disturbance | 5sos au (short story)

4 • back to the start

A week passed by with no sign of Luke, but somehow his face was still everywhere: posters, on the news, bulletin board. Splashed across lamp posts and post boxes 'Have You Seen This Boy?' Accompanied by a picture of the blonde boy, smiling without a care in the world. Every time Aria would walk past those pictures there would be a deep pang in her chest, a glitch of pain for her missing friend. Something had to be done. Calum was a wreck, much closer to Luke than Aria or Michael he was taking it the hardest, he wasn't eating right and there were always heavy bags under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in weeks and he was the one who started the campaign to find Luke.

It was a mundane Thursday evening and Aria was laying on her bed, headphones in and the sweet voice of Matt Healy in her ears. She didn't hear the soft rapping at her bedroom door and was surprised when Calum walked in, she immediately pulled her headphones out and sat up to greet him.

"Hey, Ari, hope it's okay, your mum told me I could come up..."

"No of course, its fine, how are you Cal?"

"Are you kidding?" He asked and she put her head down in sadness, stupid question. "I'm here because of Luke."

"What do you mean? Have you heard from him? Do you know where he is?" She asked quickly, a glimmer of hope appearing in her voice.

"Not exactly." And her head dropped again, the hope fading as quickly as it had started. "But something happened. I actually went to school today and there was a note in my locker..."

"What? What did it say?"

"It said 'you know where he is'."

"What? What does that mean?" Her eyes widened.

"I don't know, I've been sat in my car for the past couple hours trying to work it out and then it hit me... When did all this weird shit start happening?" He stared at Aria waiting for her to catch on but she just stared at him blankly, until it hit her.

"After we went to the old factory..." She whispered, all emotion leaving her voice and Calum nodded slowly.

"We gotta go back. I think Luke is there. Remember when we were there? Luke got freaked out because he thought he saw someone and we all just thought he was being stupid, well you didn't but me and Mike did. I don't think he was seeing things anymore. I think someone was there." Calum said darkly.

"I don't want to go back there Calum." Aria said, afraid.

"We have to! Luke might be there! We have to at least see, what if he is there? And then it turns out we didn't go and something bad happens? Would you ever be able to forgive yourself?" And Aria listened, taking in what Calum was saying. They had to go.

"Fine. Okay we will go." She agreed reluctantly her heart already beggining to thump. "Text Michael."

"I already spoke to him and he's gonna meet us there. Let's go." And with a quick goodbye to her parents they were out of the door and into Calum's torn down Chevy truck.

•

Thirty minutes later they were back outside the old factory, even more terrifying in the dark. Michael was eager to get inside and led the way without any questions.

It was almost pitch black inside, the only light coming from the large windows that allowed in the pale moonlight. Aria could almost hear her blood pumping the silence was so extreme, the sound of her heartbeat almost deafening in the darkness. "Luke!" Michael called out, shining a torch through the blackness for a sign of him and warranting a punch to the shoulder from Aria.

"Shut up! Don't just go shouting! We have to be quiet." She whispered frantically as Michael frowned and rubbed the place where her fist had collided with his shoulder blade. "Fine. Jeez no need to hit me." He complained and continued walking and jabbing the flashlight around, this time in silence.

"Wait! Stop! I hear something!" Calum half shouted, gesturing his arms around wildly. "Over there! Through the door." He crooked his head to the side in hopes of hearing better and without hesitation rushed ahead, barging open the door and leaving Michael and Aria stood dumbfounded. There was no sound for a slight second before a large gasp from Calum and a shout. "Guys! He's here! He's here! Michael! Aria!"

Quickly the other two rushed to Calum's side where they too let out large gasps, tied to a chair with his hands secured behind his back was Luke, blood matted in his thick blonde locks and puffy bruises underneath his eyes, his face changed when he saw them but it didn't change to relief or happiness, it was terror and concern. Calum quickly went to him and removed the tape that was stopping him from speaking and he coughed out a heavy breath.

"No! Get out! He's here! You have to go now!" Luke choked out, pleading.

"Who's here Luke? Its fine you're safe now." Calum told him putting a comforting hand on his shoulder but Luke frantically shook it off.

"Get out! Now! Its not safe! He's there! He's right there!" Luke screamed out in fright and Aria spun to see where Luke was looking.

In the doorway was a boy, his hair was golden brown and fell in slight curls around his face, his eyes were a piercing hazel colour and his features were twisted into something that made Aria's stomach turn. Just from his frame she knew this was the boy who had chased them. His clothes were dirty and ripped in many places, a heavy black leather jacket framing him. Clutched in his hand was a butcher knife that he was gripping so hard it made his knuckles turn white.

"Oh, I've been waiting a long time for this." The boy snarled, the corners of his mouth twisting into a sadistic smile.

Ashton had been waiting for this moment for years. She was finally here.

And he had decided. They weren't leaving until one of them was dead.