The Sun Will Rise (Moonlight 1)

Chapter 30-Goner

The first thing I noticed when I could see the car was that Michael wasn't there. What if something had happened to him? I would've thought that he'd be the first one back.

Calum had made it back already though, I could see him sitting in the driver's seat. He had his phone out and seemed to be searching through it. I went to take a step out onto the street, when Ashton pulled me back. I glanced up at him in confusion.

"Just needed to check it was safe." He mumbled, taking his hand off my shoulder. "Sorry."

I nodded. Ashton was right, it wouldn't surprise me if the hunters had someone waiting here for us. I made a quick scan of the area, but couldn't seem to see anyone suspicious. I could see an elderly lady crossing the road, but she seemed to be the only sign of life. She looked harmless.

I followed Ashton across the road and back to the car. His eyes searched the car, as he walked around to the back side. He frowned back at me, I realised that he'd been looking for Michael. He wasn't hiding or anything. Part of me hoped that Michael would jump out at any moment and laugh at us. It didn't happen though. My stomach sunk.

"Hey, would you two get in already?" Calum snapped, through the open car window. "You can't stand out there all day. We have to get moving."

"But Michael?" Ashton asked, as he looked up at him.

Calum shook his head, "Just get in."

Ashton and I frowned at one another, Calum was in a bad mood it seemed. Ashton just sighed and opened the car door before jumping in. I followed behind him. Taking the other spot in the back seat. I threw the comic book into the back, hoping that Calum wouldn't see the blood stains. He didn't need to know about that just yet. I knew I was going to have to explain it eventually. I hoped I'd done the right thing. I wasn't sure the hunters would be too happy with me either, taking on a hunter wasn't really the best way to prove you were harmless. My father's words came to me, when I claimed that I hadn't hurt anyone yet. 'How do you know that he hasn't? That you won't?" It seemed like it had been a long time since she'd said those words but he'd been right I had hurt someone. I slumped into the seat in frustration, trying to remind myself that it just been an act of self-defence.

"So, what's the plan now?" I asked, as I clicked my seat-belt on.

Calum didn't respond, he had his eyes closed as he tapped his hands on the steering wheel. I looked over at Ashton, who shrugged. What was Calum doing?

"Got it." He finally mumbled.

A few seconds later, the ignition started and the car sprung to life. I frown, we weren't leaving him, here were we? Besides, I knew we couldn't get much further on the spare tire Calum had put on earlier and the next town might not be for ages.

"Cal, where are we going?" Ashton asked with a nervous voice.

Calum let out a large sigh, his eyes not moving from the road, "We're finding Michael."

So that's what we were doing. I was glad that we weren't just going to leave him here. I looked out of the window, my eyes searching for any sign of Michael or even a group of hunters. Ashton was looking out the other window. We'd driven around a few streets but there didn't seem to be any sign of him. I closed my eyes trying to sense him, but he seemed to be moving quickly and the fact that the car was moving as well wasn't helping either. I guess this had been what Calum had done before we'd left.

"Wait! Cal, he's over there!" I heard Ashton say. Sure, enough when I followed his gaze, there was Michael surrounded by about five hunters in the centre of a long almost empty parking lot. I looked behind him, we weren't far from the shopping complex either. He hadn't made it as far as I thought.