21 Century Haunting

|11|

okay even i wasn't anticipating that twist

Mikey's P.O.V.

Having no wish to be stuck in the stupid hotel any longer than necessary, I run faster than I've ever run before, sparing barely a glance for each room. With my method, I almost miss Ashton and Luke, both passed out in close proximity.

"Ashton," I whisper, kneeling as I near him. When I'm on the ground, I see Calum, sprawled out a little ways into the room.

Ashton makes no sound or movement, rendering me clueless to whether he was alive or not. "Damn it," I swear, noticing his skin for the first time. It was pale in color, save for a smattering of bruises spread all over his body. When I check his eyes, I notice that they are back to their normal color. 

A shout of relief and excitement escapes my lips. Ashton was okay! I check over Luke, who turns out to be just like Ashton, except for the noticeably larger amount of bruises. Calum's skin has bruises, just not as much as Ashton or Luke.

I want to cry with relief.

~*~*~*~*~

Eventually, they all wake, groggy with no recollection of most of the night. I help them to their feet and led them all carefully to the room that started out entire night.

I help them out the window first, taking one last look at the now deserted hotel before stepping out after them. We tramp silently through the thin strip of forest before reaching Ashton's house. By the time we emerged out of trees, bathed in the glow from the moon, all bruises and scars from the night had disappeared.

Calum speaks when we're all situated on the porch. "What even -"

He trails off, turning his eyes to the full moon.

Silence.

"That was something," I say quietly, looking to break the awkward silence.

Luke, ever the practical one, speaks up. "That shouldn't even be possible. How the hell did it happen?"

No one answers.

After a lengthy silence, Ashton speaks for the first time. When he speaks, we know right away that what he spoke was the truth.

"There were no monsters to fear. We just built our own."

holy fuck im done

next up: epilogue!