There comes a moment when our lives change forever. The moment we admit our weakness, the moment we rise to a challenge, the moment we accept a sacrifice, or let a loved one go. And sometimes the change in our lives is an answer to our prayers.
Adam inhaled sharply, his body paralyzed with shock. Matt stepped towards him with caution.
'Sorry I…popped in'
Adam stared at him. What was he doing here? He started to speak but his voice broke. He cleared his throat, then leaned on the sofa, just in case something totally surprising happened again. He would be prepared.
'It's…Matt I…we haven't seen you for 6 months'
Matt sighed heavily, unmoving. It was like all the emotion, the memories of his friends had been erased from his mind, as his face was blank and drawn. He looked sad.
'Where have you been?' Adam whispered to him.
Matt shrugged lightly and started twiddling his fingers.
'Everywhere, I s'pose'
Adam nodded as if he knew. He kind of did know what sort of things he would have seen. Matt was a teenager, a dead one. Just like he had been all those years ago when he died. Things happen when you die. Humans always talk about there being an afterlife, a door opens and it's like you get another shot at living. But that depends. He supposed it was partly true. There are rules, complications if you will. Matt was murdered and unfinished business meant he stayed on this side of his door. Adam was murdered too, but he was undead. A vampire, a monster of the shadows. This meant he could see new things, he had more knowledge of people. A nightmare he couldn't wake up from. And he had this constant, nagging thought in the back of his head. What If there was other people? He knew about werewolves. He knew about vampires, and ghosts, and phycics. There could be things that are so hidden, that even people like Adam didn't know about them. Maybe they were too dangerous. The sort of people who would have to be in strict confinement to stop any damage. This thought was resurrected by the rumour that these people did exist. Somehow Adam had a gut feeling that Matt had found them.
'Why…why did you come back?'
Their eyes locked. Adam could see that Matt was tired and upset.
'I missed you guys. And there is stuff we need to discuss, mate'
'Discuss?'
It was Matt's turn to nod now.
'I'm sorry if I'm being forward about this. Are you n Christa, still uh…y'know'
'No' Adam replied coldly. 'We split a while ago. Not long after you left actually'
'oh'
Adam rubbed his forehead and gestured for Matt to take a seat. The sofa heaved with his weight, so Adam took his place opposite him.
'Where is she then?'
'Christa?'
'Yeah'
'She's out. Be she's still here. We live together'
'Isn't that…awkward?'
'Why would it be?' Adam snapped.
Matt recoiled, embarrassed by a mistake that wasn't entirely clear.
'Sorry…I'm not really with it today' Adam said quietly. Matt nodded again and continued to play with his fingers.
'And what about the other two?'
'Oh…Tom and Celia? They still hang around. Yeah…they live nearby'
Matt studied Adam carefully and narrowed his eyes.
'Tell me the truth, Adam'
Adam glared at him, before his features felt too strained. He sighed with exasperation and tapped his foot, pondering what to say next.
'You and Celia?
'yeah'
Matt's eyes clouded over in thought.
'I like her, n' all, but I don't fink she's good for you'
'why not?'
'Adam' Matt said sternly. 'How much 'as she told you about her life?'
Adam reran the conversations with Celia in his head. They had always been the same, more or less. He'd ask her about her past, she would make a joke, but skirt around the subject. The only time he had gotten anything out of her was when she said she used to be happy and chatty. He had also decided not to ask about her father. Adam's mind was still trying to comprehend the note from last year, who the man was. That note was what brought them out of Wales. The subject was looming in the distance, just hanging there, waiting to be discussed. But what he was scared of, is that he would scare his friends off. On the other hand, if he left it too late, they could all be dead.
Adam shrugged nonchalantly and laid back into the sofa. Then something snapped inside of Matt. His fists clenched until they turned white and his eyes practically turned black. Almost as black as Adam in action.
'When were you gunna tell me?' Matt snapped angrily. He was sitting forward so much that it looked like he was about to fall off the sofa. Adam raised his eyebrows in question.
'When were you gunna tell us, that World War 3 is starting, and we're the targets?'
A nervous feeling gathered in the pit of Adam's stomach.
'What the hell? Matt, what's this about?'
Matt got off the sofa and moved towards him, probably restraining himself from trying to punch him.
'Got to know some people while I was away from 'ere. They told me some very interesting things, mate'
'Who are these people? What did they tell you?'
Matt shrugged then crossed his arms.
'Don't matter, does it? They said that some crazy bastards are gathering a team to annihilate us. Yeah, annihilate. And you knew! Fuck, Adam!'
'What? No! I didn't know anything, I swear!'
'Stop. Lying' Matt growled under his breath. Adam shakily got to his feet to face him.
'I know about the note'
'…what note?'
'Don't try and play dumb. When Christa's mum died, a guy gave you a note. That's why we moved here right?'
'No'
'STOP IT! You know how I know? Because whoever gave you that note, told me.'
That was it. Adam was dumbfounded, gobsmacked. He had been caught.
'Gape all you want mate, but that's not gunna fix what you did' He jabbed a finger towards Adam and clenched his jaw.
'So c'mon then, what are you gunna do now? Run? Wait, we've already run haven't we?'
'Matt, give me some credit! I didn't know what to do, alright? Christa was screwed up about her mum, I barely even knew Celia and I was expected to just to carry this burden around? What would you have done?'
'I would've started by telling the truth'
Adam ran his fingers through his hair. It's what he does when he is stressed. Or insanely bored.
'I…don't know what to do, Matt. World war three? Really?'
He nodded in response and sat back down.
'They want to kill us'
'Who would want to kill us?'
'What do you think?'
Shit. Adam's eyes blurred with fury.
'Wyndham'
