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“It's feeding time. The trees will carry him to where he needs to be.”
“Feeding time for what?” My tongue felt too big for my mouth.
“It's better you don't know. Can we take one of those showers again?” He rubbed a hand over his bloody face.
“Yeah but I think you should wash off here first.”
He nodded and went toward a jug of water and poured it into a large bowl. “Will you help me?” He wrapped his fingers around the rag beside it.
“Yeah.” He killed someone. In cold blood. I should see him differently afterwards. Anyone else would run but I got closer. It didn't matter what Nova did. I was never meant to go in any direction but him. Yes, he took a life like it was nothing but he also prevented the man from hurting more innocent people. The man he killed wasn't human. He wasn't a creature either. He was the real definition of monster and so was Henry. What they looked like on the outside didn't define them, who they were on the inside did.
The rag was dry and a little rough when I took it from his hand. I soaked it in the cold water, grimacing. “You sure you don't want me to bring warm water from my house?”
“It's okay. I'm used to it and I'm not ready to see you in another room so soon.”
His eyes closed and he tilted his head back as I cleaned his skin. I did the best I could with what I had, and when a majority of the blood was gone, I yanked him through the portal and we took a shower. He got in before me this time, looking as perfect as ever, naked and wet in my house.
Twenty one
Nova
Franky and I got into the guard's car after our shower. He had the man's phone in his hand and messaged Henry from it. I read over his shoulder as he hit send.
It's done. The doctor won't be a problem anymore.
Henry: Good. Now hurry up and come get me. I'm starving, and you have no food in your house.
Be there soon.
“He probably has Edgar with him. How should we do this?”
“I don't know.” I grabbed the phone and searched through it. “We can't involve the cops now. How will we explain having this guy's phone?”
He started the car and pulled onto the street. “They won't find it on us. They'll find it on Henry.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think I have a plan.” He pointed to the glove box, turning the car around. “Look for something with his address on it. Insurance card, old mail.”
I found an old electricity bill and put the address in the GPS. Franky and I arrived there within fifteen minutes. He parked down the street from the house and made me wait in the car as he placed the guard's phone inside the vehicle Henry drove here in. A light behind a large window turned on, and Franky ducked behind a bush as the front door opened. I stayed low in my seat, not sitting back up until the driver's door was being pulled open.
“That was close,” Franky said, sliding in beside me. “Maybe he heard the car driving close by. He's waiting for his buddy and is probably growing paranoid.”
“What do we do now?”
“Leave this car here and call the cops.”
“And tell them what?”
“That Henry has Edgar, and he said to meet him at this address if I want my friend back.”
I laughed when he took small packets of alcohol out of his pocket. He really did carry them everywhere. After wiping down everything we touched, we got out of the car and headed to the nearest bus stop. Franky had made the call before we got on the bus and the cops said they were on their way.
“They said they'll call me if they need anything else. Gave me the whole ‘don't leave town bullshit.’ Apparently I really was on some watchlist. I told them Henry wasn't supposed to even be here but got through the portal somehow anyway.”
“Hopefully he won't hear them coming and try to flee.”
“I don't think they are planning to show up with sirens blaring.”
