We drove almost a mile in the woods then got out and hit the road. As the road was not close to the city, traffic was less. Alex turned on the radio and a song from 80s started to play. Skyler was looking out of the window, silently watching the night sky. Everyone was so silent and the only thing breaking the silence was the music. Arjun was asleep, his head on my shoulder.
Something felt so heavy in my chest while I watched all 4 of them in the car with me. All this, all this because of me. All this because that woman suspects I have abducted her daughter. All this because they were trying to protect me. Tears started to fill up in my eyes on the thought that I dragged them all into this mess. A tear escaped from my eyes as I looked into the vast night sky.
"Stop it Sammy." My head jerked towards the voice. Alex was still looking outside the window. I wiped my tear. "I saw that too."
"What?"
"Do not think about blaming yourself for what is happening right now. I know that was what you were thinking." Alex turned towards me.
"It's not your fault, Genius," Shade said his eyes still on the road.
"We know you didn't do it that's why we are here with you. And none of us have a problem on being here." Alex then gave a naughty smile. "Hey Chipmunk, you dead?"
"I swear to God, one more time four eyes and I will kill you," Alex laughed seeing Skyler looking so annoyed.
"Do you have any problem on being here, Chipmunk?"
"Nope, I am okay to go anywhere as long as we are all together." Skyler looked at Alex.
"Don't look at me like that, you are grossing me out." Alex gagged.
"Ouch! That was straight up rude." They both giggled. I could see Shade smiling through the rear view mirror. The weight in the chest lowered a little seeing those smiles and laughs.
I looked at Arjun, his head was still on my shoulder. His eyes closed, his hair falling on to his face. The muscles on his face was relaxed but the bandage and bruises sent some kind of ache in my heard. I gently put my hand on the bruises, he didn't even flinch. Maybe it wasn't that painful after all.
Half an hour passed and we reached the building. It looked like a house, just like she said. Shade stared at the house for a while as if he recognize it. Everyone got out of the car, Shade hesitated for a minute but he shook , whatever that was in his mind, aside, sighed and got out of the car. I wanted to know what was going on in his mind suddenly bothering him, but I let it go as it was not the right time for that conversation. I then turned to Arjun who was still resting his head on my shoulder.
"Rise and shine, doofus. We have arrived." I said as I gently pushed his head. But he didn't respond. "Sleeping beauty, enough of the sleep now wake up." I nudged him but still no response. I started to panic. "GUYS! COME HERE" I screamed as I shook him vigorously.
"What?" Skyler opened the door. I felt like I was losing my mind as I tried to wake Arjun.
"He's not opening his eyes." My voice cracked. 'Come on come on please stay with me stay with me' I repeated it in my mind as I tried to wake him up. I checked for pulse, still alive thank god.
"Move" Alex pushed Skyler out of the way and splashed water onto Arjun's face. He gasped and his eyes flew open.
"What the heck just happened?" He rose and sat up on the seat as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Nothing, everything's good. We all good." Shade said as he let out a deep breath. Shade looked pale. Maybe it was due to the moonlight, or maybe not. But he looked scared.
"Where are we? And how the hell we reached here so fast?" Arjun pinched the bridge of his nose shutting his eyes tight as he tried to remember what had happened.
"You passed out, Detective," Shade said as he stretched his hands.
"For more than 15 minutes, got it" Arjun groaned. "Can still hear the ringing, dang it."
"Let's get you into the house." Alex said as she looked into the sky. "It getting cold."
Alex and Skyler took Arjun as they went into the house. I got out of the car and looked around to see that Shade was searching something in the boot of the car.
"Somewhere here. AH! Got it." He pulled out two bags from the boot.
"What's that?" I asked as I walked towards him. It was 2 shoulder bags which looked filled wit stuff. I walked towards him to get a better look, that's when I noticed a package on the back seat Gauri gave us. I opened the door and picked it up.
"Supplies, to survive for 2 days only." Shade then tilted his head towards the house and started walking towards it and I followed him. "I knew we would have to lay low for some time so I and Alex picked some things up for you know surviving."
"I'm sorry I dragged you into this," I lowered my gaze to the floor. My head was hurting, like someone is hammering a nail into it. I clutched on to the bag tighter as each step I took. I was hurting them. I am the reason for all this. Those words were clouding my mind like a dark cloud. Every breath sent a sharp sting to my heart, every time I close my eyes all I see was the wounded Arjun. He is in this situation because of me. My grip on the bag tightened.
"Hey, it's not your fault." Shade said pulling me out of my thoughts. This time his words didn't comfort me. That's what they all would say. They just feel sorry. The thoughts were going out of hand. They don't have to be sorry for anything. I was the problem here, why do they have to feel sorry? My head was throbbing. It felt like it was going to explode. then I felt a hand on my shoulder and it exploded.
"Yes it is," I snapped. "if I had been more careful none of this would have happened, if I had been alert I could have caught the person who took that video and he could've told us where Jezelle is, If I had been more cautious –," My voice broke, tears started to escape from my eyes, the weight in the chest got heavier making it hard for me to stand. I held on to the wall to balance myself. I looked at the floor avoiding eye contact, my voice broke as I said, and "I almost lost a friend just because I was not careful. All this happened because of me. Now tell me how this is not my fault."
"Over thinking much," Alex appeared next to me. She took the bags from Shade.
"Listen to me" Shade tilted my chin up with his hand, and looked into my eyes. "I told you it's not your fault. Even if it is, I don't care. I will always be there for you. Whatever it is or whoever you be, at the end of the day you are still my baby sister." As soon as he finished it, I hugged him tight. He cupped my cheeks with his hand and I looked up at him. He gave me a warm smile.