Page 36 of Bound By Thorns
My next step was to head to the reception, then.
Once the arrangements for the cremation were handled, I was free to go. I made my way to CVS and bought a few button batteries of different voltage. I wasn’t sure which one would work with my father’s watch.
As I paid at the cashier, I looked around to see if anything else caught my eye. Suddenly, my eyes were glued to the Altoid mints, peppermint flavor. Next to them were the cinnamon flavored ones.
“You want those?” The cashier asked. His warm smile made me try to recall whether I could reciprocate. Heat crept up my cheeks, but my facial muscles wouldn’t budge. He’d have to do without the niceties from me.
I shook my head, the gesture painful enough that I heard slight cracks of my neck. My body was too stiff, I reckoned. Maybe I should grab muscle relaxers. But the over the counter medicine aisle was towards the back and this particular CVS was huge.
Forget it.
I paid and left for my parent’s house. It felt like entering a stranger’s home when I stepped into the hall. The air conditioning had been turned off, leaving a stale smell in the air.
Walking into their bedroom, I made my way to the right side of the bed, opening the bedside drawer to look for the watch.
There it was.
Nestled between a few charging cables and reading glasses. I remembered he had a few pairs. The gold-rimmed one was for special occasions.
Mechanically, I matched the expired battery with the new ones I had bought and replaced it. The watch ticked to life, its second hand beginning its rhythmic journey. I stared at it, fixating on the small, deliberate movements as it completed a full rotation—circle? Orbit? I didn’t know.
Slowly, I fastened it around my wrist. It was too loose, the leather strap dangling awkwardly. I’d poke another hole in the leather to tighten it later.
I stared at the bed and wondered if this sheet had loose threads. Circling the bed, I took out the bedding and checked for it.
None.
A shrill ringing jolted me from my crouched position near the bed. I froze, disoriented for a moment, before realizing it was the landline.
The landline. My parents’ landline.
Why was it still connected?
The sound continued, sharp and insistent, pulling me to my feet. I walked to the kitchen where the phone sat on the counter, its beige plastic cracked at the edges but still functional.
“Bennett residence,” I said, picking up the receiver.
For a moment, there was nothing but static, and I almost hung up. But then, a voice cut through.
“Found her!” A man’s voice yelled, muffled as though he wasn’t speaking directly to me. Then the volume dropped, and the tone softened. “Kaylan?”
Recognition flickered. “Zane. How are you?”
My voice sounded unfamiliar even to me—flat, detached, like the words didn’t belong to me.
There was silence on the other end before Zane sighed heavily. “Kaylan, you need to come back. I’ll handle the paperwork, the legalities—everything. You don’t have to worry about it.”
I frowned, the motion slow and deliberate, as though my face had forgotten how to react naturally. “Why do I need to come back to New York?”
He ignored my question. “How are you holding up?”
The question seemed strange, unnecessary. “Why am I needed in New York?” I asked again. “Squad Six wouldn’t want me there.” I paused, thinking. I hurt their squad member. Logan suffered because of me.
“YouareSquad Six, Kaylan,” Zane said firmly. “You’ve been reassigned.”
“Oh.” I blinked, the information sinking in without any weight. It felt factual, like the date or the time. Not good or bad, just… there.
I stared at the empty oil canister on the counter. I wouldn’t need to refill it if I was going back. If I’d been reassigned, then Ishouldgo back. Orders were orders. I couldn’t not follow them.
