Burning Sky // Alec Lightwood ➰

How about, sleep it off?

I reach the front door and quickly unlock it trying to get to my brother as fast as I can. I don't know what has gotten over him, I am insanely worried.

Once I am inside the house I look around me in an attempt to trace him but nothing indicates that there is anyone here. The windows are all closed and locked and unlike every other day his bag and his shoes aren't scattered around the living room.

Confused I call out his name, without getting an answer back.

I check the kitchen before moving towards the stairs and up to our rooms. I enter our bedroom and although he isn't there I see his bag on the bed. However on top of it I can spot a bandage filled with stains of blood.

I freeze and for a moment I forget how to breathe. Cold sweat starts running down my forehead as I grow more and more anxious about my brother.

I approach his bed carefully and attempt to take ahold of the bandage laying on his bag. I lift it up with shaky hands and examine it closely. The blood on it seems fresh like the wound is new and the bandage was removed not too long ago.

A nausea takes over me and I move to the nearest can throwing it inside without a second thought.

A take a deep breath not only panicking about the sight of the bandage but also freaking out of my mind about what happened to Adam.

Exiting the room I move to look at the bathroom but he is nowhere to be found.

I take a doubtful look at the door to my left once at the corridor. For a single, brief moment I think of opening the door and looking inside but I quickly decide against it.

The thought of it only gives me goosebumps and I shake my head, telling myself that there is no way he is there. No one has been there for years.

Growing more and more scared by the second I quickly descend the stairs, breathing heavily and going to check into my mothers room. There I find a chaos worse than the one I left this very morning. Now along with the papers and clothes on the floor who had been multiplied, there were also shoes laying around and there was a heavy smell coming from under the bed. Taking a look there I discover a pizza box with some rotten slices in it. Who knows how long this has been here.

Disgusted I take the box in my hands and throw it on the kitchen counter, not bothering to get rid of it, since I have to deal with far more urgent and serious problems such as the panicked call from my brother, the information about the magic dryer, his disappearance and the blooded bandage on his bed.

I am starting to feel like I am the lead actress starring in a bad horror movie heading straight for the trap.

Isn't life cool?

Looking around the living room I wonder where Adam could have gone until my gaze lands on the door across the room and it finally hits me. The room with the washing machine.

How didn't I think about this earlier?

With two strides I reach the door handle and abruptly open the door.

Adam who is standing on the floor looking inside the dryer with a wondering look jumps at my entrance and as a result his head bangs on the top of the washing machine. Too relieved to laugh I move towards him and squeeze his shoulder.

"I was worried sick. I looked everywhere for you." I scold him like he is a five year old who has been hiding from his mother.

He rolls his eyes at me catching on my tone but his expression quickly forms into one of fear and confusion.

Looking at the dryer I notice that there is nothing weird about it and I turn to face Adam again with squinted eyes.

"Tell me you didn't pull a prank on me." I beg him causing him to give me a deadpan stare.