Dancing With The Devil

Chapter 24

I lay next to Mike in the hotel bed. He cuddles into my chest, his arms wrapped tightly around me. I would never had taken Mike for a cuddle type of person. He's always seemed so strong and independent. You learn something new everyday I guess. I look at the digital clock that sits on the table next to the bed. 10:00 pm. I sigh and wriggle out of Mike's grasp.
      I carefully slip out of the bed and look at him. He moves for a brief moment and I'm afraid that he'll wake up until his body goes still again. I take my bag full of clothes in my hands as I walk into the bathroom. Once the door is shut, I slip on my shirt and pants. It's a little chilly outside so I put on s hoodie. When I'm done, I bend down digging around my bag. My fingers touch the item and I take it out. I quickly put the razor in my pocket making sure that it's deep enough so that it won't fall out. I walk out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.
      Mike lays on the bed, his body still as he sleeps. I take a moment and look at Mike. I realize that this may be the last time that I'll see him. Tears sting my eyes. Before they can fall though, I quick turn and walk out of the hotel room. My legs feel like lead as I walk down the hallway and into the elevator. The elevator is empty besides me as it's only occupant. As weird as it is, I wish that there was someone else here. With the silence my thoughts are filled with nothing but Mike. In the morning, he'll wake up and I won't be there. I can imagine the panic that he'll go through. "I'm sorry," I whisper to myself. "I can't let Caleb die." I hope for my words to somehow reach Mike but I know that that would be impossible.
     The elevator comes to a stop with a ding and I step out. When I leave, the hotel receptionist looks at me strangely, but I ignore him. I just walk outside into the chilly air. I wish that I had more than a simple hoodie to protect me from the cold.  I'm walking down the street when I realize something. I don't know my way around town and with my vision still incredibly blurry, I can't read the street signs. I'm such an idiot. I look around to ask someone directions and I spot an old man. He sits outside of a cafe drinking something. I walk up to him and he looks at me. His face is scrunched up and I think that he's going to tell me to leave until he speaks. "Hello young man." His voice is kind and gentle. It's nothing like the aggravated face that he wore earlier.
      "Um," I stutter. "Can you please tell me where Holland Avenue is sir?" He nods and smiles. He raises and small skinny finger, pointing down the end of the street. "Right now the street," he says. "Go straight down. Once you reach the end of the street, make a left and at the end of that street, you'll be there." I nod gratefully. "Thank you so much sir." He nods, smiling.
     "May I ask where your going so late in the night," he asks. I frown slightly but I cover it up with a smile. "Just meeting a friend."
     He smile disappears and is replaced with a frown of his own. "You seem troubled. I hope this friend of yours is nice. A young man likes you should not have to worry about the troubles of adult life." It makes me sad to realize how true his sentence is. I shouldn't have to worry about things like this. I should be out making friends and having fun. But the adult life is all that I know. Even from a young age, I was shoved into the reality of this shitty world with nothing but my stiffed Rabbit as my only hope for peace. I wish that I didn't have to leave Harry home by himself. I mentally curse Detective Robinson for making me leave him. To her, he was nothing but a stuffed toy. But to me, he was my very best friend.
      I shake my head and smile at the old man. "Thank you so much for your help sir." He nods, his smile appearing back on his face. I turn around and go in the direction that he pointed to.
I stop at the end of the street. I went the way that the old man told me. I stand at the end of the empty street looking for any sign of life. Not even a car is in sight. The wind blows and I wrap my arms around my body, trying to get as much warmth as possible.
"Cold are we? I can help warm you up." I freeze at the familiar voice. I turn to see Mason. Even if I can't see his face clearly, I know that a smirk is plastered on his face. I would love nothing more than to wipe it off myself. I breathe deeply in attempt to calm myself down. "Where's Caleb," I ask.
It's silent for a few moments as we stand there. Soon, Mason answers, his voice completely monotone. "Alive." I stare at him. I try to make myself seem as strong as possible. I don't want to show him the fear that rests deep inside of me. But Mason's like a dog. Even though he may not see it, I'm sure that he can smell it. Those are one of the things that make him so terrifying. You never know what he's going to do next. No, he isn't like a dog. Dogs can be trained and show love and compassion to some things. Mason is a completely different breed.
Suddenly, Mason turns around and starts walking. I watch him walk away, unsure of what to do. When he doesn't notice me walking with him, he turns towards me. "I suggest that you get moving. Caleb isn't gonna survive if you stand there all night." I start walking. We walk in silence for a while, the only noise between us begin when Mason tells me to hurry up if I'm walking too slow for his liking.
We reach the familiar black car that I hate so much. The same one that hit and killed Bonnie. Mason climbs in and reluctantly, I get in too. Mason looks at me warningly. "I'm sure you know the deal. Try anything not only will you die, Caleb will die too." I nod and buckle my seatbelt in. Mason starts the car and we take off.
     It feels like we've been driving years but I know that it's only been a few hours. Sleep calls to me but I dare not fall asleep. I already don't trust Mason. Who knows what type of weird and sadistic shit he'll do to me while I sleep. We pull up to a large and secluded house that's seems to be almost 3 stories. On the outside, the house looks abandoned. It has broken windows, the front porch is beat up, and graffiti decorated it. I get out and wait for Mason. He opens the door and gestures for me to go inside.
     I hesitate. My feet refuse to move and my chest is tight. I can leave now. I can knock down Mason and just take off. I can run away from all of this. Once I enter this house, there's no going back. But I can't leave Caleb. Leaving now would mean that he'll be killed. I destroyed his life enough already. I won't him die because of me too. Slowly, my feet begin to move and I walk in the house. Mason closes the  door and I watch as my only chance of freedom is closed off.