[7] Bad News

Ethan asked me if I needed anything from my apartment before we headed back to the academy. I was waddling out of the medical centre, disoriented. I shook my head in answer, not liking the idea of going down Palm Street. I looked to the ground below my feet, capturing every little step I took as I moved forward. Somehow each step rippled, and as I looked up at the surroundings, it seemed to me that everything outlined the patterns of a kaleidoscope. I felt dizzy.

“Well, you are going to be staying there with the academy with me, right? You’re sure there's nothing important you left that you want us to go grab before we head back up the road?” Ethan asked, unaware of my situation.

I thought for a moment, or rather, I was trying to think. It seemed like after our visit with Caesar, I'd gone completely out of it. I was hidden somewhere within the depths of my mind, locked in by questions upon questions and ideas stemming from 'what if's'.

“Faye?” Ethan studied me, worriedly.

I giggled, finding his concern to be comical. He started to look like twenty different duplications of himself, swaying back and forth like leaves of a palm tree before my eyes.

“I think you've had just about enough of everything for one day...” He said as pulled me towards the car, “I'll just make the stop at Palm Street some other time. It can wait. For now, let's get you where you'll be safe so you can rest up.”

The engine revved and the car started moving, and I wasn't sure how long it took before everything we passed along the road turned into a string of abstract, never ending movement to me, and that was it...

I fell asleep.

***

Someone turned the television on, and I heard the slight melody of an owl singing in the distance. I refused to open my eyes, but I was curious as to what was going on. I tried listening for familiar voices, but all I heard was the voice of a news reporter.

“In a violent storm that attacked the Western Plains, the bodies of three civilians were found near the main road of Hawkburn Avenue. These bodies were identified to be Liam Powell, Ursula Theodorus, and Macy Scarlet.”

My eyes popped open immediately at the mention of Macy’s name and I sat up. Shock had bewildered my vision and my mind, and I searched aimlessly around the apartment for someone in the room, panicking; only to spot Ethan slouched on the couch staring intensely at the TV screen. I hadn't made a sound when I woke up, so he didn't realise I'd overheard what had just been revealed to the public. Ethan ran his right hand through his perfectly silky hair, messing it up and sighing in frustration. The reporter continued...

“Benedict Street, consisting of a mall, tattoo parlour, and few apartments, received the most damage. Workers and employees are complaining of the problems that will stem from this predicament.”

Ethan stood, and though I could only see his back, the anger and frustration in his body language radiated throughout the room. His muscles tensed, and his breathing was loud enough that I could feel my own breaths falter. He turned and saw me, freezing in his position. His emerald eyes were wide now with not just pain and anger, but also with fright. I could tell he was worried I would think this barbaric of him.

I took a deep breath in and opened my mouth to say something... anything... but I couldn’t bring any words out of my mouth. His facial expression went blank. He looked down, anxiety worming its way into his tone as he said, “Guess you heard.”

I sat there slack-jawed for a few moments, searching for words. Though there were so many things I could have blurted out in that moment, the only syllable forcing its way out of my system was “...Yea.”

Suddenly the Ethan I knew, the loving, caring, cheesy Ethan who could do nothing but tell jokes and smile... was completely gone. An expression that plastered pure horror in my soul overtook him, and he flung the remote at the wall, exhaling in a string of curse words. He marched his way out the balcony and let out a fit of rage.

I pushed myself off of the bed and followed after him at a very slow pace. Ethan could never do anything that would make me give up on him. Best friends do not do that. Best friends understand that nobody is perfect... and I knew he wasn't perfect. Ethan wasn't someone who could ever scare me away... but seeing this side of him for the first time ever... It was terrifying.