Incubus

Chapter 26

Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than 

to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, 

the greater is their power to harm us 

~Voltaire

*Warning: 

This chapter includes triggers of sexual violence. 

"You get five minutes!" Olivia called out to me as I headed back to make a phone call. It was close to closing time, and all three of us wanted to clean up as quickly as we could and leave, but I had to check in on Hayden before I could set my mind at ease. 

I waited impatiently as the phone rang, tapping my foot against the concrete, casting my eyes to the sky. "Come on, dammit," I muttered as I dialed his number again. We were supposed to meet up this evening after my shift at work ended, and when I called him throughout the day to finalize those plans, he never answered. Not once. 

It went straight to voicemail again. I grunted in annoyance as Olivia called out to me again. "I'll be there in a minute!" I yelled back. "Dammit Hayden, pick up the phone!"

My annoyance must have flitted through to Hayden because he finally decided to pick up the phone. 

"What?" he snapped, his voice nothing but a whisper. 

"Hayden?" I asked. "Are we still on for those plans we made-"

"Corin, I can't talk right now. Please, I'll call you later." 

"Why are you whispering?" Olivia called my name again, and I rolled my eyes at her inability to wait. "I said I'd be right there!" I yelled. 

"Corin, I need to go!"

"Wait, Hayden! Where are you, what are you doing?"

There was a pause on the line, and for a brief moment, I wondered if he'd hung up on me. Then, "I can't tell you right now. I need to-"

I heard some muffled shouts in the background before Hayden cursed. "Hayden?" I asked again, confusion washing over me. What the hell was he doing? I lowly heard three strange voices before a scuffle broke out. There was a loud crash against my ear as Hayden dropped the phone before I heard him yell out in pain. 

"Hayden? Hayden, what's happening?" I said, panic rising into my voice. There was no answer, all I could hear were the sounds of someone hurting him and Hayden in pain. He grunted out as I heard a loud thud. "Hayden!" I screamed. "Hayden, where are you?"

Connor came running out to me, eyes wide. "Corin, are you-"

The line went dead. I ran past him, phone still pressed against my ear and bolted past a confused Olivia. I ran out the door, trying to figure out what to do. I didn't know where he was or who was hurting him. Should I call the police? I ran down the streets of Manhattan, re-dialing Hayden's number over and over again to no avail. Everything was a blur, the city, the lights, the cars, the people. I bolted between people, trying my best to weave through them. As I looked down at the screen of my phone to once again redial Hayden's number, I felt a sickening impact before I was flat on my back on the sidewalk. The people around me slowed down as they stared at the man I'd run into and me. I stood up uncertainly, hand on the back of my head.