Insanity / Discontinuing Till Further Notice

Chapter 5: New thinkings

As the rain poured down, the swift movement of the car passes through a wood of trees. The cold air of outside reached inside the car, causing shivers to run up my body. Toby tries to turn on the heater but is met with the crackling sound of the broken heater. He sighs, continuing to drive, as his eyes begin to droop, the radio begins to buzz with static, causing Toby to swerve on the road in surprise. He mutters some incoherent words and tries to change the station of the radio, trying to get a proper signal. None of the stations worked, there was just continuous static. He turned off the radio, sitting in silence once more.

"I'll drive if you want me too."

"No, I'm fine I'll drive," Toby said.

He tries to be up and alert but I can sense the tiredness through his gaze. After god knows how long, Toby found a clearing. Through the clearing, there was a faint light flickering. 'A lighthouse' is what we would assume the flickering lights to be. As we got closer to the lights, we could see a clear shape of a tower, lifting them. As we were following the lights he passed a sign that he believed said 'Atfnticv', but there was fog forming, causing it to become difficult to read.

There were empty markets, stands, and shops when we arrived. Assuming it was because of the weather he went on. He grabbed a piece of scrap paper from the dash of the car and looked at the smeared writing on it.

He stopped his car and looked around in the compartment of his car for a while before pulling out a small key. The key looked old, rusted, and part of the handle was torn off. Toby sighed and left the piece of rusted metal that is his car and went to the house. While running to the doors, the key rubbed against his hands, staining them a light burgundy red, the pouring rain was rigid he wiped the keys on his shirt. He tugged off the handles of the doors, which were locked. He then shoved the key in the keyhole, just wanting to get inside the house.

He closed the door locking it.

Upon entering the house, you notice the mismatched brown and blue plaid couches under bare walls. A huge television blocks the only window in the room, with an old scratched coffee table groaning under a weeks worth of mail.

"Anyone home!?" I was confused on why he was bursting his vocals until I see a spark coming from the kitchen.

It was the face of Jake Maverick a true daredevil among humans. He stands common among others, his slim athletic frame makes girls plead for his respect.

There's something misleading about him, perhaps it's a feeling of guilt or perhaps it's simply a feeling of remorse. But nonetheless, people tend to keep their distance, while learning as much about him as possible.

I opened my eyes again reassuring myself that my eyes weren't deceiving me. Jake was staring at me so intensely that made me uncomfortable.

He twisted his neck from Toby and me.

"What's up Jake, long time no see." Toby dragging his feet from the soaking wet waters and embraced Jake into a brotherly hug. I stood there hugging myself from the cold and keeping quiet watching the scenery before my very eyes.

Toby stepped back and allowed me to hug Jake. He then gestured me to my room.

He looked tense and tired, and the shadows under his eyes were like soft bruises on a tender plum.

"Why do you look so down if you don't mind me asking?" I blurted stupidly, waiting for his response. Was it bad for me to ask so unknowingly?

"Just in a bad relationship." Jake snapped.

I looked at him sympathetically but managed to soon break the awkward silence.

I remembered the last time I came to Jake's home when Toby and I were in a bad relationship. Jake was Toby's best friend but we were never in good terms. Toby told Jake anything and everything including what happened to my parents they were destined to be joined at the hip.

"Do you remember me, Jake?" I questioned.

"Yeah, the quirky weird girl who loved to sleep on my couch." He joked.

"How are you holding up?" He asks unexpectedly.

"What do you mean?" I replied. 

"You just seem down and confused it's not like you to act so secretively," His eyes held mine in their gaze, like a magician. 

"I'm doing fine," I said fiddling with my fingers.

"Haven't you ever seen something that other people can't?" He asked making me jump back.

"Where are you heading with this Jake?" I questioned.

Knowing he was right I scrambled shakily to my feet but Jake simply stared at me.

"What are you looking at?" I mumbled trying to change the touchy subject. 

A voice in my head, a million miles away, was saying, don't be silly, Ruby; what does he know about seeing things. He does not understand what you're going through. 

"I left some clothes laid out for you on the nightstand." He sighs. 

"Thank you," I blurted out suspiciously. I grabbed the clothes that were on the nightstand holding them out gesturing him to leave so I can change. He stood up and left the room giving me a potential smile. I took off my soaking wet clothes and laid them on top of the counters and took a long hot shower to soothe my worries away.

I glanced around with uncertainty, the bathroom was rather bare and cold, though it had obviously been quite grand once upon a time.

The feeling of being watched soon crept over me, like rising fog, that I was being watched. There was someone else here; I was sure of it. I strained to listen. There was a softness of echoes of someone singing a lullaby, I heard loud footsteps a cough and pages of a book being turned. Someone was there hidden by the deep shadows.

I tried brushing it off but the noise was soon repeated. I grabbed a towel and left the bathroom to put on clothes.

"Toby, Jake where are you guys?" I said wearily.

I looked outside to see where they have abruptly gone. The kitchen, while quaint, is swirling with the aroma from Jake's last night's casserole. Undecorated except for the apple curtains hanging over the very small window, it seems larger than any other room. My eyes scan the room, you can see that the counters are bare, except for dishes drying on the rack and the outdated.

"In here" Toby directed. I followed his direction and entered the organized kitchen to find them sitting at a small round table in the center.