Perfect with You

Chapter 39 - Day Three

It took a second with Chloe hunching over herself with the phone taped to her ear before Ted decided he would confuse his fear with confidence and spoke up.
"Okay, as much as I hate to interfere with people's personal lives, I sort of feel like I have the right to know what's going, given that I might, you know, get killed by some psychopath"

His shrieking voice caught some attention from Max in the action of a lazy turn of her head, while the other girl pressed the phone against her ear even tighter. A thin layer of sweat became visible on Ted's forehead as he did a mechanic twist of his shoulder. The heat in the room became noticeable and the sun was at a perfect angle to shine through the window and inconvenience them all with its burning beams, but no doubt that apprehension had a role to play as well.

"That argument you just had that made it sound like Max killed a bunch of people- I heard the name Kate? And Chloe's parents as well... I mean, I am willing to forget all that- I'm not saying I'm not a tad curious and just like, wildly terrified- but right now, I just a want a little information about this... situation taking place"
Gesturing with his hands with a physical reaction to his worries, Ted turned from side to side trying to get any kind of serious attention.
"You can skip the time travel stuff that Chloe mentioned, because I have already categorized that part as you both just being, like, crazy tired" His movements became so vivid that they could even hear his toes curling in his shoes, sliding against the sole repeatedly.
"Or a metaphor that just flew right by my head"

Max finally decided to partly snap into the real world by running her nails across her palm, but the displeasure of Ted's reaction to fear, which had shown to be rambling and quavering, caused Max to be less concerned about explaining Ted the details and more concerned about what Ethan was telling Chloe over the phone.
"Ted, just be quiet for a second..." Her voice became a mixture of annoyance and dread, with the response she gave Chloe still gnawing in the back of her mind.

"I would, but you know what? I won't. Right now, I want answers and not both of you acting like I'm the delirious one here"
It became clear that his otherwise respective nature had been pushed under the weight of anxiety and had by result pushed up his natural instincts.

"I'm just gonna call the cops" He shook his head, his breath nearly a chuckle that made his fingers twitch slightly.

"I would advise against that, Ted" The sudden voice of Ethan over the phone made both Ted and Max turn their heads towards Chloe who held out the phone in the palm of her hand, having put Ethan on speakerphone.

The life drained from Ted's eyes as he slowly tried lifting one hand up to point at something or someone.
"Aaaand, he knows my name"
Ted, internally nodding to willingly accept his arriving demise, turned around and placed his palms on the table as Ethan continued.

"Let me allow to inform you of the situation" He spoke with such a carefree voice as if he was sitting in a comfortable chair at home while cupping a mug of coffee and not pressing a gun against the back of the head of an old man.
"First of, you shouldn't be frightened of me harming you"

Ted's hand began crawling across the table as he squinted his eyes.
"Why would I?" He spoke out with a high-pitched tone, insinuating his sarcasm.

"You must understand, Max and Chloe have been pushed way past their boundaries and they are currently in emotional distress, so even though I have no reason to harm you, I can't speak on their behalf, so I suggest, for starters, you do as they say"

Rather than a sudden realization, it became an immediate consideration as he turned his head over his shoulder and handed out two quick stares to both the girls. He actually became unsure whether or not he should be afraid of them.