Indiscretion

A/N: That was much quicker than I anticipated. I will warn you that this chapter gets a bit absurd near the end. The dialog might be a bit hard to follow, but if you don't think about it too much you should be okay. Or not. If it confuses and/or frustrates you in any way please leave a note of it and I'll see what I can do. Thanks to Young Sage and crazykitty for the reviews. And in case you haven't noticed, each chapter probably feels different from the others. That is intentional as this story is my plaything. This is for when I get bored with my other stories.

Note: for the dialog, sometimes a character will speak twice in a row.



The Sunken Cathedral



He awoke to a deluge of blinding hot pain. Spread evenly throughout his body and throbbing endlessly. He was on a bed. Moderately comfortable though harder than his preference. He looked around. Gray stone of varying shade stacked up toward the vaulted ceiling. Tall narrow windows spaced evenly and made of stained-glass. Like a church. A cathedral. He was vaguely aware of his being alone. Of being isolated. Not a knowing so much as a feeling. Disconnected—that's what he felt. Disconnected. He thought to get up but was unable. A grunt instead. In the distance beyond his vision a door opened. Shuffling feet moving closer and closer. A man old and worn with age covered in brown robes from head to toe.



“Good afternoon,” the man said. “I thought it was about time for you two to wake up. I expect you'll be hurting now as well.” From his robe a syringe filled with translucent blue liquid. “This should fix you right up.”



Within a moment, a dull numbness. Aiden still unable to move.



“I must say it's been some time since our last guest. I was almost lonely. But imagine my surprise when I find you two in my rose garden. Of course I called right away for Elizabeth to treat you. Your friend—Lucien was it?—managed to recover very quickly. Fastest I've seen, actually. He's in the other room talking away with Elizabeth.”



As he spoke he worked. Checked various things that might be wrong with Aiden. Temperature. Pulse. Blood pressure. All fine.



“—although I suppose you don't have any idea what I'm talking about, do you? Look at me just babbling on and on and you don't even know what's happened. Once I get you all better I'll tell you everything you need to know, alright?”



Aiden attempted to nod. But failed.



Another syringe but a light green this time.



“That should do it.”



He could move.



“Thank you.”



“Oh it was nothing. Just doing my job. Now how about some clothes, eh?”



He moved over towards a chifforobe Aiden hadn't previously noticed. Sturdy oak carved with intricate and foreign patterns. From it a simple set of clothes the same hue as the monk's own. They felt loose around his frame, but better than nothing. The monk guided him down the hall the same as he had come towards a large and imposing door of simple wood.



“Your friend should be in here—Elizabeth, too.”



The doors opened and before them Lucien and Elizabeth.



“Now why don't we get you fed, eh? I don't know about you, but your friend here was absolutely famished when he woke up. Where did I put that tray?—My goodness! I haven't even introduced myself. How could you let me do that, Elizabeth? You may call me Daniel. Or sir. Actually, you can call me whatever you want, but Elizabeth here calls me Daniel and I think I've about gotten used to that. So Daniel should be fine, right?”



As he finished he proffered a tray laden with food. Simple but sufficient. That Lucien was fine and before him relieved his apprehension somewhat. Only, he couldn't think of the appropriate thing to say for such an occasion and left it at a polite, rushed greeting. A confirmation of acknowledgement. Not that he had time for a conversation the way the old man was talking.



“So, where are we?” Aiden asked.



“Oh, now that is a question.” He paused for a moment to give the impression of thought. “But the wrong one. Ask something else.”



“What do you mean 'the wrong one'?”



“I mean, that's not the question I'm supposed to answer right now. We'll get to it eventually, of course, but there are other things we must first discuss.” His tone shifted oddly to the dark and serious and moody side of things.



“Okay, then.” Aiden thought for a moment. “What the hell happened back there?”



“Hmm. . . that sounds about right. Okay. Your world, the place you've known for all your life, was destroyed. Ravaged. Burnt to ashes and dust. What you witnessed were the judges. Probably.”



“And how'd we get here?”



“That, I do not know. People come here all different manner of ways, no two the same. Though I can't recall ever having two arrive simultaneously.”



“And where is 'here'?”



“There we go. This place is like a sanctuary, a refuge for those who survived the judgment. A rift between worlds with neither beginning nor end. And I am the caretaker. I take care of those who arrive here until they leave. Elizabeth here never left. Before her I was alone, but I can't say I ever minded it before. But now that I have her around I seem to get lonely more often.” He shrugged his shoulders at the seeming contradiction. “My supposition—and this is complete conjecture, mind you—is that you and he,” he pointed at Lucien, “are linked somehow. And that link allowed you to travel together.”



“So you're saying that everyone and everything we've ever known has been killed or destroyed?”



“Precisely.”



“I feel like I should be having some sort of emotional response to this.”



“That would be the sedative.”



“Ah. Good thing, that. Very handy.”



“Indeed.”



“I thought for a minute I might have gone mad.”



“You probably did, actually. Who knows?”



“I sure don't. I never seem to know, really.”



“Ain't it the truth?”



“I think I might want a cookie.”



“I have none.”



“I would be sad. . .”



“If it weren't for the sedative.”



“Good thing, that.”



“Indeed.”



“Indeed.”



“Do you have a cookie, Lucien?” Aiden asked.



“No. And if I did you couldn't have it.”



“So mean.”



“I like cookies,” Lucien said.



“He really does. He ate them all earlier while you were still sleeping,” Daniel said.



“I did not. Elizabeth helped.”



“Do you have a cookie, Elizabeth?” Aiden asked.



“I might. Let me check. Yes, yes I do. Here you go.”



“Yay, cookie.”



“He looks so happy, don't you think, Lucien?” Daniel asked.



“That he does.”



“Now I want a cookie.”



“You already had them all,” Aiden said.



“I did not. Elizabeth helped. Please, sir, I want some more.”



“No cookies for you,” Aiden said.



“So mean.”



“I miss my cookie,” Aiden said.



“That was my last one. I'm sorry.”



“It's not your fault. It's his.”



“It is not. Elizabeth helped.”



“Quit dragging me into it.”



“Hey, where'd my cookie go?” Aiden said.



“You ate it,” Lucien said.



“Oh.”



“Wait. What were we just talking about?” Aiden said.



“You mean the cookie?” Lucien asked.



“No, before that.”



“You mean the apocalypse?”



“Yeah. That thing.”



“Hmm. . . I don't remember.”



“Must not be important, then.”



“Want a cookie? I've got plenty,” Lucien said.



“Why thank you, Lucien. Where'd you get 'em?”



“I don't know. I just. . . all of a sudden I, like, had them.”



“They're good.”



“Hey, leave some for me.”



“Too late.”



“That was mean.”



“What was?”



“I don't remember.”



“I only serve the best drugs,” Daniel said.



“Drugs? Oh, right. Good thing, that.”



“Indeed.”



“Indeed.”



“Indeed.”



“I need to use the men's room.”



“Just down the hall to your left.”



“What hall?”



“That one.”



“Oh.”



“Ooh. . . can I go?”



“No. This is the men's room.”



“I am a man.”



“No you're not.”



“Here, have a cookie.”



“Thanks.”



“They are good, aren't they?”



“Indeed.”



“Indeed.”



“Is that a monkey?”



“No. That's a rose bush. That's a monkey.”



“You mean Aiden?”



“Indeed.”



“I guess he does look like one, doesn't he.”



“Especially when he's peeing on the wall like that.”



“I'm glad he didn't have to crap.”



“Me too. But I'll just make Elizabeth clean it up later.”



“Oh no you won't.”



“Oh dear, have I made you upset?”



“Maybe.”



“Dammit woman, give me a straight answer.”



“Never.”



“This is why I hate women.”



“Me too.”



“If it weren't for the sex they'd be useless, right?”



“I'm gay, actually.”



“Good for you. Now you never have to deal with 'em.”



“Ain't it the truth.”



“Indeed.”



“Having a good pee, Aiden?” Lucien asked.



“Obviously.”



“Good for him. Elizabeth, think you could get me a bucket?”



“Maybe.”



“Again with the ambiguity.”



“Didn't you say something about leaving?”



“Yes. The both of you should be leaving very soon. Like, now.”



“But I'm not done peeing yet.”



Before Aiden even had time to zip himself back up they were gone in a flash of light as before.