Part 10 (1/2)
”Why don't we go for a walk, son?” his father asked.
There was a small park across from the hospital with paths among the trees. As Conor and his father walked through it towards an empty bench, they kept pa.s.sing patients in hospital gowns, walking with their families or out on their own sneaking cigarettes. It made the park feel like an outdoor hospital room. Or a place where ghosts went to have a break.
”This is a talk, isn't it?” Conor said, as they sat down. ”Everybody always wants to have a talk lately.”
”Conor,” his father said. ”This new medicine your mum's takinga””
”It's going to make her well,” Conor said, firmly.
His father paused for a moment. ”No, Conor,” he said. ”It probably isn't.”
”Yes, it is,” Conor insisted.
”It's a last ditch effort, son. I'm sorry, but things have moved too fast.”
”It'll heal her. I know it will.”
”Conor,” his father said. ”The other reason your grandma was mad at me was because she doesn't think me or your mum have been honest enough with you. About what's really happening.”
”What does Grandma know about it?”
Conor's father put a hand on his shoulder. ”Conor, your muma””
”She's going to be okay,” Conor said, shaking it off and standing up. ”This new medicine is the secret. It's the whole reason why. I'm telling you, I know.”
His father looked confused. ”Reason for what?”
”So you just go back to America,” Conor carried on, ”and go back to your other family and we'll be fine here without you. Because this is going to work.”
”Conor, noa””
”Yes, it is. It's going to work.”
”Son,” his father said, leaning forward. ”Stories don't always have happy endings.”
This stopped him. Because they didn't, did they? That's one thing the monster had definitely taught him. Stories were wild, wild animals and went off in directions you couldn't expect.
His father was shaking his head. ”This is too much to ask of you. It is, I know it is. It's unfair and cruel and not how things should be.”
Conor didn't answer.
”I'll be back a week on Sunday,” his father said. ”Just keep that in mind, okay?”
Conor blinked up into the sun. It really had been an incredibly warm October, like the summer was still fighting to stick around.
”How long will you stay?” Conor finally asked.
”For as long as I can.”
”And then you'll go back.”
”I have to. I've gota””
”Another family there,” Conor finished.
His father tried to reach out a hand again, but Conor was already heading back towards the hospital.
Because no, it would work, it would, that was the whole reason the monster had come walking. It had to be. If the monster was real at all then that had to be the reason.
Conor looked at the clock on the front of the hospital as he went back inside.
Eight more hours until 12.07.
NO TALE.
”Can you heal her?” Conor asked.
The yew is a healing tree, the monster said. It is the form I choose most to walk in.
Conor frowned. ”That's not really an answer.”
The monster just gave him that evil grin.
Conor's grandma had driven him back to her house when his mum had fallen asleep after not eating her dinner. His grandma still hadn't spoken to him about the destruction of her sitting room. She'd barely spoken to him at all.
”I'm going back,” she said, as he got out of the car. ”Fix yourself something to eat. I know you can at least do that.”
”Do you think Dad's at the airport by now?” Conor asked.
All his grandma did in response was sigh impatiently. He shut the door and she drove away. After he'd gone inside, the clock a” the cheap, battery-operated one in the kitchen, which was all they had now a” had crept towards midnight without her returning or calling. He thought about calling her himself, but she'd already yelled at him once when her ringtone had woken up his mum.
It didn't matter. In fact, it made it easier. He hadn't had to pretend to go to bed. He'd waited until the clock read 12.07. Then he went outside and said, ”Where are you?”
And the monster said, I am here and stepped over his grandma's office shed in one easy motion.
”Can you heal her?” Conor asked again, more firmly.
The monster looked down at him. It is not up to me.
”Why not?” Conor asked. ”You tear down houses and rescue witches. You say every bit of you can heal if only people would use it.”
If your mother can be healed, the monster said, then the yew tree will do it.
Conor crossed his arms. ”Is that a yes?”
Then the monster did something it hadn't done until now.
It sat down.