Mythical Link ▸ Link Neal {Book One}

Eighteen

     Rhett didn't hesitate a moment longer before he was out the Neals' door and into his own car. He yanked it into reverse and peeled out of their driveway, and barreled toward Terra's house. He gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles, and bared his teeth as he fought the fight of loud thoughts in his head. When he found out that Link had destroyed their bathroom—presumably out of anger since Christy didn't go into too much detail— it had worried him more than he thought it could. Given that Link insisted on Terra being responsible for the strange things happening, there was no telling what he was going to do.

     Slowly, he increased pressure on the gas pedal as the cars in front of him went about in their own directions. The house that Terra had inherited from her grandmother was remarkably closer to the guys than they had originally thought, in the "rich folk" development. It made Rhett wonder what Terra's grandmother had done to be able to afford that house, but that was on the very bottom of his list of worries.

     The gates to Terra's place came into view and Rhett allowed himself a shaky breath when he saw Link's car parked on the side of the road across from the house. He stood outside of his car with his blue and white striped robe wrapped tight around him, as he stared at the house like he expected it to sprout legs and start walking. Rhett pulled his own vehicle to an abrupt stop, and he jerked back and forth in his seat and jarred his already sore back. Link snapped his head to look in Rhett's direction, his eyes widened. "Rhett what are you doing here?"

     Rhett stepped out of the vehicle breathless, and he leaned on the open door. "I've come to get you, man! What are you doing out here? You know it's eleven at night, right?" 

     Link gave Rhett a bewildered stare. "What are you doi— where is my—" Link paused and looked around him. He reached out to touch his car, his eyebrows furrowed as his lips slowly came apart. He then slowly turned to face Rhett. "This isn't my room." 

     Rhett closed the door to his car and walked over to Link. He took Link by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "No Link, this isn't your room. What's going on with you, man? Talk to me." His voice was firm, and he could see by the look in Link's eyes that he was genuinely confused.

     Link blinked a few times before he answered Rhett, his voice hoarse. "It's Terra. Terra's going to die." 

     Rhett swiveled his head toward Terra's house, the lights pouring out from the inside and onto the sidewalk across from them. He heaved a heavy sigh and turned his head back around to look at Link. "Link— that's not the only thing. Christy told me about you destroying the bathroom."

     "I don't want to talk about it," Link said in a rushed tone as he lowered his eyes. "I'm more worried about Terra's imminent death."

     "And what has you so concerned that Terra is going to die, huh?" His grip on Link's shoulders had grown firmer as he struggled to understand Link's headspace. 

     "It was a dream. A vivid dream," Link said in a dazed voice. "She was dead, and I saw the wolf. The wolf was a young boy. I recognized him from when I was younger. It might be their brother." He looked into Rhett's eyes. 

     Rhett's eyes narrowed in confusion. "That still doesn't answer my question though, man."

     "Look, I had the lucid dream about her being attacked by the wolf. What makes this one any different?" Link had snapped.  

     Rhett flinched back and threw his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright, you got a point. We'll go check up on her. Then can we just go home and get some sleep?" Rhett's heart thundered in his chest.

     Link sighed. "I'm sorry." He walked past Rhett and looked both ways before he crossed the street, and he jumped onto the sidewalk and pushed the gate open. It creaked, causing him to cringe as he stepped through. It felt like he'd walked on pins and needles all the way up to Terra's door, and he brought his fist up to knock before his wrist had been snatched. He screamed and wheeled around to see that it had been Rhett.

    "You're not gonna believe this," Rhett said slowly, and Link followed Rhett over to the window where they discreetly peeked in. They looked into what was the living area and Link's mouth fell open at the bloodied massacre of a mess on the pristine white carpet. "Something is definitely dead or dying in there."

     Link heaved for breath, his eyes stuck wide. His head felt heavier than what his shoulders could handle, and he swayed to the side. The nearest thing to grip onto was a neatly trimmed hedge, and he got a mouthful of it as he fell into it. Rhett dove for Link but was caught by his arm, his heart stuck  in his throat. Rhett whipped around, his eyes wide.

     "What are you two doing out here?" 

     "Terra?" Rhett stuttered.