Page 118 of Degradation
He starts walking again and waits for me patiently, letting me take his arm to go down the hill that leads to the main road.
‘Go on.’ I wince as the wind picks up, trying to remember how far the medical center is.
‘They’re into some stuff together. Dark stuff. Blake goes out at night sometimes and comes back covered in blood. Mav pretends he’s the strait-laced chemist, but he used to help his brother steal cars in high school and I’ve seen him mad.’ He glances at me. ‘He was pissed on Halloween. He almost killed Rob. Took four guys to get him away. Rob’s face looked like a blood bag spilled all over it by the time they did.’
‘And Shade?’ I ask.
‘Shade is a Novelle. That’s all any of us need to know. No offence.’
‘I’m not really a Novelle,’ I mutter, shivering as we walk up the sidewalk.
I see the sign for the medical center up the road and let out a small sigh of relief.
Greg helps me to the door and opens it.
‘Where are they?’ I ask. ‘They weren’t in the house this morning.’
He stares at me blankly.
‘TheSeamen.’
He looks uncomfortable. ‘There was a party at their club last night. They usually stay there overnight with...their guests.’
They were at a party.
They said it was a thing with Applegate.
Something hurts in my chest, but maybe it’s just from the migraine.
My knee shakes as I make my way to the front desk, and I squint at Greg.
‘You got me here. Thanks,’ I say. ‘You should get on with your day.’
Greg’s lips thin. ‘You should try calling them. They’ll answer for you.’
Yeah, right.
But I nod and delve into my pocket only to realize I’ve forgotten my phone.
‘I left my phone back at the house.’
His lips thin even more. It’s oddly fascinating. They’ve almost disappeared. Like a lizard.
‘I’ll try to contact them again and tell them where you are,’ he says finally, his shoulders sinking.
‘I don’t think they’ll care,’ I say truthfully.
I sound bitter. Am I bitter?
I shake my head. I don’t know and, at any rate, I don’t have it in me for this right now.
‘I don’t need to be anywhere for a while. I’ll sit over there out of your way, okay?’
‘Okay,’ I murmur, sort of glad he is staying with me when I see the nurse behind the desk who reminds me of Sue, the Blank who liked to get me into trouble with Stoke.
‘Can I help you?’ Her voice is gravely like Stoke’s, and her teeth are smoker yellow.
‘Hi. I’d like to see a doctor please.’
