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Manuals, textbooks, legal treatises, field guides, encyclopedias… He didn’t read to relax, he read to find answers. “What would you suggest?”
“To read?” Nox laughed like he thought Nelson was joking.
“I’m out of books over here but I could download something if you think it would help.” At this point, Nelson would read anything—a children’s bedtime story or the Bible from cover to cover—if Nox told him it would quiet the incessant beating and the anxious ache in his center.
“I don’t know… What are you in the mood for?”
“Peace,” Nelson said immediately, making Nox laugh again. The sound had an instant soothing effect, but Nelson couldn’t keep Nox on the phone and laughing all night. Because that would be inconsiderate and Nelson was more likely to bore Nox to tears than induce more laughter.
“Well, if that’s the case… I keep The Book of Joy, by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu on audio handy for when things seem dark I need a short comfort read.”
“Okay. I’ll try that,” Nelson said and they said goodnight and ended the call. “On audio…?”
He had never listened to an audiobook before but Nelson was curious to hear one of Nox’s “comfort reads” and see if it would work for him as well. It took a few minutes to download the app and find the book. His eyes were becoming heavier as he carried his phone to his bedroom and laid down, but he didn’t feel at all relaxed. His stomach was still an acidic, roiling mess and his heart and head were too loud and Nelson couldn’t focus as he listened to the audiobook. The voices blended and were muffled by the cacophony in his head and chest.
“Fuck!” He stopped the audio and dropped the phone on the bed next to him, plugging his ears and closing his eyes tight.
Come back to me, Uaithne.
“Please, stop! Let me rest!” Be begged, then opened his eyes and picked up his phone. “Give the tea more time,” he said as he found the ebook version. But the phone shook in his hands and Nelson’s eyes blurred and he couldn’t comprehend what he was able to read.
He checked the time and it had been almost half an hour since he’d talked to Nox. A terrible thought occurred to Nelson: what if this was a premonition or the spirits warning him that Nox was in danger? Before they had met, Nelson would have dismissed the possibility outright and said it was impossible. Now, after just a few days with Nox and steeped in the occult, Nelson could believe it.
“He should be done with his bath by now,” he said, switching to his recent call log and tapping Nox’s number. Once again, it took a few moments and Nelson sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, ready to run if Nox was in trouble.
“Yes, Nelson?” Nox’s voice was loud, but it had cracked and he was panting.
“I…wanted to make sure you were okay.”
His shaky laugh tickled Nelson’s ear but Nox sounded like he might cry. “Okay?” He echoed.
“80 percent of falls in the home occur in the bathroom and it is estimated that one person dies in the US every day from bathroom-related injuries. Usually in the tub or shower,” Nelson added. “I was worried you might have slipped or something electrical could have fallen into the water.”
“This isn’t Final Destination, Nelson, and I’m pretty sure those statistics apply to a much older demographic. Like the sixty-five and up club.”
“That’s true,” Nelson conceded with a pained grimace. “I didn’t check the locks before I left and I should have—”
“I made sure all the doors were locked and enabled the security system,” Nox interrupted. “No heating elements were left on, aside from the candles around this tub, and all of my smoke and CO2 detectors have working batteries.”
“Alright. It sounds like everything’s okay,” Nelson agreed, earning a hard snort from Nox.
“I was almost…very okay.” He cleared his throat and Nelson was about to ask what Nox meant by that, but the lightbulb went off on its own.
“Oh. I see.” He didn’t, but Nelson didn’t need to try that hard because he already knew what that looked like from his dreams and visualizing it would only make matters worse.
“Trust me, it’s way hotter in person. And you’re welcome to stay on the phone and help me land this plane because you’re already on board if you know what I mean.”
“Plane?” Nelson croaked, shaking his head. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight!” Nox replied and promptly hung up.
“No, no, no, no… It’s not a good night.”
Nelson rolled onto his side and hugged his head, attempting in vain to insulate and protect it.
Come back to me, Uaithne.
That was out of the question. Nelson wasn’t going to call again and it would be both pathetic and creepy if he drove back to Nox’s and begged to come inside and stay the night. He snatched the other pillow and hugged it tight around his head, shivering and sweating on top of the comforter.
