Taking Matters Into His Own Hands

         He felt sluggish, if that was one word to describe his current state. He also felt incredibly nauseous as memories from the night before were beginning to recollect. At the moment, however, he wasn’t focused enough to think anything of it. All he wanted to do right now was get home and as far away from that mad woman as he could.

         Had she drugged him? No, he had willingly allowed himself to drink too much and was incapable of controlling his actions as a result. It wasn’t his fault that her disguise - while horribly made - was enough to convince him she was another woman while he was intoxicated. 

         Erik stumbled out of the ghoul’s bedroom, searching as frantically as he could with a throbbing headache for the exit. ‘Down the stairs, right ahead, don’t trip’ he found himself repeating over and over in his head, ignoring the anger that had begun to bubble away inside him.

         He barely made it to the kitchen before he head a startled noise, and he turned his attention to the culprit that caused it. The teenager looked horribly familiar, though the startled and frightened look that was plastered on his face was one Erik hadn’t seen on the boy before. The other housemate was quick to duck behind the kitchen counter, knocking over his coffee cup in the process - but it didn’t matter. He’d been seen.

         The CCG agent didn’t know what confused him more. The fact that he’d drunkingly slept with the ghoul that had been continually harassing him for years, or the fact that one of his brother’s boyfriends - and childhood best friend - lived in the same house as her.

         Not being something he wanted to stick around to mull over, he promptly left the building. It was only once he’d walked a fair distance did his thoughts clear and a realisation dawn.

         They looked the same. Siblings, perhaps? That meant that Isaiah himself was also a ghoul.

         He needed to get home as soon as possible. He had work to do. Perhaps a very serious talk with Alistair was also to be initiated. Ghouls were everywhere, and he needed to do something about it.

         Starting with Isaiah.

---

         Alistair woke up, a heavy feeling of drowsiness still lingering over his body making it difficult for him to move. He didn’t quite know what was going on as he rarely slept, let alone slept through his alarm. He’d be late for school.

         Late for school.

         He felt his heart skip a beat and suddenly felt incredibly nauseous and uneasy. Alistair needed to get there as soon as possible, assuming the events from the night prior weren’t a part of a dream. He tried to get up, but it was a struggle. He had no idea why he was having so much trouble moving! Unless… 

         He’d been drugged. Shit, that could only mean his brother was deliberately preventing him from attending Hillview today. 

         Eventually, the boy managed to sit up, pull on some clothes and head to the door - only to find that the door had been locked from the outside, and the inside lock broken.

❛❛Fuck!❜❜

         He cursed out loud several times whilst haphazardly shaking the handle to no avail. He was trapped in his own bedroom. Stressed, Alistair realised there was only one way he could get out and save his friends, and that was to jump out the window. So that’s exactly what he did. Not before he tripped and broke his arm - two stories is a long way to fall if you fall incorrectly.

         Despite this, he ran. Ran as fast as he could. It was only when the school came into view and he noticed the CCG vans and backup surrounding it that he really began to panic. Something had gone horribly wrong.

         The school was silent. He didn’t know where to go. He ran from room to room, but even the office was vacant of staff. Where was everyone?

         It dawned on him. The assembly hall. That was the only place that could hold everyone comfortably. That’s where he would look.

         He pushed his way through the huge entry doors and the colour promptly drained from his face. What had happened?

         All the ghouls he knew plus more were standing, most showing signs of fright and some were visibly crying. Rahart was bleeding and unconscious in the corner of the hall while a CCG agent checked him over and handcuffed him. The tension was incredible but at the same time, unnerving.

         Alistair locked eyes with Erik in the front of the room. His brother had done something, and he wanted to know what.