Time moves so slowly in your mind when you forget where you are and what you're doing. You can almost watch the world move around you, while you're stuck in the same position. It's like you're playing a game of freeze tag with yourself, and there's no one to tap you out. So you just sit there waiting for some confirmation that you can move again - that everything is okay.

    After hearing what Eli said, everything was blurry. I didn't know truly what was going on or what he had agreed to, but it made my stomach turn into knots I didn't know it was capable of conjuring. I had to breathe life into my lungs again as I had held my breath in order to hear what they were saying. However, by the time I had gathered my thoughts and focused on the two of them again, they were making their way closer towards me.

    I knew they did not see me, or at least I thought. They moved with a slowness that was not sneaky, but rather relaxed. They continued talking in whispered tones too quiet for me to hear as I could only listen to the sound of my own heartbeat in my ear drums.

    Before they got too close I ran as fast as I could towards the hideout. I couldn't see very well and I wasn't entirely sure where I was. I just trusted that my feet knew where to go. I heard nothing behind me but the wind, and even that couldn't catch up. I tried to think of what to do or what to say to Mia about what I had seen, but my legs were quicker than my thoughts.

    I pushed my way through the doors and ran downstairs to Mia startled and, remarkably, still eating her sandwich.

    "What are you, Sonic??" She yells at me, almost dropping part of her sandwich on the floor.

    "Sonic? What's that?" I ask her, not understanding the reference.

    "Nevermind, what's going on? Where's Eli?"

    I didn't know what to say. I wasn't sure of the seriousness of the situation. How could this make Eli look? Sure, it could've been completely innocent. Although, even just thinking that sounds silly. Who was he going to get rid of?

    "Um nothing, I just wanted...to scare you. That's all" I responded, and she gave me a "you're-obviously-bullshitting-but-I-don't-feel-like-addressing-it-right-now" face.

    "Alright, then you've succeeded. Feelin' good about yourself right now?" she patronized me

     "I'm not sure yet, ask me again later" I huffed, still trying to catch my breath.

    "What's up with Eli? Didn't you go check on him?" she questions, giving me a look of suspicion rather than concern.

    "Oh he's fine -- he just needed some air, you know how he gets" I spit out, not really sure what to say.

    "I think he's worried about dad" Mia says, sort of in a whisper but not low enough that I couldn't hear. She never really talks about his condition. I think she goes away so much because she can't deal with it.

    "Are you worried about him?" I ask, sort of regretting it immediately afterwards. Her face was hard to read. It looked as if she was happy someone asked, but she didn't really want to talk about it.

    "Yeah...I am" she pauses, "I just feel so helpless. Eli does a lot for him and I wish I did too but, it hurts to see him like that" She starts to bite her nails. She did that often when she was nervous or upset. You could see the cuts and torn skin around her nails from years of directing her fears onto her hands.

    "And with his condition worsening I fear the worst may happen soon...and I don't want that. It's just this list and everything going on is so crazy! He's been on it for years and I don't know...maybe if I volun-"

    "You aren't seriously considering volunteering, right?!" I yell in frustration

    "No I - I just feel so desperate right now. I would never try to hurt Eli, you or my father" she says, putting her face in her hands. I embrace her and try to calm her down. She wasn't making any noise but I knew she was crying and I couldn't help but feel guilty. Sure I had no control over this, but somehow I felt like I did, like I had the keys to the door and I just haven't opened it.

    She lets go and starts to wipe her face and says, "Thank you. I'm sorry for getting so emotional. I don't know where it came from"

    "Don't apologize for having feelings Mia, you're human - or have you forgotten?"

    "I guess maybe I did for a second there" she chuckles and shoves the last piece of her sandwich in her mouth. Sweet, sweet depression food.

    Before I got a chance to say anything else, I hear footsteps coming down the stairs. I felt my start start beating out of my chest again and it started to become harder to breathe.

    "Eli!" Mia yells, "What the hell took you so long? Demetrius even went up there to look for you"

    I swallowed hard. Is he going to mention that he knew I couldn't have seen him up there since he was gone. Was he going to be suspicious?

    "You did?" he asks, giving me a weird look

    "Uh no I actually didn't" I blurt out, trying to save my ass and possibly my life.

    "Wait - I thought you said you checked on him"

    Mia, this would be a great time to shut up!! I glare at the ground as not to upset her. She doesn't know, but God I wish she'd just stop talking.

    "Well kind of, I went up to check initially. Then when I realized it was silly to assume something was wrong I came right back downstairs" I knew she didn't believe that, I just needed him to.

    "Oh," he says, letting it go almost immediately. However, the rest of the evening every so often I'd catch him staring at me. Usually he looked perplexed or just genuinely concerned. All I knew was that he was hiding something, and I had to figure it out.