Talisman Of El (Arcadia, Book 1)

Chapter Five - Finding Wakeman

CHARLIE HADN'T REALISED HE had passed out until he woke up and found himself staring at a wooden ceiling.

'The ironic thing is that my father always lectured me about growing up,' he heard Derkein say. 'Now I can't seem to stop.'

Charlie raised himself up and saw that he was lying on the cardboard bed, the others sitting around him. He leaned his back against the wall. With the door now closed, the room was warmer.

'You all right?' Derkein asked him. Charlie stared at him in shock. 'The truth was a little too much for you, huh.'

Charlie looked away. 'You have no idea.' He still couldn't fathom how or why he had dreamt about Derkein. Another thing he couldn't wrap his mind around was why, of all the cities in the entire world, Derkein had turned up in Capeton.

'Hey.' It was Alex. He blinked several times before meeting her eyes. 'What is it?'

'I think I'm going crazy,' Charlie confessed. He stood up and ambled across the room. After a few deep breaths, he turned around and looked at Derkein. 'This can't be happening.'

'I've told myself that every day for the past month,' Derkein said. 'It's hard to accept something so ... bizarre. If it wasn't happening to me, I wouldn't believe it either.'

'No, you don't get it. You can't be here ...' Charlie paused. 'Why are you here?'

'I'm looking for someone.'

Charlie thought back to the dream, trying to remember the conversation between Derkein and his father. Then it came to him. 'Thomas,' he muttered.

A tentative look crossed Derkein's face as he weighed up what Charlie had said. He got to his feet and shot a nervous glance out the window. Charlie noticed him clutching something inside his coat, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was the talisman.

'What's going on?' Alex asked.

'How do you know about Thomas?' Derkein growled.

Alarmed, Alex and Richmond jumped up and scuttled over to Charlie.

'Who are you?' Derkein's suspicious eyes flickered between the window and Charlie. 'You're one of them, aren't you?' He put his hand inside his trouser pocket and pulled out a two-blade pocketknife.

The trio pulled back, their frightened eyes fixed on the sharp blades.

'Charlie.' Alex grabbed his arm. Charlie didn't shift his gaze from Derkein. He saw something in the man's eyes that made him look less threatening. He realised it was fear.

'How do you know about Thomas?' Derkein demanded, the hand with the pocketknife trembling.

'You wouldn't believe me,' Charlie said.

Derkein studied him, his expression curious. 'Try me.'

Charlie gulped. 'Okay. This is going to sound strange, but just don't freak out. A few weeks ago, I had a dream ... about you.'

Derkein's brow wrinkled in confusion. 'I don't know what game you're playing here –'

'It's the truth. I saw you die.'

Alex tightened her grip on Charlie's arm. 'What are you doing?'

Charlie looked at her. 'I know it sounds crazy,' he said, 'but it's the truth.' Alex gave him a sympathetic look. 'You have to believe me.'

'Charlie.' It was Derkein. Charlie turned to him and saw that he looked less tense. The hand with the pocketknife had lowered. 'This dream ... What was it about?'