The Curse Conduit
Chapter 23

The previous night having been draining on all of them, they decided that a day in the fresh air would do them good. So a picnic was organised. Simian called his fiancé and Casta called his wife. Before long the little group found themselves in the country enjoying each other’s company. The women had got on famously, bonding quickly. This fact always amazed the men. Riley and Germaine had known each other for some time, Elizabeth and Kimberly were new but they had taken them into the fold and were now talking like they had been friends for years.

The group’s conversation drifted across many topics but not one touched on their current situation much to the relief of them all. Kimberly had continued to rib Derek about his hang over and as the other ladies had seen him they too had joined in the banter. He had found the darkest pair of sun glasses he could and was going to wear a hat but it hurt his head. He spent much of the day lying under a tree with Elizabeth at his side.

Casta and Simian were very happy to be spending time with their partners but Uriah had been so very quiet. So quiet that Germaine and Riley had noticed. Kimberly had tried to draw him out but had not been successful.

When she got the opportunity Germaine asked him about it. “Uriah is the burden you carry so heavy that it tires you so you have no voice?”

Uriah was not upset by her remark, he was tired and he did try and smile at her. “I’m sorry but yes the last few months have been a little wearing. I don’t mean to dampen your spirits.”

Kimberly made some remark about Derek having enough spirits last night for all of them making him groan and opening the door for Simian and Casta to tease him just a little more.

Germaine reached over and gave Uriah’s hand a gentle squeeze. He was glad that she was happy with his explanation and that teasing Derek had distracted the others. He did smile a little at this.

The day ended much too quickly and Derek, Casta, Simian, Uriah, Elizabeth and Kimberly found themselves once again back in the hotel room. The atmosphere was lighter, even Derek admitted that he felt better. “We are like the four musketeers.”

Kimberly giggled. “Except there are six of us.”

The others all laughed and Simian stuck his hand out in front of him. “All for one.”

Next Casta put his hand on top of Simian’s. “And one for all.” Next came Kimberly’s hand, then Derek’s on top of hers, then Elizabeth’s. Slowly and with a little reservation Uriah placed his hand on top of Elizabeth’s. Derek was about to say something when there was a mighty clap of what sounded like thunder, a bright flash of lightening and a forceful explosion that threw them all backwards.

Casta was a little disorientated as he dragged himself from the floor asking the general question as he checked himself out to make sure he was still in one piece. “Is everyone okay?”

He heard Kimberly groan and went to help her; it was then that he saw Simian at the other side of the room. He had hit his head on the table and was bleeding from a nasty gash. He groaned a little as Casta moved his face. “This is going to need Stitches.”

Kimberly’s voice was tempered with panic. “Casta where are the others? Where’s Lizzie?”

Casta’s gaze swept the room, they were gone. Before he could say anything Kimberly had run to each door and flung it open. “They’re gone. Casta where are they?”

He could hear the panic building in her voice and he needed her to stay calm. “Kimberly come and help me.”

She did come to kneel next to him. “But where are they? They can’t have just vanished.”

Casta took her hand and made her put pressure on Simian’s wound with his handkerchief. “Hold this while I get something better.” He made to get up but she pulled at his shirt with her free hand. “Tell me they did not just vanish.”

Casta looked at her with sad eyes. How could he. That is exactly what had happened. How could he explain that? He couldn’t but his friends had gone. He had a pretty good idea where but he just did not understand how. Right now his first priority was to get Simian to hospital then he could worry about where the others had gone, how and would they ever get back.

Dr Horton had seen Simian’s name on the emergency list and made it his business to see what had brought him to the hospital. He was pleased to find out that Simian had not suffered his injuries while dreaming and was more concerned for Kimberley who was displaying all the signs of shock. When Casta told him how Simian had been hurt the Doctor understood Kimberly’s emotional state giving her something to help. As for their three missing comrades he was just dumbstruck. Being a doctor and a scientist his head told him this kind of thing was not possible, impossible. However, he had been privy to the after effects that Derek’s dreams left. He had seen Derek recover from injuries that should have killed him but instead healed on their own. Meeting the men had turned his nice, practical, neat and tidy, organised world upside down. Science could not explain what he had seen, what he had been told.

Simian had been drifting in and out of consciousness while Dr Horton attended to his stitches and he had given him a mild sedative, so Simian was still somewhat groggy as he woke up.

“Casta?”

“I am here my friend.”

“What happened? Was there a bomb?”

Casta shook his head. “No.”

Casta looked around the room seeing Kimberly and Dr Horton. Seeing the doctor Simian began to panic. “The others! Are they alright?! Did they get hurt?”

“I don’t know if they are hurt. They disappeared.”

Simian found it hard to concentrate and thought it was because of his head injury. “Disappeared? You mean they left.”

It was then that Kimberly got up from her seat. “No. They vanished. Poof, gone. One minute we were all there, the next they were gone.”

Now Simian thought that maybe she had been affected by the explosion and looked to Casta for an explanation. “She is right. They are gone?”

Casta went on to explain what he thought had happened and where he thought their friends had gone.

Kimberly let out a stifled cry as he finished and Casta wrapped his arm around her.

Dr Horton checked her over. “Maybe you two should stay in overnight.”

Simian shook his head which was a mistake. He groaned and closed his eyes. “I want to go home.”

Casta looked to the doctor. “Is it alright for them to come back with me?”

Dr Horton looked from Simian to Kimberly. He could have pulled rank and kept them in the hospital but he realised that Casta would not leave them. “Only if you promise to get back here if you don’t feel well. Simian will need his stitches out in ten to twelve days as well.” He wrote out a prescription and handed it to Casta. “Pain killers, if he needs them.”

Casta shook the doctor’s hand. “I promise to keep an eye on both of them.”

Dr Horton nodded and left the room.

Casta put his arm around Kimberly’s shoulders and pulled her close, kissing her gently on the top of the head as they waited for Simian to get his land legs.

He had thrown his legs over the side of the bed and was sitting waiting for the pain in his head to subside. “Why didn’t we all disappear?” He looked at Casta. “Have they really gone?”

The tears that rolled down Kimberly’s face all the answer that he needed.

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