Existence

Chapter 27

I've lost her. Again.

Alex ran his hands through his hair, skewing the bandana around his forehead. He took it off and wrapped it around his hand instead, deciding it wouldn't hurt to be ready for an ambush. The afternoon light of the forest was growing dimmer by the minute.

He had gone after Sarah the moment the feeling had come back to his legs. For some reason, when his cousin had ordered them not to follow her, his traitorous body had complied and gone numb all over. Sarah had long disappeared into the greenery by the time he'd left the willow.

"Why do my cousins keep disappearing on me?" He wretchedly wondered aloud.

Was it karma for pulling a similar act on his mom back home?

He held up the newspaper clipping Sarah had thrown: 'TEEN DIES IN CAR CRASH ON NIGHT OF PROM.' A familiar stab of guilt and sorrow hit his chest.

"Alex!" Byron came running over. "Casey has found something."

"What is it? Tell him to bring it here." Alex shoved the clipping into his pocket. It had been the right choice at the time. No use dwelling on it now.

Byron shook his head. "We had better discuss it back at the willow."

"I don't have time—" Alex took a deep breath, restraining himself from the freak-out his teammate didn't deserve. He had only stopped walking for a minute or so, but he was already getting antsy. "Unless we've found someone and not something, I'm not presently interested, Byron."

"Alex, look, I understand the urgency," Byron glanced around at the trees, "but there really are things we have to discuss privately, and I doubt the safety—"

"What about the safety of my cousin, Byron?" He exclaimed, the archer's overcautious tendencies getting to him for the first time. "Do I have to order you to leave me alone and continue searching for her?"

Byron exhaled and set his shoulders. "For once, sir, I would have to disregard your orders and insist that you come with me at once."

Alex stared at him with raised eyebrows. Byron hadn't called him 'sir' since the first time he'd joined the team.

"Very well."

~

"I found Sarah's sword," Casey said as soon as they arrived.

"Where? Let me see." Alex strode towards him, dreading the possibility of blood or some other sign of a skirmish on the weapon.

"Wait." Casey raised the sword and pointed at him, giving him a curious expression. "Calm down, Alex. Take a few deep breaths."

He frowned. Why did he have to do that? Nevertheless, he relaxed his body and did as Casey asked.

"Okay, now will you—"

"Sit down."

What? Confused, Alex plunked down in front of the campfire across from Azazel. Was his news going to be that shocking?

Casey huffed out a humorless chuckle, studying the sword with newfound fascination. "So that's how it happened."

"How what—" Alex swallowed his groan of frustration and stood back up. The calm he had somehow summoned earlier had given way once more to restless energy. He had to restrain himself from grabbing Casey and shaking him hard for answers. "Casey, start making sense. Now, please."

"How did you feel when I told you to calm down?" Casey asked, his studious expression fixing on him.

Repressing a sigh, he said, "Calmed down. It's what a few deep breaths are supposed to do. Why?"