NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23: Chapter 23
For two days, Zedd had been a ghost—no sightings, no trips to the village restaurant, no random pranks played on Elara or anyone else. People had started to notice. His absence had left a noticeable void in the village, and both Elara and Reina had begun to wonder where he had disappeared to. They'd grown accustomed to his eccentric behavior, even to his occasional troublemaking, but this? This was different.
Elara had always been skeptical of Zedd, but his sudden disappearance was strange even for him. He had always popped in and out of places, playing tricks or offering a sarcastic quip, but now... nothing. Reina, though quieter than Elara, had also noticed and grown concerned.
"It's not like him to just vanish like this," Reina said, her brow furrowed as she walked with Elara towards Zedd's cabin on the outskirts.
"You think?" Elara replied sarcastically, her eyes scanning the desolate surroundings. "That jerk more unpredictable than a wild animal. Maybe he got bored and left or something."
Still, there was something about it that gnawed at Elara. He'd pranked her once—refused to pay her for the information she'd given him—and it hadn't been the kind of thing he would have just forgotten about. Not Zedd. So, when Reina suggested they check his cabin, Elara didn't argue.
As they reached the cabin, they immediately noticed something off. The windows, which Zedd had always kept open or at least partially unsealed, were now fully boarded up from the inside. The wooden planks were crude, rough, and clearly done hastily. "What the hell?" Elara muttered under her breath.
She grabbed the door handle and gave it a forceful twist. Nothing. The door didn't budge. She pushed harder, trying to force it open, but it remained stubbornly shut. Annoyed, she knocked on the door and called out, "Zedd, are you in there? It's Reina and Elara!"
Inside, Zedd heard them—the faint sounds of knocking followed by Elara's loud voice. He could feel his eyes narrow as he listened. Great. Just what I need. These two idiots. He cursed quietly under his breath. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate them; it was just that right now, he couldn't afford to let anyone inside, especially not when he was still recovering.
Zedd mustered whatever energy he could, though his body ached with every movement. He knew he couldn't move much, but he had to give them some kind of answer. He cleared his throat and called back through the door, his voice as steady as he could manage. "I'm fine. Just a little sick. Don't worry about me. Tell the villagers I'll be out in a month or two."
Elara's voice came back, louder and more skeptical. "A month or two? Seriously? What about food and water?"
Zedd sighed inwardly, annoyed at having to explain himself. In truth, he didn't need to eat or drink much anymore—not since the grafting process had started. The synthetic tissue he had attached to his left side was still adapting, but soon it would reach the point where it could sustain itself. In time, he wouldn't even need to sleep, eat, or feel tired. But telling them that? Not so easy. How do you explain that you've got a synthetic side that doesn't require the basics of human survival? He would sound insane, even more so than he already did.
"I've stocked up on food and water," Zedd lied, trying to sound convincing. "I'm fine, really. Just... leave me in peace."
But Elara wasn't having it. She continued banging on the door. "What do you mean you've stocked up? Why the hell have you boarded up the windows and locked yourself in? What did you do, Zedd?" She was clearly irritated now, and Zedd could practically hear the anger in her tone.
Zedd, who was now lying in his bed with bandages tightly wrapped around his body, couldn't help but smile to himself. Oh, this is rich. I've got these two worried over nothing. He knew he could have opened the door and shown them the truth, but that would have meant revealing the extent of his... work. His synthetic tissue, the grafting, the whole damn process. The last thing he wanted was for Elara to see him like this.
He glanced at the bandages on his left side and winced as he shifted uncomfortably. His whole body felt like it was rebelling against the change. The painkillers helped, but not much. The graft was still in the early stages, and Zedd had no intention of letting anyone see him like this—not even Elara.
He decided to respond instead. "I said, I sealed it all off. Now leave me alone, Elara. I'm fine."
But Elara wasn't done. Her bangs fluttered in frustration as she pressed one last time, her voice filled with determination. "Fine. But if I don't see you out of here in a month, I'll kick down this door and check for myself!"
Zedd's eyes widened slightly, though he was quick to hide his surprise. He couldn't believe she was serious. She's bluffing... right? He chuckled to himself. The idea of Elara kicking down a door was almost comical. She'd never be able to do it.
Still, the threat made him slightly uneasy. He had no idea what they would do if they saw him like this—pale, with synthetic tissue grafted to his body. The thought of Elara fainting in shock was almost too much for him to handle.
"Yeah, yeah. Knock yourself out. You'll see me naked and all, with this white pale synthetic tissue on my left side. You'll faint, idiot." Zedd muttered under his breath,
Elara paused for a second, seemingly thrown off by the remark, but quickly recovered, shouting back, "You're such a weirdo, Zedd! Don't make me come back here!"
Zedd, rolling his eyes, just settled back into his bed. He could hear Reina's voice, quieter and more thoughtful as she spoke. "Are you really okay, Zedd? If you need help, you can talk to us."
Zedd didn't answer right away. He wasn't sure what to say. His body ached, his left side was still adjusting, but he wasn't ready for them to see him—not yet. Not when the process was so incomplete.
He leaned back, sighing as he rested his head against the pillow. I need to finish this. He thought. Once the grafting is complete, I'll be able to move freely, without worrying about anyone poking around. And maybe... just maybe... they'll stop asking questions.
But for now, he could at least enjoy the silence. He'd earned that much.
"Go ahead," he whispered to himself, half-smiling as he imagined Elara's frustration. "Kick down the door. See what happens."