But seeing Avet again and fighting a vampire (albeit poorly) brought back so many memories. Do I miss the rush of fear, the thrill of the fight?
Sure. But I miss my best friend more.
Still, it’s not enough to draw me back in. It wasn’t enough to keep me in the game when my broken conscience started speaking up.
Avet kicks his leg off the bathroom cabinet to propel himself forward. “Guess I’ll be going, then. Thanks for stitching me up. I’m stealing a t-shirt on my way out.”
My voice comes out hoarse. “No problem.” I like Avet better when he’s putting up a fight, letting his personality show. Winning an argument against him gives me little satisfaction this time.
Avet dips into my bedroom and emerges half a minute later with one of my gray t-shirts tugged over his head. My upper body is bulkier than his, so the shirt is far too baggy on him. Plus, he likes his clothing a little tight to show off his physique.
There is no cheer in Avet’s step as he moves slowly toward the exit. I can see how tired he is now, how worn the road thus far has made him.
I don’t want his spirit dampened. But I can’t be the one to fight alongside him. It was hard enough leaving the first time. Even considering jumping back in for just this one mission is too much.
Avet opens the door, pausing to shoot me a look best worn on a wounded puppy. “I’ll see you around, man.”
I jerk my chin upward, which isn’t quite a nod.
We won’t see each other around. In fact, if that vampire’s warning was any indication of the dangerous road ahead for Avet, we might not see each other ever again.
I want to tell him I was only kidding. Of course he can stay on the couch for as long as he likes. But I know that if I concede, it’s only a matter of time before I am sucked back in.
Yet, if the peril is as bad as I’m thinking it is, hanging back and letting things unfold is the very last thing I would ever want to do. Is Avet’s life less important than my precious sanity? And have I really found solace out here, away from it all?
I nearly drove off the road tonight because I was so tired. No matter how much I try to avoid the supernatural, I am wired to always be part of it—whether I willingly participate or not. At least when I was with Avet, I could sleep because he made me his dreamless sleep potion regularly.
I was sane back then, jumping headfirst into insanity when the situation warranted a swift reckoning. Now I am insane with unrest, while on the outside, the events of my non-life are a bland shade of calm.
Quite the tradeoff.
I take a step in the direction of the door, unsure if I am making the right decision in calling for Avet to come back. Perhaps the madness has finally taken me over.
But no sooner do I get to the door does it fly open, nearly smacking me in the face. “Avet, I…”
Avet’s fist flings out and clocks me across the face. “You weren’t going to come after me?” He stomps back into my house, letting me know that this conversation is far from over.
4
COMING AND GOING
I let out a grunt of surprise mingled with pain when Avet’s fist connects with my cheek. He packs a mean punch, but I don’t dare fight back. I earned that blow by kicking him out; I’ll not rob him of it.
“You’re a real piece of work, you know that?” Avet shouts at me. “I hope everyone on your boring suburban block hears how you treat the friend who saved your life too many times to count. I was just torn into, and you send me off with a barely closed wound? Who do you think you are, Keran?”
I hold up my hands. “I was just coming to get you.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, too late. I’m coming for you, now. You’re more afraid of what’s out there than of abandoning your best friend?”
“Avet, I shouldn’t have…”
“You’re right, you shouldn’t have kicked me out for no good reason. That time with the nhang? You didn’t stand a chance of escaping. Who got you out of there?”
I hang my head. Though we are around the same height, when one of us goes on a shame lecture, the other’s job is to seem smaller. I do my part, arching my shoulders inward and bending my knees slightly so his anger can tower over me. “You did.”
“That’s right. Now, you may not have understood all you heard out there, but you know well enough that I’m in over my head.” He pauses and lowers his pitch to imitate me. “What else is new, Avet?” Then his voice switches back to normal. “Shut up, Keran!”
“I didn’t say anything!”