The Plot Bunny by Scarlet Hyacinth Read Free Book Online Page B

they watched, Josh tried to force himself to walk, using two parallel bars as support. Sweat poured down his bare torso, and his sister urged him on, her eyes full of sorrow.
    He fell halfway to his destination, and he cursed as he hit his hand in the process. His hands… hands that had once made thousands stand up and applaud.
    "What about his music?" Luc asked.
    "Dead," Dury replied. "He can't do it. He can't sing."
    "Jesus. Why are you showing me this?"
    Dury leaned against Luc, his warmth familiar and comforting. "Didn't you want to do the Ghost of Christmas present thing? Well, be careful what you ask for."
    The words should have sounded stand-offish, but they came out soft and understanding. Luc wrapped his arms around Dury, trying to make himself speak. "Will he be able to walk again?" he asked.
    "I can't tell you that," Dury said. "I don't know. The physiotherapy is never going to be enough, but his will may just help him out the rest of the way."
    Luc nodded. He supposed that no one, not even a supernatural creature like Dury, could know the future.
    "Come," Dury said. "He'd be uncomfortable if he saw us."
    They left the private center in silence and took a cab once again. This time, it left them in one of the most eclectic neighborhoods in town. There were beautiful new houses built right next to rundown buildings and apartment complexes, some old, some new. "Where are we?"
    Dury pointed to a tall structure in the distance. "That's where Chance Summers lives."
    "Josh's fiancé?" Luc asked, recognizing the name.
    "Former fiancé. They broke up."
    "No way," Luc said. "I don't know much about them, but I've seen them together. They were in love."
    "Even people in love can be torn apart by circumstances," Dury answered.
    Instead of heading toward the apartment complex, they walked down the winding streets until they reached a sort of shopping area. Next to a library store and a tiny barber's shop, he saw a small gallery. There were several names mentioned on the posters, but Luc only recognized Chance's.
    "Hurry. Let's sneak inside before anyone sees us."
    Luc nodded, already used to Dury's peculiar ways. He distantly thought that Dury should have been able to use some sort of magic, to mask their approach at least.
    "Fuck!" a voice said from a room in front of them. A string of more curses followed, and Dury gestured Luc to be quiet. They slipped through the gallery, following the sound as guide. They finally reached their destination and Luc sneaked a peek through the open door. Predictably, the person there was Chance Summers.
    "I can't do this," Chance said, shaking his head. "I just can't."
    He tossed his brush to the floor and pushed the unfinished canvas away from him in disgust. As the canvas fell, he kicked at it in desperate fury. "Fuck you. Fuck you. Why? Why?"
    He repeated the words over and over, until finally, the anger seemed to drain out of him. He fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands. "Why…" he whispered brokenly.
    Luc felt uncomfortable with seeing the handsome artist in such a vulnerable posture. Thankfully, Dury pulled him away and they left the gallery. "He doesn't know about what happened to Josh," Dury explained. "Josh dumped him with no explanation and refuses to see him."
    "I don't understand," Luc said. "If he didn't want Chance to wait and waste his life, he should've just told him the truth. Why act like that?"
    "Why do we all act the way we do, I wonder. Why do we hurt the ones we love?"
    Luc didn't reply. He thought he knew where Dury was going with all this. He opened his mouth to tell Dury enough, that he wanted it to stop. He couldn't take it any longer. Dury hailed a cab and said, "One more time. Keep it together."
    Luc gritted his teeth and got inside without comment. He almost jumped out when Dury gave the driver the address to Café Mont Blanc. "What are you doing, Dury? Are you trying to torture me or what?"
    Dury cupped Luc's cheek and gave him a sad smile. "No.