. You look rather pale.”

Everyone waited for her answer. “You’re not sleeping bug is catching.”

Derek took her hand across the table. “I’m sorry. It’s the pits when you can’t sleep. How long?”

Elizabeth removed her hand from Derek’s pretending to take a drink. How did she tell them it had been since they had done the meet and greet. “Oh a little while now but I am sure it will get better.” She looked from Uriah to Derek. “Have you found anything to help? I’ve tried everything from warm milk to sleeping pills but nothing works.”

All the men shifted uneasily in their seats and thankfully Uriah answered. “Sorry Elizabeth but we haven’t found anything.”

Derek drank almost half of his drink in one gulp placing the empty glass back on the table. “But I was thinking of giving a few of these a try tonight see if they work.”

Uriah gave him a disapproving look and was about to chastise Derek when Elizabeth put her hand back on his. “Derek, do you think that would be wise? You’ll just end up with a horrible headache in the morning and feel worse than you would if you had not slept.”

Derek was mesmerised, lost in her words as they floated passed him. She sounded so much like Beth–Elena it made his heart hurt.

Casta’s words broke his trance. “She is right Derek. Better that we eat rather than drink”

Derek sighed. “I guess. I would just like to have one night where I slept right through.”

Knowing what she did about Elizabeth’s situation Kimberly was curious to know about Derek’s. “So you are all finding it hard to sleep?”

Simian started to shake his head and became very animated. “No, No Cherie only these two.” Pointing to Derek and Uriah. “We sleep just fine.”

Again she asked a question. “How long? How long have you been without sleep?”

This time Uriah and Derek looked at each other as Simian and Casta wondered what they would tell her.

“It feels like it has been for ever.” Derek gave them all a weak smile. “But I guess since just before the tour started.”

Elizabeth squeezed his hand, Derek not realising they still were holding hands. “That’s a long time to go without sleep Derek. Have you seen a doctor?”

He nodded his head. “Sure but there is nothing they can do. And it is not like we don’t sleep. It is just the dreams seem to be so real when I am asleep, I am exhausted when I wake up.”

Uriah nodded his head in agreement.

Again Elizabeth squeezed his hand. “How real?”

Elizabeth’s eyes were on Derek but all other eyes were on her. While Derek was thinking how to answer her question she asked again. “How real Derek. How real are your dreams? Do you feel like you are there, really there? Like it is not a dream at all?”

The whole table went silent and Derek searched her eyes, looking for a reason to tell her the truth. Then he saw it, a slight flicker, and a change. Ask him what it was and he wouldn’t be able to tell you but he saw it. His words stunned the others.

“You know don’t you?”

Derek saw a small tear pool in the corner of her eye.

Casta was at a loss as to how she could possibly know. “I don’t understand Derek. How could she know? We haven’t told anyone.”

Derek had not taken his eyes off Elizabeth. “You do know. You knew something that first day we met. The day I called you Bethie.”

The small tear escaped from her eyes and in an almost soundless tone Elizabeth spoke the word that would shock them all. “Yes.”

Simian looked from Derek to Uriah to Casta and back to Derek. “How?”

Again without taking his eyes off Elizabeth, he took hold of her hand in both of his. “Because she was there. She has seen the same things. You have haven’t you? You know who Beth-Elena…..” Derek never finished.

“Declan.” This statement from Elizabeth brought gasps from Kimberly, Casta and Simian.

Derek squeezed her hand. “And Bethie?”

She replied with one word. “Danny.” And then broke down sobbing, falling into Derek’s arms. “It’s all real. I’m not going crazy. They are real.”

Derek held her close as he looked over to his friends. “I told you she was part of this. We need to help her.”

Uriah gave him a surprised look. “Help. Derek we can’t even help ourselves.”

Simian muttered something in French.

“Amen to that brother.” Kimberly had no idea what he had said but her reply seemed to please him.

Derek held Elizabeth close. “It’s okay Elizabeth. We’ll figure this out together.”

Again Uriah stared him down but stayed silent.

Casta was the next to ask her a question. “How real do you think your dreams were Elizabeth?”

“Go on, show them Lizzie.”

Derek looked at Kimberly. “What do you mean show us? Show us what?”

Elizabeth sat up and put her hand on the table, palm up but with a clenched fist. Slowly she opened it to show the gash in her hand.

Derek gently took her hand and ran his finger down the length of the cut. “Beth-Elena.”

He pulled up his shirt to show the scar on his side and Elizabeth ran her fingers across it. “Declan.”

Kimberley groaned. “Oh man this is just way to freaky.”

“Amen to that sister.” Murmured Simian without a hint of a smile on his face.

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