The Demons Demise

CHAPTER 4: CHASE

I need to get out of here.
If I don't prove myself in time, it won't be good.

"What time is it?" Lex asked and Anouke pointed out the clock.
"About quarter past one."
"I see," Lex whispered; Anouke didn't hear it.
"Why do you ask?"
"No reason. I just prefer knowing the time."
"Hmm. Okay."

The clouds from the early afternoon cloaked the sun, not allowing the light to leak through the clear windows. Lex peered at Anouke out of the corner of his eye. He was sitting on the chair next to the sofa where Lex was laying down. Will this dude ever leave? Lex thought to himself, the seconds of the clock Anouke had pointed out ticking slower.

With closed eyes, he sighed a long, dramatic sigh. "Bored, Lex?"
"Be quiet for a bit," he paused and opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. "I'm thinking."
"About what?"
"Nothing that concerns you," he replied bluntly.
"Hm. I wonder."

The clock seemed to tick slower and slower... and slower. Amidst the cluster of clouds, bleeding sunlight in delicate string-thin ribbons poured onto the disarray of leaves on the forest ground whilst time passed. The braids of everlasting light danced across the floor, barely blooming the flowers, weaving its way through the cracks in between the grandiose trees, ostentatiously growing altitudinous.

2pm.

3pm.

3:30pm. Time to go.

Anouke yawned. "I'm so tired, Lex," he sighed, dragging out Lex's name.
"Uhm, okay?"
"It's your fault," he sighed dramatically and pouted. "You kept me awake all night." He folded his arms in a joking gesture. "I don't care. A-and don't say such a misleading phrase, moron!" He awkwardly shouted, flustered.
"Pfft," Anouke chuckled. "I didn't mean it. I swear."
"A-anyway..." Lex rubbed the nape of his neck sluggishly, fumblingly.

"Haha, why are you so embarrassed, hm?"
"It's nothing," he sighed.

"Whatever you say," Anouke replied, as if trying to agitate Lex. "I'm going to the bathroom real quick." Anouke lifted himself up from the fairly capacious chair. He cleared his throat as he strolled past Lex. Neither of them said anything more. Time to go. Lex hauled himself off of the seat he was lounging on and looked to the back door where Anouke had brought him back inside after his escape attempts. His steps were sotto voce. After creeping his way to the door handle, the floorboards not creaking fortunately, he grabbed the door knob. It was locked the last time, so... Moment of truth.

He heard Anouke moving around, his footsteps against the wooden floor notifying Lex that he was returning to the lounge. Now or never! He told himself and swung the door open, the hinges screeching with the force, just barely staying latched against the door-frame. Shit! He ran out into the forest, no longer bothered with how much noise he was making. The leaves crunched beneath his feet like when humans play in winter, crunching snow beneath their boots.

A twig snapped. Lex panted breathless. Anouke was on the chase.
He ran as fast as he could, mindlessly running, vision blurred by the speed. The roots of trees threatened to trip him up as he constantly stubbed his toes against them, as if they were zombies crawling out of their graves, reaching for his ankles, trying to pull him down; he could almost hear their whispers; 'Get back here, Lex.' He whined, trying to block out the sounds.

His wings burst out of his back post-haste. He took to the skies, looking back to see the flash of white chasing after him. I need to get out of here! He groaned, running out of whatever remaining air he could salvage through his clamorous breathing. "Lex, no!" Anouke yelled. He dove down, back into the winding maze of never-ending trees, swerving around the trunks, blending in with the shadows.