Moira

42.

000d, 00h, 00m, 00s

The door forcefully slid shut behind us, Esmond pulling me closer to him with a singular, rather forceful tug of my arm that made me stumble right into his chest. The light wind in my hair and the fresh air around me overwhelming after not having either for as long as I did.

My breath hitched as I inhaled deeply, and though the close proximity between him and me felt both daunting and comforting at the same time, my attention was on our surroundings. Realising I was still holding his hand, I let go of it.

I knew he was watching me carefully, but my eyes were not on him; they were roaming the familiar buildings around me. The buildings I walked past every day but almost didn't recognise in the dark.

The dark.

My head snapped back towards Esmond — flying over Eniola and Aiden to see an expression just as confused on her face — as my breath grew heavier.

In my entire 21 years of living, studying and working in Arcan City, not once was it just dark. No one on the streets, no silhouettes in windows working late nights in the offices.

Spinning around my own axis slowly, a look of utter disbelief found itself on my face as I swallowed thickly. "What—?" I managed to say, a near sound coming from behind the door we had just slid close pulling me back into reality and highlighting the urgency of the situation.

I only noticed it was the backside of The System's Headquarter we were stood in front of when Esmond's gaze darted up the large building, and mine followed it, eyes wide at the realisation.

A kind of urgency in his voice as his head snapped back onto the door we had just left through; all he said was, "How else was I— were we supposed to get you two out of there?"

"Not In blindingly bright light," Aiden added, a sarcastic undertone in his voice before urging the group to leave as another rattling sound was heard from inside the corridor. None of us had to be told twice; I assumed it was the adrenalin surging through my veins that made me not even question what I was doing anymore.

As if it was muscle memory, my hand reached out for Esmond's beside me, my head thudding as they connected and we started running;

Probably faster than I had ever run in my life. Turning corner after corner, passing buildings and places I had never paid much attention to before. But now, with my surroundings dark and senses heightened, I noticed everything.

My head turned over my shoulder for just a second; The System's headquarter not looking as high and mighty as it usually did with all its lights out — no different than the rest of the tall buildings surrounding it.

A few months ago, who would've thought I'd be running past it hand in hand with a man I initially despised in order to get away from it.

Did I want to get away from it?

The thought made my brows furrow, though I hardly had any time or energy to think of it all. Too busy keeping myself from tripping as my breath hardly inflated my lungs anymore. I wasn't a runner, really.

But I kept going despite the vigorous throbbing in my head and the whirring sound in my ear. I kept going for no reason at all— maybe I kept going for him.

And as we left the towering Headquarter behind us, running in the middle of the empty roads, nothing but the pale moonlight illuminating parts of our way — Aiden and Eniola just feet in front of us — I recognised something in the corner of my eye that made me almost stop in my tracks completely.

Something I probably wouldn't have recognised if the streets were bustling with people or illuminated like they usually were. Because as Esmond and I ran past the place we first met — where I had bumped into him, and he was being a class-a douche — I couldn't tear my eyes away from it.

And even as we passed it, my gaze turned over my shoulder to linger on the spot just for a while longer. It was only when I diverted my eyes that I noticed his attention on it, too; a hazy look in his eyes before he snapped himself out of his thoughts and turned another corner behind my friends.

And we ran, and ran, and ran. I wasn't quite sure for how long, but I knew if it would be just another minute longer, I'd probably collapse, and my lungs would give in. As I said, I was never much of a runner.

So, with purpose in my action, my feet came to a halt, inevitably making Esmond stop in his tracks too, and just a moment later, Eniola and Aiden stopped as well.

"You alright?"

My eyes scanned the surrounding area, nodding my head simultaneously and letting Esmond know I was — somewhat — okay when my wandering gaze got stuck on the Wallflour's sign, a speck of moonlight falling right on it.

Once more, my mind went back in time, remembering the way I walked all the way across Arcan City to get those cupcakes and the way I met Esmond for the second time. The way I followed him all the way across that wide field leading up to his house. The way Arley ate two of the cupcakes meant for my sisters birthday—

My eyes widened, head snapping onto Esmond again. "Where's Aude—? My mom?" I asked, hearing the panic in my voice myself as the words tumbled out of my mouth.

His own eyes darted through the empty streets, still a sense of urgency within him. Gently and slowly, his hand snaked around my back, nudging me to continue moving as he said, "At my place, don't worry—"

Our pace had slowed down significantly; compared to the way we rushed through the streets just minutes ago, you could almost call it strolling. Though, my heaving chest and heavy breathing were enough of an indicator that it was more than needed.

It was awfully quiet as we passed the bakery, none of us saying a word and nothing but the sound of our combined breathing filling the air around us. — I guessed that was a good thing; not hearing an army in white suits running down the streets behind us.

Nonetheless, it was unnerving.

It was only once we left the tall buildings and white walls behind us — dull steps audible on the path we walked along leading up to his house — that I slowly started to calm down. Beginning to take a deep breath when a familiar voice made me startle once more.

"Walk any slower and you might as well just turn around and hand yourself over voluntarily."

My head snapped in the direction the sound was coming from, a figure rising out of the grass around us, making me grab Esmond's hand tighter; up until now, I had forgotten his hand was even still in mine.

It took me a second to match the voice to a face — you tend to forget a few things when you haven't seen the light of day in weeks. But then, it snapped.

"Arley!" I gasped, my hand slipping out of Esmond's without a thought, and I wasn't quite sure what made me want to hug the blond so badly. Fortunately, he did return the gesture, accompanying the hug with a pat on my shoulder and an amused chuckle into my hair.

Esmond scoffed.

"Oh, alright—" He mocked. "So I'm the one busting my ass open to get you out of that place, but it's Arley who gets the—" He cut himself off with a huff at the look I shot him, rolling my eyes as his lips quirked into a playful grin only for a split second.

With a shake of his head, he gestured further down the dark path. "We should get home." 

- 

stan arley for clear skin <3

I don't have much to say but I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter :)