Chapter Twelve
James
Ikick my legs, waiting for Vera to come back and find me. She said she would.
It’s weird to be spending this much time fixated on Vera. Before today she was just a screenwriter, we were just working together. Everything was professional and honestly, I never really spared her a second thought. But now?
She’s my only tie to back home.
That makes it feel like we share a far more intimate bond. As if she is the only person who could possibly help and understand me and even after we get home—because surely we won’t be trapped in this story forever—she will likely be the only person to ever know what we went through together.
I shudder and adjust my coat.
I should probably not go thinking things like that. It might skew my perspective. I’m already too deeply connected to Vera for comfort. I don’t need to go and bring the future into it. But it’s true, isn’t it?
If and when we get home… who will I be able to talk about this experience with? If I tell someone that I spent a day as the captain of a ship straight out of Peter Pan, then I would be involuntarily hospitalized faster than I could say “just kidding”. Only Vera would believe me and that’s because we shared this experience together.
I sigh, reaching up to rub at my eyes. I pause when I realize I almost did it with my left hand. I grunt in disgust and drop my arm. Will I ever be able to get used to that dratted hook? I don’t think it would be too bad if I could have a normal prosthetic, but the hook is really too flamboyant for me.
“James?”
I straighten so quickly that I slide off the wall, bumping my back in the process. I grimace, trying to hide it as I rub my back. I’m uncool enough without having to add falling off walls to the list. I’m still embarrassed that I lost complete control of myself back there. Vera said it was the plot doing that, whatever that means, but I happen to notice that she was fine.
No, I was the raving madman who was trying to kill everyone. And she got to be the cool and in control one.
Although I am a teeny bit impressed by the fact that I was able to beat that Fredrick guy. Guess he wasn’t as tough as he thought himself to be.
I turn to Vera as she makes her way through the mist that is gathering here at the alleyway near the docks. I feel my mouth drop open as I take her in. Dressed in a green gown that is almost the exact color as the sea this morning, her hair is only slightly pinned back while the rest of it cascades around her back. She has a silver mask with blue jewels on it on her face, but I can still clearly make out her bright eyes in dusk.
“Wow, Vera, you look…. Wow.” I state and then I clamp my mouth shut when I realize that I was stuttering.
She presses her lips together as she swipes at her skirts. “I know but Naia wouldn’t let me leave unless I had changed. So here I am.”
“Here you are,” I breathe. I reach up and smack myself in what I hope is a subtle manner. I blink multiple times, trying to get control of myself.
What has come over me? First, I’m thinking about myself and Vera having a special bond when we are just fellow castaways stranded in a different world, now I’m losing the ability to speak properly just because she is in a dress?
Ridiculous. I’m being ridiculous.
I notice that Vera has material draped over her shoulder. She straightens it out to reveal a long blue cloak. “Here, put this on,” she says holding it out to me.
“What for?” I ask with a frown. It isn’t that cold out here and I’m already wearing this coat.
“It’s the closest thing to a disguise I could find.” She pulls a mask that had been hooked to her belt off and holds it out. It’s silver like hers only it doesn’t have the blue jewels. I’m thankful for that. I’ll look ridiculous as is in an ornate silver mask without adding any gems to the mix.
I reach up, placing the mask against my face, however one second later I realize I won’t be able to tie the strings. I press my lips together and hold up the hook.
“Here, let me,” Vera says stepping closer to me. She presses on my shoulder, and I lower myself till I’m closer to her level.
“Do you think when we get home, I’ll get my hand back?” I muse out loud. I know that even getting back home is a huge assumption. We were never guaranteed such a thing, but I have to hope that if there was a way to get us into this world, there has to be a way to get us back out.
“I think so,” she says as she tugs on the strings on the mask. I try not to shudder as her hands brush the napeof my neck. I’m grateful that she doesn’t mention the fact that we mightneverget back home. “Just like these scars, it’s just a part of the story. Once we are out of the script, why wouldn’t things go back to normal? I’ve come up with a plan by the way, but I don’t think you’re going to like it.”
She pats me on the shoulder, letting me know that she’s done. I straighten, reaching up to touch my mask and adjust it slightly. I turn to her. “Why? What is it?”
“It involves assassination.”
I feel my eyebrows rise as Vera pulls a dagger out of the sleeve of her dress.
