Page 40 of Crystal Iris
“Why the fuck does it only hurt me now?” He sounds frustrated, and I wonder the same thing.
“I don’t know… I’m stepping back.”
The lights flicker back on. Hoyt is hunched over, and I see the red mark on his hand.
“Did I…?”
He nods.
“I’m sorry, Hoyt.” I hate the thought of hurting him.
“I’m okay. Maybe we should keep our... distances for now.”
“Of course.”
“This sucks,” he mutters, running a hand through his hair.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
He doesn’t answer.
We take a seat by the window, and I watch the snow falling outside.How am I going to get home?
“What do you know about the prisms, Hoyt? Because I know nothing.”
“Honestly, I don’t know much either. Only that they can drive you crazy. It killed my brother.”
“What? How?” I wasn’t expecting this.
“It was my fault.”
To my surprise, he doesn’t shy away from my stare.
“What was?”
“That he died.”
I want to reach out, hold his hand. The pain in his eyes is almost palpable.
“What happened?”
“Almost no one knows this.”
“Because nobody knows about the prism?”
“And because I never felt... I feel like I can honestly talk to you.”
I know what he means, but I say, “I’m a stranger.”
“You don’t feel like one.”
He’s looking at me, really looking.
“I’m getting married, Hoyt.”
“We can be... friends.”
“Friends?”
