INK: Blue (INK Trilogy Book 3) (14 page)

Lash wasn't sure what had happened between Michael and Aiden, she just knew that one minute she was drinking coffee with Edsel, the next she was in the apartment opposite with Michael pointing a gun at them both.

That made sense, and confirmed Edsel's suspicions. Michael must have been planning it for ages to have got everything organized the way he had.

It turns out that Michael was also a real talker, and he just couldn't stop himself from droning on and on while he drove, telling Lash and Aiden that he was just so bored with life, that his discoveries with Ink, after learning so much through his Awoken powers, had grown old and tired and that Edsel was the answer to it all.

The excitement of the chase had made Michael almost manic, like he'd woken up and had been waiting all along for the thrill that he knew was coming. In the apartment, where they had been holed up for days watching Edsel wander about below, Michael had been somewhat jittery and subdued, almost apologetic, but the minute he revved the engine he began to talk, and hardly stopped.

When Edsel asked what Michael meant about Edsel being the answer to Michael's lassitude Lash just shrugged and said she didn't really know — Michael had a tendency to drift off to other subjects part way through his monologues, and some things he just kept to himself anyway. All she could assume was that he simply wanted the chase, and The Ink he'd given Edsel held the key to it all.

She did know that the one thing Michael hadn't really counted on was either her or Aiden escaping. He thought that he'd tied them up tight, when the reality was that he hadn't taken into account the fact that Aiden had grown a lot stronger physically, much stronger than he actually looked. With his partially Awoken knowledge, Aiden had been able to subtly alter his body chemistry and the force his muscles could exert was greater than normal people. Not by a huge factor, but by enough for him to be able to loosen his bonds. But he hadn't tried to escape himself, instead he'd encouraged Michael to carry on talking while he worked on Lash's restraints then had simply reached over and grabbed the door handle, pushed it open and rolled Lash out.

"Why didn't he jump out too?"

"Because I guess he knew that if he did then Michael would have stopped the car and come back for us, probably shot us all."

"Makes sense. He's a brave kid."

"Man. He's a man now."

"Yeah, I guess he really is. I hope he's okay."

"I think he will be, for a while anyway. Michael will be angry, but to be honest it was Aiden he was more interested in than me anyway."

"What, a beautiful looking woman like you? Who could resist? That had me worried too."

Lash just stared at him, eyes questioning when he would get it.

"What?"

"He didn't fancy me Edsel; he wasn't like that."

"Oh, right. Too old?"

Lash sighed. "Do I really have to spell it out for you?"

What's she on about? Oh!

"He likes men? He likes Aiden?"

"I don't think Aiden is quite his type either. Too young and in some ways he is the perfect gentleman. But yeah, he's a gay man."

"Let's just hope he doesn't try anything on with Aiden, he's not exactly going to be able to—"

"He's not like that Edsel, he's not that type of a guy. And besides, I think he's past such things now. He has his Ink, his 'project' as he calls it. It's all-consuming for him. He's been traveling ever since The Lethargy, learning all kinds of weird stuff. He gets a hint of something, a rumor and he's off, finding out, learning, practicing. Like I said, quite, quite mad."

"What kind of things has he told you he's been doing? I was so out of it after all this," Edsel rapped on his head, "that I can't remember much."

"He's just pushed what came to him after he Awoke. It's not like he's just pure evil, but there isn't really much of a moral compass there. He's able to see things in The Noise, learn stuff. Like this weird Ink, he told us about it, and it looks more impressive up close. I can sort of see the energy running through it, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. And it hurts if I get too excited, like it pulses."

"Well, that's stuff he learned, and stole too. He's captured men that give The Ink, learned what he could, then changed it. And he adds, well, not sure what, but something so it makes it raised. He didn't go into detail, just talked a lot, bits and pieces of loads of stuff."

"But why? Why any of it?"

"It's simple isn't it? He's bored out of his brain and he doesn't care. He wants you to chase him, wants the thrill. He heard about how you escaped The Eventuals, followed you, wanted to see what you would do when they found you again, and then he's just been caught up in his own madness for years. I think he's left quite a trail of bodies behind him to be honest. He does a lot of weird stuff as far as I can tell."

"Well, if he wants a chase then he's got one, right?"

"Oh yeah. We have to get Aiden back, and stop him."

"Well, all right then."

The van began to jerk, stutter, and then the engine died. Edsel looked at the fuel gauge in dismay as it showed the reason for the sudden engine failure.

Looks like the chase just slowed down somewhat.

"You are not telling me we are out of fuel?" said Lash, unleashing the full force of her disappointed face on Edsel.

She's still scary.

"Sorry. I just got the first vehicle that had the keys in it. Did Michael have a full tank when you left?"

"What do you think?"

Guess he did.

KELOIDS

"Are they keloids?"

"Eh? Oh, this you mean?" said Edsel, rubbing a hand over his chest. "I don't think so, no. Michael said it was more like when you make a cut and put ash under the surface of the skin — you're left with a scar, a hypertrophic scar he called it. It stays exactly where the cut was made. Except he didn't make cuts as such, it was done with whatever tattoo machine he used. Something was in it that did the same job as cutting — put The Ink in and raised the skin at the same time. It got bigger over a few days but I think this is it now."

"Does it hurt a lot?" Lash kept staring at his head, at his bare torso. It was almost as if she liked it.

She does, she likes it. That's something at least.

"What do you think? Look at me. I'm past caring anyway; it's too much to take in any more. It's happened too bloody often."

"I know baby, I know. Once we get Aiden then I promise we'll go back to the island and never, ever leave again. Just us. I love Aiden dearly, and I don't want to be mean, but look what's happened. It's not his fault, but next time he wants to go somewhere he's going to have to take the risk on his own. I can't bear it."

"Me either. It's too much. I don't think I'd be brave enough to leave again anyway. Let's just hope that we have the option in any case," mused Edsel. "We aren't safe yet, far from it."

They walked while they talked, a couple bonded in pain and love. They felt it, and they would do everything they could to get Aiden back, to put an end to the madness.

Plan, we should have a plan. But what is there apart from saving Aiden? We just have to find him is all.

Edsel couldn't believe that Lash was back with him. He'd genuinely thought that the next time he saw her she would be dead. He held her hand tightly, ignoring the weird feeling through the raised scars dancing around his palms, sacrificing pain for the closeness; the love.

"We'll get him, don't you worry."

Lash turned to him and smiled.

God, she's beautiful.

Edsel sniffed the air.

A bit stinky though. Me too probably.

~~~

The air grew cool as the sun set and the road became less a road, more a wide open green runway, the trees bending like they were settling down for the night. Leaves rustled in the emerging forests as the creatures of the night woke to hunt. Badgers, foxes and deer crossed the empty road, ignoring the humans that many had never encountered in their lives before. Owls hooted in the trees, and the barking of dogs could be heard far in the distance.

Edsel's feet were beyond sore, numbing to a degree that made him think of explorers trudging up snow-covered mountains while their hands and feet froze, blackened and then simply snapped off. At times it felt like it would be a blessing to simply be done with it all, let himself break into a million tiny pieces and just turn to dust, be blown away by the wind, carefree and unknowing.

Lash wasn't in a great state either. She limped slightly, her ribs were hurting and the bruise had spread to cover the entire side of her body. Edsel wondered if shock wasn't setting in too — it had been a lot for her to deal with. The terror must have been total.

We need to get somewhere safe, I don't like this, and I'm freezing without anything but these jeans on.

Edsel wondered just why it was that he always seemed to end up shirtless when his life was disturbed, coming to the conclusion that if he was the hero then it was only appropriate he show off his flesh. The trials of the reluctant hero, pitted against a world gone rogue. Definitely out to get him and those he loved — the madness of the world spilling in his direction once more.

Just a shame there's no muscle under all The Ink.

His body was truly ruined now, layer upon awful layer of Ink, each more obscene than the last. There couldn't be any more, surely? No new advance in the terrible permanent pigment that could make things even worse. If there was then he certainly didn't want to be the one to find out just how far it could go.

This world is so strange now.

So little made sense. The world had changed beyond what anyone could have ever foreseen, yet most of it was understandable. But the absence of people, traffic and noise was something he didn't think he would ever get used to, however long he managed to live in the still alien environment.

Walking down the middle of a once busy road, with a total absence of moving vehicles, was something Edsel didn't think he would ever find anything but surreal. It was too wrong, too far removed from what his reality had once been. He still, after all these years, half expected the street lights to flash back on, cars go whizzing past, a section to be marked off with traffic cones while workmen busied themselves repairing the damage of years of neglect, apologizing for the problems, promising that normal business would be resumed soon and life could go back to the way it was when he was still a fresh-faced teenager.

This doesn't even feel like the same planet any more.

But it was.

Dusk was settling and the air grew colder. The cloudless sky began to light up with distant stars, countless millions of them, shining a weak light on the disappearing road, soon to be nothing but a grass covered scar cutting through the landscape that would eventually disappear under the forests infringing from all sides, man's work obliterated.

The night brought a new kind of emptiness. It was as if he and Lash were the only two people left alive — lone travelers in a world finally empty of humanity.

Lash hardly spoke, she just ambled along beside Edsel, their hands never letting go of each other, their minds resolute yet exhausted as bodies screamed against the shock to their systems, both knowing this was just the beginning and the chances were that they had a long search ahead of them.

How were they going to find Aiden and Michael now? They could be anywhere. Aiden could be dead, but Edsel refused to believe it. He couldn't be, not Aiden. He'd survive. Edsel would find him, no matter how long it took.

"It can't be far now, we must come to a town or something soon," said Lash, looking half dead on her feet.

"Good. I really need some shoes and a shirt or sweater. And food, food and water."

"I just want to sleep. I want to find Aiden, have a burger and a milkshake, say goodnight and cuddle up in bed, back home, just us."

"That sounds perfect," said Edsel sleepily, putting one foot in front of the other, just walking, pushing on, nothing else to do but walk and hope.

Maybe even pray.

GLOW

They made it to a small town as night fell. Edsel was too tired to even look at the few signposts hidden in the trees on the outskirts, all he knew was that he was running on empty, hungry, scared for Aiden and if he thought about it then for Lash and himself too.

He was amazed that Lash had kept going as long as she had — she looked worse than he felt, and that was saying something. The last few miles had been mostly silent, all energy focused on one foot in front of the other, the way becoming more treacherous as they approached the town and the light began to fade.

The country felt rotten to him now; wrong, like he didn't belong. They'd been happy away from it all, away from the signs of degradation, things just falling apart. It wasn't his home any longer. The state of disrepair of the country he'd once loved as a young man was simply too depressing, a reminder of everything that was lost, how precarious society had actually been, nothing but a series of weak links, all too easy to break.

Is that true? Do I really hate it, or is it because of what's happened? A few days ago I'd realized that I actually missed it, missed the adventure too. Guess my wish came true.

The admission that he'd actually been enjoying their time back amongst the remains of civilization had returned to mock him — he'd been wrong, this was too much for any man to take.

Edsel would never have thought that civilization would unravel so quickly, that everything that had been done could be destroyed so totally. Unmaintained towns and cities as delicate as flowers, breaking apart in just a few years to become little more than reminders of what once was and how wrong so much of it had been if you'd only taken a moment to stop and look, really look at where and how you lived.

But I loved it. It was fun.