BLEEDING [✔️]

BLEEDING - 23

There was no sound in the house. Markus and Chloe were knee deep in silence. He was walking back and forth by the window, glancing repeatedly at the wall clock. Chloe sat, tapping her foot up and down. The thoughts of worry looped around in their heads. The loop was like this, "It is about time when Sam had left for the job. If he called in the next few hours, then he would be safe for the time being. If he doesn't, then, either he would be caught and murdered or killed immediately."

"Fucking asshole, couldn't wait." Markus cursed not-so-quietly. "Moron, dipshit, God damn it." Upon hearing him, Chloe let out a slow controlled breath. Ever since she's been living with them, Markus has always been friendly and avoided swearing as much as he could but tonight it wasn't so. She could easily tell by the way Markus was endlessly cursing, how anxious he was. Chloe was worried just the same, with every tick of the clock, it increased. Still, contrary to Markus, she rationalised the whole process, viewed different aspects and was trying to be as optimistic as she could be.

"He is strong, he will certainly make it through." She whispered. Markus turned his head in her direction. Chloe bit her lips under his intent gaze and froze on the spot as he began to step towards her. Her breathing became heavy. She gulped, mentally scolding herself to keep her mouth shut.

"You think it's that simple ?" He whispered. Even though Markus had given her an eagle's eye view of the situation, she couldn't understand it all completely. Markus rubbed his face in an attempt to relax himself and flopped down on the sofa next to her, "He's impulsive, Chloe-" He leaned back and turned his face upwards, facing the roof. "-Not at all a good trait, when you're a gangster. One wrong decision and you might not live to correct it." Within seconds, her eyes widened in fear. Adrenaline began to flood her system. Her heart pounded as if it would explode anytime. She did not want him to get hurt, she wanted him to be back safely. Her body heated up. Sweat curled at the back of her neck, then cascaded down. She was so close to giving into the fear when she sucked in a sharp breath and stood up.

"I know you're worried-" Markus looked at her, "-and I know how desperately you want to be with him and help him but you have to understand that you are in no position to do it right now and there's only one thing that we can do." Chloe uttered with sudden fierceness still the distress that hid underneath was caught by Markus, "What would that be ?" Amused, he asked.

"Let's pray together." She replied. His eyebrows raised in confusion, "What ?" He questioned, as if confirming that he heard right. "Yes, let's pray together." Softly, Chloe repeated her words. A humourless laugh escaped his mouth, "Why are you laughing ?" Embarrassed, she asked and lowered her head. Markus observed the change in her expressions and immediately regretted his actions. "I am sorry Chloe, I didn't do that intentionally. I just...." She slowly looked up at him, "-I just don't remember when was the last time I ever prayed or-did I even do." Markus confessed, giving her a small smile but Chloe noticed no crease below his eyes, for his eyes were lit with melancholy. Her heart felt heavy. For a moment she forgot all her worries and stared at him, "There's always a first time, right ?" Smiling, she whispered. He looked up at her and gave her a heart warming smile. She walked by the window and gestured him to come over.

"Now do as I say, okay ?" Gently, she asked. Markus gave her a nod, "Join your hands and close your eyes." She said, all the while doing it herself. "Do you think God will listen to me ?" Markus asked out of the blue. Chloe opened her eyes and smiled, "Imagine the person you love, someone you don't want any harm to come to, someone you're ready to die for. Focus. Resolute. Feel the love in your heart and soul. God never disregards prayers from the heart." Calmly and confidently, she whispered, assuring him. "Now try it." Markus exhaled a deep breath, then joined his hands and bowed his head infront of the beauty of the nature, God's wondrous creation within the cradle of which, mankind thrives. Chloe followed his movements. Silence caressed them like a gentle touch of a mother, cradling them in her arms, taking away their jagged edges.

In that moment, their hearts were at peace, rising and falling so steadily that they drifted into a state of semi-consciousness, linking themselves to the divine power. They prayed.

"Lord-" Markus whispered, so calmly, "I am not a good man. I have done so many wrong things...perhaps you cannot forgive me for them still tonight, I stand here with my head bowed. I request you, with the heart beating within me, to keep him safe." Just from his voice, Chloe identified the sincerity behind his words. A smile etched across her lips as she prayed within her mind, whole heartily, "God, I never asked you to bring me where I am but I know you don't do anything without a reason and sooner or later I'll find it out. You have always been with me but today I pray you to be with them. They might have done a lot of bad things. Might be true. But one thing that I certainly know is, they care about each other the most. They can't see each other in pain. I have witnessed that myself. So, Please please be with him, keep him safe and bring him back to...us"

"Thank you, father." Chloe mumbled underneath her breath and slowly opened her eyes to find Markus looking at the freckled night sky with profound sense of relief. She smiled, "How do you feel ?" Markus turned, "Relieved." He replied, confirming her thoughts, "I left it all on the..God." He said, pointing at the sky. "He will keep him safe. I know it." Smiling, Chloe whispered. Markus smiled as well.

Worry still lingered underneath their smiles and that wasn't going anywhere until Sam called but knowing that they can't do anything to help him, praying helped. More so, that night, seeds of a new friendship was sown for it to blossom into a colourful flower.

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