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ALEX CASEY
“So your life must be one big adventure.” Mark said with a chuckle. “Or else why would, you know, anyone be interested in your life’s story.”
I held back a sigh and the urge to punch the man. Saga had invited me to Logan’s birthday party so I was here. At the start her constant instance for me to come over for dinner had been annoying but she had been right to let me into her life. After the messy divorce there had been years where I had felt like less of myself than usual. Not even Jash’s return, which seemed like a delusion years later, was enough to hold onto.
“Let me guess, you’re a big fan of Alan Wake.” I said and did my best to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.
“When your daughter’s friend’s mother is partnered with Alex Casey how can you not look into things?” Mark asked with a smirk. “Tell me you have never been interested in Wake.”
“I try to avoid the subject.”
I was not going to admit to him that I had been disturbed back in 2013. Not because I was afraid about revealing anything but due to the memories from then not exactly being pleasant. If only there was a way to walk away from this conversation without being rude.
My head jerked when Saga screamed. On past cases when she was new, she had let out the odd scream or two. In our line of work there were disturbing sights that could cause those new to react. It was only after constant exposure that you found a way to deal with the horrors people did to each other.
So I could tell that her screams hadn’t originated in the house or the yard. She must be in the garage or standing just outside.
I started to move towards the front door and was thankful to get out of the conversation with Mark. Everyone else, though, stood still. No one knew what to do in the middle of a celebration when something horrible happened. The only difference with me was I had training.
Should I leave through the front door? That’s where I had started to head towards without thinking so I couldn’t change course now. What if these few moments determined if she lived or died? Where was Logan? Had something happened to her? I couldn’t see her.
“Wife must have seen a spider.” David said with a forced chuckle.
He looked at me and I nodded back. He wasn’t a fighter and knew I was the best chance for his family to survive. David’s jokes caused most to chuckle except for me and the performer. As soon as people started laughing the performer, some second rate clown, rushed out of the house. I was barely able to move out of the way as he fled. I couldn’t blame him as I wouldn’t want to die dressed like that.
I stepped out of the house mere moments after he did. He fled to his car and drove off as I made my way to the garage. Just as I neared the garage, Saga came out dragging Logan. Usually she treated her daughter with the upmost respect and wouldn’t dare to treat Logan as a ragdoll.
“Who’s in the garage?” I asked as I took out my gun and took the safety off.
“Some naked lunatic covered in blood.” Saga replied and shook her head at the sight of my gun. “You know how I feel about guns around Logan.”
“You’re right, I should have left this back at my apartment.”
If Saga could kill with a mere look, the glare in her eyes would have shattered me. But underneath that anger was a sense of being thankful I had disregarded her wants today. She did not have her gun and a strange man was inside the garage. So if anything went wrong, I could protect her family.
“Don’t kill the lizard.” Logan begged.
“Logan.” Saga snapped.
Saga had said there was a naked man covered in blood but Logan called him a lizard. Back in 2013 Jash, someone I now knew as a Saxhleel, was covered in blood and had the appearance of a lizard. Had he returned? Or was Logan just letting her childish mind get to her?
“A lizard?” I asked and somehow kept my voice steady.
“Logan is calling the lunatic in the garage Lizzie because she thinks he’s a lizard.” Saga said with a hint of being sorry for her daughter.
I hated this sense of pure happiness that threatened to take over me. If the man in the garage wasn’t Jash I…I didn’t know what I would do. He would become just another person that abandoned me for someone better.
I couldn’t handle that.
“Is this man’s name Jash?” I asked.
“How did you know that?” Saga asked with a voice laced with concern.
I managed to put the safety back on but couldn’t retain my hold on the gun. It fell down as I raced to the garage. He was back. He had returned. He had kept his promise. Over the years I had only longed for him more with the feeling never fading. Never becoming less than it was.
Saga hadn’t closed the door to the garage so I had one less thing to worry about. I was able to just step across the threshold and look at the man I loved. A smile broke on my face as Jash smiled back at me. He was exhausted but I must have given him strength.
I nearly fell down in my effort to be next to him. With his help I managed to get his head into my lap. I leaned down and he leaned up so that our lips crashed into each other. Our kiss was a desperate thing as if the harder we kissed, the longer he would stay in my arms.
Something warm went down my cheeks. What? My tears. I finally felt happy enough that I could cry. When our kiss ended I just looked into his eyes. Jash also had tears going down his face with a smile that showed off his sharp teeth. If I didn’t know his feelings for me, I would think he was about to tear me into pieces.
“You came back, Jash.” I said.
“It is ours to move Aetherius and Oblivion to be next to you again, Alex.” Jash replied and ran his claws through my hair.
Was this what it felt like to be home?
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