Insert One Liner Here (Book 2)

Chapter Fourteen: You Look Like Death

Chapter Fourteen: You Look Like Death

I look around the silent, empty apartment and slowly begin to feel a burning sensation rise up my throat. It burns like when you drink hot chocolate when it's too hot but you have to swallow it because there's nowhere else for it to go, except there's sort of a numbing feeling so that the heat doesn't make me spontaneously combust. My hands feel heavy and hot. As the realization of what is happening kicks in, I let out a loud, angry growl and scalding hot water shoots out of my hands. The pressure of the water pushes the couch across the floor slightly and the carpet in the living room sops up the water and starts steaming.

I let out a very manly yelp at the sudden heat and look at my reddened hands. Okay, that actually really hurt. Hey, at least now I know I change water temperatures. That's pretty cool and will come in handy.

Okay Arlo, stay on track. Your family has just been kidnapped and are being held hostage by an idiotic shadow. I look at the pictures on the table and one in particular catches my eye. It's the one of Mindbomb and I. That awesome moment in my life when I met my favourite person, the world's favourite hero. It's a shame that he's dead, but I'll do what he would've done. I will risk my life to save the ones I love. I'm going to save my family.

I sprint towards the balcony and just as I'm about to fly off, someone comes crashing onto it and knocks me, and themselves, to the ground. What the heck? I glance up and see Arachnid laying on the floor, clutching her head through her brown curls.

Oh gosh, not now. I can't deal with her. She sits up and looks around and then at me. Her eyes widen when she realizes who I am and where I am. Crap, she knows where I live now. A wide smile spreads across her face, revealing her pearly white teeth.

"Oh my gosh, it's you!" She says as she quickly stands up. I roll my eyes. She extends her hand out towards me to help me up. I slap her hand away and get up on my own. She furrows her eyebrows but shakes it off.

"What are you doing on my balcony?" I ask in an annoyed tone and glaring at the weirdly perky woman. She half laughs and scratches her head.

"I'm still learning how to control my spider web swinging ability thing." She replies. She looks into my house then looks at me. "This is your house?" She asks. I'm hesitant to respond and she takes that as a yes. She pushes me out of the way and walks inside. I groan and chase after her. I grab her wrist and spin her around before she can get a look at any of the family pictures and whatnot.

"Arachnid, please..." I say in a pleading tone. She looks at the ground and sees the smashed picture frame and the note on the floor. She stoops down and picks it up and her eyes scan it. I pinch the bridge of my nose and that burning feeling starts happening again.

When she is finished reading, her hand lets go of the note and it falls to the ground. Her eyes wander back up to meet mine and her face has gotten noticeably uneasy. "I-I'm sorry." She stammers out. "Go save your family Ar-I mean Current." She says as she walks towards the balcony doors. Did she almost just call me by my name? Ugh, whatever. I don't have time for this right now. I follow behind her and shut the door behind me. She looks at me for a brief moment before shooting a web out of her hand in the direction of a building and flying off the balcony. I let out a sigh and shoot off of the balcony and into the sky.

When I land, I land in the parking lot of the warehouse where TC, Plasma and I trained. My hands are shaking, I feel like I'm going to throw up and I'm pretty sure I look as if I'm going to pass out. I walk slowly towards the door of the warehouse. With each step I take I grow increasingly more nervous. This could be the day I die, or my family.

I reach the door and grab the handle. I turn the doorknob slowly and swing the door open. I walk in and it's dark in there. The windows have been blacked out and the only light is from the opened door. I walk in, running my hand through my short hair which makes me remember who cut it; Greg. The door slams behind me, making me jump and sending the entire place into complete and utter darkness. Suddenly the overhead hanging lamp turns on, and underneath it stands the silhouetted man, all silhouetted and stuff. Still looking as foggy and wispy as ever. Oh, and evil. Yes. Very, very evil.