Flashfire

Ch31

"You must have been writing a note to those guys riding around our house. That's the only logical explanation," Caleb said.

"Maybe," Liam said.

Liam, for whatever reason, felt that this wasn't exactly right. He felt that this detour prolonged them from finding something truly horrific, however, so he went along for Caleb's sake.

Bullshit.

Caleb lurched up from the spellbook. "Did you say that?"

"Huh uh no, I didn't say anything," Liam said.

Caleb blinked, then turned the page. The closer he got to the page that he wanted, the tighter Liam's chest pulled, until it hurt. Liam had been writing something on paper, but he did not want to find out what it said. He felt that they had to solve what it wasn't first, to get things in order, so that Caleb wouldn't doubt himself. It was only to reassure him that whatever had happened, happened.

Lies.

Caleb jumped right as he flipped a page. "Liam?"

Liam could not stop these thoughts from entering his brain and out to where Caleb could hear. He wanted an escape, but Caleb hadn't let him out of his sight after the incident with the knife. Why was he calling himself out like this?

"Okay, it says here to scry, you need to find a dark surface, and..." Caleb read the rest silently, but it was nothing that they hadn't become familiar with.

Liam shivered. "I didn't like that."

"I know, but we have to, Liam. We have exhausted all of our leads but one, and this is the only way."

"Is it?" Liam said.

"You got anything better?" Caleb asked softly. He actually looked hopeful.

Liam shook his head.

Caleb sighed. "I was kind of hoping you remembered something else."

Liam, on the other hand, would have rather not.

"Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but-"

"Let's just get this over with," Liam said.

"I was going to say that I wish we had more time," Caleb said.

They both frowned.

"Caleb, come on," Liam said tenderly.

"I know, I know, I know." Caleb waved.

He stood and closed the book, setting it onto the table. Right then, the wind blew through their curtains, parting the beige fabric to the side further to reveal a car parked outside of the Liquor and Tobacco store. It was the same exact car, Caleb knew it was! His breathing came out in tense snorts through his nose. He barreled past Liam.

"Wait, Caleb! Wait for me!" Liam trailed behind him, running and stumbling on one step as his shoe came somewhat loose. He hopped toward the countertop to push it back into place then chased Caleb out the door, the bell dinging as Caleb was already half way across the street. "He's too fast!" Liam whined to himself.

"Caleb!" Liam caught up to him finally, as Caleb wrenched open the car door. "Caleb, you can't keep doing-woah."

Liam was painfully aware that he was out in the middle of the road for anyone who recognized him to see him. However, there was no one around on the street where nobody got much business, and there was nobody in the car at all.

"They must be inside," Liam said, relieved. He then noticed Caleb, staring deeply into the rolled up, dark-tinted window.

Caleb, Liam could only assume, was scrying unintentionally. He stared unblinking into the black surface, eyes equally glossy and fixed. Liam looked around to make sure that no one in the shop saw them and looked up and down the road, then he ducked behind the car. His paranoid thoughts persisted that someone he knew was watching him. He was turning into Caleb. Liam let out a low groan at this realization, but otherwise stayed silent.

Caleb let out a yell and flailed backward.

Liam gasped. "What?"

A dog barked at them from inside the car as a woman in sunglasses stepped out of the shop outside. She carried a brown bag that could hit someone. Whatever was in there looked heavy enough to knock out.

"Caleb come on," Liam whispered. He hid partially behind him, not wanting to be seen by anyone.

"Get away from my car," she said intimidatingly.

"Um, sorry," Caleb mumbled.

He backed away and walked back to their bar, taking cover under the overhang before dinging the bell to the bar. Caleb, however, closed the door before entering and turned back around as Liam stood there, momentarily confused by what had happened. The woman tilted her head slightly as she looked at Liam, through him, as though trying to find the gaps between pieces to connect a puzzle.

"Are you supposed to be with him?" she asked Liam. Her voice faltered as if she doubted whether she was even seeing someone there.

Liam's feet were planted on the asphalt, as he stared into the terrier's beady eyes. It stuck out its tongue to one side before baring its teeth and howling again. It was a piercing and distressed cry.

"Ah!" Liam covered his ears and ran toward Caleb.

"What were you doing?" Caleb questioned, as he held the door for him and trailed back inside.

"I don't know, I just felt frozen," Liam laughed oddly. "What did you see in the window?"

"I uh...it wasn't very clear," Caleb said, almost embarrassed.

Liam tsked.

"I'm sorry! Look, I didn't even want to do that," Caleb blew out.

"It's okay, we'll try with something here." Liam said evenly. He looked around the house. "Oh, the cabinet."

"You're eager suddenly," Caleb said. He kept blinking, clearing whatever he had seen, Liam could only assume.

"I'm just trying to keep you from beating someone up." Liam laughed oddly again.

"What is so funny?" Caleb asked.

"I don't know."

Caleb looked at him like he had just appeared in his house in front of him.

"I've never seen a dog act like that," Caleb observed.

"It was intimidating, like its owner."

"Yeah, but." Caleb dropped it.

"I'm not supposed to be here," Liam said. It was a very plain statement, one that held the weight of the truth. He let out another laugh. "You know what's funny?"

"Finally you tell me," Caleb said.

"I think animals have been acting like that around this place because they know that something is off. People know it too."

"Liam," Caleb said, defeated.

"We have to get this over with Caleb!" Panic pushed his words. It's what froze him to the ground. He was utterly wrong in his skin. "We have to make it right."

Caleb nodded urgently. "Okay."

"Go to the kitchen and scry, Caleb. Do it!"

"Okay, Liam, you're freaking me ou-ouch!"

Liam shoved him toward the kitchen. "Now!" he laughed.

They entered the kitchen.

"How about the fridge?" Caleb said.

"How about it doesn't matter," Liam said.

Caleb attempted to suppress a smile. "As you've said before."

Liam could tell what he was thinking. Something along the lines of this; it was almost funny how Liam was suddenly the one desperate to find out what happened, if it weren't for the fact that it was Caleb's fault.

"Caleb, please," Liam said.

Caleb turned toward the fridge.

"What am I looking at?"

"Just try," Liam begged.

"Okay, I know, Liam."

Caleb felt suddenly very guilty.

Enough talk.