Not Your Average Hero

•27• green apples

We stood waiting outside my front door after I knocked for the fifth time already. I heard Axel shout 'coming' from the other side of the door, along with a crash and a string of curse words. When the door swung open, he was hopping on one leg and holding his knee before he took in the view in front of him.

Skyler, who's shirt had patches of dried blood on it from carrying me to the base, and Sterling, who had bags under his eyes, hollow cheeks and matted hair, were holding up Alden, who still had a dazed smile on his face as if he was high. I was standing in front of them all, half of my shirt cut away revealing dried blood on my stomach; none of us had a proper change of clothes, so we hoped that whoever answered the door would ask questions only when we were all inside.

I wasn't surprised, however, when after Axel starred at us in a state of shock, his eyes rolled inside of his head, and he fell limp to the ground, unconscious. Sterling snorted from behind me.

We stepped over him, so we could place Alden on the couch; I cringed when some of the blood on Skyler's clothes leaked onto the white couch. Mom hates stains.

"Ashlyn, is that you?" I heard Mom call from the other room, footsteps echoed through the hallway while she made her way to the living room, "you're in big trouble, young lady," she said, getting closer, "ditching school when you know exams are coming up, and spending the night out!" She scoffed, "running away with some boy, I thought you knew b-" she ended her rant when she stepped foot into the room. All of the colour drained from her skin. Axel limp in Skyler's arms, Sterling staring intently at the couch, the blood on our shirts, and lastly, Alden, who smiled brightly as if nothing strange was going on.

"Hey, Mom." He said in the same dreamy voice as the one he used at the base.

Mom let out a squeak and wobbled a bit, clutching the back of the couch for support, her knuckles turning white.

"I'll go make some cocoa and sandwiches." Skyler announced, placing Axel beside Alden, before making his way to the kitchen. He doesn't like situations like this.

"No." Mom said, shaking her head in disbelief, "no."

"Mom," I approached her carefully, placing a hand gingerly on her shoulder, "sit down, I'll explain everything." She nodded, clutching her heart, and I lead her to the couch.

"We just have to bring Alden to the kitchen, okay?" I said. Alden's memory was wiped, so he didn't remember any of it, and we interrupted his last meal, so I could only think he was hungry.

I placed Aldens arm over my shoulder to make up for Skyler; normally, Sterling would be able to hold Aldens' weight, but after spending hours healing him, he could barely stand up himself.

The microwave beeped when we walked in and Skyler went to retrieve the cups; when he turned to face the toaster, the toast popped up, making him jump. Sterling snickered, and Skyler turned to face us, blushing.

Alden threw his head back and groaned, so Sterling carried him over to one of the chairs and sat him down. "Do want anything to eat?"

"Yeah," Alden answered.

"Your favourite?" Sterling asked, rummaging through the fridge; Alden nodded.

Sterling came back minutes later with a bowl of Alden's cereal. None of us like it, so it stayed in the pantry, untouched.