“I guess because the Shadows see the wardrobe as a rock in the ocean,” AJ explained. “It kind of makes them divert around it. To them, it’s nothing but an object in the way of a vast sea.” AJ sounded like he was reciting poetry.
Paige couldn’t help but wonder how he knew things like that. He didn’t have an overprotective mother as far as she was aware. But this was not the first time he’d acted a bit weird, so maybe some of the things her mother said about him were true.
Not the part about him being the enemy, but the rest.
The parents were still unsure of what to do, and that drove Paige to madness and back. They simply stood there, looking at Paige, AJ, and Dave, then at each other.
“I think it’s better for you to just leave,” Mr. Ota said. “I won’t even call the police.”
Paige couldn’t believe her ears. “There are no police to call! Look, if you don’t hide right now, you will certainly die,” Paige said, her voice grave. She could hear the sounds from outside of the apartment, an approaching tidal wave becoming even louder.
The boy started crying, and that made Mr. Ota angry. “Look, you had your fun. Now just go!”
“Oh, for crying out loud,” Paige snapped. “Just look out the window!” She gestured toward it.
“We’re telling the truth,” Dave repeated.
“Akari,” Mrs. Ota said. Even though he was still frowning, he approached the window. He shook his head as he moved the thick curtain to peek outside. An audible gasp escaped him.
Mrs. Ota followed her husband’s lead and moved to look through the window as well. “Oh, my God,” she sobbed.
“This isn’t possible,” Mr. Ota said, shaking his head again as if that would change what he saw.
“Let’s go! We’re running out of time,” AJ urged.
“But... but this can’t be.” Mr. Ota was fixed in place.
“What are we to do?” Mrs. Ota cried.
We just told you what to do! Paige wanted to yell at them.
“That’s it. I’m done,” Paige snapped, grabbing the gun from the small of her back. She pressed it against Mrs. Ota’s head. She hated herself for doing that, but it had to be done if they were to be saved. “If you don’t start moving toward your bedroom right this second, so help me, I will start shooting,” she bluffed.
“Paige,” AJ warned.
“Stay out of it. Move!” she ordered the family, giving Mrs. Ota a little nudge. Miraculously, that did the trick.
“Please don’t shoot. We’ll do whatever you say,” Mr. Ota pleaded.
“The bedroom,” Paige snapped firmly.
They walked into their bedroom, and Paige was pleased to see they had a walk-in wardrobe.
“Get in there,” she pointed with her gun.
Mr. Ota opened the door and ushered his family inside.
The three heads inside the wardrobe nodded in unison.
“I know you’re confused and scared, but please trust that I know what I’m doing,” Paige said, trying to reassure them. She grabbed the key from the wardrobe. “I will come in the morning to release you,” she said before closing and locking the door.
“Was that really necessary?” AJ asked in a hushed voice, nodding toward the gun.
“It did the trick,” she replied, putting the key in her front pocket. “Do you have a spare bedroom?” Paige asked through the door.
“Yes,” came the instant reply from Mrs. Ota.
“Thanks, and please stay quiet,” Paige added more calmly now that she knew they were safe.
Without another word, the three of them searched through the halls and found the spare bedroom.
Screams came from everywhere inside the building now which could only mean the Shadows had already made their entrance. It was just a matter of time when they would bust into this unit as well.
They made their way into an outdated guest room. Inside, they found an old wooden wardrobe, just like the one Paige grew up to fear. She had a few very vivid flashbacks about the times when she hid with Willow, but she banished those thoughts. She needed her head clear.
This wardrobe was tall and looked strong enough to withstand a storm. Paige found comfort in that because it would have to be sturdy enough for the three of them. AJ opened the doors and found it filled with clothing and shoes.
“Perfect,” Dave mumbled sarcastically, coming to stand next to AJ. “And here I was, debating if I should bring my shrinking device.”
Paige ignored the comments, scanning their hiding place. They couldn’t even fit their shoes inside, let alone three grown adults, but they still had to try. Since there was hardly any space for them, Paige started to throw all the shoes out in a panic, but AJ stopped her. “Paige, what are you doing?” he asked, putting them back in.
“I’m trying to make some room for us to get inside,” Paige replied, a little irked that she had to explain that to him. “Do you really think they won’t understand what a bunch of shoes on the floor right in front of the wardrobe means?” AJ challenged. “They’ll probably wonder where they came from. And then?”
Well, when he put it that way... Paige looked at him apologetically. He was right, and she was ready to bite his head off for it.
“Guys, stop bickering,” Dave said. He moved to stand by the door, listening for any changes. “Whatever you’re planning to do, do it now,” he added as a warning.
Paige took a couple of boxes out and placed them under the bed along with their backpacks since that felt logical to her. Together, they pushed the shoes to one side of the wardrobe and made space for the three of them on the floor, so they could sit.
It was going to be a tight squeeze in the wardrobe, but it wasn’t like they had any other choice. AJ went in first, and pressed himself against the inside wall, gesturing for her to follow. Taking a deep breath and trembling, Paige climbed inside next and sat down, leaning against him. Dave moved inside last, closing the door. His entire body was against hers. Paige felt like she was in a very tight, uncomfortable sandwich.
There was no room for personal space. There was no room for anything, and she couldn’t breathe. It was so dark, Paige couldn’t see a thing. Her heart was racing like crazy, and her hands shook violently even though she pressed them against her thighs. Suddenly, there was a strange scraping sound, and she squeaked.
“Relax, it’s just me,” Dave reassured her. He was fumbling with the key, trying to lock the door from the inside.
She felt like she would never see the light of day or take a normal breath again. Each second being in there made her become more and more anxious. Panic rose inside of her, making every fiber of her being scream.
AJ placed his hand on top of Paige’s, trying to relax her. To her complete surprise, her hand stopped trembling after a few moments.
“AJ… how did you do that? You made me relax,” Paige whispered in wonder.
“That’s just my magic touch,” he replied softly. Even though she couldn’t see him, she knew he was smiling.
In that wardrobe, in the dark, Paige realized they could be anywhere, miles away from the danger and stress, surrounded by silence.
“I could use some of that magic touch, too, man,” Dave deadpanned.
Though it was important for them to stay quiet, Paige pressed her head against Dave’s shoulder and giggled. That further calmed her down, which was exactly Dave’s point, she realized.
Their bodies were crushed together at the bottom of the wardrobe. She was closer than she ever imagined she would be with one guy, let alone two.
The feeling was so pleasant that, for a moment, she was glad they were locked together. They kept her balanced, sane.
When they all calmed, Paige continued to keep her head against Dave’s shoulder. She inhaled his hypnotizing scent while AJ started to gently brush his hand over her hair. His warm breath tickled her skin. All of it together had the most calming effect of her. The panic was completely gone, and Paige sighed in content.
“There, isn’t th
at better?” AJ murmured.
“Actually, my man, you are petting me now, but don’t stop,” Dave whispered again. Paige would have laughed again, but suddenly, they could feel the wardrobe moving.
That froze them in place.
The wardrobe rocked as the waves of Shadows stirred outside in the bedroom.
They’re here, Paige thought. She could feel the lingering traces of panic making an appearance again.
They all held on to one another and waited for the aliens to leave or to be discovered. Paige held her breath, too scared to even do that.
AJ protectively placed his arms around Paige, pulling her even closer to him as she clutched Dave. In their warm embrace, Paige felt like she was in a nest of love and warmth. It helped her not lose her shit.
Once again, she thanked whoever was listening for sending these guys to her because being alone in a dark wardrobe was something she couldn’t have survived on her own.
A scream of terror suddenly came from outside the room, and they all tensed.
“Jenny, Jenny!” a woman was crying.
“Mamma, please help me!” came an equally distressed reply.
“Jenny! Nooo!”
It was some other family from the building being torn apart. They didn’t hide, Paige realized in horror. Nobody had told them.
She had to do something. She had to try to save them.
Paige tried to get up, but it was so tight with AJ and Dave inside of it that she couldn’t move without their assistance.
They quickly realized what she wanted to do, and they held onto her tightly. AJ embraced her as Dave leaned on her, blocking her movements completely.
“Please don’t struggle,” Dave murmured.
“They will get you, too,” AJ whispered in her ear.
“But the girl…”
“Stay with me,” AJ whispered again, touching her cheek. “You can’t reveal yourself.”
“Listen to him, Paige, please,” Dave urged.
AJ’s soft voice and Dave’s caring tone made her stay. She buried her head against Dave’s back, trying to block out the horrifying screams. They eventually died down as the raging waves filled the apartment.
The wardrobe rattled as the wave swirled around it. AJ tightened his embrace, knowing she needed it, and in return, she held on to Dave even tighter. They were like one being, holding on to one another, keeping each other safe and offering comfort and strength.
Paige was too afraid to breathe. She was afraid it would be audible to the Shadows, and since they were that close, she knew the guys felt the same way. They stayed perfectly still and didn’t move.
Then, after what seemed like an eternity, the wave eased away as fast as it had arrived. There was silence in the apartment once more. The screams from other floors of the building faded, too, as the shadowy wave collected people as it went.
We’re probably the only people alive left in the entire building, she thought.
Chapter Thirteen
Being trapped inside that wardrobe made Paige sick to her stomach. She should have tried to save other people. Yes, she managed to save the family from this apartment, but maybe she felt like she should have done more. There was always a way, but in the end, she was too afraid to come out and fight.
AJ still held her tightly, somehow knowing she would fall apart if he let her go. She was hugging Dave in return and could feel the steady beating of his heart under her palms.
Paige hated being in this building, in this apartment, in this wardrobe, but AJ’s presence and Dave’s calmness put her at ease—to a degree. Once again, she was grateful to have them beside her.
Maybe it would be better if they weren’t so close. But what would I have done if I’d been all alone in this scary place? A sudden thought came, and she shook her head, not wanting to think about it.
Then her mind drifted to Willow. I should have been with her, she scolded herself. At the same time, Paige knew her mother would keep her safe.
They’re probably hiding in a place just like this one.
The screams throughout the building eventually died down, and Paige said a prayer for all the lives that were lost because one group of beings decided it was all right to invade another and take their home away.
Paige really strained to listen, but the soft and eerily calming waves couldn’t be heard anymore.
“Hey, guys,” Paige whispered, then stopped because her voice sounded terrible after all that crying. She attempted to quietly clear her throat, then tried again. “Do you think it’s safe for us to leave the wardrobe?”
She was eager to go find her mother and sister. She guessed Dave felt the same way about Peter, wanting to make sure with his own eyes that he was still safe and sound.
There was a slight pause as the guys pondered over her question. Dave shrugged, but AJ decided to reply to her, just not in a way she’d hoped.
“Paige, why did you ask if they don’t like sunlight?” AJ asked.
“What?” she replied in confusion.
“Earlier, on the rooftop,” he reminded her.
It was her turn to shrug. “I just remembered something. When we were little, our mother made us hide in a wardrobe just like this one, so the Shadow Man couldn’t find us. We had to stay hidden until morning.”
Surprisingly, this was the first time she’d shared with someone how screwed-up her childhood really was. Even so, she didn’t feel self-conscious about it because she knew they weren’t going to feel sorry for her or judge her in any way.
“Then I guess it’s better if we stay here,” AJ replied carefully.
“Yeah,” Dave chipped in. “If your mom is right and they don’t like the sunlight, we should definitely stay.”
“What, better safe than sorry?” Paige only half-joked.
“Yeah,” they replied almost in unison.
Paige nodded in return, guessing they were probably right. Besides, this was exactly what her mother would want her to do. But just because they stayed hidden didn’t mean she could stay quiet.
“What do you think they’re going to do with the people they’ve captured?” Paige wondered out loud.
“Who knows?” AJ started. “Maybe they’ll force them to work on their home planet.”
“Or maybe they need us to prepare this planet for them,” Dave added.
“So, what you’re both saying is you think we’ll all become slaves for them?” Paige shuddered.
Becoming an alien’s slave sounded just horrible. Paige imagined herself and her loved ones as slaves, and the thought brought new tears to her eyes. This time, she forced them back. She’d done enough crying. Besides, that never solved anything, and it certainly didn’t make her feel any better.
Apparently, she didn’t fool anyone with her tough act.
“Hey,” AJ half-whispered, “you’re safe here with us. We’ll never let anything happen to you. Right, Dave?”
“Yeah, man. I mean, I wouldn’t squeeze into a wardrobe with just anyone, “Dave replied.
AJ gently patted Paige on her head, which felt nice, comforting. Paige chuckled, not being able to help herself, and the guys joined in as well.
“Maybe this end of the world crap has some good points,” Paige said, still laughing.
“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Dave said.
“You’re just the best, guys,” AJ teased.
They continued to do so for quite some time, and eventually, Paige started to yawn. “I think I should take a nap.” She’d barely finished speaking when another yawn hit her.
“Yeah, you must be very tired now,” Dave agreed, yawning himself.
“You two try to get some sleep,” AJ urged. “I’ll keep watch.”
Paige realized he was right. Snuggling up as much as possible while being in such a cramped space, Paige closed her eyes. She was beyond tired, and at that point, she didn’t have the strength to walk, let alone fight against an alien army.
“Good night,” she murmured to no one in particular an
d surrendered to the nothingness that wanted to claim her.
* * *
Some part of AJ knew it was weird of him to feel so happy and content at that moment while holding Paige in a cramped, stuffy, dark wardrobe as she slept.
He told that part of himself to shut up.
Even the presence of another guy couldn’t ruin his moment of happiness. That was seriously messed up. He actually liked the guy. Dave was obviously skilled and had a sense of humor similar to his own. AJ even noticed that he, too, had a small crush on Paige, but he couldn’t hold that against him. After all, that was just a sign of good taste.
It was trickier to know what Paige thought. She still acted all cute when he invaded her personal space, blushed, stumbled, but the way she acted with Dave?
Nope, he wasn’t going to get jealous. Not now.
AJ completely lost all sense of feeling in his lower body a while back, but he couldn’t care less. It was totally worth it to be with Paige here and now.
It did make him regret wasting all those years being too insecure to simply approach her and ask her out. He didn’t even have to go that far. Becoming friends with her would suffice. At least that would be something.
Even now, he fantasized about kissing her so much that he almost did it. He managed to convince himself it would be too awkward afterward since there were three of them in that wardrobe. Still, having her this up and close, sensing her delicate perfume, touching her soft skin, made him crazy. How could he not think about it?
AJ could practically feel her soft lips against his until they almost tingled, and he just knew she would feel perfect against his body.
Ok, perv, enough with that, he snapped at himself. You will have plenty of time to fantasize about kissing her, or better yet, actually kissing her some other time. He needed to stay vigilant now and listen for any signs of danger.
He could hear Francis softly laughing at him in the back of his head, but AJ ignored that. Then AJ realized this was the longest he’d gone without hearing his alien companion. It was nice having only his own voice inside his head for a change.
As much as he appreciated the silent treatment, it freaked him out even more. That could only mean the bastard was plotting something, trying to find a way to get to Paige.
Inhabitable (Invasion Survivor Book 2) Page 14