Circles

Chapter XIII

Noah didn't even realize when he fell asleep, but he woke up when the sun was high in the sky. He shifted uncomfortably under the blankets and peeked his head out, confirming his surroundings. He still held his cellphone tightly, but Alister had hung up hours ago. He got up heavily, feeling his body ache, and left the room. A familiar noise was coming from the kitchen, and he knew Lizzie was preparing breakfast. Sighing with relief, he hurried downstairs to find her; he was no longer afraid.

The day went by normally, and Noah couldn't even recall why he had been so scared the previous night. Still, he was somewhat nervous about being alone, but he knew he could call Alister at any time, and he really wanted the prize he had been promised, so he decided to endure it. It was just one more night, and it would be over. He distracted himself by writing in his journal and chatting with Lizzie to pass the time, while trying to downplay what would happen later.

The girl left around 9, while Noah settled in front of the TV. Barely saying goodbye, he felt a heavy weight fall upon him. He didn't understand what was happening, but he could feel his entire body going on high alert. He tried to ignore it and focus on the television, just like the night before, but an hour later, it was impossible. He could hear the creaking of the house's wood, and he was sure that something was crawling behind him when he couldn't see it. He raised his feet onto the couch and grabbed his cellphone to call Alister.

There was no answer.

"It's okay... it's okay. He'll call me soon, he did the same thing yesterday..."

The only thing he could concentrate on was the sound of the living room clock. Every second felt longer and longer. He glanced at his cellphone screen, but there were still no signs of Alister.

"Noah?"

It was the same voice he had heard the previous day, and his blood ran cold upon hearing it. Now he was sure; there was someone else in the house. He quickly got up and headed to the exit door, opening it simply to escape as quickly as possible if he saw anything strange. He knew the local woods since he was a child, so no one could find him there if he didn't want them to.

He took out his cellphone and called Alister again. One. Two. Ten times. But he never got an answer. Desperation began to take hold of him, causing his breathing and heartbeat to quicken. He was sure there was someone else. The colors in the room looked distorted, and although Noah tried to calm his breathing, he began to think that it was impossible to do so if the air he was breathing had something strange in it. An unfamiliar odor hung in the air, and only now was he able to detect it.

"Shit, no..." he muttered in fear as he covered his nose.

"Noah?" The voice called him a bit closer this time, and the boy clung to the door, suppressing a scream as he tried to see where it was coming from.

Slowly, a slender figure took shape at the back of the room. Noah couldn't make it out completely, but he was sure it was someone he knew.

"Is that you, son?"

"Dad?" he stammered in a quick whisper, not believing what was happening.

"Noah, listen to me..." The figure began to take on more substance, causing the boy to panic and back away into the garden.

"You're dead!" he yelled, but immediately heard his father's distinctive laughter.

"Come and see for yourself..."

Without even hearing everything he had said, Noah began to run as fast as he could. He ran down to the main street while looking for the lights of nearby houses to guide him. It couldn't be that his father was alive, he knew that, because he had seen him close his eyes and give in to death. All he wanted now was to be in a brightly lit place, surrounded by people, so he wouldn't think about what had happened anymore. He knew it was impossible, but at the same time, he was sure it had happened. He had seen it, and it was real.

He ran with all his might until he reached the city, trying to stay close to the brightest places. People fluttered around him, and for a moment, he felt that in that place, he could forget everything. If he was there, surrounded by people, his father couldn't get close to him. He was safe.

Still breathing heavily from running for miles without a break, he walked through the narrow streets, searching everywhere until he finally found it. The bar at the end of the street was waiting for him with cozy lights and laughter, inviting him. Noah smiled; it must be a sign.