Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Chapter 27

***NO STOP I REFUSE I NEED MORE CHAPPIES -

Hi, welcome to Chili's.

( ͡° ل͜ ͡°)

And that sums up everything going through my mind right now.

Oh, and does anyone use the phrase "bull hockey" these days? My dad does, but he's older, and I know that term is kind of outdated.

If you're wondering, it's a nicer, less offensive way of saying B.S. (haha, nope, no cursing in this fanfic, thank you very much) or bullcrap.***

***(Skylor's POV)***

When Zane and PIXAL finally relieve me on deck – they take their time out of their fear of the storm – I head right back down to the quarters below. I seriously hope the others remembered that somebody needed to stay with Kai. I was in too much of a rush to remind them when I ran up to the deck earlier.

***Music Cue***

I stalk down the stairs, wasting no time in getting to his quarters. Hopefully, he's well-rested from his headache now. He's been asleep for a few hours.

I reach his door and turn the handle, but it doesn't budge.

Odd.

My hand clasps the cool metal of the handle again, my palm moist from the trepidation of earlier. I shake the doorknob from side to side until the wooden door gives, just a crack.

I press my weight against the structure and give it a shove, causing the door to swing open with a creak.

"Kai?" I ask, stepping over the doorway and creeping inside. I don't want to scare him if he's deep asleep.

I see his form covered in blankets on his bed, and I sigh, walking over to check on him. I wonder what caused such a bad headache.

I untuck the corner of his quilt to find that...

Kai's not under the blankets.

I throw off the comforter to see there's a mound of pillows arranged on the bed to resemble a body.

Weird.

"Kai?" I ask a little more cautiously. I survey the room around me and find that the only light coming in is from the open doorway – the lantern in here has gone out.

I slowly approach the lantern, summoning a flame with my hand and lighting the wick inside. It slowly flares to life...then suddenly snuffs out.

Strange.

I ignite the wick again, but the paltry flame immediately turns to smoke.

"Kai?" The word is concerned now.

I do another scan of the room, but it appears...that I am utterly alone.

Panic grips me, and my tongue goes dry. What if Nadakhan got to Kai?

Stupid! I never should have left him down here alone! That storm could've waited a moment before I ran up on deck. I could've awoken Kai and taken him to Rumi's quarters with others. How could I be so –

The door suddenly slams shut, leaving no light in the bunkroom.

It slams shut...all on its own?

I go on high alert in the dark room, my breathing quiet yet rapid and my pupils dilating to suit the blackened atmosphere. I use the power of sound to tune into every nuance of noise.

Something scuffs along the floor to my left, accompanied by near-silent, schooled breathing.

I'm not alone.