He'd stayed away at first. It was easier to believe what he knew to be true when he wasn't confronted with places where he kept expecting to meet her. Only to find them empty
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Now that he's certain that Callie is still alive somewhere, Michael is drawn back to the beach house. He's not sure what he hopes to find. Certainly if there had been anything here that might help him find her, it's long gone by now
( ... )
It's a small sound. At first he thinks it's just the wind and the waves but the sound keeps pricking at his mind, like a small bird trying to get to a kernel in a crack.
It doesn't fit, the sound.
And before he has even consciously realized that what he hears is footsteps he is getting up and moving toward the beach house.
He would never go in there, not when she isn't inside. But this is different. Somebody is in there. And nobody should be.
He creeps through the door, walking slowly, trying not to breathe too loud. A floorboard cracks and to him the sound is loud as gunshots. He stops, feeling his heart hammer in his chest.
He is looking scruffy and worn and he still limps a little, from his run-in with Lexi. There are scabbed scratches and cuts on his hand and face and he hasn't shaved in a couple of days.
Michael looks up, hearing a sound coming from here inside the house. He holds his breath, waiting for it to be repeated, but it doesn't come again. That makes Michael even more uneasy. His fingers tighten around the two carved figures, and he makes his way slowly to the door of Callie's room.
He opens the door slowly, edging out into the hallway, making his way toward the stairs. He's extremely jumpy all of a sudden. If this is Alex... Michael doesn't even want to think of what could happen. He knows Alex wouldn't be happy to see him here, to say the least.
Top of the stairs, then he waits. Still the sound isn't repeated, and Michael is trying to decide whether to make a break for it and get out of the house, or to write it off as the house settling and continue his search. And then he sees a shadow barely move down below and suddenly he can hear the blood pounding in his ears.
The thought of going up the stars makes him swallow hard, but he has to. Someone is up there. And this is Callie's house. And he has to protect it while she is away.
Since he couldn't protect her.
Once he moves, he moves quickly enough, taking two steps at a time.
It's not Alexander. Or that other one. Mike. He looks young and scared and he had better be. He had better be.
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It doesn't fit, the sound.
And before he has even consciously realized that what he hears is footsteps he is getting up and moving toward the beach house.
He would never go in there, not when she isn't inside. But this is different. Somebody is in there. And nobody should be.
He creeps through the door, walking slowly, trying not to breathe too loud. A floorboard cracks and to him the sound is loud as gunshots. He stops, feeling his heart hammer in his chest.
He is looking scruffy and worn and he still limps a little, from his run-in with Lexi. There are scabbed scratches and cuts on his hand and face and he hasn't shaved in a couple of days.
Reply
He opens the door slowly, edging out into the hallway, making his way toward the stairs. He's extremely jumpy all of a sudden. If this is Alex... Michael doesn't even want to think of what could happen. He knows Alex wouldn't be happy to see him here, to say the least.
Top of the stairs, then he waits. Still the sound isn't repeated, and Michael is trying to decide whether to make a break for it and get out of the house, or to write it off as the house settling and continue his search. And then he sees a shadow barely move down below and suddenly he can hear the blood pounding in his ears.
Reply
The thought of going up the stars makes him swallow hard, but he has to. Someone is up there. And this is Callie's house. And he has to protect it while she is away.
Since he couldn't protect her.
Once he moves, he moves quickly enough, taking two steps at a time.
It's not Alexander. Or that other one. Mike. He looks young and scared and he had better be. He had better be.
Reply
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