Left Again

So, the past week was definitely an interesting one.

Monday, August 29th, I ended up down in Georgia. This is where the information Dr. Cairo gave me said I would find Lucien Drage's family (it still feels weird saying that name without referring to myself). Before I went to find them, I hit up an old friend of mine that lived a few towns over. An ex girlfriend of mine, Brittany. We dated long distance for about 6 months before I started going out with Kelley.

I rang her doorbell, and she was surprised to see me. We had only met one time in person, and only really chatted online through Skype and such afterwards. This was our first time meeting, just the two of us. It was the happiest moment I had in a while. She asked me what I was doing, and I told her I was on vacation. She pulled me inside the house, closed and locked the doors.

Brittany: You don't have to pull these games, Lucien. I've been following your blog, somewhat. After what happened to Kelley, I refused to read, not wanting to see how hurt you were.
Me: Well, put it this was: I've got the faceless wonder after me, the psycho ex, the FBI, and I'm on a goose chase to find the family of somebody with the same name as me. That pretty much sums it up.
B: You know, I actually know of the family, the Drages. Very quiet, keep to themselves. Even when they go out in public, never talk to anybody.
Me: You've seen them? Which family members?
B: The parents died a few years ago. One of their daughters married and moved away that same year. The other daughter still lives in that house, along with her two children.
Me: Well, one daughter is still there. That's more than enough for me. I need to talk to her.
B: I'll take you over there tomorrow. Tonight, we celebrate. It's been over a year since we Skyped, over 2 since we first met. This is definitely cause for a fun night.

And by fun night, Brittany meant we would watch Harry Potter with her five year old son, followed by Mario Kart. For the first time since I proposed to Kelley, I was actually smiling. We had such a great time. That night, I fell asleep in a real bed. Of course, it was the same bed as Brittany (nothing happened). We spent most of the night talking until we both fell asleep in each other's arms. I feel a little guilty for even doing that after what happened with Kelley.

The next day, Brittany drove me out to the Drage residence. She left to go check on her son. I told her I would call once I was finished. I walked up the steps to the old house. Seemed kinda creepy. As I was about to ring the doorbell, the door opened up. An older woman answered, but I was in a state of shock. Except for her looking older, she reminded me exactly of my sister Kay.

Woman: Lucien. I expected you to show up one of these days.
Me: How do you know my...
Woman: You look just like my brother, before he was murdered.
Me: But the doctors said that...
Woman: I know what they said. What do they know? You and I are both smarter. We know who killed him. Now get your ass inside before anybody spots you.

So I get inside. The woman introduces herself as Kendall (funny, same first initial as Kay). She tells me that her parents were murdered in the same way, and that her sister left for fear of the same thing happening to her. The next thing she told me was very intriguing.

K: I used to be one of them, you know.
Me: One of what?
K: I was one of his servants.
Me: What??? (I stood up and tried to hurry to the door)
K: Wait! I'm not anymore! I managed to beat him!
Me: (hesitant, but I stay) Beat him? How? Most proxies only escape his grasp by being killed.
K: There is another way, but it doesn't work for everybody.
Me: And how is that?
K: You know that Maryland girl, Celeste?
Me: Yeah, what about her?
K: She had it right. That silly idea about a constant? It can work.

She went on to explain that her constant was actually a dagger. It was given to her by Lucien before he was committed to the hospital. However, she said she wanted me to have it. When I asked her why, she said it would do me better than it did her. She went off to fetch it, and I called Brittany to tell her that I was just about done there.

When Kendall came back she handed me a black box. Inside, she said was the dagger. She made me promise to keep it safe and never lose it.

K: You know, you really do look exactly like Lucien. Maybe you are him reborn, here to avenge your own death, or to help others escape the fate you once had.
Me: With everything we've dealt with, I would not be surprised by that. Thank you, Kendall.

I left the house and saw Brittany's car pull up. As I walked towards it, I heard an ear-piercing scream come from behind me. I turned back to the house, and I see Kendall's body being shoved out the window. Attached to her throat is a black tentacle. I swiftly get into Brittany's car and tell her to drive. She speeds on out of there and away from that house.

I stayed with Brittany for another day, and I told her that I had to leave. I couldn't endanger her anymore than I already had. I didn't know where I was going from there, but I had to leave before something hurt her. That's when she said something that both made me happy and scared.

She said she wanted to go with me.

She told me I couldn't argue with her. We were gonna leave her son with her father, she was gonna come with me and help me find a constant of my own, and perhaps find a way to either defeat this monster, or at least find The Count.

So now, we are on the road, Brittany and I.

I have company again, and for who knows how long, I'm happy again.

Lucien Drage, out.