[The Trybrid Chronicles 2] The Fourth Guardian

Chapter 16: What Have I done?

Justin

My stomach felt tight as I rolled over and vomited over the side of the lumpy mattress I lay on. Head pounding and eyes swimming I saw up and looked around in confusion. “Where am I?” I looked around the tiny apartment, a few people were passed out on the floor, and a woman lay on the other side of the bed, a quick sniff told me that I didn’t sleep with her. A rubber band encircled my bicep, and I ripped it off, as I carefully made my way to the bathroom. There was a man passed out in the bathtub, but I ignored him.

Turning the faucet on I splashed some water on my face then looked in the mirror. I yelped and fell backwards. I didn’t recognize the man in the mirror. He had long curly brown hair, and a scruffy beard. His eyes were bloodshot, and his skin was pale and clammy. The man in the tub didn’t move at my cry, so I strained my ears to hear his heartbeat. “What the hell happened to you?” I cried internally.

I took stock of the rest of myself. I needed a shower badly, I was wearing a dirty t-shirt, and no pants. “Wonderful.” I sighed. “Arrow?”

“What?” Came my feline’s grumpy reply.

“What the hell happened?”

“I don’t know Justin.” Arrow sighed and the he slunk to the darkest recesses of my mind.

I sighed and went looking for my pants. I had to have some, it took me a few minutes, but I found them folded inside the dresser in the bedroom. At least I think they were mine. I got dressed and headed outside. The bright sun made me flinch, as if I hadn’t seen it in days. I noticed I was in California. At least I was somewhere familiar. It only took me a few minutes to get to a convenience store. The man behind the counter was most definitely judging me.

I found the things I needed and went to the register to pay. “Is that all for you.” The man asked.

“Yes please.” I summoned my wallet and paid. The next thing I needed to do was find a hotel. Just my luck there was motel six around the corner. I went in and rented a room for a couple of days. Once in the room, I showered and shaved and summoned a fresh change of clothes. The next time I looked in the mirror, I wasn’t as horrified. Turning on the tv I flipped through the channels until I found the news. Same old story as usual, but as I was going to turn it off my face popped up on the screen, along with Niky and Dylan’s.

“In other news. It’s been six months since Justin, Dylan, and Niky Ohmsford went missing. Authorities are still looking for any information in regard to their whereabouts. Queen Claire has asked the public to be on the lookout for them, and if seen to call this number.” A number flashed on the screen as my vision blurred. The events of the last six months coming back to me at once.

Flashback

“How are they doing?” Claire asked.

“Not well.” Chloe sighed. “None of them will talk about what happened. Other than the nightmares we have no idea what they went through.”

“There has got to be something we can do?” My Mother cried.

“We are going to try putting them all in the same room and see if that helps, if Justin’s urge to protect his mate will activate with her nightmares.” Chloe told her.

That night they moved us, but when Niky’s nightmares began, I couldn’t move. It triggered my own panic attack instead. After a few days I could see that Chloe was losing hope, but I didn’t have it in me to care. On the fourth night though Dylan spoke for the first time.

“We need to get out of here.” He said.

“How?” I whispered.

“Break out?” Niky asked.

End Flashback

We had discussed it in length, and three nights later we broke out. I have no idea what happened to Niky and Dylan. We went our separate ways. Another flashback hit me, but this one was more out of body than the last.

Flashback

I pushed the needle into my skin and sighed. How I had gotten to this point was beyond me, but it’s not like any of my family cared anyway. I lay day on the bathroom floor enjoying how the cool title felt. I don’t know how long I lay there before I realized I couldn’t move. I heard the front door open and Dylan yell that he was home. I began to panic, I didn’t want Dylan to see me like this, but I was frozen in place.

“Justin?” His footsteps neared the door, and I watched in horror as it swung open. “Justin!” He cried and ran to me.

I felt him check for a pulse before he put his much smaller hands on my chest and started CPR. “Justin please come back.” Dylan cried tears streaming down his face. “Please come back I promise I’ll be better. I’m sorry.” I wanted to comfort him and tell him it would be okay, but instead I felt tired. “Justin please I’m sorry I’ve been such a shitty brother. Don’t leave me!”

I heard the front door open again, and hurried footsteps. “Mom!” Dylan scream. Mom entered the bathroom.

“Oh god.” She cried and took over for Dylan. “GO call 911.” She told him. “Justin honey no.” MY heart broke at my mom’s cries. Why did I have to be such an awful son?

The next time I was aware of my surroundings I was at the hospital. The doctor said something about Od’ing. My mother cried and Dylan punched the wall his whole body vibrating.

End Flashback

When I woke up, we agreed not to tell my Dad who was away on business. Mom sent me to rehab for two months over the summer, and I got better. My grades, and attitude improved, and I started to do better for the most part. My thoughts went back to the scene at that apartment, and it became glaringly obvious what I had been up to the last six months. Was the pain that bad, that I relapsed after so long. The answer was yes.

“So, what you going to do?” Matt asked.

“Rehab.” I responded. “Then I am going to find Dylan, and Niky.”

“Mate tried to kill herself.” Arrow added suddenly.

“What?” I choked.

“She’s okay now.” Arrow told me. “Silver said she’s safe and alive. She’s in New York.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.” Arrow confirmed before disappearing again.

“What about Dylan?”

“No idea.” Matthias told me. “I can try to reach out to his counterparts.”

“Please do.” Matthias nodded before he too stepped back.

“Rehab first, then I will find Dylan and Niky.” I muttered.

It took a few days, but I got everything set up and entered the same center I had used when I was only fourteen. By the time I got settled I was already in withdrawal hell, and it took everything I had in me to force myself to do this. I had used my powers two nights ago to check on everyone. Dylan was in Ireland, Niky in New York, and my children were safe in Nahonia. My poor kids had been through hell the last few years.

First they lost their Dad, and then I came back. Then we were kidnapped, and now we’ve been missing for six months. We up and abandoned our children, and I would never forgive myself for that. “When I get home I promise to never leave you again.” I vowed silently. Then I attempted to send a mind link to Niky and Dylan, but I am unsure if they got it.

“I’m coming for you. Just wait for me.”