Chereads / Bloodlines: The Tribrid Legacy / Chapter 6 - Why Are You Here?

Chapter 6 - Why Are You Here?

'Uhm, that was easy." Lex thought to himself. He wasn't expecting the detectives to give up that easily. He was expecting them to keep pressing on till they got the truth out of him.

But what truth? 'From where I'm sitting, I didn't kill them.' He thought to himself.

Khaos was the one who took over his body and did the killing. Well, the detectives already indicated that they don't think he killed them, so, apparently, he has no problems.

Lex's thoughts were abruptly severed by Victor's piercing inquiry, shattering the tense silence that had enveloped the room.

"And why did you keep the beating a secret?" Victor's voice was laced with a hint of curiosity, his eyes narrowing slightly as he awaited Lex's response.

Lex's mind raced, caught off guard by the unexpected question. He had anticipated a dismissive wave of the hand, a swift return to the familiar dynamics of neglect and disdain. But Victor's probing gaze suggested a deeper interest, a spark of concern that Lex couldn't quite decipher.

"I...I didn't want to bother you," Lex stammered, his voice barely audible. "It was nothing, really. I could handle it."

Victor's chuckle was low and menacing, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, trying to play the tough one, huh? Thinking you can take on the world alone?"

Lex's thoughts seethed with frustration, his mind screaming silently: What would you have done, anyway? Would you have cared? The words remained locked behind his lips, his gaze fixed on some invisible point in the distance as Victor's questioning stare bore into him.

The silence that followed was oppressive, heavy with unspoken threats and veiled warnings. Then, without another word, Victor turned and left, his parting shot hanging in the air like a challenge: "Remember, Lex, I'm watching. Don't think you can hide anything from me."

As the door closed behind his foster parents, Lex felt a wave of relief wash over him, mixed with a thrill of trepidation. He knew that reprieve was temporary, that the fragile peace would soon shatter beneath the weight of Victor's wrath.

He decided to leave the house and go visit his friend, Bryan. His entire head is in a mess right now and he needed to clear it all.

Stepping out of the house, the harsh sun which was just rising shoned on his face, the sunny day shining bright.

Lex had just met Bryan a few weeks ago and surprisingly, they had become close friends within a very short period of time.

His thoughts drifted back to that fateful day, when he was ambushed by bullies on his way back from the library.

Just as all hope seemed lost, a hero emerged from the shadows. Bryan, with his mysterious smile and fast reflexes, dispatched the assailants with ease. And then, just as suddenly, he disappeared from the scene even before Lex could ask him for his name.

Their next meeting was no less unexpected, but this time, they had the chance to talk. Lex discovered that Bryan was an orphan, just like him, and had recently lost his parents. The similarities in their stories formed an instant connection, and their friendship blossomed.

Bryan had always acted weird but Lex wasn't bothered about that, he wasn't ready to lose his only friend. Bryan was the only person he had ever gotten really close with in such a little time.

As Lex approached Bryan's apartment, a sense of unease crept over him. The deserted area seemed to stretch on forever, with only Bryan's apartment breaking the monotony of the desolate landscape. The air was heavy with an eerie silence.

According to him, Bryan's parents weren't that rich but they left behind some properties and a trust fund for him so he was still able to survive even without having to work.

As Lex's knuckles rapped against the door, the silence that ensued was oppressive, heavy with an unsettling stillness. He waited, his ears straining to detect the faintest hint of movement, but the apartment seemed to be holding its breath.

"Bryan?" Lex called out, his voice low and hesitant. The only response was the eerie quiet, a vacuum that seemed to suck the words out of his mouth.

A shiver coursed down his spine as he grasped the door handle, his heart pounding in anticipation. The door creaked open with an unsettling ease, as if pushed by an invisible hand. Lex's eyes widened in shock as the door knob suddenly detached from its socket, clattering to the floor with a metallic clang.

"What the...?" Lex's voice trailed off. His mind raced to comprehend the sudden turn of events. He stepped into the dark living room, the air thick with an eerie silence. As he reached for his phone, the door slammed shut behind him with a resounding bang.

Lex's heart skipped a beat, his pulse racing with anticipation. A low, menacing chuckle sounded in his head and he needed no one to tell him that it was Khaos.

He had been quiet for a while now but seems he's back to taunt him. "Was that you?" Lex asked, his brow furrowed in suspicion.

"Of course not," Khaos's guttural voice resonated in his mind. "I'm a werewolf, not a magician, and I'm currently residing in your head, so there's not much I can do."

Lex's eyes narrowed. "Then is this another illusion?" He fumbled for his phone, finally managing to switch on the flashlight. The faint light cast eerie shadows on the walls, illuminating the dark room.

Khaos remained silent, leaving Lex to his own devices. With a deep sigh, Lex approached the door, his footsteps slow and steady.

As he approached the door, the silence was abruptly shattered by a series of loud bangs, echoing through the room like a death knell. Lex's heart leapt into his throat, his breath catching in his chest. Fear's icy grip tightened around his heart, threatening to suffocate him.

For what felt like an eternity, he stood frozen, his hand hovering over the doorknob. The banging persisted, each blow resonating through the door like a hammer striking an anvil. Lex's mind raced with worst-case scenarios, his imagination running wild with visions of grotesque creatures and sinister entities.

With a Herculean effort, Lex summoned his courage and grasped the doorknob, the metal cold and unforgiving in his palm. He hesitated, his hand trembling, before finally mustering the strength to turn the handle and push the door open.

As the door creaked open, a figure loomed before him, its features illuminated by the faint moonlight filtering through the windows. Lex's heart skipped another beat as he beheld Bryan, his eyes sunken, his skin sallow and pale. Bryan's once-lustrous hair now hung limp and lifeless, framing his face like a dark halo.

Bryan's eyes, once bright and warm, now seemed to hold a haunting emptiness, a window to a soul tormented by the depths of despair. His smile, once radiant and reassuring, now twisted into a macabre grimace, sending shivers down Lex's spine.

"Lex," Bryan's voice was barely above a whisper, his tone laced with an unsettling melancholy. "What are you doing here?"