The Undoing Of Heroes | ✓

eleven

//republished 21st of september 2018 coz it doesnt work :)

(to clear up eventual confusion, there's two pov changes in this chapter.)

eleven

IT DIDN'T COME AS A SURPRISE when I was shaken out of bed by my father. 

"Gray, the police are here. They need your help." His voice was low and soft enough to not wake my little sister, resting just a few doors down the hall. 

"What time is it?" I said, never once complaining about the city's authorities needing my help. I'd complained about it at first, about my lack of spare time. They didn't listen to my arguments, for I was their tool.

"It's one am." My father replied, turning on the light on my bedside table, "I wanted to wake you up before they did. They sounded pretty ... adamant."

I nodded, and rubbed my jaw with my hand. I swung my legs over the edge of my double-bed, letting them sink into the plush, dark carpet beneath my bed. 

My father leaned back, exiting the room and leaving the door open, allowing the light from the hallway stream into my room and burn my newly awoken eyes.

My movements were quick as I flicked on the main light switch, the lamp above my head flicking to life. I spotted a half-done maths homework laying on my desk, together with the laptop I'd forgotten to shut off. It's screen was lit up, revealing the blank document meant to be an essay about Crown Heights' history due tomorrow. 

Fuck.

Averting my gaze, I went out of my bedroom, making sure to let the door click shut soundlessly behind me. But it was to no avail, as I spotted a hair full of frizzy curls poking out of an open door just a few feet to my right. 

"Miriam, you're supposed to be asleep." I chastise her, steering my steps her way, "You've school tomorrow, remember?"

"I don't want you to leave again." She mumbled tiredly, surpressing a yawn with her hand and dropping her plush toy to the ground. 

I bent down, picking it up and then ruffled her hair. 

"I'll be back, OK?" 

I turned around and prepared myself to walk away, but she tugged on the end of my thin sleepshirt. I turned around, and my resolve to leave melted as her grey eyes sought mine. 

"Mom said that one day, you might not be back." She hiccuped, and her other hand dropped the plush toy again, reaching to grasp yet another fistful of my shirt, "I don't want you to leave, Gray."

I felt wetness drench my shirt, and my heart buckled under heavy pressure as I leaned down, pressing my nose into the top of her head before gently kissing her forehead. 

"I promise you, I'll come back Miriam. For you and Superbear, too." I smiled, picking up the plushie yet again.

"Promise?" She said, and I nodded. 

"Promise."

Yet it was a promise I knew would be the hardest to uphold. 

≠

With my suit on, I let the front door shut behind me as my eyes were blinded by the flashing reds and blues of a dozen police cruisers parked outside my family's mansion. 

"Gray, we need your help." 

I saw a familiar face step up to me, and recognized the police chief.