Collateral Damage (bxb)

15. Devious Realities

A.N. This chapter begins from the perspective of Ian.

After the chase, the adrenaline started to wear off and my hands stopped shaking, and I could hold my phone without gripping onto it for dear life.

Wolf and Aidan were on the other side of the car, and they were silent, as I heard grunting and yelps of pain from Aidan. I was still fighting my body to not spill my guts on the ground. Whatever was the place where we went was not a sane place. It was hard to process it without twisting my mind into an intangible knot. The white fog, the loss of all my senses was strange, and it didn't look like we were moving yet it felt so violent and uncontrollable. I think Aidan caused it and even he had barely any control at that moment given a stark contrast to what happened in Jesse's apartment.

After Aidan stopped making sounds of pain, Wolf propped him up on his feet, and I could see his face, it was smeared with blood that came from his mouth and nose. He was still bleeding, mind you. His eyes had a glassy appearance and were holding that piercing light within them.

"What the fuck, man..." Wolf was holding him up by his armpit.

Aidan sighed and tried to speak up but a violent coughing fit took him by surprise. His form slumped against the car and with every uncontrollable and raggedy exhale came blood and bile painting the hood of the vehicle dark red.

It looked like he was on the verge of keeling over, but Wolf held him firmly as he let everything go. After a moment, his form began to turn ephemeral just like while we were in the car, but it wasn't tearing at the seams, and it almost put me at ease if it weren't for the fact that nothing made sense.

"This should e-ease the pain..." He barely held a cough. "Get the pain meds... please..." His voice was weak, almost fragile.

Wolf let him keep leaning against the side of the car where his blood was drying out. He went to the back of the car to get the trunk open. I got up and wanted to take a few steps in his direction, ask him what was going on, but his aura turned sour, even betrayed after what he found in there. Wolf grabbed two bottles of pills and pocketed one before shooting me a glance. He was in no mood to talk now.

I followed him with weary steps like treading on broken glass, not knowing what to do or say, I had never been in such a position or could compare anything to it. Aidan looked like he was dying and Wolf was almost indifferent right now, his rage and anguish overtaking the dim glow around him. His friend was looking like he was dying, but he took it like another everyday occurrence.

"I'll get a car," Wolf stated while handing him a bottle that Aidan promptly popped open and took in his mouth. He struggled to swallow but managed to do it while putting great effort into the action. Aidan turned his back to the car and slumped against it not paying any attention that there was blood everywhere.

I took a step closer to his weakened form. "So... umn..." My voice matched his fragile one even if I wasn't the one who looked like he was at death's door. My want to ask was first before I even figured out what to ask.

"I... know that this..." Aidan took a long raggedy breath, his voice distorted by something otherworldly. "...looks bad, but... I'll be fine..." It didn't sound convincing, rather more like an attempt to convince himself.

I wanted to think that it's true, but deep down I knew that he was lying even if I didn't see his aura. "Okay..." I matched his near whispering voice before I sat down near him.

"So... I'm a holder... I guess you have been wondering about that." He read my mind. This question had been bugging me from the moment I saw him, his aura or the lack thereof.

"Yeah..." I answered, not knowing what more to say, but then came something I had to ask, "How did you, you know?" I asked while turning to face him.