The Cult of Romeo

X. The Theft of Fire

"Prometheus was tormented for thirty years for doing what he thought was the right thing. Then, Zeus punished him for doing what he thought was unacceptable. So, who was right? Of course, we'd say Prometheus, but then Zeus would say himself, right? The villains always think they're the hero."

"Please get to your point. I'm impatient."

"I'm just trying to get into the mind of the killer."

I heard his intake of breath, sharp like a knife as it cut through the silence. "Don't do that, Charlotte."

His change in attitude shocked me to the core, clearing a fog in my head.

"Don't get your mind in there, it's not worth it." His eyes were bugging out of his head at this point and I couldn't respond, only nodding dumbly.

It looked as though he was about to add something when a shrill sound interrupted, causing us to bump into one another as we jumped in fright. It was the high pitched sound of a phone ringing on the wall.

A single strip of dim yellow light stood against the brick wall and guiding our way. I shook my head at Julien, knowing that his desire to answer the phone might have been stronger than I could've held back. 

"It's not for you," I reprimanded. "Let's keep walking, we're almost there."

He nodded distractedly and I practically dragged his arm away. When the ringing stopped, plunging us back into silence, it was jarring. My heart rate spiked as we turned the corner and the ringing began again, except this time it came from the telephone in front of us, as though it were following.

"This is fate. We have to answer," Julien pleaded. Just a second ago, he was shaking in fear but now his curiosity had taken over. I was glad he was no longer frightened but his wonder was a pain in my ass. They said that satisfaction brought the cat back but if the cat was called Julien, I would have throttled it before the satisfaction even had a chance to kick in.

Julien moved towards the telephone and the light above it created deep shadows on the receiver, giving it an eery edge that made the hairs on my arms stand tall.

He reached out carefully as though he were the star of a dramatic Hollywood horror film before quickly grasping it into his hand and pulling it to his ear.

"Hello?" He called. For a few seconds, we waited in a complete silence that seemed to drag along forever. I wanted him to say something, to move or to at least breathe. But he didn't. Julien stayed perfectly still as his eyes remained trained on the numbers of the telephone.

Slowly, he turned towards me and pulled the phone away from his face. "I-it's for you," he whispered.

I frantically searched his eyes for the sprinkle of amusement. I begged for it to be a joke but then I looked down at his hand that shook slightly, at his flared nostrils and chest that heaved with shaky breaths, and I knew he wasn't acting.

I wasn't sure why, but I took the phone from him. It was cold to touch and the wire that connected it to the box tugged as I put it to my ear and sighed quietly. 

"Y-yes?" 

"Lottie. I see you-"

Then, it cut off and my blood ran cold.

X X X

Khaleel was a sight for sore eyes after Julien and I had scrambled our way back from the drama block and back to the party. I recognised the voice on the other end of the telephone, yet I couldn't place my finger on it. It was a man, though, that much was certain but all this thinking made my mind numb.