The Calling (Audiobook) (A Gundam Wing Fanfic Novel)

The Calling - Chapter 11

Two O'clock in the morning, darkness all around. Heero was restlessly twitching and fidgeting in his sleep, his head moving around feverishly as the disjointed and disturbing images flashed randomly over and over again in his mind. Violent explosions, the sound of gunfire nearby, voices crying out in pain, a surreal sense of death and destruction at every turn, with no way out.

Burning fires, their searing, suffocating heat clawing at his flesh as he silently observed the sheer living hell in which he seemed totally immersed.

A blinding flash of light, another massive explosion, the rumbling vibrations knocking the air from his lungs as the crashing sounds of smashing glass came at him from every direction.

"Uuhhhh!" Heero yelled out, sitting bolt upright in his bed, his eyes wide open. He was gasping to catch his breath, sweat weeping down his face, his damp hair matted, and stuck to his forehead and temples.

The explosions and sounds were still deafening and echoed all around him. He could feel the vibrations through the bed's mattress. He held still for a few heart-stopping seconds trying to figure out what was going on as the loud rumbles faded.

Suddenly, the whole room illuminated with another flash of light from outside the window and Heero calmed down, realising he'd just awoken from a dream during a thunderstorm.

He sighed with relief as he realised the terrible images he was witnessing moments earlier were only a product of his imagination; or were they?

He suddenly thought back to the sound of breaking glass. "Did I dream that?" he thought to himself, "No, that was real!" He was certain.

His heart quickened again at the realisation he'd actually been woken by the sound of breaking glass.

Feeling an urgent need to investigate, Heero quickly got out of bed and headed for the door. He was already dressed, a habit he'd still found too difficult to abandon, he only needed to slip on his boots as he passed the foot of the bed.

On opening his room door, he peered cautiously into the corridor. Simultaneously, Wufei was stepping out from his own room two doors down, his face too etched with a cautious curiosity just like Heero's.

"Wufei?" called Heero quietly, so as not to wake the others.

Wufei saw him and walked over. "I thought I heard something breaking," he whispered uneasily in a hushed voice, "you think it could be burglars?"

"I don't know," whispered Heero, "but if it is, they've definitely picked the wrong house tonight."

"It sounded close-by," suggested Wufei. Heero nodded, agreeing.

Simultaneously, they both turned to face the door of the room nestled between their rooms. It was Fumio's room.

"I think it came from in there," suggested Wufei.

Heero nodded, and they both approached the door a little apprehensive of what they might find behind it.

Heero knocked quietly three times. "Fumio? You okay?" he called softly. There was no response.

He silently turned the handle and cracked open the door, peering into the room. It was dark, too dark to see, so he stepped inside and flicked on the main light switch.

Fumio was nowhere to be seen. His bed had been slept in but was empty; the covers thrown open to one side. Wufei followed him into the room and saw Heero suddenly begin to search the corners and any potential hiding places with a great urgency.

"Fumio?" he called out, hastily pacing over to the wardrobe and opening it. It was empty. "Fumio? where are you?" Heero called again, scanning his eyes urgently all over the room, his voice anxious and concerned.