Something Isn't Right

After a few minutes, I took another deep breath and opened my eyes.

"Salve, Patientia."(hello, Patience)

"Salve." I turned my face towards him. "Quid falsus?" (Hello. What's wrong?)

"Nihil. Dormisne?" (nothing. Did you sleep well?)

"Satis bene." (well enough)

Sitting up, I leaned forward and rubbed my eyes. It was odd watching my journal write itself while I listened to Glory and Sapientiis talk. Sapientiis' hands moved to the bandage on my chin and checked the wound.

"Fasciam mutemus," he said. (We should change the bandage) He put the bandage back into place as I nodded a little.

Back in our room's bathroom, Sapientiis change the bandage on my chin. Then he smothered me with kisses.

"Te amo, Patientia." (I love you)

"Te amo, enim, Sapientiis." (I love you, too.)

"Interfectem doloris cupis?" (do you want a killer of pain)

"Non cupio. Gratias ago." (I do not want. Thank you)

"Quid cupis?" (What do you want)

"Nihil. Quid cupis?" (Nothing, what do you want)

"Tibi esse slavus." (for you to be safe)

I nodded.

"Hic," He said, pulling my USB drive from his pocket. "Id non abicere possum." (here. I was not able to throw it away) He placed my USB drive in my left hand.

"Gratias ago, Sapientiis." (thank you, Wisdom)

"Esurisne?" (Are you hungry)

"Esurio." (I'm hungry)

"Quid vis?" (what do you want)

"Chinese."

"Mox reddam." (I will return soon)

I nodded and Sapientiis kissed me once more.

I dropped the USB drive in my right jacket pocket. I had no use for it, but Sapientiis had been thoughtful and kept it even though I had told him to throw it out. That little piece of plastic and metal had been the cause of so much trouble. Actually, the information that had been on it was the cause, but I still didn't know what was in my journals or stories that needed to remain secret.

The door for the room next to mine slammed closed. Shaking my head, I sat at the table, close my eyes, I started reading my journal. My life had been less than adventurous. Mostly it was everyday conversations with people I had lost contact with and story titles. I had read through six months of my journal before Sapientiis returned.

He set out to the various Chinese entrées and sides that he had picked up. There was more than enough, so what we didn't eat was put in the fridge for later. Sapientiis locked the door before returning to the table. I read more from my journal before Sapientiis spoke.

"Patientia, English mihi edocebis?" (Will you thoroughly teach English to me?)

"Yes," I replied with a nod.

"Quid est Yes?" He asked. (What is...)

"Dictum consensi. Is est:''bene est?' 'Yes.'" (Statement of agreement. For example, are you well, yes)

"Quid falsus?...Yes?" (What's wrong? Yes)

I smiled at them corrected, "Quisquid falsus est?... Yes." (Is something wrong? Yes)

"Quid varius?" (What is the difference)

"Quid rem imperat. Quidquid rem non imperat." (What implies a thing. Something does not imply a thing)

"Esurisne?... Yes?" (Are you hungry? Yes)

"Yes," I replied with a nod.

"Quid diende?" (What next)

"Hello, how are you?"

"Hello, how are you?" He repeated. "Non cognosco. Quid formam est?" (I don't understand. What is the form?)

"Hello est similis ad Salve. Forma est argumentum, verbum, recta res, obliquus res." (Hello is similar to be well. The form is subject, verb, direct object, indirect object)

"Tam multa." (So many things)

"Yes, sed facilis est semel cognosces." (Yes, but it's easy once you understand.)

Sapientiis took his sunglasses off and rubbed his eyes. He looked worn out. "Yes. Hello, how are you?... Bene?"

"Yes. I am well. Thank you."

"I am well. Thank you." His brow furrowed. "Quid est?" (What is it)

"Thank you est Gratias tibi ago."

He nodded. "I am well.... Hello, how are you?"

"I am well. How are you?

"Cur non hello?"

"Hello, Sapientiis. Hello, Patientia. How are you? I am well. How are you? Cognosces?" (Do you understand?)

"Parvus. Hello. Hello, are you well? Yes, are you well? I am well." (A little)

"Bonus." (good)

"Quid dices Sapientiis et Patientia in English?" he asked. (How do say Sapientiis and Patientia in English)

"Wisdom and Patience."

"Patience. Mihi gratificari." (It is pleasing to me)

"I like it."

"I like it," he repeated.

Occasionally, a smile would lift his lips, but then you would look serious and think about what I had said. He spent the rest of the evening going over the greeting with very responses. Around 10, Sapientiis yawned.

"Quid diende?" (What's next)

"Dormi," I replied. (Sleep)

"Sed..." (But)

"Non sed, Sapientiis. English capit tiempus discere." (No buts, Wisdom. English takes time to learn)

Slowly he nodded, and I helped him to his feet.

"Te amo, Patience."

"I love you, Wisdom."

"I love you," he whispered back as he embraced and kissed me.

Throughout the night, Sapientiis would mutter a mix of English and Latin in his sleep. It kept me awake, but the fact that he was learning made me happy. Because I couldn't sleep, I continue to read my journal. The light in the room seemed to have no effect on how well I could read the report. It was constantly bright. My life was boring. All I did was go to school and write stories. I was hardly social, but that didn't interfere with how I interacted with others. As it was, I had just finished my bachelor's degree in creative writing before I lost everything—including several stories—and had ended up here. Each journal entry was a day-to-day occurrence—classes, writing. Once a month a dance was mentioned and even more sparse were the topics of conversations I had with friends online. These conversations were placed in another part of my journal, just like my stories were separate. How was this information dangerous? It seemed so commonplace. Month after month it continued. I made it through my sophomore year of college before Sapientiis woke up.

"Hello, Patience."

"Good morning, Wisdom."

"Good morning?" he asked.

"Similis hello, sed various fretes in parte die." (Like hello, is different depending on the time of day.)

"Primo good morning diende?" (First, good morning, then)

"Good afternoon, good evening, and good night."

"Quod similis Vale est?"(What is like be strong)

"Goodbye."

"Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good night, goodbye."

"Yes."

"Quid horas?"(what hours)

"Praemeridies—good morning; meridies ad quinque—good afternoon; quinque ad novem—good evening; novem plus—goodnight." (Before noon—good morning; Noon to five—good afternoon; Five to nine—good evening; Nine on—good night.)

"Et Goodbye?"

"Degresso."(For parting)

"Cognosco."

"I understand."

"Yes. I understand." He kissed me and pulled me close. "Thank you, Patience."

"You are welcome, Wisdom."

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Yes."

He let go and looked at me with his good eye. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm just tired."

Sapientiis just looked at me. He had not understood what I said.

"Sola lassus," I said. (Only tired)

"Verene?" (Truly)

"Yes, Sapientiis. Bene English dixit." I touched his left cheek and he took my hand in his. (You speak English well)

"Eamus." (Let us go)

The dining hall was empty, though the food was prepared. I selected a bagel and cream cheese with fruit. Sapientiis decided on eggs, hash browns, sausages, and pancakes saturated with syrup. Slowly, I taught him more English. It seemed as if we would have the entire day to just speak, but Glory came by to get Sapientiis so they could keep trying to find out who was after my information.

"Goodbye? Patience," he said.

"Goodbye, Wisdom. See you later."

"See you later," he repeated, before leaving with Glory.

"Quid dediceras?" Gloria asked. (What had you said)

"Nihil, Gloria." (nothing)

"Falsus. "Quid...?" (Wrong. What)

The doors closed behind them and I hoped Sapientiis would keep his word to me. Perhaps I was wrong in doubting Glory, but she seemed displeased each time Sapientiis and I were together. Was she jealous that I was his wife?

I sat in the dining hall for a while longer, but as I got up to leave a woman with long blond hair brushed past me. My right hand scraped against the sharp corner on one of the tables. The blonde woman was talking to another as I made my way back to the room. I put my hand in my right pocket absently picking up my USB drive. When I reached the elevator, I felt sick and lightheaded. The doors opened, I took my hand out of my pocket, leaving the USB drive in it, and I sat just inside the door. Movement made it worse and I had just lain on the floor when the doors opened to the lobby. A set of shoes stepped into view as the world went black.