Lacuna

Chapter 14 - Wounded

            As we arrived at the Il nebras, we hastily searched for Lev. It wasn't easy finding Lev as I expected. After a while of searching for Lev on our own to no avail, Flavio and I started to ask the locals. Some of them claimed that they've seen the man we described but they don't have a clue of where he went.

And when all hope is lost,

Cough—

A dry cough resonates from the alley behind us as we turn our heads simultaneously towards the sound. We looked at each other for a moment before approaching the sound of the cough.

We approached the cough, which sounded from behind the large trash bin.

—Cough, cough.

"Lev!" I shouted, rushing towards Lev who lay miserably down on the ground.

Lev coughs as I help him sit up from the ground. As I held onto Lev who looked oddly pale, I look down onto his torso.

—Blood.

I jolt away at the sight but quickly held onto Lev again. "What happened to you?!"

Lev could only groan in response.

Flavio then proceeds to take off his shirt, revealing his bandage-wrapped torso with tints of red, and quickly wrapped Lev's wound with said shirt to prevent further blood loss.

"Let's go back," Flavio advised as he grabs Lev.

I followed behind as Flavio approaches his car, carrying Lev in his arms. I watched as Flavio lay Lev down in the passenger's seat. We quickly entered the car and Flavio drives away in haste.

As we finally arrive at Flavio's house, he throws me the key to the house as he carries Lev.

I hastily opened the door and we both burst inside. Flavio lays Lev down onto the couch and rushed for the first aid kit. All I could do was to sit and watch as Lev suffers.

"There," Flavio uttered as he finished patching up Lev's wounds. "Now, we'll just have to let him rest for a while and he'll be good as new."

"Why not take him to the hospital?" I asked, realizing that we've instinctively brought him to Flavio's house instead.

"Can't," Flavio spoke, gazing onto the sleeping Lev. "He's royalty if you haven't realized it yet. Local hospitals would freak out, the information would leak and it'll spark unwanted drama, ruining his father's name."

"You really did think this through..." I responded, slightly ashamed. "I thought you hated each other, why are you helping him?"

"I'm doing it for you." He turns his head in my direction. "You seemed to care about him a lot."

I was taken aback by Flavio's answer as minutes of silence pass.

"What do you see in him?" Flavio sits down beside me, on the soft faux fur rug.

"I just think of him as a friend, Flavio. Nothing more." I declared, looking away.

"Well, if you say so. I'm going outside to buy groceries for lunch later. Need anything?" Flavio asks as he stood up from the floor.

"No, nothing," I answered as I gazed onto Lev in worry.

"Alright. Remember, don't go inside the door and lock the door behind me once I'm out. If anybody knocks, don't answer it. 'Omurice' is the code word, alright?" Flavio advises as he puts on a used sweatshirt lying around in the room.

Flavio finally leaves the house as I obeyed his instructions. Recalling the moment he spent being shirtless, I noticed that he was actually well-built despite looking normal with clothes on. Aside from that, the bandages that wrapped his whole torso had some mild bloodstains which meant that his wounds were fresh. When did he get it? How did he get it?

I pondered for a short while until I hear three consecutive knocks come from the door. I recall Flavio's instructions and ignore the knocking.

But the more I ignore it, the louder it became. I started to doubt myself. What if Flavio just forgot the code word?

After a few more loud knocks, it stops, and sounds of footsteps can be heard fading away. I sigh in relief and continue to watch over Lev.

But slowly, my eyes become heavier and heavier and I finally fall asleep.

—White void. Again.

I prepare myself for any noises that may ring and trigger the door.

"It's nice, isn't it? Hishi." A soft whisper came to sound.

As soon as I heard the whisper, I quickly look around and spot the door. This time, it's already slightly open. I slowly enter the door and see the beautiful night sky full of stars. This one might not be so bad.

I scan the area and spot two figures lying down on the field of grass, holding each other's hands as they watched the stars. I slowly approached the figures. Even though they are bathed in the moonlight, their faces were hard to make out.

As I took another step further, I've suddenly fallen down a black hole underneath me and jolt awake.

I quickly looked at the time as I breathed heavily. 9 PM already!?

I stood up and scanned the house in haste.

"Just woken up, Cole?" Flavio asked from the kitchen, with Lev eating curry at the kitchen counter.

"Lev! Are you alright?! Flavio, how'd you get in?!" I asked in a panic.

"Lev unlocked it for me, said you fell asleep," Flavio spoke as he opens the fridge.

"Lev?! What happened earlier? Why was there blood?" I ask as I rush to his side.

Lev turns away, ignoring my concern.

"He told me what happened. He got stabbed as he sent you the text. He didn't see the culprit's face clearly because of his hangover. Thank the gods that the culprit didn't hit his vital organs and that it wasn't deep." Flavio spoke in Lev's stead and serves me a plate of berries.

Noticing Lev's unpleasant expression, I nod and sat at a distance from him, putting the berries slowly one by one into my mouth.

As Lev finishes his plate of curry, he pulls out his phone, texting somebody.

A few moments later, a sound of a car stopping can be heard outside.

"Go," Lev ordered as he grunts in pain afterward.

I nod and went out the door where I was met with Lev's men, escorting me into the car and driving me away, leaving Lev behind.