Perilous Flames [clifford a.u]

chapter eighteen - attack: part one

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - ATTACK: PART ONE

On our way back to Calum's apartment, the entire atmosphere of the car was filled with tension. Awkward, angry, and intense tension.

When driving back, everything was completely quiet. Not even music was playing from the radio. Michael was wrapped in an angry silence the entire time and he looked ready to punch something at any minute. Calum wore an anxious and guilty expression on his face and kept his gaze out of the passenger window. And me, I was just resting my head against the window, worry about what we were going to do now about the whole killing Scarlet situation.

It was obvious that planning to do so wasn't going to be easy, but we had to do it one way or another. We had to do it if we didn't want any of us to get hurt or have Michael get killed.

I was so wrapped in those thoughts that if felt like we left the bar literally fifteen minutes ago and suddenly we were already back in Calum's town, the Hummer rolling to a stop in front of the large building.

The sun was already beginning to rise when we got there and it was clear that we had driven the entire night just to get back. We all looked exhausted and it made me angry to think that we had sacrificed sleep and rest just for nothing. It made me angry to think about Ashton Irwin's selfishness and cowardice. He was an asshole who wasted our time.

All of us clambered out of the car and walked into the lively lobby of the apartment building that had the residents already exiting elevators and rushing out of the door to get to their destinations. The whole town was awake but all Michael, Calum, and I wanted to do was get back to Calum's quiet and hopefully peaceful apartment, and get some rest.

After the ride in the packed elevator, we walked in silence down the hallway and into Calum's apartment. Calum immediately took off his combat boots and walked down the hallway and into his room, slamming the door shut. Michael instead, went over to the couches and laid on top, covering his eyes with his arms slung over and soon enough, he was breathing slow and steady. He already had fallen asleep.

I, however, stood in the living room, unsure about what to do with myself. I didn't understand how Michael was able to fall so fast asleep considering that his life was at risk. I was exhausted, but I knew that trying to sleep wouldn't be that easy.

But I decided to try anyway, and made my way to the guest room, removing my jacket and shoes and laid on top of the covers, staring at the blue painted walls above. The room wasn't as dark since sunlight was shining through the cracks between the dark curtains covering the windows. The birds were chirping and the traffic outside could still be heard, loud but muffled, even though the window was closed.

I let out an exasperated breath and rubbed my eyes, trying to remove the sleepy stung from it. Frustration ached in my bones and already, I had begun to feel cold. The hairs on my arm stood up and the back of my neck tingled. Closing my eyes, I tried to ignore the small shivers that ran along my skin and focused on the sound of my breathing.

Sleep, I need to sleep, I kept repeating to myself. A nagging reminder though, stayed in the back of my head, telling me that I couldn't. I couldn't because I should be doing something at this moment. I should be thinking of ways to save Michael, not sleeping.

You can't save Michael with an exhausted mind Aiden, a voice whispered in my mind. Sleep, and when you wake up, then you can worry about him.

It took me a while, but somehow, I did managed to fall asleep.

I was deep in sleep, drifting in the peaceful darkness for a while. That is, until the peace was disturbed.