TW - criminal activity, firearms, mention of violence

Oh god, the footsteps are getting closer. My poor breathing starts to act up and with my eyes closed I slip my hand shakily into my hoodie pocket trying to not make a sound. I'm hoping my fingers brush against the familiar shape of my inhaler but my fingers touch nothing but inner pocket. Fuck again. I didn't think to bring it. Of course I never expected to be trapped in Mike's Market while it was being robbed at gunpoint.

I'm trying to keep my struggling breath less than loud but I don't always have control over it. I hate being asthmatic. Normally it's just bothersome if I run or do any rigorous exercise but I suppose a stressful and possibly lethal situation like this might bring it up. Evidently. I think I might cry.

I feel a cool hand press against my chest and in that instant a cool wave of relief washes over me and I can breathe normally again. That's very odd. I tense up even more despite the relief of breathing less like a brachycephalic animal and open my eyes. I look down at the large pale hand on my chest pressing me against the shelves and then follow the arm up to...Felix? What's he doing here? Of course that's a stupid question, he must eat like everyone else. I mean, he's not really a...Well, even so I am quite startled to find him and nearly whisper his name out loud but his hand with precise speed covers my mouth. My hazel eyes widen a little and stare into those violet ones of his. Who has eyes like that? Some how I know he's telling me to "shut the hell up" with them. I don't argue of course.

He's wearing all black again. Body clad in jeans, plain t-shirt, and a hoodie with the hood up. He's crouched beside me but he's now looking out the aisle. He's not wearing shoes like every other time we have had an encounter. What is up with that? Does he own any? If we survive, I really should ask him about that. I mean we're in a grocery store, there has to be a rule about shoes.

Felix is really alert and tenses himself just as the footsteps stop just before where we're hiding. He removes his hand finally but my body reacts on its own and grips the sleeve of his hoodie. I really don't want to be left alone or be here or want to die so early in my life. It really makes me think about all the stuff I haven't done like drive a car or make-out with a hot stranger.

A very slight smile appears on Felix's face and he leans down toward my ear and whispers, "Don't worry, Colin. Now close your eyes again." That velvety voice triggers those euphoric chills up and down my spine again and I involuntarily do what he tells me. Why do they feel good? It's so creepy. It's kind of, oh gosh this is even embarrassing to think, but kind of...orgasmic? I am a nearly eighteen year old guy and it's not like I never touched myself but it's not something I really do that often like normal people do my age. Honestly I believe that my life will never be normal at this alarming rate.

Felix has definitely moved away from me but I have no idea where till I hear a commotion and another gun shot. I turn my back to the end of the aisle and tuck my head down. Shit, what's going on? I'm too afraid to look though and Felix did say to close my eyes.

I hear what sounds like flesh-hitting flesh hard, shouting follows and another ringing shot before complete silence. I wait a minute or maybe hours before I feel someone or something at my back and a breath against the back of my right ear. "All clear," Felix whispers, "See you around, kid." He lingers a few seconds before he's gone. After a few of my own seconds, I open my eyes and quickly look behind me. I'm definitely alone. Fuck, a third time.

I stand up quickly and look to the front. John is on his cell phone yelling at the police I assume while the other customers are mingling at the front whispering to each other and giving uncomfortable glances to the unconscious assailants on the floor. Their masks are off and there weapons lay strewn next to them. I move out of the aisle and get a better look. I am very alarmed to see the shotgun barrel twisted into almost a right angle. One guy has mocha skin and fading dyed blue short dreadlocks while the other has a buzz cut and a big red birth mark on his olive-tone cheek that reminds me of the state of Texas.  The blue dreads guy is bleeding a lot, but I can't tell from where. Was this Felix's doing? It's very hard to imagine but at the same time I can't help thinking about superhuman strength and speed and that book I've been reading.

A half an hour later, we are all outside and giving statements to the local police. They put the less injured perpetrator in the back of one of the cop cars while the other was being driven away in an ambulance. None of us seem to know exactly what happened even though I have my hunches, I don't tell the police or mention Felix. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I knew they'd think I'm crazy. I don't think telling them my neighbor who might be a supernatural being might have beat the crap out of these guys and saved all our lives. He did save our lives, didn't he? I'm still not sure if I trust the new tenant but I'm definitely grateful. They give me water and get me to tell them where I live. One of the cops drives me home even though I don't live that far.

My mother is hysterical of course, though I'm not surprised knowing her and it didn't help being escorted by the cop to my front door. Wish he had just dropped me off in front of the apartments. She sobs and kisses me all over for a few minutes before I calm her down and tell her a million times that I was perfectly all right. Even though, I'm not, not exactly but what she doesn't know the better. After that, she makes me a sad little cup of tea and I go to my room.

I keep thinking about Felix and all that has happened in the past hour and a half. I'm not sure what to think or even do about this. I mean something is definitely up with that guy. I have so many questions, but I am suddenly very exhausted. So eventually I fall asleep with Mabel curled up beside me. I also realize I never got those groceries I set out to get in the first place.

                                                        ---

I wake up to a knock on my door. I stir from a very bizarre dream that I really don't want to dwell on much considering it involved the dark haired and bare-footed possibly vampiric new tenant.

I groan and mumble something rather unintelligent at the door. I'm expecting my mom to pop her head in to ask about ordering pizza or something when instead I see the blonde and pink head of Joanna. I blink and sit up quickly, scaring Mabel off the bed. I watch the cat slink pass Jo as she steps in and closes the door behind her. She smiles at me, in that sort of pitying way and knew mom had filled her in. I sigh and rub a hand through my hair, growling at myself when my fingers get a bit tangled in the waves.

Joanna laughs and plops down next to me on my bed, making herself at home. No surprise there. She's dressed in jean shorts and a Blondie tank top. She also has a plate of mint chocolate chip cookies. My favorite. Did I mention she's an excellent baker? "How's my favorite neighbor?" She asks while I reach for a cookie realizing how hungry I am. I glance at the tiny digital clock on my nightstand. It's already 10:15 in the evening.

"I've been better, Jo," I say before taking a generous bite of the cookie. "The cookies help, though, thank you." The last bit is slightly muffled as I chew.

She bumps her shoulder against mine as a way of saying, "You're welcome" while taking a cookie too. She places the plate on her lap and we both stare off into space or maybe just the wall in front of us. "You're mother told me what happened, but I heard some tenants talking about it downstairs." I can feel her glance at me and then she continues. "You want to talk about it, Collie?"

I think for a long minute, finishing up my first cookie. I pick up another one before I say anything on the matter. "I do and I don't," I look at her and wonder if I should tell her the whole truth or not, about Felix being there and my suspicions. She is my best friend though and I should be able to trust her with anything. She's probably the only person who will understand if not exactly believe me. She is looking at me very closely, waiting on bated breath for whatever I might say and I finally decide to be truthful. Besides I need someone to vent to, to help me work through all this freaky stuff. So I take a deep breath and tell her everything that happened at Mike's. About Felix and the robbers and what the man might have done to them. I even tell her about what he might have done to me and back track to the day before when I passed out in the hall waking up in his apartment. She takes it all in without saying anything until she feels I'm done.

"Huh," was the first thing she said while taking a big bite of her cookie and staring at the Albert Einstein poster on my door. "Well, he must be a vampire," she says so matter-of-factually that I can't help staring at her with a dumbfounded expression. I mean I know she's rather open-minded and a little odd but she sounds so confidant about it.