Sanctuary's Fiend

I tapped my fingers on the receptionist’s desk. I wasn’t waiting for anything. I knew which room Richard was in. I just didn’t want to see it and be forced to accept what had happened.

‘As long as I don’t see it, then it’s not real, right?’ I asked Claire.

She frowned. ‘That’s not really how this works. As someone who knows monsters exist, I think you know that already.’

I nodded. ‘You should go home. Thank you for keeping an eye on him for so long.’

‘And the hour I’ve been prodding you to go in and see him?’

I smiled, but more to release my nerves. ‘Thank you for that too.’

She placed her hand on my forearm and squeezed. ‘If you need anything, call me.’

‘I will. Thank you.’

She headed towards the elevators, leaving me to myself. And Richard, in a room just around the corner barely twenty steps from me.

My phone buzzed and I checked it. My ex. “Sanctuary? How odd, I just bought a flight to there for next month. If he’s okay now, I’ll wait till then.”

That was about the level of compassion she usually showed, but I had to tell her. She was his mother after all. But why had she already booked a flight to Sanctuary? Maybe Richard had talked to her and not told me. Not usual for him, but possible. I tapped in my response, trying to leave out as much scathing sarcasm and bitterness as possible, and put my phone back in my pocket.

I huffed and puffed before finally standing up. I had to get this done. What kind of a father wasn’t around for his son just because they were in pain? Time to stop running. I slipped my hand into my jacket pocket and made sure the pen was still there. With that confirmed, I pushed off from the receptionist’s desk.

I turned the corner and was about to step into the room I knew was his, but someone else was there, talking to Richard with their back to me. I didn’t need to double check the room number. I knew who it was. What it was.

Instinctively I reached for the compact pistol I kept in my underarm holster, but before I managed to draw it, Richard saw me. His face lit up.

‘Dad! You came!’

I saw the muscles under Rel’s clothing tense. She froze. I could finish drawing my pistol and blow her brains out all over this room. Finish it here and now. I wanted to, but Richard’s excitement at seeing me, finally, melted my anger into sadness. I couldn’t pull him any further into this life. I let my hand drop to my side.

‘Sorry it took so long. Hello, Reliquiae.’

The monster didn’t move. It stayed looming over my son. What was it doing? Trying to turn him into some undead monstrosity? I walked slowly around the hospital bed, until I could see its face. Far from the bloody mess it was last time, fangs bared, eyes black as coal, it was just a little girl. As she looked up to meet my eyes, I saw the perfect imitation of a scared little girl.

‘Hello,’ she whispered, barely able to get the words out.

‘It’s been two days,’ Richard said. ‘Work got so busy you couldn’t… see me?’ He was clearly upset and hurt, and of course I understood why.

I took Richard’s hand and squeezed it. ‘I’m so sorry. I would have come sooner if I could have.’ I meant it. I couldn’t bring myself to face my dying son. I had to wait till he was better. Feeling his pulse slow and his breathing stop two nights ago had scared me more than any monster. I’d needed time. And I couldn’t tell him any of this. ‘But I’m here now, and your mother is coming soon.’

‘Mum’s coming? Huh.’ He summed that complicated situation up very succinctly.

‘Reliquiae, I think you should leave.’

It took a shuffling step away from the bed, not turning its back on me.

‘No, it’s okay dad, she can stay. Maybe we can order some pizza and all eat together?’ He looked over to it. ‘Pizza seems traditionally American enough to celebrate my not dying, right, Rel?’

‘I think Reliquiae has eaten enough already,’ I said.

‘Yeah. I should get going anyway.’

‘But you only just arrived,’ Richard said.

‘I just wanted to…’ her eyes flicked to me as she paused, then back to Richard. My son, her meal. ‘Say hi without Johnny here. Finally get around to thank you for tutoring me. Or… well, running away just before you tutored me, at least. And maybe I can see you when you’re out–’

‘I don’t think so,’ I interrupted.

Richard assumed I was joking. ‘Yeah, definitely! I’ll text you. They said it shouldn’t be long as I’ve made an amazing recovery so far. Maybe our next lesson can be American food… I’ll take you to a restaurant?’

If only he knew what he was really asking. She started to say something, but I walked round the bed to put myself in between them, and talked over her. ‘Goodbye.’

It scuttled back and clinged to the door frame, continuing its imitation of a helpless human. ‘Sir… uhh, Mr. Anderton, sir, umm… could I.’ It squeaked. ‘Could I speak to you outside quickly?’

I didn’t take my eyes off it, as I considered my best course of action. Maybe it was trying to lure me away from my son? But if that was all it wanted, then it could have struck before I arrived. Maybe it wanted to kill me, but I didn’t think it would do anything in a hospital, not after the troubles it had been through to stay concealed as a student and establish itself in a human household. I extended my arm to indicate it should lead the way and I followed. I wasn’t going to let it get behind me.

It walked past the big window looking into Richard’s room, and turned to face me. ‘I know you’re a hunter, and I know what happened was bad, but please don’t…’ It was good at looking innocent. Almost harmless. ‘I didn’t mean to. I’m just a kid and I can’t–’

‘I know what you are. I’ve killed monsters like you before. Draugr are a plague upon this world, and I’m the surgeon.’

She looked shocked, but not aggressive. Of course with its speed, it didn’t need to look aggressive until it snapped. ‘You know I’m a Draugr? What else do you know about them?’

‘I don’t have time for your games. I thought I was just after a Fiend, but is this your territory? Is that why I found you attacking it?’

‘What? Umm, I don’t have territory, I think. Should I? And the monster was hurting people, so I tried to stop it.’

I leaned in and said through gritted teeth, ‘And you hurt Richard. Mark my words, Draugr, the next time I see you, I’m going to shoot you. Do you understand me?’ I pulled back my jacket just enough for it to see the gun. Of course a bullet wouldn’t kill a Draugr, but one in the brain would leave it stunned for long enough to allow me to decapitate it.

‘No, please, listen! I didn’t want to hurt him. Just believe me, please!’ Why was it pleading with me? ‘It was all a mistake. I got hurt, and I don’t remember anything. I don’t remember what I did. Hate me for what I did, but please believe that I didn’t mean to! If I could have stopped myself I would have. I’d never hurt him.’

‘But you did.’ I remembered my son’s blood spilling over my clothes. ‘I don’t know what sick game you’re playing, Draugr, but if you really want me to believe your innocent little girl act, then surely you should agree that you deserve to die. You should understand that the danger you pose is unacceptable. How long till you do it again? And what if I’m not there to stop you?’

Her face scrunched up, and her eyes watered. ‘Please. I’m learning to control it. I just need more time...’

I felt… sorry for it. I pitied it. I leaned forward to whisper in its ear. ‘I’m going to shoot you.’

It turned and ran away.

Very, very different from the last Draugr I’d seen. And killed. Of course, I’d had other Scions backing me up then, and we hadn’t stopped to chat with it. But Rel - was definitely convincing. I turned back into Richard’s room, and braced myself for an unwelcome conversation.

‘Dad! So many questions. But first, why have both you and Claire been so weird to Rel when she’s visited?’

Oh great. I really had no answer for this. She called him some bad names in my class? No, they obviously had a crush on each other, that wouldn’t be enough.

’Actually, no. First, why has it taken you two days to come and see me?’

I walked to his side and sat at the foot of his bed. ‘Can I be honest with you?’

He looked confused. ‘Of course.’

‘I’m sorry for taking so long, but… I was scared. I found you almost dead. From the knife you fell on. I didn’t know if you were going to make it, and… I was scared.’

‘And you told mum?’

‘I did.’

He sighed. ‘I mean, yeah, I get it. Of course I do. But… you can’t run because you’re scared.’

I smiled at him. He remembered how I dealt with his mother leaving me. ‘I know. We all have our flaws. Mine is being unable to face my fears, and being a little bit crazy when I do try to tackle them head on. Yours is clearly a magnetic-like attraction to sharp objects.’ I patted his hand. ‘We both have things to work on.’

‘Uh huh. I’ll get right on that, but perhaps yours are more pressing. Really, dad. I felt so alone without you here.’

‘I’m sorry,’ was all I could say.

’But then Rel came along, and I didn’t feel quite so lonely. But then she gets chased out. Twice. Dad, I really like her. She’s cute and funny and a bit of a geek, but also amazing and have you noticed how the room lights up when she walks in? She’s the kind of girl you read about in books or see in movies. I’m still trying to fit in at school, but I already fit with her. You know?’

What does a father say to that? I wished there was a class to take. “What to do when your child falls in love with the apex predator of monsters, and how to convince him he’s a mouse being toyed with by a cat”.

‘I know. I know she’s special to you. And from what I’ve seen, she likes you back.’ Damn it. His smile was enough to tell me how much of a thrill that was for him to hear, but I could also see the heart rate monitor by his bed shoot up. I wanted him to be happy, but safe. Rel made him happy, happier than I’d seen him in a long time, but she was also his biggest threat. ‘I’ll tell you what. When you’re out of hospital and recovered, we’ll invite her and her parents round for a dinner. We can all get to know each other a bit better. Once you’ve caught up with all your homework, of course. Sound good?’

‘Oh. Her parents? I mean, I don’t know about that. They might not like me.’

‘Nonsense! Everyone likes you. Besides, her father is a good guy, and I could do with making some friends too.’

His smile returned. ‘It’s a date!’

‘We will not be calling it that.’

He laughed.

‘But I’ve got to go for the night, okay? I’d love to stay, but there’s still… cleaning and repairs to be done at home. I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I’ll see you in the morning, okay? Straight after breakfast.’

We said our goodbyes, and I headed home. It was true that the carpet still needed to be cleaned, and the window needed to be fixed. I’d already phoned some local companies to handle that though. No, tonight I was going to blow off some steam. Seeing Richard had wound me up, and talking to his mother was even worse. I had pushed through a lot of barriers, but now I needed to unwind.

And how better to do that than by gearing up and throwing myself in the path of a rampaging monster. I had planned for that monster to be the Draugr, but the Fiend was the one getting in the papers. I’d deal with that first, then Rel.

My phone buzzed again. My ex. “Can’t wait to see you again, Skriva”. She even used my nickname despite knowing how much I hated it.

My son was in love with a monster, and I was still trying to get over one. They had both sunk their teeth in deep.