Shadow's Turning- Part 9

Lost in my single-minded effort to get out, I heard the sound of another pair of feet on the stairs, but I didn’t really register it.

“Saa-raa,” someone said in a sing-song voice, the deep sound almost vibrating through the door.  “I’ll be back for you,” it continued in that sickly sweet voice.  The hair on the back of my neck prickled in response.  “But you had better be alone next time.”  The door shuddered as something heavy hit it.  “Or I might be a little…upset.”

A roar that I felt deep in the pit of my stomach, in my bones, filled the house.  I stepped back as I felt something inside me snap.

The roar cut off abruptly.

My breathing was loud in the quiet, my body trembling and covered in sweat, strands of my hair sticking to my face.

I sank down on the bed as my knees gave way, curling my aching body into a ball.

Fixing my eyes on the clock as it ticked away the seconds to sunrise, I kept a tight grip on my knees, feeling as if I was literally holding myself together.

I braced for something else to happen, twitching at every perceived sound.  Each creak and groan of the house settling nibbled at already frayed nerves.

The night became endless, each minute seeming like an hour, each hour a day.

I was drifting in a state between waking and sleeping when I heard the sliding of the lock.

Jerked back into reality, I sat up, not knowing what I would find when the door opened.

It opened smoothly, a tall figure appearing.

Birch.

His eyes were bloodshot, the shadow of a beard now full-on heavy stubble.  The black boots he had on his feet had something dark splashed on them and I quickly looked away.

He had a shallow scratch across one cheekbone, but looked fine otherwise.

Which was pretty fucking miraculous by any stretch.

“Did you…do it?” I asked weakly.

He gave me an unreadable look.

“No.  Wounded it.”

My shoulders slumped, the hope I’d been harboring as I stared at the time dying.  I didn’t want to become that mindless animal again.

“I doubt it’ll be back tomorrow night.  You’ll have a day’s reprieve at least,” he added, correctly reading my slumped posture.

He turned around and made his way back to the stairs.  Only then did I notice he was walking with a pronounced limp.

Getting up slowly, I followed him, wishing for a shower.

And maybe a new life.

The basement didn’t look any worse for wear, except for some dark stains on the carpet that hadn’t been there before.

Maybe cream hadn’t been the best choice.

Lieson was in the kitchen eating, dressed in dark jeans and a black t-shirt now.  A bandage covered something on his forearm and a darkening bruise covered one side of his jaw.  But he looked fine otherwise.

Who were these guys?  Superman’s cousins?

“Hungry?” Lieson asked, pushing a plate filled with scrambled eggs and toast toward me.

“Yeah.  Thanks.”

Sitting down at the bar, I picked up the fork and started eating, feeling almost starved now that I could smell food.

Birch set down a tall glass of orange juice in front of me and I mumbled a thank you before gulping down half the glass in one go.

I didn’t look up until the plate was empty, feeling more steady now that I had something in my belly.

I really needed a shower and some clean clothes.  And the comfort of my apartment.

“I need to go home and clean up,” I said, my back turned to the men as I put my dishes in the sink.

I felt them go still behind me.

“I’ll go with you,” Birch said.

My hands clenched on the counter.  I carefully relaxed them before replying.

“I’m not running away.  I have no desire to be alone when the sun sets.  I’ll be back.”

“I’ll come anyway,” Birch said firmly.

“Fine,” I bit out, knowing this wasn’t a battle I was going to win.

“We’ll take my car,” he said, unfazed by my tone.

At least I wouldn’t be walking.

If you enjoyed this, be sure to +1 it :). -A.R.