Starlit Ruins (BL | MLM)

Ch. 2 | The Calm

Not under the vase. Not on top of the doorframe. Not under a rock in the front garden.

"Where the hell is the key. She promised to leave a key out." Vin thinks to himself, brow furrowed in annoyance.

After a couple more options for the location of the hidden house key, Vin sighs in defeat. He pulls his phone out, finding the contact named "Bea". The dial tone rings. Again. Once more.

"Your call has been-"

Vin slams his thumb on the end call button.

"Are you fu-"

Ding! Vin's eyes dart to the text notification appearing on the top of his phone screen, interrupting him.

What is it? We're driving through a bad area. No cell service. The notification reads.

Vin types back.

Where did you hide the spare house key?

After sending the text, he sits down on the porch step, groaning.

Ding!

Was I supposed to do that? Gosh, the stress of packing for the road trip must've totally flooded that out. I'm sorry, bud. We're already 45 minutes outside of Yellowstone National Park. I don't think we can turn back. Let me pay for a hotel. The one near your work should be convenient. I can only cover 5 days though. You can cover the rest, right?

Vin reads through Bea's text message, grinding his teeth. After reading, he scoffs; sending a brief "Fine" back. He chucks his phone into the front lawn and buries his head in his hands.

He looks around, feeling numb and aimless. Looking down at his work uniform, he sighs.

"I can't even change out my goddamn uniform," He thinks to himself.

A loud rumble comes from his stomach. He rolls his eyes. Stomping over to his phone, he picks it up from the dewy grass and sees a notification.

Beatrice2011 Sent you $500.

"This is paying for some fucking pad thai," Vin conspires. He adjusts his mini-work bag on his back, retracing his steps to the train station.

...

He walks down the sidewalk, the sounds of city bustle filling the air.

"I really need to get some earbuds," Vin mutters to himself.

The street is suddenly filled with wails of ambulance sirens. Vin's gaze follows the ambulance as it speeds past him. Before he can react, three police cars zoom past him; trailing behind the ambulance. Vin lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Jesus," he whispers.

He picks up the pace and speedwalks to the train station up ahead. Approaching a bench in front of the train rails, he sits down with a huff. A woman sits on the other side of the bench, the sound of a video plays off her phone. Vin looks around, drumming his fingers on his legs. He grabs his phone out of his pocket, checking his schedule for the first day of his senior year at Crandall University. His first class reads 6:30am. He groans and puts his phone back in his pocket.

The sound of the woman's phone next to him grabs his attention once more. Vin gives a sidelong glance at her screen.

"Do we know how much of it is stored in the permafrost?" the douchey-looking news anchor asks.

The stringy looking lab coat guy rubs his pant legs seemingly trying to find an answer.

"We just have to hope that we've isolated this pathogen. Our team is scoping out the surrounding permafrost. There is no way to tell if others have come in contact with the contaminated melted water in surrounding areas. It is melting at a rapid pace due to our warming climate, so we have no idea what to expect. Nevertheless, our eyes are trained in this area. No need to fret," he responds.