The Curse Conduit
Chapter 8

While Uriah went to the bathroom to attend to his bloody face and nose Derek launched into his tale of knights and battles and wars and planes and of Bethie and Beth-Elena and of how he and Uriah had somehow ended up in these dreams.

As Derek finished Casta and Simian looked at each other, at Uriah who was now standing in the door way to the bathroom and back at Derek. There was a scowl on Casta’s face when he spoke. “Okay. So you don’t want to tell us what is going on but Derek, Really.”

Simian’s voice had a tinge of hurt in it. “I thought you trusted us more than this. Whatever it is we can help, we want to help don’t you know that?”

Derek sighed looking to Uriah for help. “They don’t believe us.”

Uriah let out his own little sigh before stepping fully into the room. “Did you expect them to?”

Casta shot Uriah a look. “Uriah. You can’t tell me that you are going along with this ridiculous story?”

It was more in the way that Uriah spoke than the words he said that unsettled both Casta and Simian. They both knew that Uriah could pull a practical joke now and then. They also knew when he was being deadly serious and in that very moment both men understood that he was being sincere and honest. This was no joke. Whatever was happening, both Uriah and Derek were convinced that it was real.

Simian rose from his seat on the lounge and met Uriah in the middle of the room. “Tell me honestly Uriah. What Derek is saying…”

“It’s true. Don’t ask me how. I don’t know. Don’t ask me why I got pulled into it. I don’t know. All I know is that I woke up the other morning with a hell of a bruise on my side, some world war pilot was looking back at me through the mirror and today I replace myself riding a damn horse to a battle that King Arthur should be fighting.”

“But Uriah. They are just dreams. Very vivid dreams but dreams all the same.”

Uriah looked at Simian with sorrow, pain and heaviness in his eyes. “I thought so to but they are not. Maybe this will convince you.”

With that Uriah pulled the neck of his shirt down his arm to reveal a nasty bite on the top of his shoulder. This got everyone’s attention even Derek’s, who spoke for them all. “My God Uriah what the hell happened?”

“Uri’s horse was none too pleased about having a new master. It bit me.”

Uriah replaced his shirt and went to sit down. “Guys I know this is hard to take in believe me I know. But this is happening and we can’t seem to stop it. Every time we fall asleep it starts all over again and it is all connected to Derek somehow.” He looked to Derek. “And now me.”

Simian began to pace the room and rattled something off so fast in French that no one caught what he said.

Casta was silent, he had no words. He did not know if he was to believe his friends. The thought that whatever was happening could be very real did not sit well with him. But it was Casta that spoke first. “And you say that in your dreams that Derek always dies?”

Derek shot Casta a look and Simian stopped pacing. Casta gave Derek a weak smile. “Sorry but this is true is it not?”

Uriah and Derek looked at each other before they both nodded.

“So maybe your dreams are trying to keep you from danger. Did you ever think of that?”

Derek smiled a little. “So you believe me?”

“I believe that whatever is happening is causing you both great distress and we need to help you get to the bottom of it for all our sakes.” Casta went over to Derek and put both his hands on his shoulders. “Derek I may not be able to believe this story of yours but I believe in you and that is all that matters.” He looked over at Uriah. “You to my friend.”

Uriah looked over at Simian. “And you Simian? Can you forgive me for what I did? I will regret my actions for the rest of my life.”

Without changing the expression on his face Simian walked over to Uriah, stood very close and looked at him very seriously. “You know you hit like a girl.”

This brought a booming laugh from Derek, something they had not heard him do for a while, Casta whistled and Simian gave Uriah the cheekiest smile he could muster pulling him into a bear hug. “All is forgiven.”

It was the second time that day Uriah found himself on the receiving end of a hug.

The four men did not have much time to discuss the matter further with a sound check and a concert to attend to. But Derek and Uriah did manage to fill in a few of the blank spots for the other two, including Elizabeth. Derek was convinced she had a part to play in their little situation.

Over the next few days it was decided that Casta would bunk with Derek and Simian would bunk with Uriah until they returned to London.

It was four very weary men that returned to London. Two because of their dreams and two because they had watched their friends do battle in their sleep and there was nothing they could do to help.

By the time they arrived in London both Simian and Casta where convinced. Not only had they witnessed their friends sleeping torment but they had been privy to some of the after effects. More than once had Uri and Danny appeared as reflections in the mirrors and both Simian and Casta had heard the voices. They may not know what was happening, they may have believed that it was all a dream but there was no denying what they saw and heard.

It was also very obvious to them all that if they did not sort it out Derek and Uriah would end up two very sick men.