The Summoning (Sleep Token FanFiction)

XXXVII - Levitate pt. 2

IV turned to III, grabbing his arms to steady him in his panic. "III, Hayley -" He looked to me with the darkest eyes I'd ever seen. "Take the bike."

"What?" II and III said at the same time, II stepping up to IV.

III turned to put his riding jacket on without another thought as IV explained.

"He's searching for his missing piece. There it is!" He gestured to me and the boys glanced to me all at the same time.

"Then, what are we waiting for?" I exclaimed, grabbing a leather jacket from III and throwing it on. "Let's go, let's go!"

"IV and I will take the car, go!" II shouted as they scrambled to finish getting dressed, grabbing the keys. 

III and I ran to the garage and he started up the bike as I slid on the extra helmet. Zipping up the jacket, I swung a leg over the bike and he was off just as my feet left the garage pavement. 

The roads were near empty and slick with rain, but III booked it past the speed limit, checking for other cars as he slowed to stop signs and lights, before going through them completely. My arms were around III in a vice grip and, when he felt my tremble, laid a hand reassuringly on mine before kicking into a higher gear and jolting forward, the bike speeding even faster toward Vessel.

I could hear my own hyperventilating in the heavy helmet, the visor fogging up. If I fell, at least my head and upper body would have been safe. I was still in pajama pants and had no socks on, feeling the heat of the exhaust on my ankle. 

As we took a winding road up a hill, it all became very clear. As if I were coming home. I recognized this road. 

Vessel was there, at the edge of the cliff, staring off into the night beyond.

I jumped off the bike while it was still moving before III skid to a stop, kicking up dust and rocks. 

"Vessel!" I screamed, voice cracking in my panic. I started for him, shoes slick against the wet rocks. I pushed myself into a sprint. I was too far away, I wasn't going to make it.

He raised his arms out to his sides.

"Stop!" I tried and had the distinct and terrifying feeling of deja vu.

What would get a reaction? What would wake him?

"Oliver!" I sobbed, nearly to him by now. 

This made him turn, glowing eyes flickering as if this were a glitch in the code of his dream.

He took in a gasp, eyes flickering until the light was snuffed out. His feet faltered as he tilted off that cliff.

My God, we were reliving that night. I knew how this story ended, but this time, it really would be the end. For a split second, the rational part of my mind wanted to fall back, letting it happen in preservation of itself - in preservation of my own life, but I couldn't. I knew in that moment, I would rather die trying over and over again to save him than be without him. 

"No!" I jumped for him, able to take his hand, but he was already falling. I wrapped my other arm around him, crying out as my head crashed against his chest. 

We were over that edge, wind whipping past my ears as I clutched him to me. 

"Hayley...?" Vessel's sob reached my ears, it was only a matter of time before we crashed into that water.

He wrapped his arms around me and I dared to peek my eyes open. 

We were over the cliff.

Levitating.