Nong'Chili 🌶️🌵 Phi'Cactus (TulMax / MaxTul) - FF

#24 - Invasion

Tul had been frantic to get back to Max and he somehow managed to convince Gulf to take an earlier flight. Which Gulf agreed to as Mew suddenly had an emergency at work and had to leave despite not wanting to.

Gulf had parked his car at the airport parking and the 2 made their way first to drop Tul home as he wanted to see Max desperately and surprise him.

Gulf dropped him off just inside the gate and then sped off to the restaurant bar.

Tul trudged his way to the main door. Wondering if he should still continue sleeping in Max's bed or now that his own room upstairs was empty Max would expect him to go back to his own room.

Maybe he could convince Max to let him sleep with him for a few days. Somehow he was sure Max wouldn't mind. That brought a smile to his lips as he climbed up the few steps to Max's front door.

He frowned slightly wondering why the lights were out. Was there a power outage he wondered. But then he glanced over his shoulder to see the lights on the gate pillars were switched on.

Had Max already slept he wondered. It was almost midnight. He pondered if he should go in or climb up the stairs to his own room.

After a few moments of contemplation, he decided to go to his own room. He didn't want to look clingy or desperate.

With a heavy heart weighed down with disappointment he climbed up the steps. Halfway up the stairs he stopped and dropping his shoulder bag on the steps, ran back down. Just a peek, he told himself. Just to make sure Max was okay and not ill or running a fever.

He took his set of keys and slid the correct key in the lock. To his utter disbelief the door was unlocked.

He frowned had Max left the door open for him. But he wouldn't, Max knew he had a key. Maybe it was for Great, Tul reasoned.

He pushed open the door and finding the switch to the foyer light flipped it on. The sight that greeted him left him stricken.

His first thought was for Max and he yelled Max's name. "MAXXX!" He called out. The whole house looked like it had been thrashed. Furniture was lying upside down, pottery and frames were lying broken on the floor.

The drawers in the bureau were lying empty on the floor amidst torn sofa cushions and broken crockery.

Tul ran for the bedroom all the time repeatedly calling out to Max. "Max! Max where are you? Max!"

The bedroom was in no better condition. The mattress was in tatters and looked like it had been stabbed several times. That sent fear slamming painfully to his heart and for a moment he had to crouch on the floor to get a grip on himself.

He immediately got up again and ran to the bathroom which was empty. He next checked the pantry and then the laundry room wedged between the pantry and back entrance. But there was still no sign of Max. He ran to the back door and swung it open.

Suddenly he heard a loud crashing from the direction of the outhouse, which was a little distance away near to the edge of the tall trees. It also served as a little protection from the elements for Max's rose garden.

Tul ran towards the outhouse thinking maybe Max was there. He didn't pause to think that it could be the people who had thrashed the house.

And it was not Max. It was someone else. Several someones. And they were startled when Tul had pushed open the door. For a moment he was blinded by the sudden light and the men inside took the opportunity to make a run. They brushed past him. Almost toppling him over.

Tul ran after them and one of them came at him with what looked like an iron rod. He raised his hand to protect his face just in time but the force was such that he still got hit on the side of his head and his forearm.