Hidden In The Dark (IN EDITING)

Too Late To Promise

When I open my eyes a resounding echo pumps through my head, the darkness swallows my vision until I blink it away. My hands are covered in gashes and scrapes, the dry blood on my hands informs me that I have been out a while. I let out a weak laugh when I remember what happened and where I am right now.

The panic of not knowing what town I am in is a little worrying, but something tells me I will find my way back home. No cars drive by at this hour, there is just silence other than the rodents that rummage through the garbage further down the alley. I didn't know where hoodie man went, but frankly the pain I was in just made me not care to find out.

My heart drops to the pit of my stomach when I finally pick my head up from my chest. A dark figure barely noticeable in the shadows stands across from me, leaning against the old brick of a random building. I can't see the figures face but I don't need to see it to know who it is. There are only a few amount of people who could be that tall and blend into the darkness, hence why my heart dropped.

"Whatever you are going to say, don't." My voice sounds like I've smoked a pack of cigarettes every day since I popped out of my mother's womb.

"Why? Because you know what you did was exceedingly ignorant?" I didn't say anything, there wasn't one thing I could possible say to make him understand. There are just too many personal barriers between us for him to even be able to fathom how I think.

"You had three rules, three rules and you couldn't follow the most important one that concerns your safety." I choose to be quiet for the second time, my natural instinct of when I'm in trouble is just to accept it. And I knew that if I said my answer out loud then I would realize how dumb this whole thing was. People were not lying when they say even the most simple things can cloud your judgement.

"ANSWER ME!" I flinch at how his voice booms through the small space of the dark alley, he pushes off the wall and steps toward me. "I just wanted to get away for a moment, just a few seconds. You don't understand what it feels like to have your whole life to change in a blink of an eye by something you can't control. To be constantly entangled in a never ending cycle."

I see something flash across Vali's face but it disappears before I can make anything of it. It's like he has an internal battle for a second, his whole body freezing where he stands as his face morphs into something I never seen before. I watch in confusion as his eyes close and his jaw clenches in frustration, against my better judgement I say something. "Vali, Are you okay?" His eyes open slowly before he nods his head, I just stand there awkwardly filled with confusion of what just happened.

"I know exactly what it feels like Leaigh, me and you are more similar than you know. I changed my whole life to keep others safe, your life is changing to keep you and the people you care most about safe." My eyes almost widen at what he tells me, Vali barely breathes half of the time but here he is telling me something about himself.

"What do you mean keep the people I care about safe?" I try to stand off the ground using my hands but a pain pounds through my wrist, I opt for using my elbow against the wall. Vali just stands watching me silently as I struggle to stand, I shoot him a sarcastic look when I finally gain my balance.

No I don't need any help getting off the ground, it's not like I'm hurt or anything.

"I can't tell you what will happen, but know that I'm trying to protect your family." Confusion was laced through all of my features, and I knew you could see it as clear as day. When I first met Vali in that alleyway that day I knew he was supposed to protect me, and as much as I should have, I didn't really care. It didn't nag at me constantly, I mean there wasn't much to be afraid of.

But throwing in the people I love definitely changes my perspective on things, because now I have to worry about other's lives and not just mine. My life has barely began and maybe I should be worrying about the continuation of it but something deep down constantly tells me that I will be fine no matter what. Vali could tell me I was going to die tomorrow but I would still somehow feel safe, and I'm not sure why.

"Just know that nothing is going to happen, it's my duty and I have never not fulfilled one." I still have so many questions but I know he won't give me the answers I want. Even though I had only known him for a few weeks, I know he isn't the type to share everything. Maybe because it was based on his sense of control or he really can't tell me anything.

After a nod he walks off, but I start following him when I realize I don't know how to get home. It catches me off guard when he keeps walking, normally he would just up and disappear into thin air but I guess not tonight. "Why are you walking?" Luckily this time the hoodie man didn't mess me up to bad, maybe the fact that I wasn't trying to fight back or yell at him just made him stop. It was funny to think about, he was like a little toddler who cries and pouts when he doesn't get his way.

"You needed to get away so we will walk back. Unless you don't wish to stay out a bit longer?"

"Wait yeah we can walk, where are we anyways?" I watch as he points up to a sign that reads Baltimore in dark bold letters, which confuses me since I thought we were in a different town. "We are still in Baltimore just in the more suburban area instead of the heart of the city." The silence is refreshing and the cold feels clearer, whenever I exhale a cloud of fog leaves my nose and mouth. I pull off my hood as I walk beside the tall giant, feeling abnormally short compared to him.

"Have you ever done this?" I ask out of nowhere, the urge to talk more prominent now that I wasn't walking down the city streets alone.

"I used to, I haven't in a while."

"Why?"

"I started to have more responsibilities and ones that needed my full attention. Since then I haven't had the time to do whatever, my mind is always running but I don't feel stressed. It's weird that I feel something of worried though and I don't know why." He turns looking down at me before looking back up as we cross the street.

"Worried about what?" Vali was silent for what felt like minutes and minutes, I could feel the thoughts running through his head. We just kept walking and I didn't push for an answer, I was lucky he was even answering any of my questions so I left it alone.

"About you." The answer wasn't one I expected at all, it was kind of concerning that he was worried. Now I felt like I should be taking this more seriously because there was no doubt that Vali didn't get worried for no reason. Instead of responding I just step closer to him and wrap my hand around his arm, I wasn't use to the comforting stuff. It was evident Vali isn't either, as soon as I touched him he stiffened into a statue.

I guess we were alike in many ways, but that didn't mean we got along that much. He was more grumpy and serious and I never liked to take anything serious, but it's not like I was born sarcastic. I use to be chill and quiet but something completely flipped in me, it was almost impossible to act serious. Maybe acting serious just reminded me of that night so I didn't act that way, it was probably why I landed myself in the situation to begin with.

"Whatever is happening, promise me you won't tread too long if something goes wrong." Vali looked down at me with bright grey eyes, they had so much written in them but he didn't allow it to be seen. The moment felt kind of mushy but for once I was trying to be serious again, it was important that I tried to be sincere about this.

"It's too late to promise anything."