26 The Chase & The Midnight Mystery

Darren felt his mind collapsing as he tried to breathe. Trying to take in as much oxygen before he goes back to running and escaping the people who've been trying to catch him for their benefit.

He rub his forehead and wiped the sweat off of it. He's been like this for how many hours? One? Two? Three? He doesn't even know exactly because it felt like forever. He's been running nonstop, taking routes he doesn't even recognize and remember.

He's lost in this maze he had entered. Why was he being chased? He doesn't even know. One moment he's having dinner with Lily and Lee and when they seperated on their own ways, Darren found himself being followed by three masked men.

Why?

In a rush of adrenaline, he flew and took every turn he can see to try to mislead them. He's not even sure he'll be able to get back to their house at this point but escaping those unknown guys is even more important.

When he heard those familiar heavy footsteps, Darren was quick to lift himself off leaning on the wall and began running again. Trying to think of ways to lose them other than running as fast as he can.

His heart's beating loudly in his chest and the pounding off his head from drinking a little more alcohol than necessary is slowly taking its toll. He's getting scared if the sweat on his shaking hands and the obvious fear on his face is of any indication.

He tried looking for his phone on his pocket but he must've dropped them somewhere because it is no longer there.

He slowed down when he felt himself slightly getting dizzy. All he wanted to do now is to lie on his bed and finish this exhausting day off with his skin care.

However, the world has another plans for him. Is this like a game of tag? When someone has caught him, he's out? Only it was more cruel because once he's caught, he's dead?

Now, that thought only seemed to fuel the horror more.

When he heard the footsteps getting louder and heavier, Darren realized they might be getting nearer and he impulsively decided to look back and it terrified him.

Those bloodshed eyes are horrifying. They're scaring him to such an extent his pace began to get wobbly and his consciousness weaken.

What really was happening?

"Get him! Get him!" One attacker shouted with an awful voice he cannot recognize. They are definitely strangers but it seemed one-sided because they obviously know him.

Darren rounded the corner and shouted when he stumbled. Breathing rapidly and head pounding, he looked back and received a full-blown shock and fear when he saw the three masked men already standing behind him.

They wore baggy clothes and that monstrous smile that told him they aren't good people with good intentions. No, they are definitely horrid people with equally horrid plans.

"Hmm. Got you, ey?" the man smirked and it didn't provided him an image of that idiot Timothee. His was creepy and Tim's was far too sexy.

Where the hell is he, by the way?

Darren gulped and tried to crawl backwards but the men only laughed and even that sounded hideous. His hands began to tremble and tears are threatening to fall out when one of them stretched his hands to grab him.

It was all useless to try to fight. He wouldn't win, not even the slightest bit.

The three masked men laughed morosely as the unknown guy touched his face and he lose it.

"AAAAAAAAAH!"

Darren bolted up with the same amount of fear and sweat moments ago. He wildly looked around and let out the biggest sigh when he realized he was in his bedroom.

It was a nightmare. It was all and only a nightmare. Darren tried to inhale and exhale for a few moments before he successfully began to feel himself calm down but he can still his heart pounding from the amount of horror he accumulated in that nightmare.

It felt too real and it was frightening. Darren stood up with a trembling feet. He doesn't even know what time is it but guessing from the darkness outside, it must be midnight, give or take a few hours.

He grabbed his night robe and decided to get a glass of water to really soothe his nerves. His mind is still processing what happened and still a little disoriented with the present.

He was about to take a turn to go to the dining when he had noticed a small light in the living room followed by a hush voice. He creased his forehead.

Silently, Darren redirected his foot to try to get a peek. Careful not to make so much noise as not to disturb him or probably wake him incase he fell asleep with the television left on.

Darren was concealed on the darkness at the entrance to the living room.

"It was me" was what he heard when he's within earshot to understand and see what Tim was doing.

And there he was nestled at the couch, the light Darren saw was from a laptop he didn't even know Tim brought with him.

He was only wearing a black jog pants and he was again clutching an ice bag to his head. It must still be hurting up until now. The impact was sorta hard.

But despite that, he wore a neutral but serious facial expression and he was staring straight at the laptop in front of him, eyeing it without the usual humor his eyes held whenever he's talking to him

What is he doing this late at night? And who is he talking to?

"Yes" Tim continued to talk with whoever it was on the other side.

He tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows when a sound from the laptop notified him.

"I'll call you back tomorrow for the update Hugo"

Tim ended the call and grabbed the laptop to rest it on his lap. For minutes, he just stared at his laptop, seeming as if he was reading something long. And that's when Darren realized, he should just go back and sleep.

But the moment Darren was about to move away was the moment Tim moved and did something on his phone. Curiously, Darren decided to stay a bit more and eavesdrop. His nosiness is winning at this time of the night especially when it was Tim looking the most serious he has ever seen.

He wasn't wearing his smirks and grins. He wasn't smiling playfully and there was no mischief on his eyes and it's making Darren inquisitive. What is he doing? It doesn't look like he's surfing the net nor watching a movie.

He watched him put the phone on his ear and for seconds, waited.

"Hey"

Now, who was he talking to?

Tim sighed and cupped his chin casually with his palm. "Yes, yes. It's fine. Let them"