Forever True - Book Four of the Connor True Series Page 2
Royal Military Police” the officer corrected. “King George VI granted the royal pre-fix in 1946 for the outstanding war time record of the regiment”. There was no hesitation here. The information was delivered with an escort of pride and Connor felt the depths of honour that Captain Blake held for being a part of his regiment. The officer continued to talk about the role of the regiment and his own work and Connor felt a rapidly growing respect for the Captain.
“I served for Twenty three years” he continued. “I was on my second tour in Iraq when the convoy I was travelling in was hit by an I.E.D. Both myself and my colleague, Corporal Armstrong were causalities. I left behind my wife Jane and two daughters; Christie and Abigail. But that is irrelevant now”. Connor recognised the psychological lid being hammered down in the same way some of his young people did at youth club did when a conversation strayed into uncomfortable territory.
“Corporal Armstrong and I came to this god-awful place together. I don’t know how long we were here for before we were engaged by a hostile or demon as the locals call them. The thing came out of the darkness and grabbed Armstrong. We never saw it coming…” His voice dialled down to a whisper as the terrible memory was replayed in his mind. “I had seen men killed in action but to see someone go that way, and to hear his screaming, it was like nothing human”.
“That thing you did when Abiku came last time” Connor asked. “How did you do that - make everything disappear?”
“It’s a trick some of us can do. The demons have special abilities. When they come they create an aura of darkness around them. It disorientates its victims so they don’t know which way to run. But we can turn their strength against them. What I did with you was to create a pocket in the darkness by folding it over. I am not a scientist and do not ask me how it works but you materialised in another part of the other world. After you were clear of the area I left in the same way. It is how we survive here. We wander until the demons come, then we either evade them or we fight them”.
“You fight the demons?” Connor echoed.
“Correct” nodded the Captain nonchalantly. “As long as we avoid any engagements I can instruct you in fighting demons. It’s what your grandmother asked of me before we found you.
“The lesser demons we fight but we try to avoid contact with the greater demons such as the one we encountered earlier. But you do not have that luxury. Have you had any previous combat experience: the armed forces, security, martial arts?
Connor shook his head and Captain Blake smiled briefly.
“Good. Then you haven’t picked up any bad habits then”.
Not far from where Connor lay in his hospital bed, yet also an impossible distance away, Betty Price the ward clerk sat at her desk in the peaceful yet efficient long term care ward of the Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital. She looked over the tops of her silver half-moon spectacles as Laura Quinn waltzed past the reception desk in her heavy biker leathers carrying her pink motorcycle helmet with a bright picture of mini mouse emblazoned on the back.
“Your shift doesn’t start for an hour yet, Love” commented Betty with a knowing smile. “You seem very keen to be here these days”.
“I’m just setting an example to the rest of the nursing team” Laura replied cheerfully even though she could feel her face flushing the same colour as her helmet, because Betty knew exactly why she had come in early. At twenty four years old Laura felt she shouldn’t be so bashful.
“Don’t worry” Betty chuckled mischievously. “His mum had to go so he’s all alone down there”.
“Thank you, Betty” Laura placed her helmet on the desk and sighed. “Did I tell you, my landlord is still refusing to sort out the dampness in the bathroom? I don’t know how much longer I can keep living there. That musty smell is starting to spread into other rooms and I’ve tried phoning him, asking him in person, and written to him as well but he won’t do anything about it”.
“Does anyone else have the same problems?” asked Betty sympathetically.
“Yes” Laura sighed. “I’ve got all the other tenants to sign the letter as well but they don’t seem as interested in sorting it out as I do. They’re all leaving it up to me”.
“You’ve always had problems with that flat. But at least you’ve got your friend in room six to cheer you up” she added with a very unsubtle wink.
Laura made her way to the staff changing room to avoid any more of Betty’s friendly teasing. She unpeeled her leathers and packed them neatly away in her locker and changed into her blue nurse’s uniform. Her friend in room six had been admitted a couple of weeks ago after being found badly beaten.
Once changed, Laura quickly looked in on her patients on the long term care ward; just cursory glances around the door of each patient’s room until she got to room number six. With each patient she saw her anticipation grew; saving the best till last.
As she opened the door and peered inside she saw him lying there all vulnerable and quiet. The monitors hummed quietly in the background beneath the soulful music from the iPhone next to the bed. It was some jazz number that Laura wasn’t familiar with but she liked the sound of it anyway. She paused for a moment glancing around guiltily. Then she stole into the room and quietly closed the door behind her. She was at work and was only here to monitor his vital signs, she told herself. Or rather that’s what she would tell anyone who came in. She even had her Micky Mouse pen in her hand just in case.
Laura liked to visit him each day at the beginning and the end of each shift. It wasn’t only his good looks, it was the way he looked so vulnerable laying there on the bed that made him so adorable. From what she had gathered, he wasn’t your average computer expert. She had been out with someone in the past who worked on computers and he had been the dullest, most boring person she had ever met and probably ever would meet. Connor, though, wasn’t like that. She’d learned from his family and the noisy groups of young people who visited that he ran a youth club and led a street dance crew. She imagined he carried an ‘edgy’ vibe when he was awake and he was popular to if the numbers of visitors were anything to go by. What’s more, he was single.
She sat on the bed and waited to make sure there was no one outside. When she was sure no one was going to come in she gently leaned forward and carefully brushed some of his hairs away from his face. She longed to run her hands through that curly mop of brown hair and feel it between her fingers but that really was a step too far. She felt like Ariel from The Little Mermaid staring longingly from the sea at her Prince but unable to be with him.
“Good afternoon Mr True” she whispered. It was is if the words were magic and invoked a flutter of excitement through her body as she uttered them, carrying her up into a wonderful world of Disney-style dreams. It didn’t take much to imagine small bluebirds fluttering around the room and small forest creatures bouncing up onto the bed.
“How are you feeling today? I couldn’t stay at home any longer so I’ve come in early and I’m glad I did because I’ve got you all to myself” she chuckled quietly. “I’ve still got problems with my landlord. That flat is a nightmare! But coming here just makes it seem like a bad memory. I know you can hear me at some level so I hope when you do wake up you forget about that last comment. You’re Mum and sisters were here last night: Alicia, Isla, Mia and Amelia. They’re really nice. I spent some time chatting to them. Amelia was asking about my netball practice. I don’t know if I told you but we’re third place in the league now. If we keep playing as we are we may even win it this year. That would cool. We’d all go out to celebrate”. Her voice dropped to less than a whisper. “I’d love to celebrate it with you…”
Laura’s words could not reach Connor in his deep sleep. Unfortunately for Connor it wasn’t a peaceful slumber. The now constant fear of violence that had taken hold of him since the assault buzzed on the edge of his thoughts corrupting his once solid self-confidence.
“I still don’t think I’m ready” Connor protested as he picked himself up off the
hard unforgiving ground for what felt like the hundredth time in ten minutes. Captain Blake’s brutal training regime was a lot tougher than could ever have imagined. “I can’t fight a demon; I’m not a fighter”. His incorporeal body ached despite having no physical substance.
“You’re fear is a tool, use it” the Captain continued barking his words of wisdom, disregarding Connors concern. “There is never a good time to fight so you need to train hard and when the time comes the training will take over. You will react to the situation before you. If used properly, you’re fear will make you sharper and keep you alive longer”.
“Yeah, I’m sure you’re right” Connor conceded.
“No!” Snapped Blake and Connor jumped. “I am right. I know I am right. I am always right. If I say you need to train harder, you need to train harder. If I say you are ready, you are ready. Do you understand?”
“Yes” Connor said quickly, unsure whether he should add a ‘Sir’ at the end or not.
“You may not realise it now but you have come on a long way. Here, take this” he said holding out an object about the length and size of his forearm. It was black and shiny. Its thin shaft ended in a sharp point like a sword. It looked heavy but he was surprised how light