Getting Home

Part 47

I landed on hard pavement, splashing into a thin layer of unseen liquid.

It was dark. My eyes and noise instantly started to burn—a foul, burning taste filled my mouth, making me cough.

And then the smell hit me.

I vomited.

Nothing but water came out. There was a thud as Henry thump heavily next to me.

Everything was dark, but I thought I could see a dull, yellowish lights far off in the distance. I struggled to my hands and knees, wiping the sludge out of my eyes to squint around in the dark, acrid air, finally able to see we were—

We were in... an alley—but not just any alley.

Henry Avenue.

Home.

"You okay, Henry?" I said thickly—and suddenly realizing how scary it is not to be able to get a full breath.

He rolled over next to me, grunting but nodding.

I shakily got to my feet, still struggling to get a deep breath—but my eyes were finally clearing, focusing. Definitely the same alley. Why is it always this stupid freaking place? Maybe it was some kind of point in the universe where things converged, or maybe it was just some kind of weird, cosmic joke.

Or maybe it was just another way to continue torturing me.

Is there even a difference at this point?

The dull lights I had seen became clearer and harsher the more my eyes focused. I squinted, finally able to see—

A car parked at the end of the alleyway.

"Henry," I said, turning back to him. "There's a car down—"

He was just staring at me, his silently opening and closing, his eyes shocked and scared as nothing came out.

"Are you okay?" I asked worriedly, grabbing his shoulders. "Are you hurt?"

"I—" he mimicked his hand coming from his throat. "Can't..."

Oh no.

His voice... the way he spoke... even the way he moved—

Was exactly how he had been when I first met him.

He looked helplessly at me, and it suddenly hit me; how fast I had gotten used to just... talking to him, like normal. I had actually forgotten how he was before, before I knew how he really felt about things, before finding out what kind of person he was...

And now that person was gone.

My eyes began to fill with tears.

I took his hand, his perfect that had always fit so beautifully in mine, like they were made for each other.

Ava?

It was Henry's voice—in my head.

"Henry?" I said tentatively.

It's so beautiful in here, he said. So chaotic... infinite...

"You're still here," I said gratefully, letting my breath out in huge sigh, relieved, squeezing his hand tight. "I thought I'd lost you."

It's hard... to think... His eyes locked onto mine. ...to focus.

A tear ran down my cheek.

"It's okay, Henry," I said. "Just tell me what you need to do."

The dark entity, Ava, Henry said. I can feel it... it's grown so much stronger. We have to hurry.