It was the middle of the night. The streets were empty. I immediately got myself inside the building. The light automatically illuminated the stairs, and I started climbing. I made sure to focus only on walking, not the environment, to avoid persuading myself from turning back.
I knew the moment I allow myself to start thinking, I will do it. I ended in front of the door, and without a second of hesitation knocked.
My heart immediately jumped, and I could see my stomach rising to my throat. There was no immediate response, and second knocking came way harder than the first. I literally had to force my hand, but I did it.
- Who's there at this hour? - I heard a familiar voice from my mom, and my legs suddenly got so weak.
Obviously, she didn't speak English. I'm translating her words just for you, my reader. She spoke Polish.
My mind jumped onto finding a way out, finding a way to run the hell from that place, but I didn't.
- I-it's me.
- Me? Who in god's name is me? - I heard from behind the door, as she looked through the peephole. - Oh my lord...
She immediately opened the door, and then I finally saw her face. A bit more wrinkly than it was before, with a bit darker circles around her eyes.
- Peter? I... I thought...
- I'm alive mom, and I'm sorry but I couldn't come sooner.
- Wha... What happened to you? - she grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to hug me, and I replied with the same.
- It's a long story, but I want you to know that I'm sorry...
- Come inside - She let me go, but still kept holding on to the sleeve of my clothes.
That's how I got inside. That's how I got myself a cup of tea, and that's how I told my mom my story, omitting a few things like The Great One, and the people that died from my hands. She didn't believe me at first, but I made her believe, showing what I can do. It took me some time to realize that my father wasn't there. That's how I learned he was dead. Cancer.
It took him quickly. He smoked throughout his whole life, and it finally took its toll. I cried a lot, and in the morning we both went to pay him a visit at the cemetery.
- So what are you gonna do now? - my mom asked me, as we left the sacred grounds.
- I have to go back, but not for long. I'm gonna open a path for the rest of the people out there to come here, to their families.
- Can't you stay longer?
- I can, but when I open the way, I will be able to stay as long as I want, and things will change for you, and for everybody. I will take care of you, mom.
She grabbed my hand and came closer, to touch my cheek, and kiss me on the forehead.
- You are a good man, Peter. Do what you need to, although I wish you could stay longer with me.
- I will be back before you know it.
She nodded with tears in her eyes. I hugged her again, and then walked off, dropping an anchor on the sidewalk.
He did. I suddenly was back in the underground city, with him standing in front of me.
- I'm ready.
- I know, but this will be tough - he explained.
- Before we start... I need you to promise me one thing.
- Take care of your mother in case you will die?
- No. Take care of her until I'm done here.
He chuckled a bit.
- In that case, you will need this - He said and in the air appeared the enchanted clothes that I forgot to take from that storage house.
They drifted towards me in the air, and I grabbed them.
- Get some rest, Peter. We will be starting a tough hunt tomorrow.
I nodded, and he turned away to leave me.
- Wait - I stopped him. - How the hell did you make happen everything with those thugs and Rachel?
He didn't stop, and just kept walking, but I heard a voice in my head.
- I told you, I don't pick just random people to put in my cities. I look for them and change their brains a little to spy on them for me. I was spying on both Boby and Rachel, then made them bump into you, but their stories were all true. You really helped them, and for the record. Boby lost that warehouse with Dimitri, so you also helped him a lot.
I nodded.
- Good night.
- Good night, Peter.
I had no idea what hour was in this place, but I knew that I was not only hungry but also tired. I ate something on my way to the closest building and made myself comfortable on one of those strange morphing cubes. I didn't want the light, so I thought about darkness, and the room gave it to me.
I still had my mom in my head, but that was a good thing. I had a new reason to fight after I lost what Will gave me. I was no longer fighting for him, I was fighting for all of us.
My mom used to say to me how good for nothing I was. My father never did, he just looked at me, and I could read the rest from his face. I used to be a burden for them, but still, she embraced me and loved me like nobody since Nadia.
I started crying again. The tears just poured down my face, as I looked at the wall in complete darkness. It took me hours to finally calm down the emotions. When I finally achieved that the sleep came unexpectedly.
After everything that happened, I really was tired out of my mind. Not to mention I needed to be well-rested wor what was going to start tomorrow. Although I didn't know what hell I just got myself into back then....