Shadow of Death (SOD)

Chapter 62

Nighttime came incredibly fast.

And the darkness met Asher back at home.

After they had left the arcade, Rick had given his friend the time they were supposed to meet and how they were going to sneak out.

Since Asher was an expert at sneaking out of the house at night for their nightly adventures, he didn’t mind.

He simply waited.

Dinner went on as normally as it could, and eventually, everyone retired to their respective rooms.

Everyone except Clara, who was busy cleaning up the kitchen and some other places around the house.

Asher returned to his room and kept the lights off.

His phone was in his hand as he texted Rick, the two of them smoothing out their plans for the night.

Aside from his friend, Asher also texted Jayden.

"Jay, I need your help."

{What is it?}

Asher hesitated for a few seconds, thinking about how to phrase his request.

Jayden knew about his brother’s nightly adventures.

After all, he had caught him one time when he had gone downstairs to drink some water because he was parched.

Though Jayden had constantly warned Asher and even tried stopping him, at some point, he had simply given up.

His brother was just too stubborn to be reasoned with.

The only thing he could do was keep an eye out for him.

What Asher didn’t know was that Jayden was already a few steps ahead of him.

He had managed to install a tracker in Asher’s phone so he could monitor his movements in case something went wrong.

That was the only thing he could do to keep his mind at ease whenever they went out on their nightly—though not regular—adventures.

"This is the last time, I promise. Rick and I want to visit a cemetery. Cover for me, please."

Asher sent the message and waited.

A few seconds passed.

Jayden still hadn’t replied, even though he had already read the message.

Asher waited a little longer.

He calmly tapped his fingers against his phone while staring at the screen, his mind filled with anticipation.

His heart pounded as he wondered what his brother’s answer would be.

Finally, a reply appeared.

{Sigh... this better be the last time or I swear, Dad and Mum gonna hear about this.}

Asher immediately beamed with excitement.

"Sure, sure. I promise."

{Go.}

Now that he was on the same page with his brother, Asher wasted no time.

He plugged his phone into the charger, then dashed toward his wardrobe and pulled it open.

Within minutes, he had changed into a black outfit consisting of shorts and a shirt.

Both were as dark as the night sky, making it easier for him to blend into the darkness.

He looked around the room quietly.

Then he pulled out a rechargeable flashlight that was about the size of a remote control.

He slid it into his pocket before glancing at the clock hanging on the wall.

It was already eight p.m.

Asher quietly opened the door to his room a little and waited.

He slowed his breathing, doing his best to sharpen his hearing.

He could still hear movements downstairs.

That suggested his mother was still active and moving around the house.

’Damn. How long more will she take?’

Then—

Flick—!

The lights throughout the house suddenly went off.

Tak. Tak. Tak.

Asher quickly closed his door and rushed toward his bed.

Like a diver spotting a body of water, he dove onto his mattress and quickly pulled the blanket over himself.

He forced himself to remain still.

A minute later—

Creak—!

The door to his room slowly opened.

Asher remained motionless beneath the blanket.

Clara stood in the doorway, silently observing the room.

She waited for a few seconds before smiling and shuffling backward while simultaneously closing the door behind her.

Click—!

The door closed shut, and the sound of her footsteps slowly fading away could be heard.

But even with that, Asher didn’t move at all.

He remained beneath the blanket, anxiously staring at the clock.

His mother had a routine of cleaning the kitchen at night before going to sleep.

Afterward, she would check on her family—specifically the children—before finally retiring to her room.

It was a routine she followed without fail.

So Asher knew exactly where Clara would go next.

Jesse’s room.

Then Jayden’s.

And finally, her own room.

Slowly pulling the blanket off his head, Asher sat upright and waited.

Tik, tok.

Tik, tok.

The hands of the clock moved slowly and meticulously, each tick seeming louder in the quiet room.

Asher glanced at his phone.

It was already 8:30 p.m.

He needed to be out of the house by nine.

Almost immediately, his screen lit up with a message from Jayden.

{She just left my room. Wait for ten minutes before making a move.}

A smile spread across Asher’s face.

He quickly replied to the text while his phone was still plugged in.

"Sure. Thanks."

Then he relaxed back into his bed, a soft smile resting on his face.

’Man... what an awesome family and life I have here.’

And just like that, time seemed to move incredibly fast.

Ten minutes later, Asher snatched his phone from the charger and slipped it into his pocket.

"Game time," he uttered.

Then he dashed toward his bedroom door.

He quietly opened it, peeped outside, and carefully scanned the hallway with his eyes.

Nothing.

The hallway was silent.

Asher slowly stepped out.

Before leaving, he glanced back at his room.

A small mound could be seen on the bed, completely covered from head to toe with a blanket.

He smirked.

’Looks just like me.’

The door closed behind him.

Asher looked around the hallway, taking in the different doors that led to the rooms of his family members.

Then he began tiptoeing forward.

Every movement was careful.

Every step was controlled.

He made sure to keep the sound of his movements to an absolute minimum.

Even though his mother must have already climbed into bed and fallen asleep by now, Jack wasn’t.

He was usually still awake, watching soccer games on his phone.

That meant Asher needed to be even more careful.

He rushed downstairs as quickly and silently as he could.

After reaching the main door, he crouched down and reached into his sock.

A spare key.

He pulled it out and silently unlocked the door.

Click.

Asher slowly slipped outside the house.

Before closing the door, he turned his head and peered back inside.

For a moment, he glanced around.

Then he caught sight of Jayden peeking down the stairs.

His older brother shook his head with a disappointed expression.

Asher couldn’t help but grin.

He quietly shut the door.

Then he turned around and stared into the cover of the night, which was illuminated by tons and tons of streetlights stretching along the road.

The familiar night air brushed against his skin.

Asher’s smile widened.

’Let’s go.’

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