Drabble requests 10.0
So, despite a tiny amount of effort, I couldn't come up with a theme for this round. Instead, I'm going to steal someone else's theme, sort of. Someone around here (who shall remain nameless for their own sanity's sake) said something about existing 'verses and I've considered that before, so this time I'm going with it for sure
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There was little else he could do but simply wait it out.
Cain sat down next to where he had placed Glitch, on a bench far enough from the light flow of walking traffic to give them some privacy without drawing attention to Glitch's condition. While they had received a few odd looks at the way Cain had had to literally drag Glitch, maneuvering him onto the bench with difficulty, Cain was relieved to see that for the most part they were being ignored.
The hat covering the zipper no doubt helped.
He talked quietly, keeping the flow of words just even enough to make it look like a two-sided conversation, though Glitch himself was completely unresponsive. The doctors had called them seizures, these moments when Glitch would simply stop moving, stop talking and become trapped in his own mind. They were assured that these were normal among headcased people, though Glitch rarely displayed the same kinds of problems as the others.
So Cain waited, keeping an eye on Glitch, watching for indications that Glitch was coming back to the outside world.
Until a teenaged girl walked right by them, stopping despite the warning look Cain gave her. She swept the long, dark hair over her shoulder, frowning curiously. "Is he all right?"
"He's fine," Cain told her flatly, moving Infinitesimally closer to Glitch. "Thanks for your concern, but we're fine."
"My mother's a doctor," she insisted, taking a step closer while looking around, presumably for said parent.
Cain sighed, shaking his head slightly, glancing around to make sure they weren't drawing unwanted attention. "He's already under doctors' care. But thank you. Please, he'll come out of it when he's ready."
But it was too late and a short, red-headed woman about Cain's age had already joined the teenager. "Honey? Is everything - oh," she gasped, her hand over her mouth as she paled. She suddenly knelt in front of Glitch, touching his knee lightly.
"Ma'am, he's all right, really," Cain tried to draw her away from Glitch.
She looked at him, eyes wide. "You don't understand. I know this man. His name is Ambrose, isn't it?"
Cain hesitated, uncertain of her intentions. "How do you know him?"
The woman stood, reaching for her daughter's arm and pulling the young woman closer. "He...Ambrose, I knew him, a very long time ago. I...thought he was dead." She looked at the girl, chin trembling slightly. "This is your father, honey."
Of course, Glitch chose that moment to blink slowly, his hand darting out to grip Cain's arm. "Wyatt?"
"Damn," Cain swore, grimacing. He had no idea who to address first. Looking up at the two women, he made a show of wrapping an arm around Glitch's shoulders. "Listen, this isn't the place to have this conversation. Do you have some time?"
"Of course," the woman nodded quickly. "Ambrose?"
Glitch looked up, his face void of recognition but he gave her a pleasant smile nonetheless. "I'm sorry, have we met?"
She opened her mouth, but no words came out, disbelief coloring her cheeks.
Cain looked around quickly, then ducked his head close to Glitch's face. "Sweetheart, take off your hat for a second."
Glitch shot him a look, but his trust in Cain had him removing his hat without question, his zipper undeniable.
"Oh, Ambrose," the woman breathed, her eyes bright with tears. "I had no idea..."
Replacing the hat, Glitch let himself be guided to his feet. "I don't understand, did I miss something?"
"We're going to go get some coffee with these nice ladies, Glitch," Cain said calmly, taking Glitch's hand unselfconsciously. "We've got a lot to talk about."
**
Erm. Sorry for the lack of closure. Otherwise this'll go on *forever*. :D
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Lack of closure seems to work for this piece, at least in my mind. It's not a situation that can have neat closure, so I suppose a story about it won't either. But the bit that we do get to see is so sharp and unexpected, it has it's own -stop-. I think this is a perfect drabble. Thank you.
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