Corollary

Aftermath -2

The overhead light attached to the bed woke him. He’d been dreaming again.

“There you are, did you sleep well?” Luc blinked. It was the same nurse from before.

Sleep was overrated when you dreamt the way he did. It was always just her, in the hospital bed and him by her side, waiting silently, as she railed at him with accusing eyes, her voice already gone.

The nurse was saying something to him, but Luc was already falling back into the dream.

The following morning, he woke up to a different nurse fussing over him. However, his attention was drawn to the two men who stood waiting outside the open door. He noted the uniforms. The two didn’t look old enough to be police officers, but they were wearing the uniform.

They stepped in once the nurse was done.  

“Morning, Mr James Lucas Austen?”

“Yes.”

The two officers exchanged looks before introducing themselves.  The shorter of the two asked if he could tell them what happened while the other added after that a neighbour had found him and called them, thinking he was dead.  Luc almost laughed out loud at that. He didn’t think the officers would get the joke though. After all, what neighbour could have freely waltzed into his flat, past his front door with all his wards? It was funny and improbable, but annoyingly clearly not impossible considering his where he was now.  Still, they had to be wrong. This could not have happened to him within his flat. It didn’t feel that funny the more he thought about it. Then the shorter police officer asked if he had been involved in any dangerous practices of recent. For the second time, Luc had to bite back a smile. What a question.  How was he supposed to respond to that? ‘Yes, officer, I routinely battle other magicians to ensure that no one makes the mistake of underestimating me. I also have a standing contract with the Crowd to execute rogue magicians, even though I haven’t taken up the contract in quite some time.’  He supposed he could show them what a truly dangerous practice looked like, but he doubted they would appreciate it. Besides, he had given most of it up, though there were probably others who still considered him dangerous. Was that the reason for the attack? Had a group of disgruntled relatives, lovers, whatever banded together to take him out or was it one of the professional outfits?

The taller police officer was staring at him. Luc realised that he had zoned out. This was not good. He couldn’t afford to lose focus, not in front of the police. No memory, this hospital and now the police, he needed to get himself together. He shut his eyes and recentred himself and then looked up at the waiting officers.