spotlight :: malum

: thirteen :

The house, despite how big it was, showed no signs of anyone being inside. The lights were all off and the whole yard was barren of extra cars let alone Calum's. But he could tell he had been here, he left the front door halfway open.

Luke was off of the phone by now, their awkward farewell still replaying in Michael's mind hearing the blonde's voice nervously tell him to be careful, whispering softly as if he felt fully worried that something horrific could happen. How bad could he be when drunk? Michael rarely goes out with his friends, let alone drinks till he can't remember his own name and Ashton is never the kind of guy to get drunk so he has very little experience in this area.

He gathered up some courage and stepped onto the black pavement. It's dull blackening night sky sheathed over the sliver of orange sunset, a subtly cold night breeze brushed against Michael's nose while he ambled up the path to the front door. Censoring the porch light on the way up as he now saw the clearer view of his front lawn. Mowed grass, watered plants and bushes, it all flaunted how rich Calum is and it secretly made Michael irritated.

A breath left Michael's pursed lips out of fear, a single step away from entering this boy's house and officially casting himself into this terribly dramatic scene he can sense will unfold. Michael sucked up some courage and treaded into the wide foyer, it's various pathways leading into dark, unlit rooms as he gently shut the door behind himself with as little noise possible.

He froze, listening close for any sense of Calum being here, goosebumps covering his skin at the frighteningly deaf silence. Following his first instinct, the bleach blonde headed down the only hall he knows. It's various glass cases and frames lining the walls of every award Calum has ever won in it's glimmering gold or silver glory, shining off of the blue moonlight.

He froze at the sound of crunching glass under his boot clad feet, the distinct sound of his slight gasp echoing down the barren hall as he barreled back in a way he could only describe as fear. Both green eyes fell to the ground and dilated trying to focus on what he had stepped on, only getting nowhere and pulling out his phone for a source of flashlight. The crystalline glass shaped a beer bottle, it's contents only half empty as the rest showed up spilled on the wood floor.

Had Calum been in a drunken rage and let out his anger? Was it just his nowhere near sober state that made him clumsy and unknowingly drop it? There were so many questions and Michael could only believe the first one and let his worry overflow at the sound of Calum's voice muffled behind a white door. Low and slurred, his words were indecipherable through the wall and Michael had to force his own feet to move closer instead of farther.

The voice in the back of his mind repeated what Luke had told him on the phone- be careful. He was scared to enter, the light emitting from his phone now shut off and stashed away in his skinny jean pocket as his pale hand clutched the doorknob and let his shoulders slump, ready to brace himself for whatever monster Luke had described to be revealed.

The door swung open, the only light source coming from a lamp in the corner perched on Calum's nightstand, his room still vaguely familiar as the blonde did a quick overview of his surroundings. His blood ran cold seeing Calum sprawled on his own king sized bed, the silken sheets crinkled as two girls accompanied him on each side thankfully still clothed whereas Calum's shirt lies on the ground beside a bottle of whiskey nearly three quarters down to the pint.

"Oh. . .my God?" Michael's words fell out in a questioning tone, unsure whether or not he should gag or cringe at what's presented in front of him. The horribly loud sound of lips smacking together as one of the girls who hadn't been in the midst of kissing Calum tore away from him to peer over her bra clad shoulder and see who intervened.