When He Calls (Moons of Nibiru - Book #1)

chpt - 42: onward to war

WE'RE ALMOST THERE FIVE MORE CHAPTERS TO GO!!!!

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FOUR DAYS WAS ALL NEEDED FOR the group to recuperate. Olivia and Kendrick were out of hospital and resting. The news of their 'hiking' accident spread like wildfire, but not as fast as the news of some accident happening right outside the town involving Father Cometa, Brendon, and Noah. Apparently the father, son, and the son's friend were out for a drive to have a breather from the cramped town, when suddenly they were attacked by a group of delinquents who wanted to take the car. Father Cometa, who cherished the old vehicle, put up a good fight, and Brendon was quick to help. However, they did not expect these delinquents to carry loaded firearms with them, and their resistance led to both Father Cometa and Brendon Bourne's untimely demise. The story continued with Noah having ran from the car and back to the Marbel police station, where he breathlessly recalled the incident.

The truth was, Noah was found by a truck driver driving towards Marbel, her intentions to just drive straight through that night. She saw their car parked to the side of the stretch of road and decided to check up on the passengers, see if anyone was hurt. To her horror, she saw the pale and bled-out boy in the passenger seat, and next to him was another boy, frozen in shock and just staring out at the road ahead of him, eyes bloodshot.

After being interrogated by the police, Noah gave bits of the location where the cabin was. While the police went to investigate, and Brendon was taken to the morgue, Noah spent the night at the police station. He could have gone to the Parrishes, or to any of the other people in their congress, but he begged Sheriff Carl to have him stay the night, and then he asked to be dropped off at the Parrishes in the morning. That was where he would be staying until a family member who would be able to take him in was contacted.

When the police officers arrived at the cabin, pistols ready, they walked inside with caution, announcing their entrance. What they found was nothing but an empty cabin devoid of furniture. In one of the rooms—it was bigger than the rest, so they assumed it to be the living room—they found blood on the floors and bullet holes in the wooden walls.

Father Cometa's was the only body they found, but the amount of blood on the floor suggested more than one person had been shot or killed in that room. They kept the full story to themselves until they found out more, so to the public Brendon and Father Cometa died in a car robbery gone wrong, survived by Noah Cometa. Even Brendon's parents were sworn to secrecy, this being the only condition the police asked in exchange for all of their efforts in finding the truth.

Kendrick was hurt more than Olivia, so his condition left his parents not allowing anyone to visit him. This had Ryan and Noah meet Wren and Dawson at Olivia's house. Even with her broken ribs, bruises and slight dizziness, Olivia's parents were confident she would be okay alone at home with them at work.

Olivia's face was ashen, with dark circles marring the skin beneath her eyes, evidence of pain and sleepless nights. A few faint bruises lingered on her cheeks and forehead, stark reminders of that night.

Her eyes, though slightly glazed from the pain medication, brightened when her friends entered the room. Underneath the sweater she wore, her torso was tightly bandaged, protecting her fractured rib. Every breath was a careful, measured act to avoid jarring the injury, and she winced slightly with each shallow inhale. Her left arm rested on a pillow beside her, encased in a clean, white cast that extended from just below her shoulder to her wrist. The arm was supported by a sling, adding an extra layer of stability.

"I called Kendrick, but his mom picked up." Ryan informed. "She said he was sleeping and to call after a few days. She's worried we bothering him will only increase his trauma, or some shit."