Love Alarm
The dim glow of streetlights flickered as Edward and Mabel continued walking, putting as much distance between themselves and the park as possible. The near-silent streets felt like a temporary sanctuary, but they both knew it wouldn't last. Edward's thoughts buzzed with every possible outcome, weighing the risk of their next move. The night's tension still clung to them, unshakable.
Edward glanced at Mabel, her face pale and her steps slower than before. He couldn't help but think about what she had been carrying all this time-an invisible burden, one she had tried so hard to shield him from. He wondered what else she was hiding.
"We should stop soon," Edward said, breaking the silence. "You look exhausted."
Mabel shook her head stubbornly. "No, we can't stop. Not yet. It's too risky."
Edward could see the fear etched in her eyes, but exhaustion was taking its toll. Her legs trembled with each step, and the adrenaline that had once fueled their escape was fading. He stopped abruptly, gently grabbing her arm to slow her down.
"Mabel," he said softly, "you're going to collapse if we don't rest."
Mabel's eyes darted around as if expecting someone to emerge from the shadows. She pressed her lips together, clearly torn between her instincts to keep moving and Edward's concern. After a moment, she sighed and nodded.
"Okay," she relented, though her voice was weak. "But just for a few minutes."
They found a secluded alley behind an old convenience store. Edward led her to a bench near the back entrance, tucked away from the street. He watched as she sank down, her body heavy with fatigue.
"I never meant for you to get dragged into this," Mabel murmured, staring at the ground. "This life, this danger... it's not fair to you."
Edward sat beside her, his eyes fixed on her face. "Stop saying that. I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to do this alone."
Mabel bit her lip, her expression hardening as she glanced away. "But you should. You should walk away, Edward. I'm putting you at risk just by being near you."
He shook his head, resolute. "I've already made my choice."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, the weight of everything they had gone through heavy between them. Edward could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken words that lingered on the edge of their minds. He wanted to reach out, to comfort her, but something held him back. Maybe it was the realization that no matter how close they were, there was still so much he didn't understand about her world. About the dangers she faced.
---
The silence was shattered when a faint buzzing sound came from Edward's pocket. He pulled out his phone, glancing at the screen.
Unknown number.
His heart skipped a beat as he hesitated, then answered. "Hello?"
The voice on the other end was rough, low, and unsettling. "You should've stayed out of this, kid."
Edward's pulse quickened. "Who is this?"
"Someone who knows more than you do," the voice replied. "Leave her alone. If you value your life, walk away."
Edward's grip tightened around the phone, his knuckles turning white. "I'm not going anywhere. And if you come after us again, I swear-"
The voice cut him off, a cold laugh filling the line. "You're already too deep. The moment you got involved with Mabel, your fate was sealed."
Before Edward could respond, the line went dead.
His breath caught in his throat as he stared at the phone, his mind racing. He could feel Mabel's eyes on him, her face filled with concern.
"Who was that?" she asked softly.
Edward shook his head, his voice grim. "I don't know. But they know about us. About you."
Mabel's face paled even further, and she bit her lip, her mind clearly spinning with the implications of the call. "They're watching us," she muttered. "They're always watching."
Edward stood abruptly, pacing back and forth in front of her. "We need to do something. We can't keep running like this. We need to find out who they are, and why they're after you."
Mabel shook her head, her voice wavering. "It's not that simple, Edward. You don't understand-there are too many of them. They're everywhere. The Order... they've been after my family for years."
"The Order?" Edward stopped pacing, turning to face her. "What do you mean?"
Mabel hesitated, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and resignation. She had spent so long hiding the truth, protecting Edward from the full extent of the danger. But now, there was no point in holding back. He was already in too deep.
"They're a powerful organization," she began slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. "They've been hunting people like my family for generations. We have... certain abilities. Powers that they want to control. They've been after us for as long as I can remember."
Edward's mind spun, trying to process what she was telling him. "Powers? What kind of powers?"
Mabel looked away, her hands trembling slightly as she spoke. "We're not normal, Edward. My family... we have abilities, things that most people can't even imagine. But the Order wants to use those abilities for their own gain. They'll stop at nothing to get what they want."
Edward's stomach churned as he tried to make sense of everything. Abilities? An organization hunting her family? It sounded like something out of a nightmare, but the fear in Mabel's eyes was all too real.
"So... what can you do?" he asked cautiously, his voice filled with uncertainty.
Mabel hesitated, glancing down at her hands. "I... I can sense things. Emotions, feelings. I can read people in a way that's... different. It's hard to explain."
Edward stared at her, his mind struggling to grasp the concept. "And the Order wants to control that?"
Mabel nodded. "They want to use us, to exploit our abilities for their own gain. That's why they've been hunting my family for so long. And that's why I've been running."
Edward took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "We need to fight back, Mabel. We can't just keep running forever."
Mabel looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear. "You don't understand, Edward. They're too powerful. We can't take them on alone."
Edward's jaw tightened as he stared at her, his determination growing. "Then we'll find help. We'll figure this out. I'm not giving up on you."
Mabel opened her mouth to protest, but before she could say anything, the faint sound of footsteps echoed through the alley. Both of them froze, their bodies tense.
Edward's heart raced as he turned toward the entrance of the alley, his eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.
"Mabel," he whispered, "we need to move. Now."
---
Before they could react, a figure stepped into the alley, their face hidden in the shadows. Edward's heart pounded in his chest as he instinctively moved in front of Mabel, shielding her from the stranger.
"Who are you?" Edward demanded, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at his insides.
The figure didn't respond, but Edward could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating. The stranger took a step forward, their presence menacing and dark.
"Mabel Crestyl," the figure finally spoke, their voice cold and emotionless. "It's time for you to come with us."
Mabel's grip tightened on Edward's arm, her fear palpable. "No. I'm not going anywhere with you."
The stranger let out a low chuckle, their face still obscured by the shadows. "You don't have a choice."
Without warning, the figure lunged toward them. Edward reacted on instinct, pushing Mabel aside as he threw a punch at the attacker. His fist connected with the figure's jaw, sending them stumbling back, but it wasn't enough. The stranger quickly recovered, retaliating with a swift kick to Edward's stomach.
Edward gasped as the wind was knocked out of him, but he refused to back down. He threw another punch, this time catching the figure off guard and sending them crashing into the wall. But before he could land another blow, the stranger pulled a knife from their coat, the blade glinting in the dim light.
Mabel's scream echoed through the alley as the knife slashed toward Edward, barely missing his side. He dodged to the left, but the stranger was fast-too fast. Edward's heart pounded as he realized he was outmatched.
But then, something happened. Mabel stepped forward, her eyes blazing with a fierce intensity that Edward had never seen before. She raised her hand, and suddenly, the air around them seemed to shift.
The figure froze, their body rigid as if held in place by an invisible force.
Edward stared in shock as Mabel's power took hold, her hand outstretched and her expression focused. The figure struggled against the invisible restraint, but it was no use.
"Mabel... what are you doing?" Edward whispered, his voice filled with awe and fear.
Mabel didn't respond, her eyes locked on the stranger. She held them in place for a few moments longer before finally releasing her grip. The figure collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as if they had just been freed from a powerful, crushing force. Edward stood frozen, his mind reeling from what he had just witnessed. He could hardly process the fact that Mabel had used... whatever that was.
The stranger tried to rise but faltered, groaning in pain as they clutched their chest. Edward looked at Mabel, his eyes wide. "What the hell was that? How did you do that?"
Mabel stood there, her breathing heavy, hands trembling as she lowered them to her sides. The fire in her eyes dimmed, replaced by an overwhelming sense of dread. She swallowed hard, shaking her head.
"I didn't want you to see that," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I didn't want you to know what I'm capable of."
Edward took a step toward her, his mind racing with questions but his heart full of compassion. "You saved us, Mabel. You saved me."
She shook her head again, backing away. "No, Edward, you don't understand. This... this is why they're after me. Why they won't stop until they have me. I'm dangerous."
"You're not dangerous, Mabel," Edward said, his voice firm. "They are. You didn't ask for any of this."
Mabel's eyes met his, full of pain and uncertainty. "But I still have this power, and people keep getting hurt because of it."
Edward glanced down at the stranger, who was still groaning on the ground. His anger flared up again. "People are getting hurt because they won't leave you alone. We need to figure out who these people are and how to stop them."
Mabel stared at him, the weight of everything crashing down on her. "But we can't do it alone, Edward. I've been trying for so long to avoid this, to hide from it, and look where it's gotten me."
Edward stepped closer, taking her hand gently in his. "We'll find a way. Together. I'm not leaving you, no matter how hard this gets."
She gazed into his eyes, searching for any hint of doubt, but found none. His resolve was stronger than ever, and that terrified her almost as much as it reassured her.
---
They both turned as the stranger on the ground let out a low, guttural laugh, still struggling to get up but defiant.
"You think this is over?" the stranger rasped. "You're both marked. They'll come for you, no matter where you go."
Edward clenched his fists, his patience fraying. "Who's 'they'? Who sent you?"
The stranger chuckled again, their voice low and menacing. "You'll find out soon enough. They don't take kindly to defiance."
Edward exchanged a glance with Mabel. He had a growing sense that they were in over their heads, but there was no turning back now. Whoever these people were, they weren't going to stop coming after Mabel-and now, after him too.
"Get out of here," Edward growled, grabbing the stranger by the collar and pulling them to their feet. "And tell whoever sent you that we're not going to run anymore. We're going to fight back."
The stranger sneered, brushing themselves off. "Big talk for a couple of kids." But as they turned to leave the alley, they stumbled slightly, the lingering effects of Mabel's power still evident in their weakened state.
Edward watched them go, tension coursing through his body. He knew that wouldn't be the last they saw of the Order or whoever was behind them. But he also knew that he wasn't going to let fear control them.
Mabel was silent for a long moment, her eyes fixed on the darkened alley where the stranger had disappeared. "Edward... what if they come back? What if they send more people next time?"
Edward took her hand, squeezing it gently. "Then we'll be ready. We'll find out what they want and how to stop them. But we can't do this alone. We need help."
Mabel nodded slowly, though the uncertainty still weighed on her. "I know a place... someone who might be able to help us. But it's risky."
"Risky how?"
Mabel hesitated, biting her lip as she thought about what she was about to suggest. "There's someone from my past... someone I used to trust. He's powerful, but he's also unpredictable. I'm not sure if he'll help or if he'll turn us over to the Order."
Edward raised an eyebrow. "Do we have another option?"
She shook her head. "No. He's the only one who knows enough about the Order to give us a chance."
Edward exhaled, realizing that their choices were limited. "Then we have to try. We can't keep running."
---
Later that night, after wandering through the empty streets, Mabel led Edward to a rundown part of town. The buildings here were old and worn, their windows darkened and the streets eerily quiet. The tension between them was thick as they approached a small, dilapidated building with a single flickering light above the door.
"This is the place?" Edward asked, eyeing the crumbling structure with skepticism.
Mabel nodded, her eyes flicking nervously to the shadows. "His name is Alec. He's... different. But if anyone can help us, it's him."
Edward didn't question her further as they approached the door. Mabel knocked, the sound echoing through the empty street. For a long moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, the door creaked open just a crack, revealing a pair of dark, wary eyes.
"Mabel Crestyl," a deep voice said from behind the door. "I was wondering when you'd show up again."
Mabel took a deep breath, steeling herself. "We need your help, Alec. It's important."
The door opened wider, revealing a tall figure with sharp features and piercing eyes. Alec studied Mabel for a moment before his gaze shifted to Edward.
"And who's this?" Alec asked, his tone dripping with suspicion.
"Someone I trust," Mabel replied firmly. "We don't have time for games, Alec. The Order is after us. We need information, and we need it now."
Alec's expression shifted, a hint of curiosity crossing his face. "The Order, huh? So it's finally come to this." He stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter. "Come in, then. Let's see what kind of mess you've gotten yourselves into."
Edward followed Mabel inside, his mind still buzzing with questions. As they stepped into the dimly lit room, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of a much larger, much more dangerous battle.
Alec closed the door behind them, locking it with a series of bolts and chains. "So, you're both in deep now," he said with a smirk. "Let's hope you're ready for what's coming next
."
As they settled into the room, Edward couldn't help but wonder if they'd made the right choice in coming here. But one thing was certain-there was no turning back now.
---
To be continued.....