Darkness Fading

Chapter Three

***Another chapter! This one is full of new information and will introduce a new character- Callum. Please let me know what you think so far!***

"The more beautiful the serpent, the more fatal its sting."
-William Scott Downey

I sucked in a deep breath, partly out of habit and partly because it seemed appropriate. When I exhaled, nothing had changed. I didn't feel any better and Everly was still missing. I'd been scouring my journal for something relevant- it was pointless. But if I was honest, I'd known that before I started.

My hands clenched so hard that I knew if I looked, I'd see four miniature crescent moons engraved in each palm. James and I had been searching for three days. So far, the only clue Everly left behind were her boots. I should've been more grateful for those boots. They were the only indication that she hadn't opened the door and left on her own accord. Well, that, and her untouched car in the driveway.

I slumped on the couch and put my head in my hands. Where are you, Ly? Somehow, I knew she was still alive somewhere. We had always been oddly connected that way. I let that knowledge comfort me, if only for a minute.

"Where'd you put my keys, James?" I rubbed my eyes and shook my head. One more search, then I'll sleep.

"You need some sleep, Evangeline. I know this is hard, but if you keep this up ... you'll never find her." His voice was so thick and strangled that it was a wonder the words made it out at all.

My eyes studied his face for the first time in days. Light gray semi circles sat under his red-rimmed eyes. His short hair was sticking up in random places around his head- evidence of running his fingers through it. He was wearing the same outfit from three days ago, except now, his shirt was a wrinkled mess. How long has he looked like this?

"If you go home and get some sleep, I promise I'll sleep, too."

"I don't believe you. How about, I wait for you to fall asleep, and then I'll take a nap somewhere in here." He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, daring me to argue.

"Fine." I drug my feet to the bedroom and collapsed on my down comforter. I thought I heard James say something about a gun, but I was gone the second my head hit the pillow.

*****

I woke with a bad taste in my mouth. I wasn't surprised, I couldn't remember the last time I brushed my teeth. James had managed to fit his bulky frame in the black and white checkered love seat in the corner. His chest was rising and falling steadily, and his lips had parted while he slept.

Glancing at the alarm clock, I figured I'd been asleep eight hours or so. From the bed I watched the sun disappearing behind the horizon, handing its responsibility to the moon for the night.

I quietly untangled myself from the cocoon I'd crafted out of the sheet and comforter. I tip-toed over to the newly exposed door of the safe room. After placing my finger on the scanner, the door exhaled a breath as it swung open and I slipped inside.

The safe room wasn't tiny, but it wasn't huge, either. It was about the size of a small bedroom. It used to be a walk-in closet, but thanks to poor architectural design, there had been space to make it larger by knocking out a few walls.

On the right wall, I had flat screen surveillance monitors mounted. Underneath was my desk with my computer on top. A small safe sat in the back right corner. A black leather couch was positioned against the left wall. Above the couch, James had installed a 'weapon rack'. It currently held a few rifles, stakes, a handgun, and three large knives. The cabinet beside the rack contained bullets, chains, and knives made of pure silver.