The Memorist

Chapter 64

Wednesday, April 30^th-11:55 a.m.

None of them spoke as they walked down the stairs until they were out on Mölker Bastei and then Malachai and Sebastian proceeded to have a totally innocuous conversation about other Austrian cities within driving distance that were worth visiting.

Meer soon realized they were obfuscating in case someone was following them or listening to their conversation with wireless microphones. She stopped paying attention. All that mattered was whether or not they were in danger.

Crossing the street, they entered a park. Meer noticed mothers watching their children and elderly people sitting on benches. A woman called out to a dog. Where was Sebastian taking them? A couple strolled by holding hands. A little boy zoomed by them on a bike, so close she could feel a whoosh of air as he passed.

Suddenly Sebastian gripped Meer’s shoulder and he steered her to the right. Exiting the park, they continued on down the street toward the corner where a tram waited. Sebastian sped up, pulling her with him. They were almost at the corner. The tram’s door was closing. Sebastian’s grip tightened. He was going to try for it. Not sensing Malachai on her other side, she glanced over. He wasn’t keeping up with them. He wasn’t going to make it. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to either. What if the door shut on her bag? The flute could be crushed if-

Sebastian jumped on the tram, turned and lifted Meer up and through the door just as it closed behind her. Dazed but unhurt, she looked around the car at the standing-room-only crowd.

“Hold on to me,” Sebastian said.

“But Malachai?” She strained to look out the window but the tram had already pulled away from the corner. “Will he be all right?”

“He’ll be fine,” Sebastian said, speaking softly. “We’ll call him as soon as we get to where we’re going. It’s better this way. Three of us together were too easy to notice.”

“But we can’t just-” Then she realized what he’d said. “You did it on purpose?”

“Are you all right?” He ignored her question, his eyes telling her this wasn’t the place to discuss it. “Did I pull your arm too hard?”

Meer shrugged, not telling him how much it hurt. “Where are we going?”

“To get lost,” he whispered, so low she wasn’t sure she’d heard him right.

She almost told him that she already was lost and had been for a long time. But like the pain, she didn’t want to admit it, and she wasn’t sure why.