Recluse

Chapter 17

It's driving me absolutely crazy how slow this car is going. But the road beneath us hasn't been paved in years, and deep ditches sit on either side of it as well. If Brett sped the car up any more, it'd be dangerous.

So we continue down Evergreen Lane at a sluggishly urgent pace.

My eyes are glued to the window, reading off the address of old, beaten up houses as we pass them.

18766... 18769... The numbers are getting closer and closer to the one we're looking for. The one that could possibly be holding my dying angel. Or my dead angel... The most terrifying thing is that I still don't know.

"Brett?" I breathe out his name in a questionable tone.

"Yes?"

"Do you think we're gonna find him alive?" I dare to ask the question that's been bothering me this entire drive.

"I'm not sure." He answers honestly in a gentle tone.

I swallow hard, but do not say anything else. His answer was a reasonable one. It's unrealistic for a person to surivive over six hours of blood loss. But then again, we have no idea what kind of injuries Niall has. All we have is a t-shirt soaked in his blood to show us what he's been through.

I selfishly hope that he's still alive.

"18775..." My voice cracks as I read out the address that is one number short of the one we're looking for.

And then it comes into view.

The house with the address of 18776, Evergreen Lane, Shallowhaven. The house that Cynthia Jacqueline Porter was burned alive in. The house where my brother Jeff became a murderer. The house where my love, Niall, became a recluse.

The house of horrors that could also end up being the place where my Niall became a corpse.

Brett parks the car in the dirt driveway of the old house. As he turns off the car's engine, he shoots me a nervous look. I can tell he's uncomfortable. I don't blame him.

The house gives off a wave of unease to anybody that looks upon it. Just by glancing at it, you can tell something horrible took place in it. The house is two storys high, but very narrow. The ancient wooden planks that make up the walls are moldy and rotting away. There are no windows, only broken shutters slowly creaking in the wind. Although on the ground, if you look close enough, you can see shards of glass which formerly belonged to the windows. The plants and trees surrounding the ancient house are overgrown, casting the place in shadow. On the right side of the house is a gaping hole. The pieces of wood surrounding the hole are charred black.

I swallow down my discomfort and open the car door. Brett begins to climb out of the car, but I shake my head at him, "This is something I have to do alone. I'll yell for you if I need you."

He looks like he's going to argue, but then stops himself. He sighs and leans back in his seat, "Fine. But if I haven't heard from you in ten minutes, I'm coming in there after you."

"Agreed." I nod.

I finally turn away from Brett and approach the forlorn property. I enter the place through the gaping hole on the right side.

Sunlight shines through the many windows of the place. It's pretty bright inside, making it slightly less terrifying. That is, until notice the pools of blood that stain the wooden floor of the small kitchen.

I leap to my hands and knees and stick my hand in the blood. My heart drops immediately. It's still wet and warm. Definitely fresh.

"Niall?! Niall." I shriek throughout the building. I try to follow the pools of blood, but they seem to be all over the place. I run through the kitchen and then through the living room. I check the bathroom and then run upstairs (which is a huge risk, because the stairs feel as if they can give way at any moment). Once upstairs, I check the two bedrooms that are up there. Pools of blood are in every room, but there are no signs of Niall anywhere.

I run back downstairs and continue to shriek his name, tears rushing down my face. Finally, I crumple to the floor, sobbing as hard as I ever have.

I hear rapid footsteps behind me and then I feel a warm hand on my back. I open my eyes to see Brett crouched down beside me.

"I-I'm so confused! There is so much blood, Brett, so much blood in every room of this house, but he's no where! F.ucking nowhere! F.ucking help me!" I shriek, heaving out sobs into my hands. I had so much hope that I would find him here, even a selfish hope that I'd find him here alive. Now all of mu hope is gone, and I don't know what to do with myself now that I'm actually humoring the fact that he could be dead.

He can't be dead. He can't be dead. He can't be dead.

"I love him Brett... I really fucking love him." I bury my head into his chest and let out a shrill wail of agony.

Brett envelops me in his muscular arms, whispering into my hair, "I know you do, Madi, I know you do. I'm so sorry."

We both sit there for a timeless period of time, lost in our infinity of sorrow over a boy we are sure is dead.

That is, until I hear the faintest of rasps, "Ma....di...."

I leap to my feet in an instant. That was him. I don't know where it came from, but I know that that was him. "Niall? Make another sound, baby, I don't know where you are!"

I listen for a moment, but hear nothing. He sounded so weak, I know he's not gonna last long. I need to find him.

"Niall? Please baby I need to find you so I can keep you safe." My voice has dropped to a whisper. I'm too terrified to accidentally speak over him and miss my only chance of finding him. Brett is slowly pacing the room, listening intently.

Finally, after what seems like forever, a ragged breath coughs out, "I'm..... h.......ere"

Me and Brett walk towards the voice. it sounds like it's coming from the bathroom, but the confusing part is that there's no place in the bathroom where he could be.

"Ma....di..." The voice sounds again. It's definitely my Niall, and he's definitely in a lot of pain.

Brett shoots me a confused look, "Where the hell is he?"

"Und.....er...." The voice is becoming quieter, but I still hear it.

My eyes widen as I realize where he is, "Under the floorboards, Brett!" I jump to the floor, as does Brett. With all of our strength, we yank at the weak wooden floorboards, struggling to rip them off. It takes us a couple of tries, but eventually we rip one off.

I pull out my phone and turn on the flashlight. I shine it down into the crawl space under the house, searching for my Niall.

And then, in the far back corner, I see him, and my heart drops at the sight.

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