The Fear of Being Found

“I thought we couldn’t do that without a portal point,” I said from the living room floor.

We had reached Mills, the Timewight, right before the thieves attacked.  Rather than try to run away, Chaz had just portaled us from a paper forest and crash landed us in my living room.  I rolled over and got up on my hands and knees.  That portal jump felt a lot rougher than any other ones.  I noticed the candle was out and quickly checked the clock.

“You are so lucky no one else is home, right now,” I told both myself and the two guys.  “Now let’s take of you before you bleed all over the couch.”

Mills gave a weak laugh and tried to stand.  He only managed it by having a death grip on the back of the couch.  Chaz didn’t look very good himself, but he moved to help Mills and I led them both to the first aid kit in the upstairs bathroom.  I knew nothing about first aid, but figured that using clean gauze rather than a ripped up rag would be much better.

“Is Mills short for anything?” I asked as I pulled out the kit.

“Millennium,” the teenaged Timewight sighed.  “And, yes, you can make fun of it if you want.”

“I wasn’t going to ask that.”

“You’re the Finder,” Mills said as he studied me carefully.  “Lost.  Do you know how dangerous it could have been if they would have caught her?”

Chaz didn’t look up as he pulled medical tape out of the box.  “Sorry.”

“First,” I said, pointing my finger at Mills, “his name is Chaz.  Second, it was my idea.  Third, it at least worked.  Fourth, I don’t normally chew people out like this but that last jump is still spinning my insides so I’m sorry if I’m being a bit of a jerk.”

Mills stared at me for a little bit and then started laughing.  It’s always amazing to me just how quickly laughter can defuse a situation.  I had been trying to keep myself from getting all worked up, and suddenly I no longer felt like I was waiting for the world to stop spinning.  Mills apologized as well and we all got to work on treating his injuries.  His captors certainly weren’t gentle.

“So, will I get any sort of explanation after all this?” I asked.  “Or will I just have to speculate?”

Chaz and Mills looked at each other, the latter obviously wondering how much had been said.  I sighed and announced that I’d get Mills an aspirin or some form of pain killer.  The two guys definitely wanted to sort out some details, and so did I.

This wasn’t the first time I had wondered about the legality of my actions, but this situation was the first time someone – a thief nonetheless – had also observed it.  No matter what Mills and Chaz came up with, I was planning on bothering them until I got a satisfactory answer on that point.  I announced my return when I got up the stairs and both boys were quiet when I came into the bathroom with a glass and a bottle of pills.

I decided to start the conversation as we finished with the last of Mills’ injuries.  “So, would those guys be able to follow us?”  I asked.  “Because if we just led a knife wielding weirdo to my house I’m going to have to remember where I put that croquet mallet.”

“They would not be able to follow,” Chaz assured.  “Only Ghosts can portal jump.”

“And, from what I heard,” Mills interrupted, “portalling away from a point is near suicidal.  I’ve obviously been knifed and that jump was not user friendly.  What’s your state, Chaz?”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to portal for a while,” the Ghost of Lost admitted, but when I looked at Mills he looked just as annoyed as I did at the fact that Chaz was understating something.

“So, we’re stuck here for a little while,” Mills sighed.  “Sorry to intrude.”

“Yeah.”  I laughed.  “I don’t know how I’m going to explain two guys in the bathroom.”

There was a slam and a girl’s voice rose up into the house.  “Amy!  Can I have a snack?”

“Shoot,” I hissed.  Thank you Murphy’s Law.  “You two need to hide.”

“Where?” Chaz asked as he taped the last piece of gauze on Mills’ arm.  “Your room?”

“I share that room with my sister.”  I shook my head and thought about it.  Quickly I shut the bathroom door and locked it.  “Get in the tub and hide behind the curtain for now.”

“Won’t they come in here?” Mills asked.

“I didn’t say it was a great plan.”