Eldritch | Spruceworth AU

17. Shaw

Chapter 17

~Shaw~

       I didn't remember much after the storm arrived. We didn't see how powerful it was but even from inside the hospital we could hear the wind blowing and the rain pattering the roof.

       Shortly after we started hearing the rain pouring, I was starting to feel very drowsy. I wasn't the only one. Everyone looked as if they were trying their hardest to stay awake.

       Ollie was the first to crash, and one by one after him, everyone else did as well. I was trying my hardest to stay awake because we always needed someone on guard just in case those creatures attacked.

       However, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't fight the drowsiness and eventually closed my eyes, letting the sleep take over.

       When I woke up, I wasn't sitting down against the wall like I was in the hospital room. I was... I think I was actually lying on a bed. Did I get onto one of the hospital beds without remembering because I was too tired?

       I slowly opened my eyes as I sat up, waiting for my vision to adjust before looking around. My bedroom. I was in my bedroom.

       I sighed and rubbed my eyes. Everything that happened in that... that alternate universe of Spruceworth had to be a dream but it just felt so real. Like it actually happened. There was no way something that real could be a dream.

       I looked beside me to see Holden sleeping peacefully and even though I should just let him sleep, I shook him awake. "Go away," Holden muttered, pulling the blankets over his head.

       "I have a question," I said.

       "Then ask me when I'm awake," Holden said.

       "You are awake," I pointed out.

       "Not fully," Holden said. "And that's only because you woke me up. I'm still tired."

       "But it's an important question," I said.

       "Then ask someone else."

       "But you're the only one here."

       "Then wait until I'm fully awake," Holden said. However, a few moments later, he was fully awake considering he sat up and looked around the room. "Oh, thank goodness. I had the weirdest dream. We were in this... weird ghost town of Spruceworth and there were these zombie-like creatures."

       "Well, that answers my question," I said. "I don't think it was a dream, Holden. That's what I was going to ask you. If that was real because it felt so real."

       Holden sighed and laid back down on the bed. "At least we're not there anymore. Well, I don't think we are because our bedroom doesn't look like how all the other buildings looked like. And we were in the hospital last so..."

       I got out of bed and went to my dresser, pulling some clothes out. 

       "Where are you going?" Holden asked.

       "To see if everyone else made it back," I said. "I assume they did since we did but I want to make sure."

       "Okay but do you have to leave the house to do it?" Holden asked. "Because there's this magical invention called a cell phone. You used it to ca--"

       "I know what a cell phone is," I said as I got changed. 

       "Then why are you going out to see if everyone made it back?"

       "It's almost like you don't want me to leave."

       "I'm tired and want to cuddle."

       "Awe, that sucks," I said, walking to the nightstand where my cell phone was. When I looked at the date, I was even more confused. "It's almost like we didn't get sucked into the alternate place at all. We were gone for a night, right?"

       "I think so," Holden said.

       "It's the twenty-sixth," I said. "Not the twenty-seventh like it would have been if we really did spend a night at that place."

       "Now I'm really confused," Holden said. "What even happened?"

       "I have no idea," I said as I called someone on my cell phone and held it up to my ear, waiting for an answer. One that never came. I sighed and hung up. "That kid never answers his phone. Looks like I really am going to have to go out."

       "Awe, dang it," Holden said. "I guess I'll just stay here in bed. All alone. And sad."

       I chuckled. "Holden, nothing you say will make me stay. I want to go make sure at least Ollie and Grant are okay."

       "I love how they're the only two you care about," Holden said. "Josh? Julian?Noah? Nope. Just Ollie and Grant."

       I shrugged and walked to Holden's side of the bed, leaning down and giving him a quick kiss. "I'll be back soon."

       "I don't care."

       Tired Holden was one of my favourite Holdens.

       I left the house and started making my way down the village, looking around at the sight. All the buildings were in perfect shape, all sorts of plants blooming about. Many people were walking around, looking lively and joyful.

       I could never get tired of this sight.

       "Shaw!" I heard someone call and I had just enough time to turn to the source of the sound before Ollie rushed over and gave me a tight hug. "You're back too!"

       "Wow, you've never been so happy to see me," I said. "And now that's even more confirmation that the whole thing was real. Is Grant back too?"

       "Yep," Ollie said. "I tried waking him up but he hit me with a pillow and told me to go away."

       "Sounds like something Holden would do," I said. "At least we're back here now. Whatever you, Grant, Julian, and Noah did worked."

       "Well, I'm pretty sure it was the storm that brought us back but I'll take credit for it," Ollie said. "I'm just happy we don't have to deal with those things anymore. And I can be in the comfort of my own home again. I still don't get why we got put there in the first place."

       "Yeah, neither do I," I said. "At least we're back. That's all that matters right now."

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i freaking love ollie and shaw's brotherly relationship and they're not really brothers. still one of my favourites <3

and woo they're back.

there will be one more chapter of this and as much as i had fun writing this book, i can't wait because i really want to get started on the christmas story lol. (i'm hoping it's very humorous)(it's for my protector series and it's called jingle bells and parallels.)(it's already up because i put up a dialogue preview so you'll have a hint of what's coming in the story)