A Meeting With Liam [II]

Right. I still have a promise to fulfill.

"I understand. D'you have anything else to tell me?" I asked him.

"Nothing much. Just wanna ask if you learned how to control it already."

"I can do some stuff. But it gets in the way most of the time. Why?"

"I suggest that the sooner you learn how to control it the better. The more control you have over it the less chance you'll be caught."

It makes sense. Especially when it suddenly acts up without my permission in the middle of the crowd. If this continues, people will get suspicious in some way or another.

"I'm working on it. But I'd be grateful if you can tell me a method or two to learning it more quickly."

He appeared to be thinking for a while as he brought his hand to his chin. His missing thumb was kinda distracting.

"Here's the thing, Mr. Jack. Peculiarities are weird. There's no one rule for everything. More so since it was manifested to counter or to protect us from our greatest fears. You get what I'm trying to say? In short, since it manisfested in different ways to cater the bearer's needs, mastering it is different from the others."

"So I only have myself to rely, huh."

"You're not wrong to think of it that way. However, knowing yourself on a deeper level might give you a clue."

He's sounding more philosophical the more I listen to him.

"That's too vague," I told him. "And by the way Liam, sir. Aside from you introducing yourself, telling me the rules, and giving me the vaguest advice, I don't see any reason why we really have to meet here tonight. I mean, don't get me wrong. But you know, you could have told me all these yesterday."

"It's because there are things we cannot do yesterday such as making a pact. By doing that, I will have the responsibility to protect you as long as you're under me. But in return, you will have to follow all the rules strictly. And also, you will become my eye."

"Your eye? But what if I chose not to do it? The pact, I mean."

"Then you're no different from a moving target. You might be a peculiar but if you don't have a pact with any warden, then you're as good as dead. You might be feeling all invincible now, but you don't have any idea how crazy those guys can get. They won't think twice about killing you."

"Good as dead, huh. Correct me if I'm wrong, sir. But didn't you say you're a warden, the so-called protector of all peculiars in Sratol? Then why?" I asked him as I stood at his front — as if challenging him. I don't understand why I'm doing it either. But I can't help but question him. Can't help questioning his accountability. "Why did you let him die?"

As if not wanting to lose the battle of pride, he stood as well, facing me. And since he was taller than I am, I had to crane my neck to meet him in the eye. "I wonder what you're trying to say, Mr. Jack. But don't try me."

"I'm talking about that guy at the plaza. He's a peculiar too, am I wrong? Why? If he's a peculiar who happens to live here in Sratol and was in no doubt under your supervision. Then why? Why did you let him die?"

"Oh! You're talking about that man? I did! I did try to save him. And if you saw him being sentenced to death at the plaza that day, I bet you saw my puny attempt too. If only! If only he wasn't too stupid enough to get drunk and reveal his identity then that wouldn't have happened to him. And if only he didn't do that in front of the police, then I might be able to save him given enough time. But no, Jack. Even I stood no chance against those people. No chance at all." And he turned his back on me and took a deep breath.

"Because I tell you, Jack. Once those people got their hands on you, they'll try to squeeze all sorts of information from you. And if they deem you worthless then they'll dispose you. Never to be seen again. Do you really think all the disappearance happening in the city lately is just normal? And do you really think it's only happening in Sratol? If you're actually thinking that, then you're greatly mistaken. Because it's happening all over the world, Jack."

"Don't tell me — Don't tell me you're that man who was under that cloak and just suddenly disappeared after creating all that fuss?"

"So you did see me. And I don't know why! Why are the people so accepting of it? They're so accepting of the fact that there were sorcerers, or at least what they're made to believe living together with them. A normal person with common sense would freak out, Jack. They're so accepting that sometimes — sometimes, I'm thinking they're under some sort of hypnosis or something. Ha! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm just under a lot of stress lately."

And he slumped on the chair, massaging his temples. But seriously, this world is more messed up than I thought it to be.