Assumptions
Nine
“What are you two talking about?” Melissa said, joining them. There were tears in her eyes, and a tremor in her speech. Patrick, still a malformed dog, was already asleep within the cage.
Christian, knowing Adrian was exhausted, took charged of telling her the story.
“Melissa,” Adrian said when Christian finished, “I hope you understand, but after what happened, Patrick and I have to leave. Out of the country…”
“You want to keep him away from me,” she replied. There was no resentment in her voice, only understanding. “He shouldn’t be allowed to run around every time coming after me, should he?”
Adrian shook his head. “It would be dangerous,” he said. “Even though he would not harm you, it is evident that he would attack other people to get to you.” he gestured at Christian’s mending wrist. “It would only be prudent to leave the country, where a barrier of water will prevent him from being tempted to run away from his designated hunting grounds…”
Melissa nodded. “Yeah…” she said, tears flowing freely from her eyes. “You know what’s weird?” she looked at her best friend and Adrian. “It never bothered me that he was a werewolf… it didn’t matter to me…”
Adrian held her hand. “We’ll come back,” he told her. “The moment he’s completely cured, we’ll come back to you.” And for the first time in her presence, he smiled.
*
The next day, Melissa woke up in her own bedroom. She had no recollection of how she got there, but she was quite sure she had fallen asleep next to Patrick’s cage. She got up and realized her phone was ringing. It was Christian.
“They’re gone,” he told her the moment she answered it.
“Who?”
“Patrick and Adrian,” Christian said impatiently. “I’m in front of their house right now. It’s completely empty.”
Melissa’s heart sank. She knew it was going to happen as soon as possible, of course. Adrian had suspected that the police would show up anytime soon. But she had been expecting a proper goodbye of some sort. Apparently Adrian didn’t think it was practical. Why was he always so cold, so logical? Was he completely devoid of emotion? She wouldn’t know, it was Christian who he talked to that night…
A spot of black on her purple-covered bedside table caught her eye. It was the roughly made dog figurine. It was sitting on a piece of paper. She picked it up and felt her heart soar at what it contained:
“Be by your phone midnight. ~Patrick”
There was no need for a goodbye, after all, she laughed. He would be back before she knew it, cured and curse free. And besides, there was always a phone call to look forward to.
Christian, knowing Adrian was exhausted, took charged of telling her the story.
“Melissa,” Adrian said when Christian finished, “I hope you understand, but after what happened, Patrick and I have to leave. Out of the country…”
“You want to keep him away from me,” she replied. There was no resentment in her voice, only understanding. “He shouldn’t be allowed to run around every time coming after me, should he?”
Adrian shook his head. “It would be dangerous,” he said. “Even though he would not harm you, it is evident that he would attack other people to get to you.” he gestured at Christian’s mending wrist. “It would only be prudent to leave the country, where a barrier of water will prevent him from being tempted to run away from his designated hunting grounds…”
Melissa nodded. “Yeah…” she said, tears flowing freely from her eyes. “You know what’s weird?” she looked at her best friend and Adrian. “It never bothered me that he was a werewolf… it didn’t matter to me…”
Adrian held her hand. “We’ll come back,” he told her. “The moment he’s completely cured, we’ll come back to you.” And for the first time in her presence, he smiled.
*
The next day, Melissa woke up in her own bedroom. She had no recollection of how she got there, but she was quite sure she had fallen asleep next to Patrick’s cage. She got up and realized her phone was ringing. It was Christian.
“They’re gone,” he told her the moment she answered it.
“Who?”
“Patrick and Adrian,” Christian said impatiently. “I’m in front of their house right now. It’s completely empty.”
Melissa’s heart sank. She knew it was going to happen as soon as possible, of course. Adrian had suspected that the police would show up anytime soon. But she had been expecting a proper goodbye of some sort. Apparently Adrian didn’t think it was practical. Why was he always so cold, so logical? Was he completely devoid of emotion? She wouldn’t know, it was Christian who he talked to that night…
A spot of black on her purple-covered bedside table caught her eye. It was the roughly made dog figurine. It was sitting on a piece of paper. She picked it up and felt her heart soar at what it contained:
“Be by your phone midnight. ~Patrick”
There was no need for a goodbye, after all, she laughed. He would be back before she knew it, cured and curse free. And besides, there was always a phone call to look forward to.