They set off for the bomb shelter at a brisk walk. Hooked around their fingers were plastic bags filled with dry foodstuff like bread and biscuits from the local supermarket. They were taking a different route back, which led them past an abandoned school ready for demolishing and a row of shady, run-down shops.
The sun shone golden-hot amidst the brilliant blue sky, and Daniel couldn't wait to get back to the bomb shelter. There was a dull pounding from his right temple, and his thoughts turned to a long, lazy nap in the comforting coolness of the shelter.
By the time the shelter was in sight, his headache had worsened and he was feeling slightly nauseous. The sun burnt down on his neck and arms, making him feel even worse. It was all he could do but groan. He quickly helped Edward put away the biscuits and bread, before speading out a sleeping mat and drifting off to a sleep.
***************
Around the table sat four men.
It was supposed to be a seven-men meeting, but three had been warded in hospital for minor injuries.
There was a laptop in front of one of them, screen displaying a complicated diagram.
The first man spoke. "So he's been missing since Saturday night? Approximately 42 hours?"
The second man nodded. "A police report was made on Sunday afternoon by his father."
The third man leaned forward in his chair. "Is the transmitter turned on?"
The second man nodded. "It was activated after the 24-hour mark to Level 1. Luckily the technology was very advanced at that time, so it's not too outdated now."
The fourth man scowled. He was clearly the leader of the group. "Well, you know the rules. Activate it to Level 2 after the 48th hour, and Level 3 on the 96th hour. Level 4 is the last resort, understand?"
The three men mumbled a yes in harmony.
"It's absolutely crucial that we find him before the week is up. There's a lot at stake here."
*******************
His headache had intensified.
It was a sledgehammer, pounding, smashing through his head. The pain was permeating through him, slowly but surely. His eyes stubbornly refused to focus and every little sound he heard pierced right through him. Every move he made sent a wave of pain through him, that made him grab his head tightly and groan. It was as if someone had somehow covered every inch of his head with razor-sharp knives.
Edward was by Daniel's side, puzzled and thoroughly afraid. His friend had seemed perfectly fine three hours ago. What had happened then?
Through the pain, the same question ran through Daniel's mind. The last time he had a headache this bad was back when he was running his 2.4km warm up before baseball practice. And even then the pain didn't seem comparable to this. It had felt different.
There was one funny thing though. He wasn't quite sure of it, but when he pressed his fingertips to his right temple he could feel something pulsing below. It could've been his own pulse for all he knew.
A/N
Hey guys!
I know this chapter is too short, but give me a break, 'kay? The school term has JUST ended, and I really need sometime to recover from the emotional draining. It's been one heck of a term. Yeah, from softball, to exams, crazy stuff, and to crown it all, I was recently accused of cheating in a Literature test!
Now let me get this straight, I had no intention to cheat at all. The teacher just somehow THOUGHT I was.
Well anyway, bye for now!
~keep calm and wait for chapter 19~
• phoebechew7600•
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One Last Chance
Pertualangan"A normal life. That's all I ever wanted..." When Daniel goes on the run, his life turns upside down. He's seen strange men following him, been chased across town by gangsters, made friends with a homeless girl and saved his enemy's life. Then he fi...
