A Two Sided Coin

Carson woke up in a typical hospital room, white walls, curtains, the beeping of medical instruments. He looked across the room to see Tyra reading a magazine.

Without looking up she said, “Good, you’re awake."

He sat up on the bed. He was surprisingly healthy and able to move. He was reveling in his surprising ability to move when a thought struck him.

"Wheres Vander?" he asked.

Tyra looked directly at him this time, her magazine no longer her sole focus, "Gone. He left after you went into your inner hell. He said that he had left things to me."

Carson looked at her this time, really looked, she seemed to be different than before, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "

Gone? But... There’s so much I need to know."

Tyra smiled at him sadly, "I know. Luckily he left me with anything you need to know. The wants unfortunately were left out, blanks unfilled."

Carson tried to get out of the hospital bed but Tyra walked over to him, placed a hand on his shoulder and forced him to sit down.

"Let me cut to the chase... Kern isn't gone." Tyra said matter of factly.

He looked at her in horror. Fear started to override all thought, but just before he let it take over, he heard Tyra speak again.

"The physical manifestation of Kern is gone. But his spirit and power over your magic is still there. Every time you use magic you will struggle with the dark pull Kern has over you. After all he is still a part of you, you two have become enmeshed."

Carson tried to calm down, his heart still racing, pounding blood and adrenalin through his veins. After all this was good news, to an extent.

Tyra sat down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder, "I know you’re afraid and scared but you need to move on. You need to help people. You still have amazing gifts that can save people from their own inner Kern. We can help them."

Tyra remained seated and waited patiently for his response. After a few moments he sat up straighter and turned to her with an adventurous glint in his eye.

"Alright… Let's do it. I know that I can’t just return to a “normal” life after all that’s happened. I have to put my past and power to use,” he paused, thoughts formulating, “We need to go back to where this all started. If we don’t go to the source of this thing we aren’t going to be doing any real good. We need to take down the organization.”

Tyra smiled at him, a simple, gentle smile and nodded her head in agreement.

Carson stood up and walked determinedly towards the door then stopped, "Have you taken care of all the problems here, for now?"

Tyra looked away for a moment, then glanced back at Carson, "Yes. I've wiped the town’s memory of any events that transpired after Kern’s arrival, aside from Kate and a boy named Evan. Evan was a boy Kern attacked and a close friend of Kate’s. And Kate, doesn't remember anything when she went berserk. I've explained things to them as well. But... This town will take some time to recover." Her last few words were said gently, trying to take out any implied jab.

***Point Of View Change***

Carson nodded quickly and left, but before he went out the door Tyra saw a tear in his eye. She waited a few moments after he left, then stood up and looked out the window. She smiled sadly as she looked out into the deep blue sky. He has changed, she thought, for better or for worse, he has changed. Tyra turned and walked towards the door, changing her smile along the way. She would be strong; she would follow in his footsteps, forever.

The end of A Two Sided Coin.