Flowers in the Window || W2S

21

Unusually for a summer evening, it was very cold. You and Faith had both said as much to Talia, who ignored both of you as she focused her efforts on trying to make a small fire in the middle of the field the three of you were currently sat in. She'd somehow convinced the two of you to join her for tea and marshmallows, and now, sitting on the stale grass, curled up in a small ball to trap what little heat you had left in your body, you were regretting every single word that had ever come out of your mouth and gone in her direction.

"I'm going back to the car in a minute," Faith huffed.

"Me too." You would be heading back to the car regardless-even after all this time, you still didn't want to be anywhere near fire.

"Just a sec," Talia called over her shoulder.

"No offence, T, but you've been saying that now for the last fifteen minutes," you replied.

"Just drink your tea and wait," she ordered.

There wasn't much else to do, so you picked up the flask-nearly dropping it immediately as its warmth harshly reacted with the cold of your fingertips-and took a sip, savouring the hot taste as it ran down your throat.

You passed the flask to a waiting Faith and tipped your head up towards the sky. The sun was still setting, intent on providing as much daylight to the people as possible. A few stars had become visible now, and you watched as more slowly ventured out, silhouetted against the pretty lilac colour that the sky was painted with. You pulled out your phone to take a picture. Aesthetic, tranquil moments like this needed to be captured, so that you could remember them forever.

"The clouds are going pink," Faith said happily.

It was your least favourite kind of weather at your favourite time of day.

And then, as the trees rustled with the breeze, and the birds quietly chattered to each other from a distance, you saw your favourite boy, frantically swinging through the approaching night, clearly on his way to stop something.

As if on cue, your phone began to ring.

"Where are you?" Josh's voice demanded when you answered.

"The field off of the Industrial Estate. With Faith and Talia."

"Get home," he said. "Now. It's not safe for you of all people to be outside right now. And tell Talia to answer her phone-Simon's worried sick."

You hung up and turned to the girls, waiting with expectant and afraid expressions. "We have to go."

Faith drove. Talia sat in the back, frantically conversing with Simon, and you sat in the passenger seat, trying to remain as calm as possible under the circumstances. It couldn't be Marcus-the Incinerator, whoever he was now-he wouldn't go after you, and he wouldn't go after anyone you cared about.

Would he?

They dropped you off first. You threw a little 'thank you' over your shoulder and bolted up the apartment block stairs as fast as your legs would take you. Hands trembling, you were already reaching for your keys before you reached your floor, but they weren't necessary. The door to your flat was already open, broken at the hinges.

Heart cold and beating wildly, you stepped inside.

It was horrific-how perfectly intact the place was, like everything was normal. The television was still blearing, the microwave was heating up whatever food had been thrown in, the bright lights hid nothing. Every door was closed except for the bathroom, and the whole flat was deathly silent.

"Bryce?"

There was nothing.

"Bryce!"

The only response was the sound of laughter from the reality show playing.