Eternal Echoes: The Story of Aelios and Adrian - 3. Chapter 3

The town slumbered under the weight of the night, shadows twisting as if the darkness itself was alive. An abandoned warehouse on the outskirts pulsed with unnatural energy—blaring music and sinister laughter echoed off its cold walls.

Inside, five young men circled a trembling woman, their faces twisted with cruel delight. She had witnessed the unimaginable—her boyfriend torn apart by their fangs, his lifeblood drained until his body was nothing more than a lifeless husk. And now, they turned their hungry eyes on her.

"I bet she’ll scream louder than her boyfriend," one sneered, his lips stained with blood.

"Oh, she's got fire," another mocked, licking his teeth. "Boss likes 'em with spirit."

Their leader, taller and more menacing than the rest, stepped forward. His eyes burned with a dark hunger. "Don’t worry, sweetheart," he taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "We’ll make sure you remember every second of it."

Tears streamed down her face as the cold weight of fate settled in her gut. She was going to die here. She was sure of it.

But then, the air changed. A sharp chill swept through the warehouse, silencing the mocking laughter. The temperature plummeted as if death itself had crept into the room. The lights flickered, then extinguished, plunging the warehouse into thick darkness.

One of the men shivered, his voice barely a whisper. "Did… did you feel that?"

"Something's here," the leader growled, scanning the inky blackness. His confidence faltered for the first time that night.

From the shadows came a sound—soft, sweet, and deceptively innocent. A child's voice, barely above a whisper, began to sing.

"Sleep now, sweet children, let shadows embrace,
Your pain will fade in time's endless grace."

"Close your weary eyes, no need for fear,
For I’ll be the one to keep you near."

Out of the shadows stepped a boy, no older than thirteen, his face concealed behind a cold metallic mask. Only his eyes—wide and unblinking—were visible. Behind him, shadows twisted and writhed as if they were alive, eagerly awaiting his command.

"Rest in silence, let the darkness fall,
In the quiet, you’ll feel nothing at all."

"The world is cruel, but I will be kind,
A fleeting peace, only here you’ll find."

"Hush now, little ones, your suffering ends,
I’ll shield you from what the daylight sends."

"A moment of peace before I disappear,
For the light I seek is far from here."

The men stiffened, their bodies frozen as though the very air had turned to stone. They watched, helpless, as the boy approached, the haunting song wrapping around them like a spell.

The boy reached out, his delicate fingers brushing the leader’s face in a mockery of affection. The shadows behind him stirred, their hunger barely contained.

With inhuman speed, he struck, wrenching the leader's head from his shoulders in one swift motion. The woman screamed, her voice raw with horror, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away.

With a flick of his wrist, the boy sent the shadows forward. They surged over the leader’s headless body, tearing it apart in a grotesque explosion of blood and flesh that splattered the walls.

"Hush now, sweet children, let shadows embrace,
Your pain will fade in time's endless grace."

"Close your weary eyes, no need for fear,
For I’ll be the one to keep you near."

The remaining men screamed, but their cries were drowned by darkness. One by one, the shadows claimed them, their bodies twisted and shredded by the hungry void.

The boy’s voice softened as he stood amidst the carnage, blood dripping from the walls. "Rest now, my children, for soon we’ll away… into the calm and the quiet," he whispered, kneeling beside the woman.

She sobbed quietly, unable to move. When the boy removed his mask, revealing a face streaked with tears, she found herself inexplicably calmed. His eyes, though sad, soothed her fears, filling her with unnatural peace.

"Who… who are you?" she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

"I am… the darkness you've outrun… and the peace you will never see again," he murmured, his sorrow palpable. Leaning closer, he whispered, "No one will hurt you again."

Before she could respond, exhaustion overtook her, her body surrendering to sleep. The boy stood, watching as her breathing slowed, the sirens and chaos outside signaling the arrival of help. His work was done.

With a final glance at the woman, he let the shadows engulf him, vanishing into the night, leaving behind only silence.

I jolted awake, heart racing. The nightmare lingered in my mind, vivid and horrifying. I rubbed my eyes and looked around my room—the soft light of morning filtered through the curtains. Everything seemed normal… but the images wouldn’t leave me.

The warehouse, the men, the blood… the boy with the metallic mask. It had all felt so real.

I scrambled to get ready, my mind still buzzing from the nightmare. As I dressed, my hand brushed against the silver crescent moon necklace Aelios had given me. The cool weight of the pendant calmed my frayed nerves, though a lingering unease remained.

Downstairs, my father’s voice broke through my thoughts. "Can you believe this—a maniac running around town!"

I froze, drawn to the sound of the kitchen TV. Sirens wailed as police officers swarmed the scene of devastation—the warehouse from my dream. My blood ran cold.

[Channel 6 News: On Scene with Sheila Matthews]

Anchorwoman: “We’re here with Chief Johnson for an update on the horrifying discovery inside an abandoned warehouse.”

Chief Johnson: “It’s something straight out of a nightmare. The bodies… they were torn apart, like some animal had gotten to them. In my 30 years with the force, I’ve never seen anything like this. Whatever did this… it’s not human.”

Anchorwoman: “Chief, can you give us any details on the victims?”

Chief Johnson: “Four or five bodies, hard to say… they weren’t locals. They looked like a gang, judging by their clothes.”

Anchorwoman: “What about the woman? Did she say anything about the attacker?”

Chief Johnson: “She’s in shock. But… she claimed it was a kid—maybe 13 or 14 years old."

Anchorwoman: “Do you believe her?”

Chief Johnson: [Pauses, shaking his head] “It’s hard to believe that a child could do this… but something unnatural happened there.”

The world seemed to tilt around me. My nightmare… it had happened. But how? The boy from my dream… was real?

Aelios couldn’t have done this... right? I shook my head, trying to dispel the doubts creeping in. But the weight of the crescent moon necklace suddenly felt heavier around my neck. I couldn't shake the fear that something darker was lurking beneath the surface.

After a hasty breakfast, I left for school, the nightmare still clinging to me. The air at school buzzed with tension—whispers about the warehouse incident spread like wildfire. Ethan caught up to me, his usual energy dimmed by the heaviness of the situation.

"Earth to Adrian, you alright, dude?" he asked, waving a hand in front of my face.

"Yeah... just trying to wrap my head around it all," I mumbled, my voice quieter than I intended. "I can't stop thinking about the blood."

Ethan shot me a sympathetic look. "Don't worry, man. The cops will catch the guy. It's just a matter of time."

"I hope so." I forced a smile, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the masked boy from my nightmare. That boy feels so familiar, but I can’t put my finger on it…

Classes dragged on, my attention scattered. My mind kept replaying the same horrific scenes—the boy’s eerie song, the warehouse drenched in blood. It felt too real to be just a dream.

At lunch, the rumors only got worse. I overheard snippets of conversations, each more outrageous than the last.

"A monster must’ve torn them apart," one kid whispered to his friend. "Like in one of those horror flicks."

"Or maybe it’s some psycho serial killer," another suggested, his tone too casual for the gravity of what had happened.

I flinched at their words, a chill running down my spine. People had died. It wasn’t some campfire story to gossip about.

Ethan noticed my discomfort and led me away from the murmuring crowd. "Ignore them, dude. If you want, I can walk you home after school. Maybe we can hang out, take your mind off things?"

He ruffled my hair playfully, trying to lighten the mood. I groaned in mock annoyance, batting his hand away. "There’s only one person who can do that," I muttered under my breath, thinking of Aelios.

When I got home, my irritation flared. My parents were nowhere to be found—not even a note except the usual reminder that dinner was in the fridge. Ethan, sensing my frustration, placed a comforting hand on my back.

"Hey, it’s cool. Let’s heat up dinner and figure things out later." He grabbed the heavy Tupperware from the fridge.

"What did my mom prepare this time?" I asked curiously.

"Let me check..." Ethan said, carefully opening the Tupperware. As soon as he sniffed the food, he made a terrible face and started gagging.

My heart dropped; there was only one thing in this world that could do that to Ethan…

"Broccoli Gratin...?" I asked, almost cringing.

"Sadly... yes..." Ethan coughed out.

"Maybe we order pizza... you got any cash left?" I started rummaging around the counter for loose change.

"Luckily, I do!" Ethan exclaimed, holding up some extra cash with excitement. We hurriedly called our local pizza place. With everyone staying home because of the warehouse incident, there was a shortage of some flavors, but the owner reserved us a pepperoni pizza.

When the pizza arrived, we devoured it like wolves. But as we ate, a realization hit me—I’d completely forgotten something important. I glanced at the wall clock behind me, and my eyes widened with panic as I realized I’d missed my meetup with Aelios. Holy shit, time moved that fast! My slice of pizza dropped onto the box as dread filled me. What if he thinks I forgot about him?

"Ummm, dude... are you okay? It looks like you’re having a crisis..." Ethan said, eyeing me curiously.

"Oh... it’s nothing really, Ethan..." I tried to act normal, but guilt gnawed at my insides.

"You’re lying... you’re not looking at me, and you’re fidgeting," Ethan said, putting down his pizza.

Damn his perceptive mind... I thought, scrambling for an excuse. But I was too preoccupied with the fact that I’d missed my meetup. Shit, I messed up…

Ethan had come closer, lifting my chin so our eyes met. His hazel gaze was full of concern and... something else I couldn’t quite place.

"Buddy... you suck at lying. Tell me what’s really bothering you," he said softly, his voice pleading.

I fidgeted in my seat, knowing I couldn't divulge everything. I couldn’t tell him the full truth about Aelios—about how much he meant to me and how troubled I was by the nightmares. The weight of my secrets pressed down on me.

"Sorry, Ethan... I just..." I struggled to find the right words. "It's hard to explain. I've been having these dreams, and they feel so real."

Ethan’s brow furrowed in concern. "Dreams? Like, the kind that stick with you? You’ve been drawing that boy a lot in your notebooks."

I shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I guess. I just... I don’t know. Something about these dreams feels different. It’s like I’m connected to them somehow."

Ethan glanced at the drawings scattered across my notebook. "Adrian, if you’re really worried, you should talk to someone. I know it sounds crazy, but if this boy from your dreams is showing up in the real world, you need to figure out what’s going on."

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "I don’t want to worry you. It’s just... a lot to process."

Ethan’s expression softened. "Alright, but remember, you don’t have to go through this alone. I’m here for you, okay?"

"Thanks, Ethan," I said, managing a weak smile. "I’ll try to sort things out."

As we finished our pizza, the unsettling thought of Aelios and the boy from my dream gnawed at the back of my mind. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the line between my nightmares and reality was blurring, and I had no idea what to do about it.

We were busy cleaning our plates when Ethan suddenly shivered and glanced around uneasily. “Dude... did they forecast any cold weather tonight? It’s freezing in here!”

I looked toward the kitchen window, but everything seemed normal—calm, quiet. “No, I don’t think so...” I trailed off as a familiar dread crept over me. The air—it was heavy, cold, just like in my dream.

A sharp knock at the door jolted both of us. Outside, the wind began to howl, like something was stirring it up. My heart skipped a beat.

“Dude… did you order something?” Ethan asked in a low voice, his eyes wide and fixated on the door.

“No... did you?” I replied, my pulse quickening. A part of me already knew who—or what—was waiting outside. My mind flashed back to the dream, to the news about the possible child killer. My fingers tightened around the handle of the knife.

“Didn’t they say the killer might be a kid?” Ethan whispered, reaching for a broom like it would protect him from the unknown.

“It was just speculation, Ethan,” I said, trying to sound convincing, even though doubt was creeping into my own voice. We moved cautiously toward the door, each step feeling like a countdown to something I wasn’t ready for.

“On three…” I whispered, gripping the doorknob as tightly as I could. My heart pounded in my chest. “1... 2... 3!” With a burst of adrenaline, I yanked the door open, expecting the worst.

But instead of a shadowy figure or something monstrous, there was Aelios. His pale hand gripped the doorframe, and his familiar face peered through, calm and composed despite the chaos that had built up in my mind.

“Good evening to you too, Adrian,” he said with a faint smile, his voice soft and almost amused. He reached out and gently but firmly took hold of my wrist, lowering the knife from my hand.

For a moment, all I could do was stare. But when the recognition hit me, relief came flooding in like a wave. I dropped the knife and rushed forward, muttering apologies as I peppered his cheeks with kisses. I couldn’t help it. The relief, the familiarity—it all came out in that rush of affection.

Aelios, usually so calm and unreadable, actually blushed. His pale skin turned the faintest shade of pink, and for a second, I could see something vulnerable in him.

“I will save you, Adrian! Get your hands off him, you bastard!” Ethan’s panicked voice shattered the moment. I turned in time to see him charging at Aelios with the broom, swinging it like some makeshift weapon.

“Ethan, wait!” I shouted, but it was too late. Ethan swung, but Aelios barely reacted—he didn’t need to. He sidestepped Ethan’s wild attack with ease, his movements so graceful and fluid it looked almost effortless.

Ethan kept swinging, determined to defend me, but Aelios moved like a shadow. He backflipped out of Ethan’s reach, landing smoothly and almost lazily on his feet. When Ethan tried another overhead swing, Aelios simply flipped over him, landing lightly beside me.

By the time Ethan collapsed onto the grass, panting and gasping for breath, Aelios was barely fazed. He stood beside me, his expression cool and composed again, like none of it had even happened.

“Are you done?” Aelios asked, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.

“Shut up…” Ethan muttered, breathless and frustrated.

I hurried to smooth things over. “Sorry about that, Aelios… He’s Ethan—my best friend.”

Aelios smiled slightly and extended a hand to Ethan, who hesitated before accepting it. “Nice to meet you, Ethan,” Aelios said smoothly.

Ethan grumbled something under his breath as he stood up. “I could’ve hit you, you know.”

“Sure you could,” Aelios replied with a quiet chuckle as he turned back to me. But as he stepped closer, I noticed something was off. He wasn’t the same vibrant, stoic Aelios I’d grown used to. His energy was different—muted, drained.

His appearance only made it more obvious. Aelios, who usually dressed with such precision, seemed disheveled tonight. He wore a dark grey hoodie with crimson accents at the sleeves, a loose-fitting white t-shirt peeking underneath, and dark jeans, the knees frayed and torn. His black boots were scuffed, and his shaggy, tousled hair hung in unruly waves around his face, strands of black and grey casting shadows over his violet eyes.

But what struck me most were the faint shadows under his eyes, the way he moved just a little slower, like some invisible weight was pressing down on him.

“Aelios… are you okay?” I asked softly, the unease rising again.

He just smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m fine, Adrian,” he said quietly. But as I stood there beside him, the chill in the air lingered, and a small part of me couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong.

I watched Aelios closely, scanning every inch of his body to ensure I hadn’t missed any injuries from his earlier stunts. His agility and flexibility were incredible, and I found myself falling for him even more with each passing second.

“If you keep staring like that, you’ll burn a hole right through me,” Aelios teased, his strange accent making my heart skip a beat.

My face flushed with embarrassment, and Aelios giggled softly, clearly enjoying my reaction. Ethan, meanwhile, observed Aelios intently, even as he leaned back to catch his breath. As Aelios and I stood on the patio, holding hands and lost in each other’s gaze, I noticed something unsettling—a dark stain forming around his right forearm. Crimson drops of blood splattered onto the patio.

“Aelios, you’re bleeding!” I gasped, panic rising in my chest. It wasn’t just a little blood—it was a lot.

Aelios glanced down at his arm with mild confusion, his expression oddly calm. “Oh…”

“Ethan, get the first aid kit from the kitchen!” I barked, my voice urgent. Ethan sprang into action, sprinting inside.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you,” I said, starting to unbutton my shirt. Aelios quickly turned his head away, a slight blush creeping across his face.

“Take off your hoodie,” I insisted firmly.

He opened his mouth to protest but sighed, complying. As he peeled the blood-soaked hoodie from his body, I saw the extent of the damage. His shirt underneath was just as drenched, and when he removed that too, I was left speechless. Beneath his lean appearance, his abs were sharply defined, every muscle standing out. But it was the wound on his forearm that demanded attention—a long, jagged cut, like it had been carved by claws. It wasn’t deep, but it was bleeding heavily.

I quickly tied my shirt around the wound as a makeshift bandage. Ethan rushed back with the first aid kit, looking equally shocked.

“Damn… what happened to your arm?” I asked, my voice thick with concern.

“It’s nothing,” Aelios said, shrugging it off. “It was fine before I had to dodge your friend over there.”

Ethan nodded in agreement, handing me towels and bandages. “The wound probably reopened while you were doing all those flips and tricks.”

“That’s it. No more showing off,” I said, half-joking, half-serious.

Aelios smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement. “But I only did it to impress you.”

Ethan groaned in disgust. “I think I’m going to be sick…” He bolted inside, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

“Come on, Ethan, you saw worse on the news today!” I called after him.

“News?” Aelios asked, raising an eyebrow.

Damn. My big mouth...

“Yeah… you know, about the warehouse?” I said quietly as I began carefully wrapping his forearm.

“Oh… you saw that,” Aelios murmured. His tone shifted slightly—more guarded, but with a hint of concern. “Are you okay?”

“To be honest, I’m scared, Aelios. I don’t know what’s happening in town. The murders, the bodies... Now they think a kid did it. Can you believe that?” I laughed nervously, but Aelios’s dulled violet eyes told me he wasn’t taking it lightly.

“Do you believe a kid could do that?” he asked, his voice soft but searching.

“No way. No kid could rip through five adults like that,” I replied, trying to brush it off with humor. But Aelios stayed silent, a shadow of guilt passing over his face.

“Aelios, how did you get this wound? It’s not from a dog, and I can’t just ignore it.” My voice faltered, my worry deepening.

He kept his gaze downcast. “It’s nothing. I can handle it.”

“Aelios, you can’t fix everything by yourself!” I snapped, gripping his shoulders. His skin was cold beneath my fingers, but his presence was somehow calming. “Please, let me in. I can help you. We can face this together—no more secrets.”

He hesitated, then finally met my eyes. “It’s too dangerous. For you, for everyone around you… and for me too.”

“What could be so dangerous that it threatens everyone around you?” I whispered, holding his cold hands tighter, desperate for answers.

He squeezed my hands gently, almost as if afraid to hurt me. “There are some things in this world… things you might never understand.”

“Then help me understand,” I pleaded.

Aelios’s gaze softened, his violet eyes filled with so much love that it shook me to my core. He seemed to make a decision. “If you truly want to understand, go to the Oakridge library. Find a book about Greece… especially about Argos.”

“Argos? What’s in that book?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“Just read it,” he said simply, pulling me into a tender embrace. His touch was gentle, almost reverent, as though he wanted to memorize the moment.

“Aelios…” I started, but he shushed me softly, breathing in the scent of my skin as our bodies pressed together. The intimacy between us was undeniable, and my body responded, heat stirring low in my belly. I could feel him too, hard against me. We were the same size, and that knowledge made my pulse quicken. Aelios pressed closer, his hardness against my thigh, drawing a soft moan from my lips.

“I wish we could stay like this forever,” he sighed, his voice filled with longing.

“You and me both,” I whispered, my breath shaky.

He pulled back slightly, his eyes filled with regret. “I need to rest…” He began to back away slowly, picking up his clothes from the patio floor.

“Can’t you stay a while longer?” I begged, feeling an empty void inside my heart as he retreated.

“I can’t… I have to go…” Aelios said, his voice strained, his body tense as if he was struggling to control something.

Worried, I stepped forward, but a bestial hiss escaped Aelios, as if to warn me to stay back. His hands were trembling, and his breath was ragged.

“I just needed to… check if… you were… safe…” he explained between erratic breaths.

“Please, Aelios, stay. I can help you…” I pleaded, my eyes watering as I saw him struggling with something I couldn’t even begin to imagine.

“You already… did, Adrian… you just don’t know it…” he said, gasping.

My worry escalated as his breathing became more erratic. I turned to call for Ethan’s help, but when I looked back, Aelios had vanished into the night. I felt an emptiness inside me as I looked out into the darkness.

“Aelios…” I muttered sadly, hoping he would come back. A warm hand touched my shoulder in a comforting way.

“He was the boy from your drawings, wasn’t he?” Ethan asked softly, gauging my reaction.

Without speaking, my heart heavy from Aelios’s disappearance, I just nodded. Tears welled up in my eyes. I felt so helpless and useless, unable to help Aelios with his problems.

“I don’t know what’s between you two… but know that I’m here if you need me, Adrian,” Ethan said as he came in front of me. He gently wiped away my tears, a sad look on his face.

“You really care about him, don’t you?” Ethan asked solemnly. I looked at him, his face unreadable, but I answered as honestly as I could.

“Ye… Yes…”

Ethan sighed and hugged me tightly, holding me until I calmed down. His presence was a source of comfort at the moment. We stayed silent all night, cleaning away the bloodstains on my patio floor. I think we were successful because when Ethan left and my parents arrived, they didn’t notice a thing.

Going upstairs to my room was the hardest part. My heart ached for Aelios as I fell asleep, haunted by his pained look. Clutching Aelios’s silver crescent moon pendant, I breathed a sigh and succumbed to the dark embrace of sleep.