Blind Faith (Book 1)

Chapter 17

Ash

"Anyone for coffee?" Ash asked, stepping over a smashed picture of Brighton Pier and ignoring the chest of draws lying on its side.

All eyes followed him to the kitchen; he felt their stares burning into the back of his head as he tried to act normally, as if nothing in the world mattered and that his life didn't mirror his apartment.

What will Dad say when he sees this?

At least the kitchen was left virtually untouched. Still, those five pairs of eyes followed him to the sink, his face flamed red and he wanted to put it in the freezer, to cool off.

"Carry on, don't mind me, keep discussing me, as if I'm not here," he said, emptying the water filter and flashing his best no worries smile.

Earlier standing in the doorway watching these superhuman, godly creatures arguing about him, Ash finally came to terms with what his life meant to them.

Nothing...

Irrelevant by the sounds of it, and at this moment, that was fine by him, he did not care about it anyway.

He was so fed up and deflated with all the shit life threw at him, that he made a promise to himself in the shower, that he would start riding the highs and the lows with the same amount of enthusiasm as he felt now.

Zero...life was a flat line...

Oddly listening to their conversation, Ash started to understand how Alice in Wonderland felt when she fell through the trap door and met the talking rabbit wearing glasses. Some of it made sense and some of it came across as a load of religious bullshit.

However, he still did not know what it all had to do with him and he had seen enough films and read books on the false accusations towards the wrong man and mistaken identity. When he summed it all up in his mind. It was even worse. His checklist was as follows.

1. Receive a random package...check.

2. Stumble upon Mrs Lockhart's dead body...check

3. Wake up in bed...no idea how I got there...check

4. Get the bloody crap beaten out of me by two girls that looked like they should be in high school...check

5. Saved by superheroes from a comic book...check

6. Then ignored...check

At least I can't moan that my life was dull...fuck yea, what a party animal I've become...

7. Party animal...nope

The crystal vibrated in reply, its warmth spreading through his body. He held it in his fingers and stared at the weird little thing. At least he had a name for it now, the lost stone of cam...camel, Camael? Maybe he wasn't for the loony bin after all; the stray jacket and mental home can wait a little bit longer.

He tried to stop thinking about it for a moment and switched on the coffee machine.

"Ashley?"

He jumped, finding Emma standing next to him, her face looking as if she expected him to say something back. His breath caught in his throat, and his heart fluttered.

I really hoped she can't read minds...

"Huh? Sorry, are you talking to me? Do I suddenly exist now?" he asked, trying his best not to sound distressed. She grinned tartly at him and pointed to the crystal in his hand. It flared up and burned as if it was aware of her gaze. She smiled, making his legs wobble with desire.