Chapter 86 - Eighty Five - Unable To Find His Way (1/2)

To rewind a little...

Nathan had become a cause of concern for many within the survivors' base; his link to the plant life in the gardens was too strong and the signs that he was not doing well were increasing everyday that Ren Zexian spent in isolation. For instance, the lettuce and cabbage out leaves were more yellow than green. Many of the flowers budding on the tomato plants, established chilli pepper plants and even the wild blackberry bushes had dropped off of the plants before even opening their petals to awaiting insects. The vines on the house were drooping, peeling away from the walls as if too weary to grasp upon the brick and render any longer.

The child, Lucy, was only one of his visitors attempting to raise his spirits throughout this difficult time.

The day before that which Brooke left with the two soldiers, Nathan found a couple of worried visitors in his living room.  It seemed he had forgotten to lock the door the night before.

It was morning, Nathan had awoken at dawn as usual, but one side of the bed remained cold causing a discordant note in the pattern he'd become used to.  This had been the tenth morning of Ren Zexian's absence, since they told him that Ren Zexian had isolated himself due to the sickness in his blood in order that he might purge it without risking others.  The sickness that would cause a different man to die and become a zombie.  Chang Min had assured Nathan that Ren Zexian would return to him, that he would not die and leave his side forever, but each morning that Nathan had woken up since, Ren Zexian still wasn't there.

He rose from his bed, feeling as if his roots were pot-bound and lacking the ability to stretch and breath, making his way to the bathroom as usual to deal with his bladder and wash his body to refresh his skin.  Glancing in the mirror, he noticed that his hair had grown another half-inch since winter and his bangs completely covered his eyes, when not swept aside.  Ordinarily, this would bother him, but Ren Zexian would help him deal tie back his hair after running his fingers through it a few times.  Ren Zexian enjoyed the length of it and often told him so.

Leaving the bathroom fully dressed, he paused at the table separating the kitchen from the living room.  There was no teapot upon it, stewing freshly brewed tea created from a mix of herbs and tealeaves, no two cups waiting to be filled.  This was how Ren Zexian favoured spending his first few minutes after awakening and once the tea had been poured, they would quietly sip the amber liquid, before Ren Zexian went to wash.  And afterwards, both would sit upon the bed for an hour or so and cultivate together in the morning rays pouring through the window.

But now, Nathan could only sit at the lonely table inwardly fl.u.s.tered; he no longer knew what he should be doing next.  It was if the carefully planned garden path he always took through the shrubs and flowers was broken and beyond it was just an empty darkness that he could no longer see beyond.  He couldn't go around it, for that would require him to leave the path and he couldn't do that.  Leaving the path felt wrong.  And although he understood that the path he used to walk upon was slightly different from this one, he couldn't turn around and go back and find it either, so all he could do was stop and wait.

”Nathan,” the calmness of the voice had him glancing upward, his eyes brightening beneath his bangs, but in the next moment the light faded as he came to realise that the voice was not quite right of tone.  Indeed, it belonged to an owner that was not a Ren Zexian.  Chang Min looked worriedly at Cole, who'd come with him to check on his Master's young lover.  The two men had entered while Nathan was in the bathroom, after knocking received no response, so sat upon the sofa waiting for him, but the youth had failed to notice them.  Cole offered Chang Min encouragement in terms of a slight smile.  In truth, he didn't know what to do either; in the past, when his own emotions had overwhelmed him, that is when he'd used his fists.  He was completely out of his depths sympathising most people, but especially someone as closed off as Nathan.

”Nathan, Master will recover, I'm sure,” Chang Min's eyes reddened, unsure whether he was reassuring Nathan or himself.  Still he continued; ”Master wouldn't want you to worry about him so.”

The young man just shook his head furiously and wrapped his arms about his chest, rocking slightly upon his chair.

Cole and Chang Min exchanged glances once more, but the former looked away quickly, unable to endure the large brown eyes begging him for his assistance.  ”Why don't you come with us, get something to eat?”