“Damn, I miss her,” Alik blurted.
Creed’s glazed-over eyes burst with a painful fire. He looked at Alik like he’d just stuck a knife in his gut and twisted. Even through his heartache, he didn’t missed a beat in the catch and throw fa?ade they were playing with the football, but he didn’t say anything either.
Alik let the silence go for a while, but felt compelled to speak up. “Listen, I’m not letting you off that easy, Creed. You need to talk about her.”
Creed caught Alik’s toss, turned smoothly away and started back to the motel on silent footsteps, the football tucked under his thick biceps.
“Damn it, brother,” Alik called to Creed’s back. “We all miss her. Everybody’s broken up about the way she was…” Alik visibly flinched at his crisp memory, “…about what happened, but we have to lean on each other so we don’t lose hope. We are strongest when we pull together.”
Creed stopped walking, his head hung heavily for a moment before he turned back and stared unblinking at his worn running shoes instead of the brother he didn’t even know he had until a few months ago when the family informed him.
Apparently, that bit of information was just one of the many pieces in his life he couldn’t remember, thanks to the battle with Williams back on the Big Island.
Creed knew what it felt like to have precious memories taken away, only this time he was on the receiving end of the damage it caused. And this time, it was so much worse.
Meg is gone.
“She was the glue that held me to the family.” Creed’s voice sounded hollow.
“Meg is the glue that holds our whole family tight, it’s true. It’s different without her.”
“I—I…shit Alik.” Creed ran his hand over his recently shaved head. “It’s as if I can’t take a deep breath without her.”
“I know. She has this way about her.” The sixteen-year-old shook his head as though he was just as perplexed as awed by his sister. “She just has that personality—it’s like she’s the sunlight.”
“Alik, you know I’ll never stop looking for her. She is my heart. I feel when I’m with her. Without her…” he pinched the bridge of his nose as his words trailed off, trying to control the tears.
It’s bad enough you’re saying all this sappy shit, he scoffed at himself. Don’t you dare start crying, too.
“This world is too dark, Alik. There’s evil everywhere. I will look for her until she’s found, but just so you know, I am fully expecting to die so she’s saved. Then my life will be worthwhile. Nothing else matters to me. This messed up world needs her sunlight. Maybe with you three, and now Danny…maybe you can make right the sick shit that’s wrapped itself around mankind. I was never meant to be more than a pawn in this game. At least I got to know what it felt like to love and be loved. Who knows, maybe your mom’s right about me having a soul. I expect to find out soon.”
“Whoa, Creed. There’s so much messed up about what you just said, I don’t even know where to begin.”
“Then don’t.” Creed tossed the football back at Alik, turned and jogged back to the motel. Over his shoulder he called, “We need to gear up, Al. Enough talk, I need action.”
Alik held the football under one arm, hands on hips, watching the soldier run from his emotions. Creed would deal the only way he could, by strapping on weapons and readying himself for battle.
They should be getting ready to go with night falling, but he was seriously worried about taking what was clearly an unstable team member into the field. With a heavy weight on his heart, he followed Creed back into the motel.
Chapter 40 Lean On Me
Farrow’s brows were raised when Alik walked in. She didn’t have to say anything for her boyfriend to read her facial expression. She was worried about Creed, too.
“What are we going to do about our miserable meta?” she nodded toward the closed bathroom door where a shower was just turned on.
“Misery I can stand, it’s the ominous fatal obsession I’m worried about.” Alik was grabbing his change of clothes and heading to the bathroom in Farrow’s room. “You okay if I take a fast shower?”
“Sure, I’m already dressed and ready. You boys are slowing me down,” she teased wrapping her arms around Alik’s waist and standing on tiptoe for a kiss.
“I’m all sweaty, Sparrow,” Alik murmured at her lips, a teasing smile tweaked the corners of his mouth adorably.