The rat man has a darker look, like Tomh, but more blurry.
"What is going on?" I say taking a few steps back.
"Kill me" he says emotionless. My insides start burning. It's the same sensation. I clutch my stomach.
"Why?" I ask in pain.
"I don't want to live anymore, I don't want to suffer anymore" he says lowering his head "even if i get back i will be killed"
My entire head is on fire, i clinch it. Blood gushing out my ears.
"I can't do that, even if i wanted too they would not let me"
He puts his hands around where the translucent light connects us, around his chest.
"Just pull this, i will not hold againts it" he looks up "people are searching for you, be careful"
My entire body is loosing blood, i will die if i don't do this, i grab the translucent light, a watery sensation, and pull with every inch of force towards me. I hope it ends it. A ball of light comes out of the rat man chest and he immediately falls down dead.
The ball of light slowly enters my body, every inch of my body feels like is catching fire, i roll on the ground holding my head "AHHHHHHHHHHH" everything is red.
"What happened Tomh" the voice of Miles distant.
Every cell of my body is fighting the light, burning every second.
"You have to accept me, or you will not able to sustain it, you will die" the rat man voice echos in my mind.
I ca-n't.
"AHHHHHHHH" my whole body spasms. "Accept it" my last mental wall crumbles down. The light penetrates every inch of my body. CRACK. Something deep inside my mind breaks. I slowly open my eyes. Vincent is pressing his fingers on my chest, with Miles, Symon with his sharp nose and a stranger with long greasy black hair and a fat face looking at me.
"Are you alright Tomh?" Miles asks me. I sit up and put my back againts the wall. The voices confuse and become indistinct. I look at my hand. My body feels lighter. I close my eyes and focus on the sensation when something broke inside me. Everything around me turns cold. I open my eyes and im around a blue-graiysh place, infront of me the rat man.
my body feels etheral, i cannot move freely, it is like dream i cannot get out from.
"What happened?" I look at my body but see no differences.
"I don't know either, but im part of you now or you are part of me" his eyes unfocusing "I don't know, am i alive?" He looks at me for an answer.
I accepted him inside of me, that light ball... I should have never done it.
"Don't ask me, what was that thing i pull out of you?"
"My core where my vitality resided, if used well you can reach the next level, you can start to see with the eyes of gods" a fervant expression covered his face "you finally start to become whole"
"Do i have one too?"
"Everyone has, you wouldn't be alive if you didn't"
I touch my chest. So now i have two cores? Or only... His? I look at him, scrutinizing and trying to find anything at all.
"What are you looking at?" He asks me annoyed.
"Nothing" my head starts throbbing and my chest pulsates but it isn't my heart, something else, trying to break free of my body.
Why my body is in so much pain when i talk to him and Tomh? But now it's different, I don't bleed out anymore when he talks, my body crumbles slower.
I close my eyes. How do i get out of here?
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to get out" i keep my eyes close.
"Don't do it, i don't want to be alone here" are you a child? I slowly open my eyes, rat man with his head low. I clinch my fist. The picture of him in the house taking my breath away appears.
"You asked me to take your core, now deal with the consequences, i fucking sure have too" my blood boils. "I stay in a place where i don't even belong and have to accept and deal consequences of action i never took, so don't start complaing to me"
"Alright, im sorry man" he says keeping his head low, hiding his face.
I close my eyes and focus on myself, on the outside world, picturing it in my mind.
A vortex sensation inside my body, i grasp it and concentrate on it, sending my emotions in turmoil. I open my eyes, the guys appear speaking with me and with each other.
"He died suddenly and then we heard the scream, there's something fishy about this" Symon says talking with the fat guy and Miles.
"Hey Tomh" Vincent with his great white beard taps my face lightly "are you back with us?"
"Yes im okay" i get up.
I feel like mocking Vincent. You are an old man, i should ask you if you are okay. No... I put my hands on my face.
"Are you sure that you are okay, those screams... They were something else" Miles voice rings in my ears.
Like Tomh, now also the rat man... I have to deal with with his thoughts and emotions too... "I prefer to not talk about it, it is something i can't say anything about" i say trying to regain control of my emotions. Now that i think about it Tomh wasn't there with the rat man and his thoughts and emotions don't interfere anymore. Is it because of that bridge and the castle? What is he doing there?
"Then we will not ask brother" Symon says with a pale face "but i will have to respond to what happened to him, i will say what i saw" he indicates the room where he was.
"No problem" Symon with the fat man enter the room where the rat is kept. I turn to Miles, his worry apparent and Vincent "im sorry but im not coming, i have other things to deal with"
"I will not go too, i will come with you and help you" Miles says to me.
"I think it's better if the young man deals things in his own, if he needs he will ask us" Vicent gives me a quick look, i can see he is worried, but he keeps his cool. Thank you old man.
"If i need something i will ask you, even if I don't know you i feel i can trust you guys" i smile to them. I really do, i don't know if Tomh is doing something about this.
"How would you know the way?" He retorts back, looking uncomfortable, not sure how to respond.
"I will find it" i wave my hand and move away.
"It's better to leave him alone, it is your brother and he might trust you but he still doesn't know you, you have to leave him some space" Vincent consols Miles.
This time i smile for real. You are very perceptive, old age really brings wisdom.
My chest keeps pulsating, putting all my body on high alert.
Things are getting more complicated and i have to find out what is happening to my body. Until Bridge William returns, there is only one person i can ask too.