‘I thought it was the real world,’ Bear says, still looking round. ‘How can it be watched?’
Prisha goes to speak but stops as Lars shakes his head then motions for the front door.
‘We’re walking you through town,’ Prisha tells Bear. Her voice strong and confident but the way she said it means something, like he should react.
‘There’s some people outside,’ she continues.
‘I don’t know what that means…I only…we only got here yesterday. Was it yesterday? I’ve lost track but…’
‘Means folk are angry,’ Lars cuts in.
‘Angry?’ Bear asks.
‘When we go out you keep on ahead…’
‘I…’ Bear stammers, unsure of what to say or what’s going on. ‘Sure,’ he whispers for want of anything else.
‘Prisha,’ Lars says, nodding at the door. She goes ahead, pushing the door open to prop open before moving out of sight. ‘Go on now.’
Bear follows her, feeling like a criminal in prison coveralls. His bare feet padding across the wooden floor and through the door to the sidewalk and a bright sun glaring down that makes him wince and shield his eyes.
‘This way,’ Prisha says.
He blinks and gains his vision, seeing groups of people standing nearby watching in silence. More down the street by the planning offices. Far more than he thought possible. He didn’t realise Discovery had so many people. He hears mutters and low voices with dark angry expressions while following deputy Prisha out into the road. Sheriff Lars walking behind with his shotgun across the crook of his arms.
He spots bruised faces here and there and people with bandages and dressings milling near the entrance to the hospital. He looks up, seeing Doctor Lucy watching from a window.
‘Murderer,’ someone mutters from his right. The word is repeated as he walks down the centre of the road. He spots people with eyes red from crying that look shocked and in grief.
‘He’s a murderer,’ someone else says.
‘Exile him…’
‘Send him back…’
‘Scum…’
‘Murderer…’
‘What’s going on?’ Bear mutters, not understanding anything going on and wishing Zara and Thomas were here. ‘Why are they calling me a murderer?’ he asks Prisha.
‘Just keep going,’ she says from in front.
They walk on down Main Street to a part of town Bear hasn’t seen before. Shops, stores, grocery places and bars. The town is bigger than he thought. Deceptively so and the groups of people still shout as they pass by, trudging on what feels like the condemned man’s walk-of-death to the electric chair or the noose. He starts to get worried, his senses coming alive as he gauges distance to Prisha and turns his head to clock positioning of Lars, looking for ways out, for vehicles that he could use and deciding he’ll run for the treeline at the far end of town.
‘Don’t,’ Lars says from behind.
‘Where’s Roshi?’ Bear asks, his voice stronger, harder. Prisha turns in alarm, seeing the change in the man, his head now higher and those soft brown pensive eyes hardening by the second.
‘HEY,’ a voice calls out from behind them, breaking the escalating tension as they turn to see Doctor Lucy jogging towards them.
‘What are you doing?’ Prisha asks, moving to intercept her.
‘Walking with him,’ Lucy replies with a look that dares her to try and block the way. ‘You’re marching him down here like a criminal. Are you okay, Bear?’
‘Lucy, you should…’
‘Fuck off, Lars,’ she says, brushing past to Bear’s side, looping her arm through his. ‘How you doing?’ she asks gently then leans closer to whisper. ‘Lose the angry eyes or they’ll shoot you.’
He swallows, looking down and breathing in. ‘What’s going on?’ he asks as they set off walking again.
‘Carnage mate. Had all sorts of injuries coming in. Gunshots, trauma…’
‘Lucy,’ Lars snaps.
‘Ah piss off. I’m not telling him anything…’
‘Murderer…’
‘SCUM…EXILE HIM…’
‘Oh, hey, Jonesy,’ Doctor Lucy calls out, waving a hand at the angry man shouting from the crowd. ‘How’s your crabs, mate? They cleared up yet? Try washing, it might help…ignore them,’ she tells Bear. ‘Small town, something happens, and they all go mad.’
‘Where’s Roshi?’
She hesitates, pursing her lips then offering a tight smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. ‘Speak to the Old Lady,’ she says kindly, squeezing his arm. ‘You’ll be fine.’
24
WEDNESDAY
He places it down gently before running back through town, into Main Street, past the big houses, up the hill to his bar to the pulls up and press ups.
Tea. Toast. Shower, dressed and out to Thomas in his boxer shorts. To Zara and down to the diner for the Wednesday morning scrambled eggs on toast.
‘How was the run?’ Zara asks, sipping her coffee.
‘Good,’ Bear says.
‘You’ve got psych eval this morning.’
‘I’ll go,’ Thomas says eagerly.
‘She’s not that pretty…’ Zara mutters.
‘I was joking,’ Thomas says, seeing the scowl.
A glorious cold, crisp day waits as they leave the diner with Bear peeling off to the hospital.
‘ENTER,’ a mock deep voice and he can’t help but smile as he walks in, snorting a laugh at the sight of Doctor Lucy behind her desk wearing a fake beard and glasses. ‘I am Professor Luciano,’ she says deeply. ‘Doctor Lucy is busy today.’
‘Busy, yeah?’
‘Yes,’ Lucy says in that mock deep voice. ‘She is putting on sexy lingerie to try and lure her next patient…’
‘Fuck’s sake…’
‘Joking mate,’ she says, pulling the beard and glasses off. ‘Or am I?’
‘Where are we?’ he asks.
‘In the hospital.’
‘Lucy,’ he groans, ‘in here or…’
‘On the bed?’ she asks, nodding at him with a wink. ‘Get naked and comfy?’
‘Oh, my god, you’re a sex pest.’
‘Fact,’ she says. ‘I need therapy. Wanna be my therapist?’ she asks, walking out from behind her desk. ‘We could do that new saturation thing where we just fuck like mad until I get it out of my system…’
‘What would you do if I actually said yes?’ he asks, following her through the door at the end.
‘Shit myself,’ she laughs over her shoulder. ‘Are you looking at my arse?’ she asks, catching his eyes angled down.
‘No,’ he says simply, walking behind her into a small room with a sofa and two armchairs.
‘Seriously though,’ she says, sitting down in one of the armchairs and looking jaw-droppingly stunning in a tight pencil skirt and simple green jumper. ‘I probably would.’
‘Would what?’ he asks, losing the thread for a second.
‘Have sex mate, gee, keep up will ya…’
‘I’m so reporting you.’
‘Yeah, you do that,’ she says, smiling as he sits down. ‘So, how are you?’ she changes instantly, her tone warm, soft and genuinely caring. Her hands folded neatly on her lap.
‘Fine, thank you,’ he says politely.
‘Good week?’
‘Yeah, yeah, all good,’ he replies.
‘Busy?’
‘Ah, you know…Zara keeps us working.’
‘Gotta love that girl,’ Lucy says, arching her eyebrows. ‘She got over herself yet? How is the Fuhrer anyway?’
‘She’s fine. Zara’s lovely.’
‘No mate, I’m lovely. Zara’s an uptight bitch. Don’t laugh at me…say it…’
‘I’m not saying it.’
‘Say it, say I’m lovely.’
‘You’re lovely.’
‘Whoa, ethics here. I’m your doctor. How’s James? Still got a huge penis?’
‘I don’t know. I never saw his penis.’
/> ‘I did. Huge mate,’ she says, holding her hands apart as though giving the size. ‘Thomas okay?’
‘Thomas is fine.’
‘Great chat, Bear,’ she beams, making him laugh before changing gear back down into the serious doctor again. ‘How’s the running?’
He nods, lowering his eyes. ‘Good.’
‘Have you thought about what we discussed? About decorating your place? Maybe getting some furniture…’
‘Nah it’s…I mean…we’ve got a lot on…like really busy.’
‘Tomo and Zara have done their places. Give me a key, I’ll do it. You trust me don’t you.’
‘Of course, I do.’
‘Do you really?’
‘Yes,’ he says honestly, looking across the short distance to her blue eyes.
‘Let me decorate then. It’s time to move on.’
He squirms, shifting position and blinking with discomfort. ‘Maybe.’
‘And, I was thinking…maybe I’ll start running in the mornings…’
‘Everyone wants to start running, I think,’ he says, rubbing his jaw.
‘No, Bear. People just want to get closer to you…’
‘Lucy…’
‘How about I start running and we change the route you do? How would that be?’
He swallows, his lips pursing. She reads him well, knowing she can push a little harder. ‘Decorate, move on…change the route…’ she leans forward, motioning for him to look at her. ‘There are lots of single women here, Bear. Meet someone…go for drinks, you only eat in the diner with James…try one of the bars or restaurants…’
He stiffens. His eyes hardening.
‘Ah, mate,’ she groans at his reaction to the word restaurant. ‘You do RLI’s in restaurants.’
‘It’s different,’ he says curtly.
‘Why? Because it’s work? Okay, tell you what…as part of your therapy, I insist you take me to dinner.’
‘Lucy.’
‘Not like that, Bear,’ she says calmly. ‘No sex jokes now, I mean it…take Zara…go with Tomo or…’
‘Ease up,’ he whispers, inhaling deeply.
‘No,’ she says softly, shaking her head. ‘It’s been six months. We’ve eased up…we’re not easing up anymore.’
The Day After.
‘Take it easy, you’ll be fine,’ Doctor Lucy says, rubbing his arm as they walk down through the town. ‘Could have given him some shoes, Lars,’ she snaps, glaring back at the Sheriff. ‘It’s hot as hell out here, he’ll burn his feet on the road.’
They approach a big house on a tree lined lane. Wooden construction and painted white giving it a grand colonial appearance. Willow trees in the grounds and manicured lawns filled with bird feeders.
Doctor Lucy stays at his side, gently refusing to answer direct questions but giving comfort by her presence and that alone stops Bear trying to make a run for it.
They don’t go for the front door but circumvent the house, walking round the side towards the rear gardens.
‘Bear!’ Zara cries out, rushing over with Thomas. Both of them in normal clothes but looking drawn and exhausted. Zara pulls him for a hug, her arms round his neck. ‘I was worried sick…’
‘Dude,’ Thomas says, his hand on Bear’s shoulder. ‘You okay? Zara kept telling them to let us see you…’
‘I said you had rights…I said holding you like that was wrong…’
‘Move on,’ Lars says from behind.
‘Give them a second, Lars,’ Doctor Lucy says.
‘Join the others,’ Lars says, ignoring the doctor as he reaches to grab Bear’s arm.
‘Touch me and I’ll hurt you…’
‘Whoa easy now,’ Doctor Lucy moves fast, pushing in front of Lars as Bear gives fair warning, his temper starting to prickle from the walk of shame he just endured and the lack of answers, the confusion and the tight ball of worry starting to gnaw in his gut.
‘Lars, old chap,’ Jacob says, striding over. ‘We’re fine now, you can relax…’
‘Oui yes, it is okay now, Bear is okay now,’ Pete says, his arm in a sling, his face covered in cuts and bruises. Jacob the same with purple hues on his skin. Bear looks round, seeing the guy that was dressed in a German officer’s uniform.
‘That’s Helmut,’ Jacob says. ‘The other woman is Martha…head of the planning offices.’
‘Bear,’ Martha says, studying him closely.
‘Where’s Roshi?’ he asks.
‘Easy now,’ Lucy says at his side, her hands on his arm.
‘Where’s Roshi?’ Bear asks again.
‘Maybe don’t crowd in, eh?’ Lucy says, looking round.
‘I’m fine,’ Bear says, his tone louder, his chin higher. ‘Where is Roshi? SOMEONE ANSWER ME…WHERE IS ROSHI?’
Tension rises. Palpable and dangerous because he is a dangerous man. Every person there saw what he did but hands reach up to grip his face, pulling his vision down to dark eyes that show no fear.
‘Listen to me,’ Zara says. ‘Stay calm. Do you understand?’
It shouldn’t work. Her tone should press buttons and make him worse. The way she grips his head too hard, the pressure too great but something in her hits the spot, making him nod.
‘Do not hurt anyone,’ she orders as Bear nods.
‘Dude, we’re right here,’ Thomas says.
‘Where’s Roshi?’ Bear asks again, his tone soft and confused, his eyes filling with tears that spill out over Zara’s hands. He swallows, his lips trembling as the emotion ripples out with Lucy covering her mouth while Pete and Jacob stare at the ground with pained expressions.
‘Well, now, you must be Bear…’ an English accent, clipped and educated coming from a middle-aged woman walking from the house clapping her hands together as though to rid the dust from an unpleasant chore. Blue jeans, a white blouse with the sleeves rolled up and the top few buttons left undone. Brown hair streaked with grey pulled back in a loose bun. ‘I’m the Old Lady…’
Six Months Later.
‘Bear?’ Lucy asks, seeing the vacant look on his face in the therapy room.
‘Yeah,’ he says gruffly, clearing his throat as he draws his mind back from six months ago.
‘Lost you for a minute. What were you thinking?’
‘Just er…you know…the day…when we walked through the town…’
‘Not a good day,’ she says, watching him closely. ‘But it was six months ago, Bear. Anyway. What do you think of my ideas? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Talk to me, Bear.’
‘I er…’ he looks down at his hands in his lap.
‘I care for you, Bear…Thomas does, Zara does…lots of people do. We want you to be happy.’
‘I’m fine,’ he says quietly.
‘It’s time, mate,’ she edges forward in the chair, reaching over to take his hands in a way to make him look up. ‘Got to move on.’
‘I don’t want to move on.’ A single tear forms in his eye. Gleaming and swelling, readying to break free but he blinks quickly, battering it away. ‘I’m fine as I am…’
‘Bear…it’s time to accept it. It’s time to stop running down there every morning…’
The Day After.
The Old Lady walks over to stand in front of him. That she has to crane her neck to look at him speaks of the size difference and she frowns as she studies him. ‘Handsome bugger, aren’t you…’
‘You’re not old,’ Thomas blurts, his eyes widening as he realises what just came out of his mouth.
‘I’m very old,’ the Old Lady says, turning to Thomas. ‘But then time is a dimension where everything happens in the same instance…so perhaps, I am not old.’
‘Roshi?’ Bear asks.
‘Dead,’ the Old Lady says bluntly.
A gut punch. A stab to the heart. He staggers back, unable to breath, unable to draw air.
‘Leave him,’ the Old Lady orders and such is her tone that compliance is given instantly. ‘That was a bloody mess,’ she glowers round at everyone. �
��What on earth were you all thinking?’
‘It’s entirely my fault,’ Martha says, lowering her head in shame.
‘No,’ Pete says deeply. ‘I did this…’
‘Shut up,’ the Old Lady snaps, silencing them as she stares at Bear looking shocked and drawn. ‘If it wasn’t for Bear a lot more people would be dead like Roshi…’
Bear tenses at her name. Thinking to rise and fight and kill everyone but finding no strength to do anything.
‘True death is an anomaly,’ the Old Lady announces, looking to Thomas and Zara. ‘Used to be rare. Now, not so. We lost several to true death from yesterday’s…skirmish…’ she says the word with distaste, pausing to think before turning away to walk briskly to a trestle table laid with a jug of clear iced liquid next to a glass. ‘Six Discovery operatives were lost to true death,’ she says, pouring from the jug. ‘Roshi and five others…four of whom were killed by Bear when he reacted on seeing Roshi fall…’
Six Months Later
The hour or so passes with Lucy pulling back from pushing Bear to let a gentle conversation flow. She takes him back to her suggestions a few times and lets her humour show with jokes to break the tension every now and then.
‘You alright?’ she asks, checking her watch, signalling it’s time to finish.
‘Yeah, yeah, good…thanks.’
‘Great,’ she says, shuffling forward to stand up as he looks over at her. ‘I so saw that.’
‘What?’
‘Looking up my skirt,’ she says, her eyes twinkling. ‘Devouring me with your hungry eyes…’
‘Fuck’s sake,’ he laughs it off, thinking back to Roshi standing over him in the masquerade room when she said he was looking up her dress.
‘What time then?’
‘Time?’ he asks, following her to the door.
‘Running in the morning. What time?’
‘Lucy, you don’t have to…’
‘Ah, mate, I want to,’ she says, whacking his arm. ‘My arse is getting flabby from sitting down all day.’
‘Your arse is perfect; we both know that…’
A Town Called Discovery Page 23