Human One

13. Night Scare and Unexpected Visitors

The first thing I notice when I grow conscious, is that I'm hot.

I don't think anything is wrong at first, because I'm used to waking up at Highclere countless times because of the heat, but then I remember where I'm at, and notice that something else besides the humid night is the reason for my horrible waking.

A blanket covers me. Or more like I'm almost completely swaddled in one.

I slowly move my arm, pushing against the barrier of the cloth. It doesn't give easily, so I start to squirm, wriggling as I try and find a way out of the suffocating heat.

Who even put me in this? Was it Becky, as revenge? Or maybe one of the attendants walked in and saw me shivering. What if it was Max, wanting to pull off a weird and random prank?

Then, I pause.

Slowly, I start to turn my head to the side, looking towards the couch, where a dark figure lounges, his head turned to look out the windows into the night sky. 

End.

My mouth instantly dries up, and I swallow, before opening my mouth.

"End. What are you doing here? Wait, never mind, it's not like you can answer." I huff, starting back up my struggle with the heavy comforter around me. "Were you the one to do this? Well it doesn't matter, just please come help me out before I die of heat."

End finally turns his head to gaze at me, but when he does my breath catches.

His eyes are bright orange, same as they were at the Highclere Harvest Festival, before he disappeared.

"Erm....End?" I finally croak out, feeling more and more on edge the longer he watches me.

Suddenly, End stands, rising to his full height. He makes his way around the couch slowly, almost as if each step is calculated, like a predator. 

He comes to a stop at the foot of the bed, and I feel very self-conscious at the fact that from his angle it probably looks like I have a double-chin, even thought that should be the least of my worries. 

"Thanks so much, End. Once I get out of this cocoon we can sit down and chat....well, I can chat, you can nod your head now and then, or maybe teach me sign language.." I ramble, trailing off as he doesn't move to untangle me, and just continues to stand there and look down at me with those glowing, orange eyes, the only color on him. 

I chuckle nervously, feeling more awkward and uncomfortable as time passes. "Not trying to sound pushy or anything, but I'm kind of suffocating from the heat here...". Still no response. "End?"

Slowly, End outstretches an arm, his hand splayed out towards the desk which sits against the wall. Fast as lightning, stream of darkness appears out nowhere, destroying the desk in seconds and leaving nothing but pieces of wood.

"Yikes." Is all my confused brain manages to come up with.

End turns on his heel, and I release a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding when his stare finally leaves me. He makes his way to the center of the room and stops, back facing me and head bowed.

My eyes widen as a whirlwind of what appears to be pitch black darkness is created out of thin air, throwing the whole room into disarray. The rug is torn into pieces, the couch slammed against a wall and broken into bits.

Even the pillows in the windows are smashed and crumbled, but they must have only been for decoration since the roof doesn't cave in thankfully. I close my eyes, recoiling as the nightstand beside me goes flying over the bed and to the other side of the room.