F. Killik Klaw - Chapter 5: Runaway

The heat woke her, suffocating under its sickly weight. She kicked
and twisted on the bed, unable to get comfortable or stifle the
stagnant ache in her limbs. The noise from the streets outside seeped
into the room and worried at her mounting headache. A ballooning
pressure squeezing her skull. She stuck her head under the pillow and
tried to get to sleep again, longing for crisp, thin, mountain air.

She was still trying half an hour later when Ben knocked on the
door. She had him wait while she showered and dressed and they went to
get breakfast together. Ben barely spoke to her on the way down or in
the queue for the buffet where he made her take a full plate she did
not want.

'I was thinking last night.' He said once they sat down. 'You know.
Well. How old are you?'

'Sixteen.' She lied, picking tiny forkfuls of scrambled egg off of
toast.

'Yeah, well I was thinking, and I know I do not really understand,
but I was wondering how I could best help you, you know, and if I was,
you know, helping you the best way that I could.'

He paused but she said nothing.

'And it is clear you've run away from home.'

She put the fork back down, why couldn't he wait till they had
gotten to Delhi before doing this.

'I think I deserve to know, why are these monks chasing you? Who are
they?'

She said 'Can this wait?'

'I don't think so. No.'

'I don't feel so good.'

'What's wrong?'

'I have a headache.'

He fussed, said he had some painkillers in his room, went on and on
about seeing a doctor. She buried her head in her hands hoping to block
it all out.

'Kirsten this is important.'

'Is it.' She snapped petulantly, wishing he would get to the
point.

'You're not well.'

'Its only a headache. Will you give it a rest.'

'Then answer my question.'

'What?'

'Who are the monks?'

She shrugged.

'Who are they Kirsten?'

'I don't know, they're monks.'

'Kirsten.'

'I live with them okay, will you get off my back for a second.'

'It's important.'

She shrugged again, swearing under her breath.

'You're being very childish.'

The remark made her angry, why was he being such a pain, her head
hurt more than ever. She stood up shaking her hands in impotent rage
and stalked away.

'Where are you going now?'

'Back to bed, I don't feel good. Is that allowed.'

As she walked out the door a monk leapt out with a shout of triumph
and tried to grab her. He missed and she dashed back into the
restaurant making for Ben. He stood up with his arms out as if to catch
her.

'It's okay, don't run.' He shouted to her.

She stopped short, Ben was gesturing to the monk behind her.

'My god.' She said, horrified. 'You're with them.'

And she turned and ran as fast as she could for the kitchen
door.

Ben ran after her but she had too much of a lead. He followed a
trail of alarmed commotion through the kitchen and out onto the street
outside where hotel staff pointed the way with their cigarettes. He ran
through the narrow streets but did not see her and in moments was
stranded at a junction with no way of knowing which way she had
gone.

The young monk followed not far behind, stopping when he saw Ben had
stopped and leaning on his knees, clearly out of breath. Ben marched
back towards him, fully intent on punching the idiot for leaping out at
Kirsten like that but was beaten to it by Anselmo who trotted
surprisingly sprightly round the corner and clouted the youth on the
back of the head with his walking stick.

'You moron.' Ben shouted as he drew nearer. 'What the hell did you
think you were doing?'

'Now son.' Said Anselmo.

'I'm not your son.'

Anselmo moved between the young monk and Ben and said 'He knows he
messed up.'

Ben turned away in contempt.

'You can still help us.'

'And why would I want to do that.' Ben shouted at the monk behind
him. 'Or do you want to tell me why she was so scared.'

Neither monk said anything.

Ben said 'I didn't think so.' And strode past them.

At the hotel he brushed off the attentions of some very flustered
clerks, pointing them at the two monks who followed behind him. 'They
will sort it out.' He said and went to his room.

Once there he took a long drink of water and made a phone call back
to England.

'Hello mate, it's Ben.'

-

'Did I get you out of bed.'

-

'Sorry.'

-

'Well I need a favour. You know you did that thing on a monastery
last year.'

-

'Well do you think you could get me some information.'