Time and the Hour Runs Through the Roughest Day
XXX
He stares at the mobile phone in his hand with a heavy heart. It’s not his fault, he knows that, he’s not to blame at all, but how could he expect Lyle to see it the same way? How could the lads expect leniency when they let that madwoman, Helen Cutter escape again? There will be severe retributions. Maybe not for him, he hadn’t been there when it happened, after all, but isn’t the bringer of bad news just as much to blame? He curses his bad luck again and dials the familiar number.
“Lyle? Sullivan here. We fucked up.”
XXX
She stares at the mobile phone in her hand with a heavy heart. Her body is still shivering from what she has seen today and not even the hot bath could rid her skin from the stench of fear. Part of her mind desperately wants to believe it’s been a hallucination but the images of claws and large teeth are still vivid in her mind, and she can still smell the stale breath of prehistoric creatures. They saved her. What kind of monster would feel no gratitude? But that doesn’t stop her from dialling the familiar number.
“Mick? It’s Caroline.”
XXX
The locked door, the shut blinds, the whiskey on the table in front of the couch. This is familiar territory. He has done it a million times after Helen disappeared. And he tries to ignore the voice in his mind that tells him it’s not the same at all. This time there’s no flicker of doubt, no faint hope. This time no loyal(?) friend will pick him up from the ground and force him to get out of bed. This time he’s alone.
And by the time there’s a hesitant knock on the door he’s too far gone to notice.
XXX
Stepping out of the ARC into the dark night Jenny allows herself a sigh of relief; everyone’s shocked muteness was becoming increasingly unbearable. The necessary phone calls had been made with as much professional composure as only possible - though, a tiny voice in her head tells her that this time she failed quite spectacularly at it. Crossing the road she notices the dim lights of the pub they all went to on Nick’s birthday - Stephen could never live that night down. She sighs tiredly and slaps herself mentally as she steps inside. You didn’t even like the guy that much.
XXX
His hands are shaking as he runs them through his hair. He has never felt such dread before, not in the deep hell of any cave, not during his first time with Lester, and not even facing bloodthirsty creatures from past and future. He takes a deep breath and knocks on the door.
“Coming,” Sam calls out, sounding entirely too naughty for his current frame of mind.
“Did a dinosaur eat your keys again, Hart?” Ryan’s laughing voice makes him want to run.
And Lyle knows he’ll cling to that last coy smile on Sam’s face for weeks to come.
He stares at the mobile phone in his hand with a heavy heart. It’s not his fault, he knows that, he’s not to blame at all, but how could he expect Lyle to see it the same way? How could the lads expect leniency when they let that madwoman, Helen Cutter escape again? There will be severe retributions. Maybe not for him, he hadn’t been there when it happened, after all, but isn’t the bringer of bad news just as much to blame? He curses his bad luck again and dials the familiar number.
“Lyle? Sullivan here. We fucked up.”
XXX
She stares at the mobile phone in her hand with a heavy heart. Her body is still shivering from what she has seen today and not even the hot bath could rid her skin from the stench of fear. Part of her mind desperately wants to believe it’s been a hallucination but the images of claws and large teeth are still vivid in her mind, and she can still smell the stale breath of prehistoric creatures. They saved her. What kind of monster would feel no gratitude? But that doesn’t stop her from dialling the familiar number.
“Mick? It’s Caroline.”
XXX
The locked door, the shut blinds, the whiskey on the table in front of the couch. This is familiar territory. He has done it a million times after Helen disappeared. And he tries to ignore the voice in his mind that tells him it’s not the same at all. This time there’s no flicker of doubt, no faint hope. This time no loyal(?) friend will pick him up from the ground and force him to get out of bed. This time he’s alone.
And by the time there’s a hesitant knock on the door he’s too far gone to notice.
XXX
Stepping out of the ARC into the dark night Jenny allows herself a sigh of relief; everyone’s shocked muteness was becoming increasingly unbearable. The necessary phone calls had been made with as much professional composure as only possible - though, a tiny voice in her head tells her that this time she failed quite spectacularly at it. Crossing the road she notices the dim lights of the pub they all went to on Nick’s birthday - Stephen could never live that night down. She sighs tiredly and slaps herself mentally as she steps inside. You didn’t even like the guy that much.
XXX
His hands are shaking as he runs them through his hair. He has never felt such dread before, not in the deep hell of any cave, not during his first time with Lester, and not even facing bloodthirsty creatures from past and future. He takes a deep breath and knocks on the door.
“Coming,” Sam calls out, sounding entirely too naughty for his current frame of mind.
“Did a dinosaur eat your keys again, Hart?” Ryan’s laughing voice makes him want to run.
And Lyle knows he’ll cling to that last coy smile on Sam’s face for weeks to come.