Page 64 of Incubus
“May the path light up clear before you, and the clouds forsake the skies above.”
But Nathan was in the Gatehouse, and it was Sasha singing. Sasha was singing softly from inside his room, unaware that Nathan was listening in.
“May life's joys be pure as they surround you, and the stars shine bright to guide you home. And true be the hearts that love you, may the hands of friends be ever near. And until we meet again…”
Nathan felt tears welling up in his eyes and didn’t know how to stop them. He was home, but he was in the Gatehouse at the same time, a place that had been so much like home, so much more like home than any hotel could ever be.
Nathan knew the final line of the lullaby, but Sasha didn’t sing it. Sasha had stopped, leaving an eerie silence behind, as if Nathan had tunnel vision only on the door and the memories replaying behind his eyes. He could almost hear his mother picking up where Sasha had stopped to sing the end of the song.
“May God hold you in the palm of his hand.”
The door opened, unbalancing Nathan since his hand had been pressed to the door as if he might push right into the past. He fell forward against Sasha and immediately jumped back, broken from whatever trance he had been under.
“Nathan?”
A hand came up to wipe at Nathan’s eyes before he could stop himself. He hated that he had done that as soon as it happened, because now Sasha knew how close he was to crying.
“Nathan, are you okay?” Sasha asked in a worried whisper. “I could feel your emotions from the other side of the door.”
The tears in Nathan's eyes were on the edge of falling, but he sniffed them back. “Hey…I was just…just…” He trailed, trying to wrap his mind around any words that wouldn’t admit too much. “I was just…having a bad dream.”
Sasha’s eyes were downturned and sympathetic. If he sensed that Nathan wasn’t saying the whole truth, he didn’t press for more. “I was trying to read a little more before bed, but I can’t sleep. I was thinking of maybe watching this old zombie movie I found on TV. Want to come in?”
The simplicity of the request made Nathan smile. He didn’t want to deal with the feelings Sasha had stirred up in him, half tied to the missing members of his family and half because it wasSashamaking him come undone all over again. Nathan wished he understood why he felt so confused about everything, and decided with some finality that it had to be because of the ticking time bomb that was his life.
Sasha was standing in the doorway in only his jeans, the top of his tattoos peaking above the waistline, but although he looked tired and as if he had been ready for bed, the TV was flickering behind him on mute.
“Zombie movie?” Nathan said with a crooked smile, sniffing back the remains of his tears as he accepted Sasha’s invitation and walked inside. “You can’t honestly be telling me you watch those cheesy horror films.”
“You mean you don’t?” Sasha said. He moved to sit on the bed and motioned for Nathan to join him. The light was off but the TV illuminated most of the room. It was an older model with a tiny screen that could fit on top of the dresser, flashing images of slow moving corpses in black and white. “It’s like our lives on camera.”
“Zombies?" Nathan laughed. "You have to be without a doubt the only seal who would ever watch this stuff. It’s not even fae related. Besides, they get everything wrong. I watch slasher filmsfor the hot chicks and shower scenes, sure, but zombies? People watch horror movies to get scared, right? Sorry, but movie zombies don’t scare me.”
Sasha looked skeptical but afforded Nathan a slow nod. “Okay, I see what you mean,” he said. “I think you’rewrong, but I get it. I’m not saying movie zombies scare me or anything. I mean, I am an incubus.”
Nathan snorted.
“But come on, Nate, what about watching them for fun?”
“Horror movies for fun?”
“Yeah,for fun. Trust me, you’re going to love this,” Sasha said, flipping the TV off mute.
Nathan had to laugh again. Sasha was sincerely preaching the merits of zombie movies to a man who had been defending himself against supposedly mythical creatures almost his entire life. But then they hadn’t had much opportunity to relax, and Nathan needed the distraction.
They were soon settled back on Sasha’s bed, sitting up against the headboard side by side, sharing laughter over the comedic horror of the aged film. Nathan couldn’t remember the last time he andJimhad watched a movie together. It was domestic and comforting, the small room with an old television that almost could have been a normal bedroom in a normal house. Nathan felt a bit like a teenager, staying up late watching horror movies with a friend.
Near the end of the film, Nathan was somewhere between buzzed from the late hour and blissfully exhausted. He lolled his head to the side, watching Sasha.
“Nice vocals,” Nathan said. “You know. Before. You sing to yourself often?”
Sasha’s eyes pulled from the TV screen and he grinned. “I don’t even realize I’m doing it most of the time. But thanks. I got the impression you recognized the song.”
Nathan swallowed, but he didn’t feel quite as choked up anymore. “Childhood lullaby,” he said.
“Oh.”
There was that sadness again, mutual this time for their mutually lost parents.
