Fallen

Chapter 41. Somethings wrong [Michael]

There is something wrong with Luke. Perhaps it is the constant smug look on his face or maybe it is the way that he carries himself. It is almost as if he is untouchable like there is nothing to fear, nothing to be afraid of.

We are all cramped up in Tina's small car. Caleb and I are squeezed into the backseat, our shoulders and thighs touching.

Luke is sitting next to Tina in the passenger seat. His dark eyes keep meeting mine in the small mirror inside the car. His face is tight, in a way he shares the same features as someone I cannot quite place. Not yet. I can't seem to decide who it belongs to. But the creepy smile he sends me from across the seat sends a chill down my spine.

The car is quiet, except for the music playing silently in the background, volume low enough to be nothing but a small murmur.

Tina's eyes are pierced on the road, and so are Caleb's. He's staring out his side of the window, chin resting on the back of his hand.

"So Caleb," Luke breaks the silence. "I never asked, but how did you two sweethearts come across each other?"

Caleb cranes his neck to look at Luke. His chin is still resting on his hand.

The trees from outside get thinner, letting the moonlight stream into the windows of the car, basking Caleb in its glow. He looks divine, eyes bright and blue.

Caleb shrugs resolutely. "It kind of just happened." Explaining how we met to a complete stranger who has no idea of the supernatural might not be the easiest of tasks and not without giving me away either. "Maybe it was just meant to be, either way, I'm happy to have met M, even under certain circumstances."

I smile at that. Seeing Caleb bear his heart out like that is certainly something I could get used to.

"Certain circumstances you say?" Luke pokes. "Must have been something big considering you've only known each other for such a short while to be this close."

I move up my seat, situating myself further in between them. "We're still figuring everything out," I reply. I catch Caleb's eyes with my own. "All I know is that I would do everything in my power to make sure he is alright and happy."

Caleb's gaze falls off of mine. It is as if we held it any longer the moon and the stars would combust, and so would this car. Although his blues are no longer there, his hand finds my own. He squeezes my hand tight, our fingers intertwining.

Luke takes in the gesture, chuckling shortly in return.

"Young love," Luke tisks. "It's a pretty sight."

Somehow, those words make something in my mind click. They echo in my head. I've heard them before, spoken from the very same mouth, falling off of the very same tongue.

Flames stand tall. The next thing I know, smoke creeps up from beneath my feet, the dry cloud sinking into my lungs. There are screams of help, wails of pain following vicious roars of thousands upon thousands of beasts.

That is where the man steps up next to me. The familiarity is clear now. The tall figure is hunched over, a swagger in his step. His long black hair frames his slender pale face. The only thing missing is his wings, the black bat-like wings.

The small bubble that Caleb and I had created breaks. The memory brings me back to the harsh reality. The one where fear is prominent and danger is close, closer than ever before.

Mørke.

It is as if everything is finally coming into place now. The last piece of the puzzle found its place. The full picture is clear, and it is bad. I should have known sooner that Luke was not who he said he was. Instead, evil has been brought closer to Caleb and Tina and we're taking it right back to Caleb's house.