Dawn of Fog and Glass

Chapter Twenty-One (Part Two): Dawn of Fog and Glass

I trickle down the halls, calling out Barrett's name. I run until I forget my own exhaustion, until my heart becomes comfortable with its own rapid beat.

"Barrett?"

The air over here is uncomfortably warm. I flip down one hall to the next, glancing down each for signs of Barrett. Even if I don't find him, I could find a clue.

I can't help but feel irritated towards Dom, even if I want to help him. I know there's something he's keeping from me and Draco. And I get it—they're Barrett's secrets to keep, and it sounds like Dom himself doesn't know the full story. But when it comes to scouring the halls for a missing person, hiding from the guards, and breaking rules, I deserve to know why. I'm tired of people keeping me in the dark.

As I reach the next hall, something makes my skin shiver. A voice: tiny, rambling, as if to nobody in particular. It's quiet enough that I don't hear the words, not even when I get closer.

The lights flicker above me, and I briefly feel the glass egging me on. I breathe deeply, quieting my thudding heart, and turn the corner.

"Barrett?"

I expect to see his usual arrogant mug, his bouncy step, his oversized ego spilling from his ears. What I get is the opposite.

He's sitting on the floor, pressed up against the wall. He hugs his legs with both arms, but in a limp way, like his hands have fallen asleep. Blank eyes stare at the opposite wall, but he doesn't seem to see anything in particular.

He doesn't stop his rambling when I approach, doesn't even turn his head. Nobody in the rooms notices him. Nobody comes to help.

I crouch down in front of him until I'm staring right at him. He doesn't notice me.

"Barrett?" I start, my voice soft. Part of me wants to run; I don't like Barrett all that much, but I can also get help. Another part of me knows he needs someone here with him.

"Dominic! Draco!" I call, tossing my head over my shoulder. "I found him!"

Draco yells something distantly, but I hear nothing from Dom.

"Barrett?" I try again, louder, and place a hand on his shoulder.

The moment I touch him, he snaps to attention. His eyes fill with fear, and he scrambles away from me. He doesn't recognize me.

"No!" He screams, backing away. His eyes don't leave my face. "No, you can't take me again!"

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay," I say, holding my hands out in front of me to show I come unarmed. "I'm not going to hurt you, Barrett." My stomach lurches, and more than ever, I want to escape him. I need to escape him.

"You can't let them take me!" He shouts, voice hoarse. His eyes are wild, frantically flying around the room. His back hits the wall behind him, and he curls up into a ball.

Slowly, with one hand out, I take careful steps towards him. "Barrett, it's Arden. You need...you need to come out of that corner."

He shakes his head adamantly. "No, no, no, they can't take me, I won't let you take me."

I kneel before him, my hands shaking. The only thing that keeps me here is the sheer panic on his features. I've known the same panic before, and I know how it feels to have the world crumble around me. And as much as I dislike Barrett, I don't wish that panic on anyone. Above all else, it's terrifyingly isolating.

Barrett's panic is different. It's tainted with something different, something wild. Hysteria, maybe, or madness.

Dom better hurry his ass up, I think.