Pyre (Frerard, Rikey, Ryden, Petekey)

21: Shit Is Starting To Go Down Now

Pete slowly cracked his eyes open, his vision blurry and clouded, nothing immediately coming into focus as he shook his head minutely, as if the action would shake away the last dregs of sleep that were trying to drag him back down into unconsciousness.

Pete wanted to get up, he really did, but he just felt so fucking drained, every muscle in his body ached, his head throbbed, his mouth was dry and cotton filled, so maybe a few more hours of sleep would actually do him some good.

But just then, Pete glanced at the clock that had been hanging on his wall, only to realize that it wasn't there anymore, which was odd, because unless he was becoming a sleepwalker that rearranged random items, it should have been in its usual place, and the desire to find out the fate of his timepiece had Pete standing up with a quiet grunt, his temples spiking with pain at the sudden movement.

"Fuck..." Pete groaned under his breath, his palms pressing against the source of his agony in the hopes of somehow eradicating it.

After a few minute, Pete felt up for walking - he hoped, but either way, he needed to get to the kitchen for some water before his tongue eroded away in his mouth completely, his missing clock all but forgotten about next to his body's numerous demands for sustenance, and maybe some painkillers as well.

But of course, there was another surprise waiting for Pete in his kitchen in the form of his windows, or lack thereof; the panes were gone, shattered maybe, but if that had been the case, where was the excess glass that would have followed such a violent event?

Pete had no idea what had happened to make his home look like a war zone, and every time he tried to ponder what the fuck had gone on here, he came up blank, an imposing wall blocking his memories of everything that had occurred after he parted ways with Brendon and Ryan yesterday morning, or maybe longer now, Pete wasn't really sure anymore.

The logical side of Pete knew that he should be more worried about this, that he should be panicking, maybe even having a meltdown over the fact that everything containing glass in his house was missing or damaged, further evidence showing itself in his dishes, the only ones still left out on the counter were plastic of course, but honestly - Pete was too exhausted to give a fuck, and he sort of just wanted to curl up in bed again as soon as he got a drink.

But as Pete gulped down some cool water he had retrieved from the sink, his mind began to come alive once again, and even though he was still left in the dark over what exactly had transpired, a part of him knew the root of it, the buried, undiscovered corner of Pete that he wasn't ready to admit existed, even to himself, was waking up.

And although Pete's first instinct was to go seek out Brendon, because Brendon was smart, and Brendon would know what had occurred here, or at the very least, he would help Pete figure it out, when Pete slipped on his shoes and headed out his front door, his feet seemed to grow a mind of their own, his toes pointing away from his best friend's house in favor of a rarely traveled direction instead.

Pete was screaming at himself to turn around, the silent voice in his head shouting for his body to stop, to go somewhere else, anywhere else, but Pete wasn't in control of himself anymore - not really, and he had no choice but to allow his instincts to lead him onward, until finally, he came to a halt in front of an ordinary looking house that was anything but.

"Hey Pete...you okay?" a voice called out, startling Pete so much he jumped slightly in surprise.

"Oh...hey Jepha, I didn't see you there." Pete tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace instead as he greeted the older vampire.

"What are you doing up so early?" Jepha asked, his eyes studying Pete with an intensity that had Pete shifting back and forth uncomfortably.

"Early? Uh - I don't, I...can I see her?" Pete stammered out, the words escaping his mouth without his consent, because he didn't want to see her - not when she was like this, not now, maybe not ever again, but at the same time, it was almost as if he had to.