All We Know Is Falling: Fall With Me: Volume One

by Nicole Thorn

  “He’ll get over it.”

  The boy walked closer and Hale grew more uneasy. He remained quiet as I spoke. “Have you seen him lately?”

  Wormwoods eyebrows knit together as he thought. “Not since Friday. I gave him his stuff and he took off.”

  “What stuff might that be?” Hale asked.

  The boy looked nervous. “I’ll talk to the girl, not you. Got it?”

  I crossed my arms. “Answer the question.”

  He eyed me. “You oughta know. If you’re here for more,” he dug a little bag out of his pocket and held it up. I couldn’t tell what it was, but Hale could.

  “Heroin,” he said, sounding scared and not surprised.

  I however, was surprised. This guy was giving a fifteen-year-old stuff that would ruin his life. I thought it would be something small like pot. Or even ecstasy. But this was so much worse. So I came up with a plan.

  “Do you know where Ethan might be?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “He’s got a few places. I’m sure you know where they are.”

  “If I did I wouldn’t be asking you.”

  He scratched the back of his head. “Good point. But I don’t give out anything for free, babydoll.

  I didn’t roll my eyes. Somehow. “How much?”

  He smiled and I caught sight of his missing canine on his left side. “Usually I have a hefty fee. But for you, I’ll give a discount. All I want is a half hour of your time.”

  Hale stepped forward. “Touch her and I’ll kill you.”

  The boy didn’t flinch. “Sure ya will. Don’t worry, I just want to borrow her. She’ll be back in your bed in no time.”

  Hale moved to attack him but I held his arm back. There was a moment where surprise flashed on his face over how I was able to hold him back. He was twice my size at least.

  I got in front of him and pulled his face down to me so I could speak into his ear. “Trust me on this. I promise I won’t let him touch me.”

  Hale pressed his forehead to mine. He whispered, “Please, don’t let him.”

  “Don’t worry,” I let go of him.

  I walked over to Wormwood and said, “Let’s go.” I started walking over to the door that was marked ‘managers office’ and opened it. The lights still worked when I flipped them on.

  He closed the door and pushed me against the wall. “How do you wanna do this?”

  I pushed him back. “Slowly.”

  He smiled. “I can go slow.”

  “Good. Why don’t you take your pants off and tell me about where Ethan is?”

  He backed up and threw his backpack to the ground. While he unbuttoned his pants, he said, “There’s a house on a hill he likes to go to. There’s a lotta places. But he likes that one. A lot of people do.”

  “Where is it?”

  His pants dropped to the ground and he stepped out of them. “I don’t know. All I know is what he told me. Tons of people crash there.”

  It gave me an idea. If there were enough people there, bad, dangerous people, then it would be enough for me to track from here.

  “Do they just sleep over?”

  “No,” he laughed. He started walking back to me. “The cops don’t even bother busting in anymore. It’s more like Pleasure Island than a B&B.” He closed the distance between us. “Ready?” he smiled.

  “Yup,” I said before I knocked him out cold. He dropped to the ground so hard that I though he might snap his neck. Sadly, he didn’t.

  I grabbed his backpack and one of his legs so I could drag him back out to the main entrance. I dropped him on the middle of the room.

  “What did you do?” Hale asked, clearly amused.

  “Well,” I stood up straight and brushed my dress off. “I hit him in the head. He told me all he knew. So I decided that our business was over.”

  He shut his eyes. “If we didn’t have things to do, I would find out precisely this moment if you’re a screamer or not.”

  “Tempting,” I said without inflection.

  I unzipped the backpack and dumped it out on the sleeping boy under me. What fell out were several bags of drugs, many different kinds. Money, and a cellphone. Ah, good.

  I picked up the phone and the money, tossing the bundle of cash to Hale. “For your trouble, sweetheart.”

  He eyed me, confused. “Why would I want this?”

  I shrugged. “Either you get it or the cops put it in evidence.”

  “The cops?”

  I held up the phone. “Don’t you think this guy should have a little talk with the police? The amount of drugs he’s got on him will put him away for a while. And who knows if they’ll search his place. But it’ll get him away from your brother.”

  Hale smiled. “You’re quite clever, Rory. Have I told you lately how much I like you?”

  “I think so,” I tapped on the phone and dialed 911. I paused before I hit send, “Be ready to leave.”

  I hit call and a woman answered, “911, what is your emergency?”

  I put on a tearful and frightened voice, “Um, I heard something. That old creepy theater, the one that’s shut down. I heard people screaming and I heard glass breaking and I think I heard gunshots!”

  “Ma’am, please remain calm. The police are on their way. Can you stay on the line with me?”

  “Yes,” I cried. “Please tell them to hurry. I think I hear people coming—” I hung up the phone and dropped it on the floor, crushing it under my foot. I picked it up and chucked it down the hall. “Let’s go,” I said to Hale on my way out.

  Hale was just behind me as we walked to the car. “That was…convincing.”

  “Yeah,” I didn’t look over my shoulder at him. “I told you that I was a liar. Shouldn’t surprise you that I’m good at it.”

  I got into the drivers side and he got in next to me. “It doesn’t. I’m just impressed.”

  “You shouldn’t be. A liar isn’t what anyone should admire. Especially with all the shit I lie about.”

  I wasn’t sure how much time I had, so I dropped the wall keeping my powers at bay. When I opened my eyes, the colors coming off of Hale were bright and overwhelming.

  I saw so much in him. The grey was almost gone completely. It was replaced with a light shade of yellow, deep pink, red, blue. All colors of light. And I knew what they all meant. If I didn’t start driving soon, he’d get the answer he wanted.

  “Are you alright?” he asked.

  I blinked. “Y-yeah.” I turned the car on and started driving.

  I was in tracking mode. The way it worked was that I’d see a light. The light always brought me where the evil was. The hate and the misery. I knew that some antichrists could track demons, or people. Why’d I have to get the one that was the most like my father? It wasn’t fair. I felt like I was so much like him.

  The powers I had almost never came in handy. I could sense other demons, but only when my powers were switched on. And I almost never did that. The headaches were agony.

  Hadley would have faired better with this tracking ability. It could bring her to where the fun was. But I wanted nothing to do with it. I’d seen too much of the darkness in people thanks to these powers. I didn’t want anything to do with humans at all.

  Then the one beside me put is hand on my leg. “Rory, what did he say?”

  I glanced over at him and the grey was leaking back. The pink was still there, but it was the only color left. “He thinks he’s in some old house on a hill. Apparently a lot of people use it.” I didn’t need to say more for him to understand.

  I kept following the light even when it started hurting. I could feel my head starting to fog. Even keeping my eyes open was starting to be painful. But I needed to do this for Hale. I couldn’t let his brother be in danger when I could do something to help. I care too much about Hale to do that.

  The pain was making the drive seem endless. The lights kept getting brighter and I knew we weren’t far from the house. The lights went in all different directions and vari
ed in brightness. They were all tethers that led to some kind of evil.

  I was focused on the brightest one. The one that burned through my head and my soul.

  “Rory,” Hale said, sounding surprised.

  “What?” I blinked. I felt so tired. I just wanted to close my eyes and rest. But I had to keep going.

  “Your nose is bleeding,” he sounded like he was about to panic.

  Ah, that happened a lot when I was a kid. My brain would get overwhelmed with all around me and it was like a little warning to cool it before I passed out. But I could keep going.

  “Happens,” I told him. “I’m fine,” I wiped the blood off on my hand. It wasn’t even that much.

  “Are you sure?”

  I ignored the question for something more important. “We’re here.” I gazed up the steep hill and at the old house. It looked haunted. Made of wood that you just knew was a breath from falling to pieces. The windows were blacked out, as well as the windows of the few cars that were parked around us.

  The light was so bright now. I could feel everything in that house. It felt like the evil had a mind of it’s own. It wanted to drown out every ounce of light around it. And that was what was happening. The only color I could see was black.

  Chapter Ten: Detox

  “You think he’s in there?” Hale asked when we got out of the car. He stood by my side and I almost needed to use him for support.

  “Yes.”

  He turned to me. “I don’t want you in there. I already feel awful for bringing you into that theater. You’re not the kind of girl who should be in a place like this.”

  I started walking. I was too tired to fight with him. He walked behind me and tried to get me to wait in the car. I refused.

  “Hale,” I stopped when we got to the door. “I’m going in. I’m just as safe with you as I am in a car alone.” He was still unaware of just how safe I was.

  He breathed out in a huff. “Fine. Don’t leave my side.”

  “Fine.”

  He angrily took my hand and opened the door.

  There wasn’t a single light on in the house. It was dark enough outside that it left us almost blind. The only flickers of light were from the lighters and a few candles.

  The floor was covered in people. Some sleeping. Some just staring blankly up and enjoying their high. The house was at least two stories and I could hardly see up the stairs.

  “Do you have a picture of your brother?” I asked Hale. He pulled his phone out and went through his pictures. It was of just Ethan. He was sitting at a table glaring at the camera. He had short blonde hair, much lighter than Hale’s. But you could see the family resemblance at a glance. I handed the phone back. “Cover your eyes.”

  He blinked in confusion and did nothing. I took his hand and covered his eyes with them. He held it and I looked around for something heavy. I spotted an empty beer bottle. I picked it up and hurled it through the big window. It shattered and a few of the people around us groaned.

  Hale uncovered his eyes and looked at me. “Why?”

  I smiled and yelled. “SOMEONE CALLED THE COPS!”

  You wouldn’t believe how fast those little junkie bastards got up and started running. They stood and stumbled and went for the door. “Keep and eye out for Ethan,” I said to Hale. Now that the window was shattered, the light poured in.

  The people ran by us and I scanned the crowd, not seeing what I was looking for. The amount of black in their auras was upsetting and it made my head pound more. I shut off my powers so I wouldn’t start bleeding again.

  Once the bottom floor was cleared, the ground was covered in trash and blankets. Discarded needles and broken bottles of alcohol littered the house.

  “He’s upstairs,” I decided.

  Hale looked more worried than he did this morning. “What if he’s not here?”

  “He is.” I started walking up the creaky stairs and almost stumbled. Hale caught me by the hips and steadied me. “Thank you.”

  He nodded and we walked up to the top level. There were more people, ones that didn’t hear me yelling. A few were awake and using their party favors. I could smell smoke and alcohol as it burned my nose.

  We searched the rooms and looked at everybody we found, searching desperately for the boy. There was only one room left and I was starting to feel unsure about him being here. As scared as I was, I couldn’t imagine how Hale was feeling.

  We opened the door and the room was dark. I flipped on a light switch, and to my surprise, it worked. It was dim but nothing I couldn’t work with.

  I turned and I saw Hale, tensed, at the door frame. His eyes were locked on something in the corner. I followed his gaze and saw what he saw. Ethan was on his side, eyes shut. His arm was covered in track marks and bruises.

  I went to Hale as he started hyperventilating. I put my hands on his face. “Shh,” I soothed him. “Everything is going to be okay.”

  “How?” his voice was broken.

  I left him and went to the boy, kneeling on the floor beside him. I put my hand on his face and checked his neck for a pulse. It was slow, but it was there.

  “Is he…”

  “He’s breathing,” I said. Then I looked down at the boy. “Ethan? Can you hear me? My name is Rory and I’m with your brother.”

  The boy groaned but didn’t open his eyes. I sat him up but he still didn’t wake up.

  “Hale? Can you help me get him to the truck?” I could have carried him on my own, but it would be bad for Hale to see how strong I was.

  He came over and picked his brother up. We walked him to the truck and buckled him between us. I got in the driver’s seat again.

  “I’m taking him to my house,” I said. “My mom can help him.” I started driving, not waiting for Hale’s approval.

  “How?”

  “She’s got medical supplies at the house. Dad…was sick for a long time.”

  He was quiet after that. I blasted through every red light on the road. It hurt to use my mind twisty stuff so soon after I used my tracking. But I needed to go unseen.

  We got to my house and Hale carried him in.

  “MOM! HADLEY!” I called and they were at attention within seconds.

  “What happened?” my mom asked when she saw Ethan. I pointed upstairs and Hale started walking.

  I explained the bare minimum to them, not sure how much Hale would want them to know. We went into a guest room and Hale laid him down on the bed.

  “Hadley,” Mom said. “Go get the IV from the other room,” she pointed and my sister ran. Mom checked over the boy, looking into his eyes and checking his pulse. “How long has he been like this?”

  “No clue,” I said. “Probably since Friday.” Hale winced and stared at his brother.

  “Okay. Well I’m going to hook him up to an IV so he won’t dehydrate. He’s going to go into detox for the next few days and if we’re not careful, it might kill him.”

  Hale was breathing heavy again and I could see a panic attack rising. It looked like he was watching his brother fade away.

  “Don’t worry,” I said. “Mom has medical training. She knows what she’s doing.”

  “I was a doctor in another life, love. Your brother will be fine,” Mom said as Hadley brought her what she needed and more. She hooked him up and kept checking on him.

  “Hale,” Mom said. “Call your mother and tell her what’s happening. Or your father.”

  “Dead,” he breathed. “They’re dead.”

  “Hale,” I put my hands on his chest. “I’ll call Mollie and Mason. Just go down to my bedroom and wait for me. Alright?”

  “But,” he breathed and stared at Ethan.

  “Everything is going to be okay,” I said for the millionth time today. “Mom will take care of him. He can stay here as long as he needs to. Just go wait for me in my room.”

  He hesitated but he eventually walked out of the room, his eyes on Ethan the whole time.

  I walked over to my mother and as
ked, “He’s really going to be okay?”

  Mom nodded. “He’s weak now, and the next few days won’t be easy, but he’ll make it.” She looked over her shoulder at me. “How did you find him?”

  I didn’t want to tell her. She knew what it did to me when I had my powers on full blast. She stared me down ‘til I confessed.

  “I tracked.”

  Her face somehow became more serious than it had been. Hadley stayed quiet but her eyes went to my bloody hand. Mom caught her looking and grabbed it. “You got another nosebleed?”

  I yanked my hand back. “I had to. If we didn’t find Ethan tonight how much longer do you think he would have lasted? It’s a miracle he didn’t OD.”

  Mom frowned. “Fine. I can’t stop you from using your powers, but I can warn you that you shouldn’t push yourself.”

  “I know,” I pulled Ethan’s phone from my pocket and called Mollie and Mason.

  It rang once before Mason answered. “Ethan? Where are you?”

  “No, it’s not Ethan. I’m Rory. Do you know who I am?”

  “Yes. Hale’s friend. Why are you calling from Ethan’s phone? Are you with him?”

  I stared at the sleeping boy and hoped that Mom was right about him being okay. “Hale and I found him. Ethan’s…he’s on a lot of drugs right now. And he’s unconscious. But he’s at my house and he’s going to be okay. My mother is taking care of him. She’s a doc—” Mom gestured for the phone and I gave it to her.

  “Hello? I’m Maddy, Aurora’s mother. Ethan is in very good hands, I assure you. And so is Hale. They’re both spending the night. You can come see them anytime…” she carried on and gestured for me to go take care of Hale.

  I ran back downstairs and went into my bedroom, closing the door. Hale was on my bed and his hands were shaking. I sat next to him and held his hands.

  “It’s my fault he’s dying. Everything I did. Everything he watched me do. I ruined him.”

  “No,” I held his hands tighter. “This isn’t your fault. He made his own choices and you can’t be held accountable for that. It’s not your job to take care of him.”

  He turned his eyes to mine. “Yes it is. And I failed.”

  I shook my head. “He’s going to be fine.”