Midnight Memories

CHAPTER - 6:

I toss and turn on the bed, trying to get some more sleep, but it's long gone. And now I'm getting stressed that I will start getting sleepy when the actual time to go to work comes. It's about 3:30 AM, and I finally give up any hope of getting more rest and go to get a can of beer. As I'm about to exit my room I hear a noise of fast, and furious typing coming from Andy's room. He must have some exam, I think, but realize that tomorrow is Saturday and his institution isn't open on the weekends.
I ignore him and go to the fridge and get myself some remnants of the dinner and the beer. I just sit on the couch, trying to think of something to do, when a loud clattering noise comes from Andy's room. I ignore it once more. But after a few minutes, I hear people talking. People. Perhaps they are the Exxy boys (A term that Andy and his group of friends call themselves by). They call themselves that because all of them are good looking, as in sexy, and they like to "experiment". Hence the "Exxy Boys". There are four of them including Andy. Jason, Rudolph (I know), Sebastian and Axe. Nobody knows Axe's real name and he has admitted that it's in fact, not his birth name, but he never tells anyone about it.

To be honest it's not that weird of them to be at Andy's apartment at 3:00 in the night. It has happened before. Usually they are discussing about their "experiments". I have been invited sometimes to hang out with them during such discussions, but I usually understand nothing and things get boring so I make an excuse and leave.

But this time my curiosity gets the best of me, and I get up from my couch and creep towards Andy's bedroom.

Their voices start getting louder the closer I get to the room and at last when I'm standing just outside their door, I am able to eavesdrop clearly.

"I think you had transferred the files to the wrong USB", says a deep voice. It's Rudolph.

"No. Let me see", replies Andy.

"I swear to God you all are getting murdered tonight if I can't find the files", he continues in a menacing tone.

"Look, you will have to tell him sooner or later. I think it's time." says Rudolph.

"Like hell it's time!", Andy shouts, obviously pissed.

"Guys calm down, you woke him up. Look", Axe speaks for the first time, sounding very bored.

It takes me a few seconds to realize that Axe was talking about me, and before I can think of anything to do, the door opens with a loud screech, but I am able to fall on the floor before any of them see me. My eyes are closed and my face is in the opposite direction so I don't know who it is, that approaches me and shakes me to wake me up. I open my eyes slowly, and there they are, the four Exxy boys, looking down at me with glares so intense, I feel I would catch fire right on the spot.
"Lookey lookey who was eavesdropping", says Axe, in a friendly tone.
"I heard...noises...so I came to look, but...", I try to fake a headache, though it's not that difficult, since I've been living with a constant headache for the past couple of days.
"You fainted?", asks Andy, a look of worry on his voice. "Don't worry. We were just discussing our plans for tomorrow and there was some shouting. Are you okay now?"
"Yeah I think so", I reply.
During this entire scene, Sebastian, who was sitting on Andy's bed, has neither moved nor talked anything.He has just stared at me with a poker face. He's like that. Very intimidating, yet easy to hang around. The Exxy Boys are really weird, I think to myself.
Andy gives me a hand, I get up, and the three Exxy boys follow me to my room, this time no invitations to hang around with them. I had actually wanted to grab my unfinished beer before going in my room, but it's as if , the three of them want me to get the hell in my room. I go inside, my mind racing, and then they shut the door as well. Wow...things took a sharp turn down the weird valley, I think to myself, my blood starting to boil. Now I'm stuck in my room. Sleep is obviously not an option, because I know the Exxy Boys are cooking something dark.
I pace around the room impatiently, thinking of something to do, perhaps some drawing might help. But I didn't feel like doing art, and the basic ingredients to make art are feelings, and materials. So I abandon that idea. While pacing, I hit the pinky of my left foot from the edge of the bed, and I crash on my bed, my hand holding my foot. The sudden impact sends a wave of torture through my head, and I close my mouth shut and try to not scream. I go in the washroom to examine the injury, and find a small blob of fresh blood on the very top of my head, which is where the injury must be. I start to panic, thinking that I've reopened the wounds, and quickly run out of the room and find all the Exxy Boys searching for something in the room. They hide away the looks of worry from their faces the second they see me, and replace it with looks of anger.
"What's wrong?", Andy asks me, his tone giving away the fact that it was a very bad timing from my side.
"My head is bleeding a little again", I say, bowing down to show him the blob.
Now I've captured his attention. He abandons the search instantly and asks me to sit on the couch. He goes in his room and brings the first aid kid (I suppose, since it's what I need and the box has a big red cross on it), and also a glass of water and asks me to drink it. I put the glass in front me without drinking it. I have my back to him and I sense him getting tense.
"Drink up, man", he says.
"Just wait for a while, I am really full", I lie.
"You should seriously drink it though, injuries on the skull feel...less painful when you've drank enough water", he replies.
I laugh. "Andy, what's up?", I ask in a serious tone.
"What?! Just drink it man! Let me see the injuries!", he replies, his voice stuttering a little.
"You think I'm this stupid, eh?" I say, holding up the glass, and turn to look at him. "I can clearly see the pills that you couldn't dissolve properly."
I know I've caught him, I know I have. But he is clever, and acts as nonchalant as he can manage. "Yeah, there are supposed to be pills in the water. They help you numb the pain".
"You mean knock me out, right?".
"An overdose can knock you out, but this is just one pill, for God's sake! Just drink it and let me see your wounds!"
"No", I reply. "I know you're hiding something from me, tell me about it, and I'll drink the water and let you see the wounds".
"You think I'm that desperate to help you?".
"I think you are at the moment, Andy, I really think you are".