Gray Clouds

Chapter 3 - The First Day.

Eli's slumber was rudely interrupted when he heard the rustling of plastic. Eli rolled in his bed, yawning as his eyes pried themselves open. His eyes stung from the light spilling from the window, now amplified without the filter of the curtains. To his disdain, Gray was real, not a hallucination, and still in his room. In fact, he was holding a black plastic bag, seemingly from one of the kitchen cupboards downstairs, hissing with each empty cup noodle that was chucked inside.

Gray turned around as he heard Eli's tired groan. "Good morning, sleeping beauty."

Eli swiftly reached to pull his blanket up to his chest, sighing in relief when he saw it was already covered.

"What are you doing?" Eli asked, his words mixed in with a yawn.

"I'm cleaning your room." Gray replied, taking a shirt from the closet next to Eli's desk and throwing it to him. "It's a mess."

"I'm aware..." Eli caught the shirt, holding up his blanket to shield his chest from Gray's eyes. "Do you mind at least leaving to let me change?"

"Of course. I'm not a pervert." Gray dropped the plastic garbage bag onto the ground, walking over to the door. "Try not to die, okay?"

Eli shot Gray a glare, to which Gray snickered and closed the door, exiting the room.

Eli stretched, finally having some time to himself. He stood up to get a change of pants and underwear from his closet, picking out whatever he grabbed first.

As he pulled on his clothes, a sudden thought invaded his mind. Mom and Dad will be home soon... How are my parents going to react to a stranger in the house?

Badly, of course.

"You done yet?" Gray's muffled voice called out from outside the door.

Eli sighed, opening the door and being greeted by Gray's smug face once again.

"You are so impatient." Eli grumbled. "It's been a minute!"

"That's how long it took you to finish changing." Gray replied smartly.

"Shut up." Eli huffed, shoving Gray back inside his room.

"Gray, how long did you say you'll be with me for?"

"Until the day you die." Gray answered, shoving his gloved hands into his pockets.

"Well, that'll be a problem." Eli mused. "I live with my parents, so you're going to have to—"

Eli froze up once he heard the jingling sound of keys and the 'click' of the front door unlocking. Gray stared at him, his eyebrow raised.

"You say what now?"

"Whatever, stay here."

"You know that I—"

"Just- Stay here, okay?" Eli grumbled through gritted teeth, shutting Gray in his room.

Eli heard footsteps ascend the stairs. He knew that his father was coming, he had learned from staying up all night that his father's footsteps were much slower and louder than his mother's.

Eli's father was wearing a dress shirt and beige pants, having scrapped the entire suit attire he wore yesterday. He smiled as he laid eyes on his son, pulling him into a hug.

"Good morning!" Eli's father greeted in a honeyed voice. "How were you last night? Did you go anywhere?"

"...No." Eli answered, hastily peeling his father's arms off of him. "I stayed here."

"That's good." Eli's father said, patting Eli's shoulder. "Remember that the world is a very dangerous place, and—"

"And that the Community is the only safe place to be." Eli droned, interrupting his father's familiar speech. "Yes, I know."