After The End: Alex Rider FanFiction

~Chapter Thirty-One~

Alex's (POV)

      I stare at the TV, watching as Frodo practically gets eaten by a giant spider.

      Sighing, I look down at my watch.

       12:47 A.M.

       It's already been more than twelve hours since the Browns' left for D.C this morning. Me and Mack having just sat around watching movies, and playing video games the whole day.

       So exciting.

       I glance over at Mack.

       He has his elbow propped up on the armrest, his head leaning into his hand. His eyes are halfway closed and his head keeps tilting forward before jerking back again.

       I shake my head, a smile forming on my lips.

      For someone who was all hyped about staying up late because there's no grown-ups around to tell him when to go to bed, he sure doesn't seem to understand the concept of 'staying up.'

       I stand up, stretching my arms out to the side.

      Thankfully the swollen area on my shoulder where I hit it on that rock, is almost back to its usual self now.

      I yawn, feeling the normal tiredness that comes with staying up late.

      Not that it's any stranger to me.

      "I'm going to bed. Night." I say over my shoulder as I head towards the stairs.

       "Yeah, I think I'm gonna head up too." I hear Mack's tired reply, a yawn following right after.

       And he wanted to watch all the Lord Of The Rings movies before bed.

       After I've changed into my usual night clothes, I go into my room. Laying down, I look up at the ceiling as I listen to all the noises.

      Mack's now in the bathroom, the shower running. Crickets and other night creatures making their usual - yet calming, racket.

       I continue to stare up at the ceiling, my eyes tracing all the cracks that decorate it as I wait for myself to relax enough to fall asleep.

      But it doesn't happen.

      Thoughts race through my mind a mile a minute.

      What if Ben is planning something while the Browns are away?

      I frown.

      No, Ben isn't the bad guy.....He's just Ben.

      I turn over.

      But what if he is?

      That phone call. It can't be a coincidence.

      I turn back the other way, my blankets falling off my already warm body.

      Frantic thoughts fill my mind, twisting and repeating themselves - like a hive of hornets buzzing wildly inside my head.

      I wipe the sweat off my forehead, my eyes wide open. I flip onto my back, drumming my fingers on top of my stomach.

     Forget it.

     I sit up, swinging my legs down to the floor.

     I'm never getting to sleep this way. Although, this is practically what I deal with every night.