S t o r m Cloud

E i g h t e e n

「  E I G H T E E N 」

:

The eerie silence of night blanketed the air around me. The only sound but the distant cars running along the road, passing passers by. The flickering of a street light taunting me like a burning candle.

I crept up the drive way of the Hernandez household, stealthily sliding through the front door, carefully creeping towards the staircase through the hallway. The soft ticking chime of the old mahogany grandfather ringing softly into night.

A subtle low cough startles me, my hand automatically reaching for a small blade hidden inside the sleeve of my jacket.

" I see you decided to use the front door instead of sneaking in through your window." Jake says bluntly as he sits in a armchair, bathed in the warm glow of the lamp resting upon the side table.

" Jake, you startled me." I sigh relief flooding my body, the blade in my hand falling to my side. Jakes face rendering emotionless as he stares at the fallen blade.

" I—I thought you might of been him " I said sheepishly, my heart swelling as his eyes flicker to mine, hurt evident in them. His body standing tall as he glides towards me.

" Did you do it?" He asks bitterly looking down at me in shame. " Did you?"

" No" A thick silence growing between us. " I didn't. I just—." " I don't want to hear it—Do you know how much danger you're putting yourself in. How worried you make me?"

His voice filled with frustration as he ran his hands through his now messy curls. Agitation eating at his face, as his eyebrows furrowed together, eyes sparkling with the look that opened my heart to the guilt that washed over me.

" I'm sorry but you know why I have to do this."
My hands reaching out to him as he stares down at me. We both hate it when we argue, but this time felt different. I don't know which one of us hated it more.

" You don't have to. You always have a choice Scar, and this one is the wrong choice." His hands bigger than my cupped my own, the warmth of his touch spreading through my skin like a supernova. My cheeks burning as I felt them flush.

" But it's my decision to make."

Silence fell between us. The room felt like it was closing in, swallowing us both up whole so that we suffocated in the ground. Neither of us wanting to say anything wrong or make things worse.

" Listen I don't want to argue with you Jake. I know you don't agree with any of this, but it has to be done. Someone has to pay this price and I'm willing to do it. Just please promise me you won't get involved."