Adrian (The Write Awards 2013)

18: Fabricated

Darren's fists clenched so tight that his knuckles turn white. In fact, his entire body seems to turn rigid as soon as he hears what Jax has to say. He looks like if I touched him, he would erupt into fits of uncontrollable anger. I just stare at him, afraid to move or even speak. If the universe is spinning his just stopped.

"We have to find them!" he shouts as he kicks the ground, again.

I want to say that we don't have time. I want to tell him that we need to devise a plan to defeat Jax. Once he's over with, we can sort this all out. But right now we just can't. I don't tell him that, though. Even if I wanted to, I'm too afraid. I know it will set him off like he's on fire.

Darren continues to pace. I assume that he's trying to blow off steam, but it's definitely not working in his favor. From what I can tell, it's only getting him more agitated. There has to be a way to calm him down, somehow.

"He probably took them to the cave. He's trying to lure us there, I just know it."

Well of course you do. He practically possesses you fifty-percent of the time. It must be pretty damn easy to get inside his head. I don't say any of that, because I can't afford to get him even more mad. I just nod, acting like I'm on the exact same page as he is.

He turns to face me and runs a hand through his hair. "How do we get there?"

I try to hide the shocked look on my face, but I'm pretty sure it's easily evident. I blink and take a step back. "Why would you put yourself in danger by going there?! We can't go there!"

"We have to! For Lenore and Louisa."

I put my hand to my forehead and shake my head. "If we want to save them, we can't just go storming in there. We need a plan, and--and stuff. You know? If we go to the cave, it's going to be the last time we see Jax." Either because we die, or because we've beaten him. I prefer the latter option, but it isn't going to come easy.

"Why not? Why can't we just go get them, huh? What's your problem!"

Now I've done it. He'll have my head. "I don't have a problem," I say, trying to keep calm so Darren doesn't explode. "I just need you to think rationally, for the sake of the girls. Jax knows what he's doing, we do not."

"Think rationally? Think rationally. Yes, because rational thinking will get us anywhere and everywhere in this completely irrational world," he replies sarcastically.

"Well I'm not against thinking outside of the box, but not thinking at all? I'll leave on my own right now if that's what you would like to do." I cross my arms over my chest, but Darren doesn't respond. He just glares at me.

"Well?" I ask.

"Fine, we'll go to my land and sort this all out. Lenore and Louisa can wait."

Great, but how are we going to get there? He hasn't been exactly straightforward with his modes of transportation. Even so, I know that there's a slight possibility that I may see Adrian, despite the fact that Darren said that there wasn't.

"Let's get going then," he tells me. "C'mon now. We don't have all day." He bounces up and down on the balls of his feet.

"Where do you want me to come?"

"Oh, get over here." He holds out his hand to me and I walk over to him. I grab it tentatively, the feeling of his touch making my skin crawl. I give him a sour look, making sure that he's aware of my discontent.

"You might get a little dizzy," Darren informs.

I give him an incredulous look. "What? What is that supposed to mean?"