Cast Back [BxB]

Chapter 19: Attempted Escape

I wasn't imagining things, it was Jamie, sat on a bed just like mine, in clothes just like mine. Everything was the same apart from he was clean and unscathed. Cautiously I pressed my hand up against the glass, leaving a crimson handprint. He couldn't see me and I knew he couldn't. Nevertheless, I stared on at him.

The footsteps and yells grew louder behind me, though still barely broke the surface as my attention was fixed upon one person and one person only.

Around me the wailing sirens still sounded, piercing my eardrums and beyond the glass, I could see Jamie growing more on edge with each second that passed. It was as if we were back within Charlie's grasps again, so close and yet so achingly far away.

My concentration finally snapped away from my bloody hand upon the glass as I heard the slapping of footsteps from behind me. I may not have been up for a physical fight, but I could still use a gun, and I did. My reflexes were on point as always and as I spun around, I found myself face to face with another mask, only, I was quicker, without even a thought I pulled the trigger and out of the corner of my eye saw Jamie flinch at the sound.

As quickly as I could I moved to the door, only to find it sealed and needing a keycard to be breached.

Memories flooded through me as I found myself kneeling again, beside a dead body and searching for a key. However, this time it didn't take nearly as long as the last. The key was in the first pocket that I searched and I hastily stumbled my way back over towards the door.

I pressed the card against the sensor and a moment later I heard a click as a small light flashed green.

"Jamie?" I just about managed to rasp out, pushing my way through.

My eyes trailed across the room until I finally found those fucking mesmerising eyes sparkling amongst the sea of monochrome. He was staring at me and I at him, though, that was all I could do. Speaking wasn't an option as my throat was so dry and hoarse and I couldn't bring myself to take any more steps forward after remembering the last thing I'd said to him - 'Fuck off'

"Noah?" He questioned, his voice so soft as he began to push himself up from the mattress.

His steps echoed through the room and I ignored everything else, paying no attention to the commotion going on elsewhere. As he approached, his steps were tentative and I finally found it in myself to move towards him, all the while nodding my head.

We were so close, mere inches and he scanned me thoroughly, head to toe. I knew I must have looked awful, despite the shower, my wrists and hands were covered in blood which I had smeared over the rest of my clothes in the effort to make it here. Jamie's hand lifted to my head and hovered a few seconds before cautiously proceeding to run his fingers through the still wet strands of my overgrown raven hair.

I raised my hand to his cheek, brushing my fingers over his skin and remembering the soft feel as I continued to take laboured breaths, feeling the fatigue still attempting to draw me away. Nevertheless, I allowed my hand to fall in favour of intertwining our fingers before pulling the gun from my waistband with the other and drawing him out into the hallway with me.

"Noah, what's going on?" he whispered behind me, "Talk to me," He urged, tugging against me.

But I couldn't.

I could hear the shouts and footsteps drawing closer the whole time and I didn't know what I was doing, maybe I should have left Jamie where he was while I searched for an exit, maybe that way, if we got caught, he wouldn't have to deal with the consequences.

Maybe...but it was too late for that now and all I could do was keep moving, every now and then having to steady myself on a wall.

However, despite everything that was going on, holding his hand in mine was a feeling I had been craving for so long. I had missed him so much, even though he frequented my dreams.