Alpha's Angel

Chapter Forty Seven

The clocked ticked at an painfully slow rhythm.

My back was rigid as I laid in bed, my shoes on under the covers leaving their traces of dirt on the white sheets as I pretended to sleep. The glowing numbers illuminated my face red as I watched the minutes flicker by. A sense of déjà vue washed over me as I thought of the first night I tried to escape, a shiver running down my spine at the thought of how it ended. I might as well have stayed in the cell, I'm just as trapped in there as I am in this house.

I was waiting for the signal. Abdo told me to wait ready for him to come and get me, and that I'd know it's him from the signal. It seemed like a pretty good plan. All apart from the fact I had no idea what the signal was.

When I had asked: "How will I know what the signal is?" He leaned across and tapped my nose, shaking his head and grinning.

"If I told you, it would be too predictable. There is no fun in that." He paused as if something occurred to him. "In fact it's so unpredictable even I am not sure what it is."

The conversation being firmly closed, I left it, consequently leaving me in the dark. I fiddled with the edge of the duvet, trying to ease the heaviness in my chest. It was like a stone had buried itself under my ribs and was pressing me into the mattress. Despite how much I tried to dig it out with the hopeful idea that I would be out of here soon, it only seemed to weigh more and more by the second.
My demon was also anxious, stirring at the thought of leaving,  whether it was because she was anticipating the feeling of freedom already, with no restrictions to hold us back, i wasn't sure.

The thought of my mothers necklace played through my mind. I didn't plan on wearing it again but there was no way I was leaving without it. I pushed the covers back, looking around the dark room, the only source of light the moon sneaking through the window. I looked around Archer's room, not even knowing where to start.

I had no idea where he had put it, if it was even in here. I started riffling through the drawers, digging through pairs of socks. I had my head deep in the drawer when the sound of someone moving about outside made me jump.

The shadow under the door shifted for a moment before a light knock ensued. I turned slowly, placing the odd pair of socks I was holding back, anxiously biting my lip and hoping it was Abdo at the door.

"Come in." I mustered after quickly collecting myself, trying to desperately rid of the guilty look I could feel was sticking to my face. The door opened slowly, revealing the hesitancy of the person on the other side. As Archer's imposing frame slipped into the room, I gulped nervously worried that at any moment Abdo might come around the corner with big flags to signal our departure.

We stood for a moment, each one unmoving as Archer remained by the door. I waited for him to act as his hand lingered on the door handle. "Can I turn a light on-" he started.

"Oh right"   I rushed to turn the lamp on, only realising now I was stood in the dark. The sudden brightness seemed to catch us both off guard, as we winced away from the sterile beam. The sudden confrontation of us being able to see each other suddenly illuminated the tense atmosphere in the room. My throat was dry as we looked at each other. 

His posture was rigid as always, strength radiating around him, anyone would be intimidated   standing alone in a room with him. But his face was the give away. The bags under his eyes hung heavy and dark, casting harsh shadows around the brown orbs which looked back at me. His complexion had greyed, like the life had been drained out of him. He looked tired, but most all he looked broken. 

"You going somewhere?" He nodded towards my shoes, which in my rush to look for the necklace, I had forgot I had on. I looked down at the yellowed trainers with the laces fraying at the end, pursing my lips and wondering how to get my way out of this with a simple lie. I looked back up at him coming up with nothing, to which he seemed indifferent. "I assumed you would be leaving sooner or later-" He wiped the palms of his hands on his jeans, breaking off as he looked around the room as if it suddenly was more interesting than ever. "which is why I came to talk to you now."