It Travels with Them

Chapter Thirteen - Just an Attic, Nothing Suspicious at All

As the room calms I feel the smile slowly melt off my face. Truely, whats next?

I.. have no answer. I don't think anyone does. Slowly, I look at the smiling faces around me, Henry, Ty, Mike; I've got to be kidding myself. They all just mean so much to me...

I feel a bead of sweat trickle down the back of my neck.

...Every one of them now has a target on their back.

What do those bastards want? Do they want me dead, or do they want to recruit me?

Either way...

No. They've already done so much for me, reassuring me, saving me. All my life telling me that they'll always keep me safe. I can't always rely on them so much! Otherwise..

No! Don't think about that.

Suddenly a voice breaks me out of my thoughts, "AALEX!"

I jump. I must've zoned out.

"Geez, took long enough," It's Tyler.

"O-oh sorry," I stutter and stand.

He smirks, "You gotta get outta your head, you're worse than Michael," he flicks my forehead.

"It's not like I mean t—!"

"HEY what's that supposed to mean dumbass!?" Michael cuts me off.

Ty glares at him, "What I mean is: you're both idiots."

I point at myself then at Michael, "But.. he's the dumb one."

Now Michael turns to me, "You're walkin' on thin ice there buddy!"

"Oh yeah? What'cha gonna do about it!?" I grab the collar of his T-shirt pull him down to eye level.

"Oh my god, guys.." I could hear the eyeroll in Tyler's voice.

Suddenly a booming laugh rings out, looking up we see Trauler. He's, well.. laughing his ass off.

"Ahaha-hah! They remind me of you!" Trauler slaps Henry on the back heartily, causing him to make a "oof" sound.

Henry laughs quietly, "Yeah, I guess they are a little like me." he chuckles again.

"Alright you three, go occupy yourselves while we figure out what to do next."

"What!?"

"No!"

"Why!?"

We protest.

"Come on guys, don't be like that." Henry says

We all groan.
"Fine!" I yell, "but I'm gonna do it very reluctantly!!"

I move slowly to the edge of the room with Michael and Ty dragging their feet behind me.

I exit the room then stick my head back in and yell, "I DON'T WANNA BUT I'M DOING IT!!!"

Together we decide to go upstairs, maybe look around for a while or maybe just hang out in one of the rooms. The brothers help me hop up the stairs and onto the landing.

We start to explore, walking in and out of rooms, talking about random nothings. We walk out of the last room and back into the hallway, bored out of our minds. I look around the hall and see a hatch in the ceiling... the entrance to the attic. A smirk crosses my face.

"We haven't gone in the attic yet.."

The three of us share a grin then Tyler reaches up and opens the hatch. Instantly a ladder swings down, narrowly missing Tyler's face. It's one of those attic ladders you'd see in a horror movie, the type that folds in on itself and creaks incessantly.