Autumn Haze

25: 'The one with the plan...'

I couldn't exactly pin-point how I was feeling because there was still a chance look wasn't alive, he wasn't safe but the overwhelming need for him to be was riding over any anxiety I was currently feeling.

'He's alive.' I croak out, if you would have told me that I was standing outside of my ex-boyfriends, dead fathers old house with Sammy Taylor and Rocky James stood by my side, I think I would have laughed in your face.

Because none of this makes sense, I keep having to pinch myself to make sure this isn't some fucked up or twisted dream.

Ryan sighs loudly, 'He's dead Autumn, move on.'

I narrow my eye tears glazed eyes at him, 'He isn't fucking dead, he sent Scarlett a message that only she would fucking understand.'

'And who the fuck is Scarlett?'

Rocky tenses from behind me, 'Luke's sister and my wife.'

Sammy raises his hand weakly, 'And my best friend.'

Ryan pinches the bridge of his nose, 'How do you know it was him who sent it?'

'Because...he sent her a message in some kind of strange language that only they know telling her to tell me that I need to stay away and everything is going to be okay.'

'Have you told Brooke? Where is she?'

'She doesn't want to be around you, you make her feel unsafe.'

Rocky's eyebrows knit together as his jaw tenses, but he doesn't comment, Sammy looks at me with a reassuring look.

Ryan nods slowly, 'I can understand that...is she okay?'

I scoff, 'Her son is fucking missing, what do you think?'

'Why are you kids around me?'

'Because you're the one who got Luke into this mess, so you're going to fucking get him out.'

Ryan laughs loudly as he edges closer towards me, 'I know that. I was always going to be the one to get him but what I don't understand is, why are you three still here?'

Sammy swallows harshly, 'We've come to save our friend.'

'Does any one you have any experience with hostage situations, knives, guns...fuck, have any of you even thrown a punch before?'

Rocky nods stiffly, 'I'm a boxer, I know how to fucking fight. I've been fighting since I was fourteen years old.'

'And you two?'

I wince, 'Lucas has given me a few boxing lessons before, it was mainly for self-defence reasons.'

Sammy puffs his cheeks out, 'I was kind of hoping, I could be more of the runaway driver in this scenario because blood makes me squeamish, violence kind of makes me squeamish...I think you're getting the drift here.'

Ryan sighs, 'Is there anyone else you could call? I can't exactly go running around asking for favours, I'm a dead man.'

My eyes flicker between the two boys next to me, 'Toby?'

Sammy shrugs, 'Honestly, I think Toby will be to fucking high to know, what the fuck is going on.'

Ryan raises an eyebrow at me, 'And you still think we're going to be able to bring him home?'

I nod slowly, 'I know we will.'

'Get inside.'

I let out a shaky breath as I look around the surroundings, the place was covered in cigarette ends, mould and broken beer bottles. My heart squeezes when I think about the kind of memories Luke had to endure in here.