Chapter XVI
Dmitri Learns the Truth
Spring had finally arrived, however, unlike the most of his group, it brought something else for Dmitri, other than the prospect of leaving. It had come that morning, when he had begun retching, and had once again brought up more blood.
He had only just made it out of sight of the rest of the group when it happened, as he did not want to cause alarm. However, after looking at the bloody cloth, it became apparent to him that some alarm was warranted.
Half an hour later Dmitri found himself explaining what was happening to him again to Charlie, who seemed more worried this time compared to before, as if she had known this day was coming.
“You told me that, after the erm procedure. That I might expect some... soreness, some difficulty breathing. But you didn't tell me about this.” Dmitri said and from out of his pocket he took out a cloth with blood splatters on it, there was a lot redder than there had been all those months ago when he had gone to Charlie about it. That first time had also been a one of occurrence, but now was different.
“You’re coughing up blood again?” Charlie asked looking at the cloth, she had feared that he would but chose not to say anything more at the moment, choosing instead for Dmitri to confirm her suspicions rather than her confirming his guesses.
“Yes.” Dmitri said standing up and walking towards the window, whilst winter had been declared finally over, by the eldest amongst the town at the inn the a few weeks prior, much to the delight of everyone inside. However, despite this a substantial amount of frost still littered the ground outside.
“How often?” Charlie asked.
“All the time.” Dmitri said, shaking his head. Charlie didn’t say anything for a few moments thinking things through before deciding on the truth, after all, they had been lying to him for far too long now.
“At the time of the impromptu surgery, as you know, we made structural alterations to your leg in order to save the rest of your body.” Charlie said.
“Of course. I wouldn’t have called it a leg myself, the thing was shredded beyond recognition” Dmitri responded cutting across the scientist with humour, as he often did when he was stressed. “You said it was to avoid the rest of my body getting that damn infection.” He finished turning around to see Charlie looking at the ground nervously.
“Dmitri. It's time we gave that infection a name.” Charlie said looking grave before continuing on. “It was Lupusvenenum morsibus. A very strong case of it as well.” Charlie said, Dmitri walked back to the desk and sat back down looking slightly greener than he had been a few seconds before.
“I see.” Dmitri said quietly, it was all he could think to say, if that was the case, he was lucky to still be alive this long, he sighed before getting his hopes up again as he remembered something. “But... You removed it?” He asked looking hopefully at Charlie. “Didn’t you?”
“We did.” Charlie said.
“So what is this?” Dmitri asked gesturing at the bloody cloth, if that was the case, then it must be something else that was causing this… Whatever this was.
“We removed the leg which got rid of most of the venom. But we weren’t able to get rid of all of it.” Charlie said. “There is still some of the venom in your system.” She finished looking away from Dmitri for the first time as he sank down in his chair.
“So, what's next?” Dmitri asked taking a drink from one of the draws and gulping it down, partly for the taste, but mostly to wash away the remaining blood that still stuck to the back of his throat.
“Next?” Charlie said looking uncertain, as all that could have been done, had been done, it was now just waiting for the end to come along. She didn’t say this however as it took her a few moments before regaining her composure. “I argued that you should be told at the time. That any patient has a right to know the full picture, after any surgery. But I was overruled. Barca’s theory was that, if you felt you had been cured, you could throw himself into your work without undue stress and, and, and worry. Which Codsworth agreed with.” Charlie finished. It was a weak excuse, but it was the best she had. Dmitri choked at this remark muttering to himself before he was able to control himself.
“I have two questions.” Dmitri said putting the drink down and hoping to whatever cruel gods there were that he would get the whole truth this time around. “Who knows the full picture?” Dmitri asked. Getting up and walking back towards the window.
“Apart from the me, Codsworth and Barca? Vernon perhaps.” Charlie said and Dmitri smiled at this.
“Of course.” Said Dmitri said, of course the old butler knew, he had always had a way of knowing things that people wanted to hide from him. “But nobody else?” Dmitri asked still gazing out at the scenery.
“No.” Charlie said shaking her head, Dmitri only nodded but didn’t speak. Causing Charlie to prompt him. “And the second question?” She asked, Dmitri looked around even though she already knew what the question was. “It's impossible to say, Dmitri. We did everything that we could.” She said.
“And?” Dmitri asked hoping for a much, more straight forward answer than he had ever been given in his life.
“It could be years. But more likely, months.” Charlie finished looking dejected.
Dmitri, albeit with difficulty sits up and grabs a walking stick and uses it to stand up himself up. He had had Codsworth get him one a few weeks back when it became more and more difficult and painful to walk using the rifle as a crutch.
“Where are you going?” Charlie asked, it was after all too dangerous for him to be leaving this place with his condition, although as he turned round, Dmitri looked like a man you had lost the will to live.
“To the inn. If you're right, and I have no reason to doubt that you are. I'm going to enjoy my last few months of my retched existence and have a drink.” Dmitri said as he exited the room and headed outside for the first time in what seemed like months, he after all had a bone to pick with both Codsworth and Barca, but that could wait, first off, he was going to enjoy this inn, that he had not had a chance to yet. As he walks out, Vernon walks into the room, looking as weary as Charlie felt.
“Aren't you going to stop him?” Vernon asked, looking at Dmitri’s retreating back, then back at Charlie who was massaging her forehead with her hand.
“I would if I could. But I can't say I blame him. He's been stuck inside this house all winter. At least the rest of us have been able to get out during the day.” Charlie said, she felt bad for the part she had played in keeping the truth away from Dmitri, it hadn’t been easy, but both Codsworth and Barca had insisted on the fact that she not tell him. At this comment however, Vernon chuckles.
“My dear. You make it sound like I've been bad company to young master Jones, for these past few months.” Vernon said, realising Charlie’s sorrow and trying to interject some humour into the situation. Which does seem to cheer Charlie up for a minute, she laughs as Vernon continues on. “Anyway, we shouldn't be here for much longer.” The old butler said in a much more serious tone. Now that winter was over and had been for a few weeks, it was time for them to move on.
“So, we'll be leaving soon then?” Charlie asked, she couldn’t say that she was surprised at this fact, it had been the plan after all. That being said, it would be difficult to say goodbye to this place that had been there home for the past almost five months now.
“I take it that you don't agree with me on this.” Vernon said, he too had expected this response, and he wasn’t entirely sure that the group would survive it. But it was still the right thing to do. At which point Charlie came back with the obvious argument for remaining.
“It's just, we're reasonably safe here. And to get to the mountain might be a waste, of both time and energy if they have truly shut their gates.” Charlie said, that had been the thing above all that had been bugging her whenever she thought about leaving, and with good reason. Despite the governor’s attitude, they had a home here, and what was the point of giving that up on nothing more than a chance.
“I know it seems safe. But we are by no means away from danger here. The enemy is merely biding his time. His full attention will soon be focused on this land.” Vernon said, it was imperative that she understood this fact, that they all understood this fact. They may seem safe here, but they had felt safe back at the manor, and look what had happened there. As he spoke Charlie sat back down in her chair and thought about this before responding to this last statement.
“Well, me and Dmitri will follow you Vernon. You may have some trouble convincing the others though.” Charlie said, and she could already think of one person immediately who would want to stay behind. Jack seemed to have come to that decision, the teen was nowadays spending most of his free time in the inn with Erika, so much so, that she had hardly seen the lad around over the past few months. Regarding the others in the group: Codsworth and Barca would most likely also follow them north, as would Jimmy. Her niece and Bruce seemed to be airing on the side of remaining here. Despite their initial misgivings, they seemed to like it here. That left the matter of Jack’s younger brothers; if she was being truthful, she thought that Dave would head out with them just for the adventure, as would Nick, which left Martin, who was the wild card in this situation, he would follow wherever his older brothers went, but if they were split up, then it was impossible to say which way the youngest Wolfrick would lean. “You’ve got to be prepared for the fact that this decision to leave will almost certainly split up the group.” Charlie finished, this was unfortunately the truth of it, and she was determined that Vernon would hear it, as whilst it might be hard, it would help prepare him for the inevitable.
“I know.” Vernon said, it was hard to hear. But the truth always was, but this was more important than his own personal feelings, they needed to leave this town and continue north if they were to have any chance of survival. “I know it will be hard for me, and that the group will almost certainly split up at this junction. But my personal feelings on this don’t matter.” Vernon continued as he got and walked for the door. “The members of the group will do what they believe to be right, and I will not force them to leave this place if they have truly found happiness here.” The old butler finished before exiting the room, leaving Charlie to alone to think.
As Vernon broke out the map, he saw the enormity of the task that lay before them. As between here and the mountain was a distance of about two hundred miles, give or take, on very rough terrain meaning that as they would be on foot, the governor being highly unlikely to give them either horses or vehicles after what happened with Barca, the poor sod having spent a day scouting on foot, having transferred to the city watch. Meant that they would almost seventy hours if travelling not including time to eat and rest.
He sighed, that estimate was after all, not counting in his old age, and Dmitri missing leg, not to mention that if either Nick or Martin chose to come with them, they wouldn’t be able to walk for too long before getting tired as well.
All in all, he guessed that they would take anywhere between a fortnight and a month to make it to the mountain. He rubbed his hand though his grey hair, that had been another shock to him. He had been going grey for a while now, but to find that you had no colour in your hair was a shocking realisation.
There best hope was to encounter a dwarven patrol, that way they might be able to persuade them to send word to the mountain and get them to send down some form of transport, even if it was horses, he wouldn’t car despite the fact that he had never really mastered riding them. He thought to himself as he rolled up the map and put it back in the draw. Sighing to himself once again he sat down on the couch and closed his eyes, trying not to think about the road that lay ahead of them.
