Talisman 12
After a great set at the Rat's Nest, Galen and Flash begin to exhibit strange behaviour. Can Rob figure out how to help them before he falls victim to what's affecting his brother and friend?
Featuring Galen, Rob, Parry and Bobby Emrys, Flash Lynch, Rhiannon, Becci, Sarah and Mike.
xposted at fanfiction.net
Disclaimer: Characters out of a books series called Custodes Noctis. Book one - The Legacy and now available Book Two - The Hunt. Characters used with permission.
Author’s Notes: This story was written for Muffy’s birthday last September. Funny how it’s the end of March and I’m not done posting yet. Almost there folks. Epilogue to follow next week. Thanks Muffy for letting me play with your universe. I promise that when this is all over you can have them back... ok maybe all but Flash, I may have to keep him. The klutzes of this world need to stick together.
Let me know what you think.
Talisman
Chapter 12
The next morning Galen woke up knowing something was wrong. The apartment was deathly still, no movement whatsoever. Not even the usual dust that could be seen floating in the morning sun rays seemed to be there. It wasn’t totally odd that Rob wasn’t there. After all, he wasn’t his little brother’s keeper and he did have a life. But after the last crazy days, it worried him that his little brother wasn’t around.
He puttered around knowing there was time before he had to open the store. Galen tidied up and pointedly ignored his guitar. He wanted to give it a few more days before he gave in to his need to play.
Taking a handful of dirty dishes into the kitchen, he spotted the note on the kitchen counter. A feeling of dread spread over him as he picked it up.
Hey. I need a bit of space and time. Don’t worry. I’m not angry and I will be ok. I’ll check in now and then.
Rob
The words changed dread into full blown fear in his belly, but knew he needed to give Rob this. He was tempted to open the link to connect with Rob to make sure he was ok, but his brother had needed space and he would respect that, for a few hours anyway.
With a tired sigh, he went for a quick shower. He had a store to open in a few minutes.
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Rob rubbed his fingers over his eyes for a moment while he waited at the drive-thru window. He glanced at the clock in the car and knew his brother would have been up by now and found his note.
He felt a bit guilty for leaving without talking to Galen first, but the apartment seemed to be closing in on him and he’d just had to leave. He’d quashed the feeling long enough to put a few clothes into a bag and write his brother a note. Then he was gone.
Rob planned to just drive, clear his head and try to settle with the fact that what he’d grown up with was a lie. Dad hadn’t betrayed him, Galen had. But at the same time betrayal was wrong, neither of them had, not really, but right now he was so angry, so hurt that it felt exactly just that.
This was part of the problem. He was warring with himself. Part of him understood, but the other part that hurt so much just couldn’t settle with it. After spending so much time roaming, it felt right to just drive and let his mind work it out while his jeep ate up the miles of road like he had before he’d been found by Galen again.
A honk behind him and the insistent voice next to his ear brought him back to the present. The girl in the window was holding his coffee. “Huh?”
“Your coffee, mister. You ok?”
“Ah, yeah. Not awake yet,” Rob said as he took his coffee from her. “Thanks.”
Rob considered that maybe he should stop and take a break. He’d driven as far as Salem, Oregon, down the I-5, just now stopping for the first time to get coffee.
As he drove away from the coffee shop he had a need to see the ocean again. He diverted from I-5 and headed down the 22, looking forward to seeing the Oceanside again.
And so it went for a week. Making decisions as he drove aimlessly down back country highways, staying away from the major roads. Rob stopped when he was tired, ate if he got hungry, and drank gallons of coffee and pop.
He blew through Oregon in hours, down into California and over to Las Vegas. He drove through and didn’t stay. He wasn’t in the mood for company and Vegas was always busy with people. He headed up the 93 and hit his proverbial wall as he entered into Caliente. He knew he needed to sleep, his eyes were gritty and his limbs heavy with exhaustion. He stopped at the Shades Inn and collapsed onto the mattress, asleep before his head hit the pillow.
Rob startled out of sleep with Galen screaming his name in his head.
‘Gods, Rob! Please! Answer me! What’s wrong? Where are you? If you need me I’ll be there, wherever you are. Just, man, please answer me. ROB!’
Rob rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he sent calming, sleepy feelings back to his big brother. ‘I’m ok. Sorry was sleeping. I didn’t hear you. I’m ok ,Galen. Really, I’m ok.’
‘Sleeping?’ Galen sent back the words almost vibrated with fear, some relief and scepticism. ‘Dude, it’s four in the afternoon. You with someone?’
‘What? No, it can’t…Oh, I guess it is,’ Rob said as he glanced at the clock on the table next to his bed. ‘Sorry, man. I… I’m ok. And if you must know I’m alone.’
‘You sure?’
“Yeah. Bed’s almost too small for me.’
‘Rob,’ Galen said his frustration coming through loud and clear.
‘Yeah, man. I am. I’m kinda hungry but well rested,’ he sent with a chuckle over their connection. He shifted to sit up. ‘Gods, I think I slept for like fifteen hours.’
‘Alright. If you’re sure you’re sure,’ Galen said, reluctant to let go of the connection.
‘Yeah,’ Rob said, sending exasperation and affection to his brother
‘Ok, Brat. Contact me when you need to but definitely two days from now.’
And so it had gone from then. Rob would check in every other day. The connection was short. Literally 'hey, I’m alive and ok.' And that was it.
Rob got into a pattern of driving, and stopping only when he had to. He’d made his way back towards the water. He’d missed being in the dry desert with his friend Billy who’d taught him how to deal with his Gift. But he found he missed the water even more.
He found himself locked in a daze of trying to work out what Galen had told him and making peace with it. He avoided people in general and just kept driving.
He blew a tire in a small community outside of Astoria, Oregon. While waiting for the new tire to be installed, and the old rim fixed, he’d taken a stroll and come across a closed off street with tented booths on the waterfront.
Amused, he walked around the various stalls with homemade crafts. There were baked goods, where he snagged an apple turnover and a coffee from the next booth. There were artists with drawings, paintings as well as wood crafts. But the one stall that got him held jewellery. He looked through the necklaces, brooches, rings, and other items for pierced areas. They all held stones in them, jade, amethyst, hematite, and others that sparkled in the bright sunshine. Then there was a small open wooden box with different coloured polished rocks and a stack of small black velvet bags. He ran his fingers through the cool items before walking away with a smile for the owner.
They’d had nice items, eye catching pieces, but nothing that interested him enough to buy. The designs were all basic and bland, depending on the flashy stones to sell them.
Four stalls later, past wood carvings, candles, tarot readers and skin care booths was another jewellery stall. He was about to turn back, figuring it was another run of the mill place when light flashed off a silver amulet, catching his attention.
He smiled as he went over to look at it. He took it off the peg and held it in his hand. It had a good sturdy weight, good craftsmanship, and had the stamp of silver on the base. Rob knew exactly who that amulet needed to belong to.
Rob looked at the woman behind the table. “How much?”
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He’d turned straight back towards home after that. Galen’s gift had arrived weeks ago. It was a smaller item but had been hand crafted by a certified metal smith. He’d been amazed when it had been delivered even though he’d drawn out the piece himself. It had come out way better than he hoped. It was well balanced, light, durable and sharp. Very sharp.
After what had transpired over the last several weeks, Rob was as nervous as he had been near his 13th birthday with his brother’s gift back then
Still a few hours out he opened their link. ‘Galen?’
‘ROB!’ Galen replied instantly. Relief and affection hitting the younger man immediately. “You ok?”
“Yeah I’m good. Real good. In fact I’ll be home in a few… make that an hour and a half.’
‘That’s great, Brat! Find what you were looking for?’
‘Yeah. Think I did.’
‘Good. Hungry?’
‘Starving. Haven’t eaten all day.’
‘I’ll have Thai here for you,’
‘Thanks.’
‘Yeah. I missed you man. Hurry up,’ Galen sent before turning down the link.
Rob couldn’t help the smile that lit up his face. He pushed a CD into the player and immediately ‘Jupiter’ began playing. He was truly on his way home.
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Rob made it home a little less than an hour later. It was late enough that the shop was closed up tight for the night, and for him to know his brother wasn’t home. It gave him time to clean up a bit and throw a load into the wash.
“Rob?” Galen called as he hurried up the steps. “Man, you must have flown.”
“Almost,” Rob said as he came out of his room.
Galen put the bags of food on the table and hurried over to his little brother. He looked him up and down, looking for any signs that things were wrong but found none. Then he was wrapping his arms around him in a crushing hug. ‘I missed you, Brat.’
Rob held on just as tightly. ‘Me too.’
Galen pulled back but kept a hand on his shoulder. “You ok?”
Rob gave him a smile. “Yeah. I really am. With everything.”
“Good,” Galen said, giving his shoulder a squeeze before letting go. “Scared the crap outta me, but you’ll make it up. You get to open for the next two weeks.”
Rob nodded. He glanced down at the bags on the table, then back to his brother. The question was clear on his face.
Galen laughed. “Flash was in the store when you said you were on the way home.”
“Lemme guess. He’s out getting refreshments?”
“Yeah.”
Flash came up the stairs a short bit later with two cases of beer. “And the kid returns!” he exclaimed with a huge grin. He quickly put down the beers and grabbed Rob into a bone-cracking hug.
“Dude, need to breathe,” Rob croaked out.
Flash laughed softly and stepped back, then turned deadly serious. “Scared the hell out of your big brother. Don’t do it again.”
“C’mon Flash,” Galen said as he came out of the kitchen with plates in one hand and three cold beers in the other. “Put the beer in the fridge and leave Rob alone.”
Rob was frowning at Galen. ‘What?’
‘Kinda worried you might not come back is all. You’re here. It’s all that matters,’ Galen said with a shrug.
‘Really?’
‘Nah. Totally knew you were coming back,’ Galen replied and gave his brother a grin. “Hey, you hangin' out in the kitchen all night or what?”
“Your fridge does not hold beer in their respective cases anymore,” Flash complained. “Fix it later.”
Galen rolled his eyes and threw a napkin at him. It bounced off his friend’s forehead much to the Emrys' amusement.
“Abuse. All I get is abuse,” Flash grumbled as he fought back a grin.
Dinner was a loud happy affair. After they sprawled out in the living room watching a movie on mute as Flash provided a commentary.
Rob slowly stood up, yawned loudly and headed for his room.
“Hey, it’s a bit early for bed,” Flash said as he sat up.
“Man, it’s three in the morning,” Galen said softly.
“Yeah. Early,” Flash said seriously.
“Not going to bed,” Rob said before going into his room and coming out a moment later. He held a small white box in his hands which he tossed at Flash.
“What’s this?”
“Open it and find out,” Rob said with a smile.
“It’s not my birthday,” Flash said as he shook it gently.
“Nope,” Rob said then glanced at Galen.
‘Smaller than a bread box. Am I going to have to clean up a bunch of confetti or something?’
‘Galen that’s lame, even for you. It’s a good thing, really. Trust me.’
‘Ok.’
Flash looked at Rob for a second before ripping the paper off the package. “Oh my God,” he whispered.
“What is it?” Galen asked.
“Where...” Flash said softly before he cleared his throat. “Where’d you find it?”
“Its close, isn’t it?” Rob asked hopefully. “It reminded me of the drawing you showed me once. The one you were going to get tattooed once you and Galen got a record deal for The Urban Werewolves?”
“Yeah,” Flash said as he breathed out. Slowly he pulled out the item by a thick black cord.
Galen stared at the amulet for a moment before looking at his little brother. ‘You had it made?’
‘No. Found it while I was thinking things through. Gave me an answer I wasn’t looking for.’
‘Which was?’
‘It was time to come home and to let the past be just what it was. I can’t change it, for better or for worse. I just needed to accept it and let it be.’
Flash cradled the amulet in the palm of his hand. “This is almost just like my great-great-grandfathers. The Celtic knots around the outside and the swirls in the middle,” he shook his head. “I can’t believe it.”
Rob cleared his throat and looked back at Flash. “I’ve cleansed it and smudged it. Shouldn’t give you any problems.”
Flash put it on and smiled. “Thanks Rob, really man,” he said as he slipped it on over his head.
To be continued..
Epilogue: http://infinit-shadw.livejournal.com/8414.html.