Run With The Devil

The Wait

Lyras pov

The clock ticked on the wall, each second dragging on as I paced the living room. Deon and Harper had left for a brief outing almost twenty minutes ago, but they still hadn't returned. I tried to shake off the gnawing feeling of unease creeping up my spine, but it was no use.

I glanced at the clock again and let out a frustrated sigh. "Where could they be?" I muttered to myself. Harper usually didn't take this long, and Deon wasn't known for being late. The delay was unusual, and my curiosity was getting the better of me.

I wandered to the window, peeking out to see if I could spot their car pulling into the driveway, but there was nothing. The street remained as quiet and empty as before. I chewed on my lower lip, trying to think of any reason for their delay. Did something go wrong? Were they caught in traffic?

As I paced back and forth, I tried to distract myself by flipping through a magazine on the coffee table. But the words were a blur, my mind focused solely on the absence of Deon and Harper. The minutes felt like hours, and I found myself growing more anxious by the second.

The sound of the front door opening finally broke the silence, and I rushed to the foyer to greet them. But it was only Harper who walked in, carrying a shopping bag and looking slightly flustered.

"Hey, Harper," I called out, trying to sound casual despite my concern. "Where's Deon?"

Harper looked up from the bag she was holding, her face a mixture of relief and nervousness. "Oh, hey, Lyra. He's still... um, handling something. He'll be back soon."

I raised an eyebrow, feeling the tension in my chest. "Handling something? What's going on? He left with you, so why hasn't he returned?"

Harper shifted uncomfortably, then forced a smile. "He just needed to take care of a few things. He asked me to come back first. It was... a last-minute change."

I crossed my arms, trying to read her expression. "A last-minute change? What's that supposed to mean? Is everything okay?"

Harper hesitated before speaking, clearly struggling with how much to reveal. "It's nothing serious. He just got caught up in something unexpected. It's probably nothing to worry about."

I didn't completely buy her reassurance, but I decided to let it go-for now. "Alright. I just wish he'd communicated that better. It's not like him to be late without any notice."

Harper nodded in agreement, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "I understand. I'm sure he'll be back soon. How about we just wait together? It'll be better than pacing around here."

I agreed and sat down on the couch, Harper joining me with a sigh. We talked about mundane topics to pass the time, but my mind kept wandering back to Deon. Every sound at the door made me jump, hoping it would be him returning.

After what felt like an eternity, I heard the familiar sound of the front door opening again. I practically leaped from the couch, rushing to the foyer. Deon stood there, looking slightly disheveled but with a determined look in his eyes.

"Deon!" I exclaimed, relieved but still concerned. "Where have you been? Harper said you got caught up in something."

Deon's gaze softened as he took in my worried expression. "I'm sorry I made you wait. I had to take care of some last-minute details for... something important. It took a bit longer than I expected."

He looked genuinely apologetic, and I could see the sincerity in his eyes. "It's okay," I said, though I couldn't completely shake off my lingering anxiety. "I was just worried. Harper tried to explain, but I still wasn't sure what was going on."