How to Kill a Man in Thirty Seconds

Chapter 28: When Christmas Comes Early

It had been nearing December and the winds were turning chilly, the temperature beginning to drop and the evening storm becoming a common occurrence. Oliver had lent me his car for the evening, knowing it would be late before I was done with whatever grim task the principal set for us.

The sky had darkened by the time I stepped into his beat up Sedan, and dark clouds of murky grey lay overhead, shielding the lighter grey the sky had become. I spotted Adrian shuffling past me into the dusk, hands chucked into his pockets and gaze lingering on the floor.

"Adrian!" I called after him, and he halted, glancing over his shoulder, "Get in. I'll give you a ride home."

I didn't even know why I was being so considerate.

That was a lie.

I did. It was my way of compensating for the insensitive words I had shot at him before, after which he had gone awfully silent and all conversation had ceased.

Adrian shrugged, his face devoid of emotion, "Thanks for the offer, Charley, but I'm good. I can walk."

"There's a storm on its way. You sure?"

He nodded in silence, before continuing his way. Shrugging in defeat, I revved up the engine and started forward, passing by Adrian on the lonely street as I accelerated.

Suddenly, a streak of lightning tore through the murky sky right before a deafening roar of thunder sounded. The sky seemed to tear open, as sheets of rain suddenly began falling in torrents, pattering on the tarmac road and creating little fountains as it splashed.

I hit the brakes, glancing back over my shoulder. Adrian had halted on the sidewalk, his hoodie pulled over his head. He glanced up, spotting my car motionless by the sidewalk. I nearly chuckled as he ducked his head against the rain, hurrying towards the vehicle.

Adrian Hunt would do just about anything to avoid accepting help from someone, wouldn't he?

Despite the hoodie, his hair was bathed in moisture by the time he made it to the car. Drenched streaks fell haphazardly over his forehead and shielded his eyes. There were black bags under his emerald eyes that I hadn't noticed before and his face was gaunt with lines of exhaustion.

His gaze flickered to meet mine, but I glanced back to the road before he could catch me looking.

The ride was silent, except when he occasionally broke the silence to direct me down the right road.

We finally pulled up outside a decrepit looking, two storey place. The front yard was overgrown with weeds that had been untended to, the dusty front porch bare. The lone window on the upper floor had been bashed in and the building looked so worn, it looked like it might crumble any second. In all honesty, the place looked uninhabited.

A deafening crack, like a whip making contact with skin, sounded, right before a roar of thunder sounded. It startled me. The sky overhead lit up as streaks of light, appearing like veins, tore through it. As if in vengeance, the rain began falling harder, so thick now, I could barely see a few meters ahead of me.

My heartbeat quickened in my chest and my gaze flickered back to the house, almost expecting to spot a little ghost boy staring at me through the upstairs window.

Adrian turned to me, his expression clouded by what I sensed was bewilderment.

"Are you sure this is your house?" the words slipped out of me, and I almost face palmed myself instantly.

That had come out sounding completely idiotic.

Adrian swallowed hard and his face became indifferent once more, "I'm sure."