Hometown Heroes, National Nobodies (All Time Low) TO BE UPDATED NOV 13

Hometown Heroes, National Nobodies - Chapter Nine

Chapter 9

Jack’s P.O.V

I kicked my feet up on the table and stretched before turning on the TV and popping open a can of beer. I hadn’t stopped thinking about Jasey since the plane had landed. I looked at my phone, half expecting a message or a phone call, half hoping for both. I put my phone down beside me and tried to occupy myself with something other than the blank screen.

I knew I shouldn’t have been expecting her to call. Hell, she’d probably already forgotten who I was, but something inside me longed for someone who understood to talk to. I stood up, beer in hand, and paced my small living room. I picked up my phone, and then put it down again. C’mon Jack, I thought, just call her yourself.

I put my can down on the bench and raided my almost empty fridge for something to eat when I heard my phone vibrate on the arm of the sofa before falling on the floor. I wacked my head on the top of the fridge as I slammed it closed and raced over to answer my phone.

“Jack it’s me, Jasey. I need your help,” Her voice echoed through the receiver.

I listened as tires squealed and Jasey swore under her breath, “I’m being followed. Someone was outside my room out in the yard. I didn’t know what to do, so I just got in my car and left.”

The sound of a trashcan clattering to the ground stung my ears.

“What’s going on Jasey, where are you?”

“I’m not really sure,” She paused for a moment, “Belview Place.”

“That’s around the corner from me. Turn left when you see the fountain, I’ll be standing out the front of my house. You should see me.”

Jasey hung up and I pulled on a pair of shoes and a jacket before racing outside to wave her down. A black, beat up sedan pulled up on the nature strip of the block of flats and Jasey climbed out, slamming the door behind her. She looked at me for a few seconds before throwing herself into my arms.

“I’m sorry,” She murmured, pulling away just as quickly, “I just didn’t know what else to do.”

“It’s okay. Come inside,” I whispered, showing her to the door, “We’ll talk in there.”

I locked the door behind us before ushering her up the stairs to my flat. We both sat down on the sofa and I muted the TV.

“What happened?” I asked.

Jasey shrugged her shoulders, “Too be honest, I don’t really know. I was feeding my cat and I was about to go to bed, but then he started staring out the window and making this horrible growling sound. When I went to see what he was staring at, there was this guy outside the window standing in the bushes, just staring at me.”

She shuddered, and brushed her arm against mine. In the few seconds of contact, I saw a figure standing in the darkness flash into my mind. I gave Jasey a sidelong glance before taking hold of her hand and closing my eyes. As soon as our skin touched I could see the dark figure again, but clearer. What I could see in the small crack of moonlight was the grinning, beady-eyed face of Shiny Head from the crummy hotel. I immediately let go of Jasey’s hand and stood up, pacing the living room again.

“What, what was it?”

“I know that man. I’ve seen him before.”

I shook my head, raking a hand through my hair. I felt nauseous; I didn’t understand anything anymore. No amount of Zack’s logic was going to explain this now. I moved over to the kitchen sink, splashing cold water over my face. I was fully aware of Jasey’s worried stare, but I ignored her as I leant over the sink. I looked through the kitchen window, and what I saw in the dim light made me feel like I was going to throw up. Standing in the backyard of the apartment below, was the Shiny Head man. He grinned up at me, his black eyes shining in the moonlight.