Chemicals

19

The cold metal walls of the cellar felt like they were closing in on me. Every breath I took came out shaky, and the chill of the air made it worse. I sat in the corner, my arms wrapped around my knees as the tears I tried so hard to hold back started falling. I felt broken—betrayed. My own brother. Chase... I couldn't wrap my mind around it. How had I not seen the signs?

The guards stood just beyond the heavy steel doors, their shadows visible from the dim light seeping through the cracks. Mohammed was pacing, frustrated and angry, muttering something under his breath about how they couldn't just be locked away like animals. He had yelled at the guards to let us go earlier, but they ignored him. Now it was quiet, aside from his restless movements and my soft sobs.

I felt a hand gently rest on my shoulder. Ethan. He sat down beside me without saying a word, his presence immediately comforting. His warmth was a stark contrast to the freezing air around us, and when I looked at him, I saw nothing but concern in his eyes. His strong arms pulled me closer, and I buried my face into his chest, letting the tears flow freely.

"It's okay, Kiy... we'll get out of this," he whispered softly into my hair, his voice a steady calm amidst the storm inside me. I wanted to believe him, but my heart ached. How could I? Chase had betrayed me, betrayed all of us.

"I never thought... he'd be like this," I said, my voice shaking. "I never thought he'd... turn into something like this."

Ethan didn't respond with words. Instead, he just held me tighter, his fingers brushing through my hair in a soothing rhythm. The gesture was so simple, but in that moment, it felt like it was the only thing holding me together. I could feel his heartbeat against my cheek, a steady reminder that I wasn't alone in this.

"We're going to make it out, I promise," Ethan murmured again, his lips close to my ear. His voice, that constant reassurance, gave me a glimmer of hope. Even in the cold, dark cell, with the world seemingly against us, Ethan made me feel safe. I clung to him as if he were the only solid thing left in my world.

Mohammed sat down across from us, still visibly upset. "Then we'll kick that son of a bitch's balls." He growled. I groans and frustratedly hits the wall. His usual confident, playful demeanor was replaced with something more serious, but I knew he was trying to keep it together for me too.

I let out a shaky breath and nodded, though it felt like the weight of everything was too much to carry. Ethan kissed the top of my head and rested his chin there, wrapping me in the safety of his arms. For a brief moment, the fear and pain seemed to fade. All that mattered was that I wasn't alone.

But deep down, I knew this was just the beginning.

The cold air in the cell seemed to seep into my bones, but sitting next to Ethan made it bearable. My head rested on his shoulder, his warmth the only thing keeping the chill from sinking in completely. His arm draped around me protectively, fingers gently tracing circles on my arm, as if trying to soothe my racing thoughts.

I glanced over at Mohammed, who was lying on the small metal bed, his back turned to us. His breathing had slowed, the soft rise and fall of his chest the only indication that he was drifting off to sleep. Even in this nightmare of a situation, exhaustion had finally caught up with him. I couldn't blame him—it had been a day filled with betrayal, fear, and too many close calls.

But sleep? Sleep felt impossible. My mind was racing, looping around everything that had just happened. Chase... how could he? How could he be responsible for all of this—Mom and Dad, the Psychoids, this entire nightmare?

Ethan shifted beside me, and I felt him press a soft kiss to the top of my head. "You should try to sleep," he whispered. His voice was gentle but firm, his concern for me clear in every word. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting myself breathe him in, his presence the only thing anchoring me.