The Fray of Werebirds [Discontinued]

Chapter 11 - Goodnight

I sprang off the couch and squatted in front of the TV set, pressing my face so close to the screen that I almost dove right inside it.

Indeed it was none other than my mother, brushing her tears away with a flowery handkerchief while being interviewed by the press. Dark rings surrounded her red eyes and fatigue was written all over her face.

"He was my only son," she sniffed.

A lump formed in my throat.

An old picture of mine appeared on the screen and the scene shifted to a news reporter who announced that "the search for the missing 14 year old teenager, Caleb Jordan, is still ongoing, but so far has been in vain."

The lingering flavor of sweet milkshake now tasted sickly in my mouth. My insides crumpled up and guilt threatened to engulf me. I had completely forgotten about her until then. I had only cared about me. I was leisurely enjoying myself at McDonald's while my mother probably couldn't sleep due to the amount of worry that weighed down her sore heart.

She was cornered in a dark, unknown void where nothing is certain. To her, there was the constant spark of hope that I would possibly step back into her life, but there was also the horrifying suspicion that I just might be dead. She was torn like a rag doll between hoping and mourning.

Some say that ignorance is bliss, but in this case, it must be torment.

Crash!

I snapped out of my daze only to find the remote control at my feet. My head throbbed slightly and I realized that my hands were clasping fistfuls of my hair. I let go of my innocent dead cells and dug my nails into my shirt instead, gritting my teeth.

A delicate hand squeezed my shoulder.

Sirena entered my world with grace once more. Without any words, her dazzling eyes embraced mine, wrapping them in a cocoon of reassurance. The tension in my chest ceased and my rigid arms relaxed.

There was nothing I could do about it.

It was as simple as that.

I nodded and flashed a grateful smile. I returned to the couch and numbly allowed myself to doze off...

I opened my eyes to darkness.

It took me a moment to remember where I was. I was at Gregory's apartment, sprawled on his couch with drool sliding down my chin. I got up, blindly groping my way around the living room. I recoiled when I stepped on something - the remote control.

Memories of the television came flooding back. After thinking it over, I was glad I didn't go back home, for it would have definitely put my mother's life on the line. In other words, I didn't feel as guilty anymore, but it still wouldn't hurt to free my mom of her agony, would it?

I slinked out of the apartment, shivering in the cold dusk. Tranquility enveloped the neighborhood, as if time itself had frozen. I superstitiously avoided stepping on a thunder shaped street crack as I made my way to the phone booth. I picked up the receiver and dialed the first number my fingers had retained. My throat felt dry as the phone buzzed repetitively in my ear. Eventually it left me to deal with the answering machine. Of course, it was probably past midnight.

"Hey mom, it's me, Caleb," I spoke awkwardly to the silence, "I know you've been worried sick about me, and I'm really sorry about giving you such a hard time, but trust me, I'm alive and well. I'm far away right now, and I may not be able to return anytime soon - it's just really hard to explain my situation - but I promise you I will be back eventually. You don't need to constantly think about me. Enjoy your life. Just don't give up and stay strong.

I hesitated, unsure of how to end the one-sided conversation.

"Um... Goodnight."

I hung up, sobbing noiselessly under the moonlit sky, oblivious to the peril waiting for us right around the corner...

I was lying face down on the couch when a knock sounded on the door.

I lifted my head up groggily and saw Sirena appear first, followed by Gregory who was in baby blue pajamas, ruffling his hair and grumbling about boy scouts. He peered warily through the peephole and then turned to us and mouthed police. Sirena shot me a suspicious glance. My drowsiness vanished instantly and we both ducked into the kitchen.

"You did something stupid didn't you?" she hissed accusingly.

Before I could defend myself we heard the front door creak open.

"Good morning officers!" Gregory greeted merrily, "Would you care to join us for breakfast?"

"Thank you but we've got a job on our hands," a gruff voice replied, "Have you, by chance, seen this boy before?"

Gregory paused for a moment, and then said, "I'm afraid I haven't."

"Well if you happen to see him please give us a call. We were informed that he was likely to have been roaming around this neighborhood last ni-."

BANG!!

The air reeked of gunpowder.