Perilous Flames [clifford a.u]

chapter forty four - forthcoming

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR - FORTHCOMING

It wasn't the sun that woke me up. 

No, it hadn't even come out yet. The sky was still lined with stars, the moon faintly shining in the horizon. The day hadn't even begun yet. 

It wasn't Michael either. 

We were tangled up on his emergency blanket, his arms wrapped around me, his face nestled in the crook of my neck. He was burning, his skin still hot from our moment hours before, but I couldn't bear myself to pull away, no matter how much it contrasted with the coolness beneath my skin. 

There was no familiar aspect that brought me out of my blissful sleep. 

Instead, it was a voice. Or more like voices. 

My eyes had snapped open, and more than what I would normally feel, ice flooded my veins. Not from my power, but from fear. 

I glanced around, trying to figure out where the voices were coming from, but there was nothing. The rocky shore of the stream was clear and if any figure was standing in the woods, I couldn't see a silhouette. And yet, the voices didn't stop. 

Some were sharp, calling out my name, while others were wailing in torment. There was cries, miserable cries of pain, and ones that spoke too fast that it was as if they were speaking in a different language. 

My heart was practically at my throat, and I moved away from Michael to sit up, not caring to be cautious of waking him up. The voices were loud, and with the turned up volume came a massive pounding in my mind. I gasped and clutched my head, taken aback by the abrupt burst of pain. 

In moments, I felt hot hands on my shoulders, on my neck, a voice calling at me in worry. "Aiden! Aiden, what's wrong? What's going on?" The hands were pulling my face to theirs and suddenly my eyes met Michael's. 

"The voices--" I gasped out. My teeth clenched, and I shut my eyes, trying to ease some of the pain--any of it. "They won't stop." 

"Voices?" Michael echoed, his tone bewildered. "What--what voices?" 

In the back of my mind, I realized what I said sounded odd--in fact, extremely insane. But I couldn't think more of it. I had gone to my knees and suddenly found myself losing breath, struggling to get air through my lungs. What is happening?

"Aiden."

This time, my name wasn't said by Michael. It was said nearby, in the mix of all the other voices, yet louder, more audible. A very familiar voice. 

Stunned, I opened my eyes and looked up to see Julian. Or what looked like Julian, standing a few feet away, just by the tree line of the woods. He looked more transparent, greyer in coloring, which washed out the bright red stains on his clothes and blonde of his beard. And worst of all, he wore the most troubled expression. An expression that spiked anxiety within me.

"Julian?" I stammered, voice cracking.  

"Aiden, you need to get up. You need to warn the others."

I lowered my hands from my head, the pain receding as his words, dull and echoey, registered in my mind. "What?" I whispered. 

"You need to warn the others,"  he repeated, offering no other explanation. "You need to get up."

"What's happening? Why?" I mumbled, scrambling to my feet. In the back of my mind, I was somewhat thankful that Michael and I decided to dress well before we decided to sleep, in case someone would unexpectedly stumble upon us. Someone like Julian.