Chapter 36: Troglodyte

Carey appeared in the orphanage garden from think air . This time he wore his more subdued form . Gone were the jewels , golden bracelets and necklaces , and all the shiny fabrics . Instead he wore a simple loin cloth and an old looking brown cloak .

He sat on the fountain and sighed heavily , his face a dark scowl . But then the scowl cracked and his face turned to one of woe and sorrow . He soon covered his face and wept bitterly .

For how long !? He thought painfully . How much longer would he have to stay trapped ? To be nothing but a reflection on glass ? He didn't know how long he could last , especially after tasting a bit of freedom . When he kissed Henric , he had absorbed some of his soul essence and he could now manifest a physical form . He could feel and touch if he focused hard enough , temporarily but it was far better than nothing .

Did he feel about taking a bit if Henric's soul ?

No , he didn't . Even if Henric was someone special to him , Carey was not that empathetic to people anymore . He just needed people when they were useful and when they outlived their usefulness , he would discard them like -

" No ! " Carey said angrily, " I am not like that . I am not a - "

{ A monster ? } The voice said inside Carey's head . It was a voice he had grown to hate and despise . But he couldn't fight it , he could not resist it , only listen to it .

{ Exactly . You should listen to me . } The voice continued , it was a deep voice with a high alto tone .

" Go away . I don't want to listen to you . I don't want to hear you . " Carey said vehemently .

{ I can't leave . I want to , I truly do , but you won't let me . } The voice said with just as much hatred in its voice .

" I will never let you go . Not now or ever . " Carey said as he balled his fist .

{ You fool ... if you escape ... so do I . } The voice said snidely , { And should you think of leaving me alone in ... there . I will kill him . That weak human boy . I'll tear his - }

" ENOUGH ! " Carey yelled and the fountain water ripppled , as the rose petals swayed as if in a strong wind .

" No , more . No more . " Carey said softly .

{ You . Will . Never . Win .} The voice said before it vanished .

Carey fisted his hands and felt more tears coming but before they fell , he vanished in the blink of an eye .

After two minutes , River came out from behind the pillar he had been hiding behind .

" That was very ... odd . " He stated and he went to stand next to the garden . He stood straight and took a deep breath .

" Any day now ," he said for , the who knew how many times , " He'll be back . "

......

" Oh bless the Virgin and Saints be praised , you're all right . " Henric said as he looked at his friends , Stuart and Link , as they came in . Stuart took a seat next to him but Link stayed standing .

Henric lay on a wooden bed in the infirmary , his body covered by blankets and a towel on his forehead , which he quickly took off .

" Henric , I'm so glad to see you ," Stuart said happily , " Are you not happy as well Link ? "

" Oh , sure I'm thrilled . Thrilled to be aching from kneeling and being swat at like the world's ugliest fly . " Link said sardonically , " Meanwhile , he's here , resting easy . Look at him , pampered like a baby . "

" Link that isn't very - " Stuart started but Link gave him a look and Stuart realised then how angry Link was . It would be better for him to get everything off his chest , so Stuart looked down .

" What do you mean ? Sister Irene did not tell me that - " Henric started but Link cut him off .

" That we were being punished for your little trick in the pool ? Of course not , why would she tell a man near death's door that ? " Link said and then he gritted his teeth , " The hours , me and Stuart spent on that floor ain't not to be counted because if they were and if I was to see the number . I'd bloody skin you Henric ! "

" Link ! " Stuart said admonishing him but there was no stopping Link when he lost his temper .

" What ? It's bloody true . If there is one thing I regret , it's meeting you . " Link said turning around but before he walked out the door , he paused , " The sister told us to pray for your forgiveness and that grace came to you . "

" I didn't pray for that . " Link said turning around and his eyes were obscured by the shadows , " I prayed you'd go already . Things would be so much better . Stuart would stop worrying about you , no one would have to live up to your standards and maybe you could see your beloved sister Cali again . "

" Link ! " Stuart said in horror . That was beyond cruel and he looked at Henric's face . There he saw pain , bitterness and shame in Henric's eyes . Oh , no , Stuart thought sadly .

" I'm sorry for him . He's just really hungry and tired . " Stuart explained but Henric just sat up and held the cover blankets with an iron like grip .

" He's right . I'm sorry about everything . The lying and the happening at the fountain . I didn't know any of it would occur . " Henric said to him .

" It's okay , I believe you . " Stuart said softly and then he too a deep breath , " But ... can you tell me ... everything ? "

" Everything ? All of it ? " Henric asked him apprehensively and Stuart nodded his head .

" I was possessed by a ghost , I think I deserve the truth . Don't you ? " Stuart asked Henric with a smile but both boys knew it was fake . They were making light of it but Stuart being possessed was something serious and they would talk about it ... later .

Henric sighed before nodding his head . Stuart deserved the truth , as did Link if he ever came back . Henric decided to tell Stuart everything , he started from the moment Sister Cali was about to leave , then to the mirror , then to the images in the glass , the voices and the vision and dreams . The more Henric talked and told , the wider Stuart's eyes became but when he reached the part of Carey kissing him , he frowned slightly but let Henric carry on .

Soon Stuart's shocked face was a deep frown and when Henric was done , he was looking at Henric with a strange look .

" I've told you everything , what do you think ? Please , do not call me mad . " Henric said .

" No ... No , I can not say you are mad . I was possessed , I have no right on calling you insane . " Stuart said slowly , " But Henric , I have a question to ask you . "

" Just one ? I believed it would be dozens more . " Henric said with a small smile but Stuart didn't return it .

" You talk about this mirror person , Carey as if he torments you . " Stuart said and Henric nodded his head .

" He does . Always whispering and telling me things I don't want to hear . He often mocks my faith in the Father. " Henric said and Stuart nodded his head , his face thoughtful .

" If he hurts you ... why do you help him ? " Stuart asked him .

" What ? Help him ? Because I have no choice . You remember what I said of the night of the storm ? " Henric said , " He shouted in my mind , nearly driving me mad. I tell you , it was quite painful . "

" Did he control your body ? " Stuart asked him .

" I thought you said one question ? " Henric said .

" Just answer it . " Stuart said with a huff .

" No , he didn't . He just sounded so broken I couldn't not help him . "

" So it was your choice ... I thought so . " Stuart said with a scowl .

" Why are you angry ? " Henric asked in confusion .

" Because you ... You are ... you are a troglodyte Henric . " Stuart said angrily , " You complain about this mirror person abusing you but from what you have said it doesn't seem to me as if he even wants to torment you . He cries when you insult him , begs you for help and then you try to help him ."

" Stuart , I don't believe you heard what I said , he is a friend on many occasions . Just as I was sleeping he appeared in my dream and tried to seduce me . " Henric said calmly but Stuart only scowled harder .

" A kiss ? That's what you call seduction ? I forget you know so little but this beyond comprehensible . " Stuart said and then he gave Henric a hard look .

" You kissed him back , why ? " Stuart asked him .

" I was tired of being his play thing . I thought I could trick him into revealing more about himself if I acted as if I was succumbing . " Henric said and Stuart looked as if Henric had slapped him .

" You are ... ashamed. " Stuart said and Henric scowled himself , " You are ashamed of yourself , of him and us. "

" What ? What are you meaning by that statement ? " Henric asked him .

" You are ashamed of the way you feel , about him and about the way I feel for Link . " Stuart said looking at him with sad tears .

" I am not ashamed of you and Link . You are my friends . What you feel for each other is not my concern. " Henric said but Stuart shook his head .

" You say that , you think it , but you don't believe it . " Stuart said getting up from the chair he had sat on , " I'm leaving . I don't think I can stand this ontop of everything else . "

" Stuart wait ! Just listen . I don't feel anything for the mirror person . I can't . It's wr- " Henric stopped himself before he finished the word but Stuart had heard enough .

" Sleep well Henric . I hope you rest well . " Stuart said softly before leaving the room .

Henric looked at the shut door for a few minutes before he layed back down and closed his eyes . But he didn't sleep well and Stuart and Link didn't come back to visit him . No one but Sister Irene came to check on him and eventually Henric realized no one was coming .

What had he done wrong ?