Afraid of the Dark

Čh̷ąp̷tęr E̴lēvě̶n̷

Mark's brain couldn't comprehend what just happened as he stared down at the message on his screen, his hands shaking and his vision blurring as he focused on the words. He tried to think of a way to describe what was happening, a way to try and put some logic to what was turning into utter madness. But he couldn't. He couldn't say anything. Looking back on this moment, the American would have been angry, maybe even infuriated, that he hadn't done anything more than stare in shock, that he hadn't tried to act in any way shape of form the moment he had the chance. But it wasn't exactly his fault for having a human reaction.

He stood in a stunned silence and a shocked stillness, reading the message over and over as if he would get the words to make sense and give him some sort of indication as to what he was supposed to do, but those five words were not giving him any help. Eventually, in his mind which was disjointed with confusion, he came up with one single idea. He rang Seán. The dial tone rang, the rhythmic beeps echoing through the room which had previously been silent, each one adding to the sense of fear building up within him, making him feel as if he was about to be sick. The dial tone ended.

"Welcome to the O2 messaging service. The person you are calling is currently unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone and they will get back to you as soon as possible. To rerecord your message at any time, please press hash." Hearing the robotic drone of the answer-phone tone brought a tidal wave of distress through Mark, and he couldn't stop the gasped breath that escaped his mouth, the type you make when you were on the verge of crying. He ended the call, and instantly started a new one. Same result. No reply. He tried again. When the answer phone spoke again, he didn't hang up. He waited, clutching one hand to his head and bringing his other hand - holding the phone - up to his ear. "You may now record your message." Beep.

"Seán, it's Mark, where are you? I know you've got your phone, I saw your message, please... please pick up, please. I... I'm going to go and look for you, but please just ring and tell me where you are, please. You can't be alone right now, you need help, please, wherever you are just... just ring me, okay?' The American could hear how badly he was begging, and had to fight the urge to continue the call any longer, for fear that he would begin to do nothing but ramble. He tried to take a calming breath as he shakily replaced his phone into his pocket, but it was to no avail. He could practically feel the adrenaline surging through his veins, but it wasn't dampening the utter terror and helplessness that was swallowing him whole.

Following the words which he had just said, he clumsily stumbled out of the room. The knowledge that he would have to get back on stage in front of the crowd, in order to reach the hall's exit, was scaring him. However, instead of emerging to the blinding stage lights and the faces of hundreds of spectators, he stepped into an area plunged into a murky darkness with nothing but red back-up lights spreading a sickly glow which seeped into everyone's skin to make them look hellish. The crowd were murmuring not with the excited expectation that he was so used to, but instead a nervous chatter of apprehension. Matt and Chris, the previously energetic and positive stage hosts, were now wearing expressions of concern as they spoke to members of the security team. Chris saw the American man appear, and quickly dismissed himself from his current conversation as he made his way over. Ethan, Tyler, Wade and Bob were standing awkwardly behind the tables which he had seen them at last, looking between each other with uncertainty. Wade turned around as he heard approaching footsteps.

"Mark!" he exclaimed, quiet enough so that the crowd wouldn't hear but loud enough so the people on stage would. None of the microphones seemed to be working. "Is Seán okay? You were gone a while, but..."

"You haven't seen him!?" the younger man cut in. Wade looked at him with worry.

"I thought you were with him? What's happened? Why have you got blood on you!?"