Wouldn't You Like to Know @stringoflights93 - Tumblr Blog

Chapter 2: What Are You Afraid Of?

Ten Years Ago…

Autumn sun sifts through the trees as I follow my best friend deep into the woods. “Jane, where are we going?” I keep looking over my shoulder, waiting for my parents to appear and ground me for life, and I was promised a new game next weekend! “Your mom’s gonna kill us if she finds out we went this far by ourselves again.” She’d already threatened to stop letting me play with Jane twice, and we all knew what happened when adults counted to three!

“I know,” Jane huffs, “but you’ve gotta see it! Just a li’l further,” her dark red hair was a frizzy mess and only half brushed, her blue dress flounced around her scuffed knees as she sprinted ahead of me with a smile in those ballet flats that sparkled in the poor lighting.

Jane leads me to the edge of a clearing, pointing to a crumbling stone building on the other side. The roof was rotting, the shadows here looked strange and extra dark. It was obviously an old two story Witch's house straight out’a one of Ava’s favorite books. “Whoa, what is this place?” I ask her.

“Dunno!” Jane agrees brightly. “But watch this!” She scoops up a pebble and tosses it at the house. It sails straight over the threshold… then stops in mid-air!

“Whoa! No way!” I cheer as the pebble hangs in the air for a moment, then drops straight down onto the crumbling porch. “That’s so awesome!” I bounce in place and share a smile with Jane. “Let me try!”

I pick up my own and chuck it into the doorway. It hits the same invisible barrier, dropping to the ground! “Cooooool! I wonder what’s inside!”

“Inside?” Jane gasps. “W-we can’t go inside!”

“Why not?” I ask, maybe we’d be like the rocks and get bounced around! “It’s not like anyone lives here anymore. Look, there’s holes in the roof.”

“What if you're wrong?” Jane shrinks back for the first time into a thorny bush and doesn't even notice. “What if we get in trouble? What if something bad happens?!” Her big blue eyes plead with me that the game was over.

I look at Jane, who stands with her hands balled tight into fists, her lower lip trembling, and quickly race to her side and pat her arm. “Hey, you got your birthday present with you?”

Sniffling, Jane nods, reaching under her collar to pull out a new, to her, whistle from a necklace chain. It was whittled like a violin and made such a cool noise she smiled at every time. “Good! Remember what I said when I gave it to you?” I crossed my arms in triumph.

“Th-that if I ever get scared, I should blow on the whistle, and you’ll come and protect me,” she smiled hesitantly again. Jane raises it to her lips, and blows a high trill that rises and falls as it echoes through the clearing. She still smiles, “heee.”

“You’re my best friend Jane,” I tell her, hands on my hips like I’d learned from the best. “I’m not gonna let anything bad happen to you.” Glancing back at the ruins, I can almost hear the stones calling, reaching for us. My feet shuffle in place, itching to close the distance. “But, but if you’re too scared, we can just go ho-”

“I’m not scared!” Jane stamped her foot and a pile of dead leaves fluttered all around at being called a cry baby, again. “Just, promise you’ll watch out for me?” She tentatively offered her hand.

“Promise,” I take it. “I’ll even go first.”

Heart thrumming in my chest, I walk straight up to the doorway with Jane dragging at my heels and reach out to feel the space inside. Jane’s fingers turn white-knuckled in my grip, it hurt but I didn’t tell her to let go. Her sunburn peeling along her rough elbows, her light skin looked too pale still like she sensed something I didn’t. “I-is there something there? Does it hurt?”

“It feels, tingly,” I shrug, like putting my hand on a power box. As I step onto the threshold, the sensation spreads over my whole body… then suddenly stops. Smiling, I continue into the dark room beyond, alone.

Darkness surrounds me like fog, almost thick enough to touch. I shiver, suddenly certain that something is in here with me. Watching me…

“H-hello?” I call, remembering bears are supposed to live here far too late in dark places like this.

My words echo strangely in the hollow space… and the voice that returns is not entirely my own.

“...helllOooooo….”

“Is, someone there?” I call hopefully, because bears couldn't talk. “What’s your name?”

“...nnnnnamme?”

The leaves at my feet blow aside, revealing a patch of smooth gray stone… and as I watch…

R-E-D-F-I-E-L-D

The letters are scratched in sharp points into the ground like chalk and then underlined. They didn’t have very good handwriting, the letters weren’t even all the same size.

“Redfield,” I slowly sound out. “That sounds cute,” I smile at the idea of a field of red flowers like mom would love. “Heehheee, like something you’d name a teddy bear! It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Red. I’m Theodore!”

“Theodore…” the voice echoes back.

My eyes have slowly adjusted to the rest of the dark room. There’s sheets over the few bits of furniture and cobwebs and dust everywhere, they clearly didn’t make their kids do chores in here. Squinting, I see what look like stairs in the far corner, disappearing into a jagged hole in the floor.

“Theodore?” Jane called anxiously from the threshold. “Is it safe? Who are you talking to?”

“Hang on a sec,” I tell her. “I think there’s something-”

Wind suddenly howls up through the hole in the floor, knocking me off my feet! “Ahhhhh!” the wind reverses direction, dragging me toward the abyss! I dig my fingers into a crack in the floor, just barely resisting the tugging all around. My jacket flapped in my face, the hood was tightening around my neck.

“Theodore!” Jane gasped.

“Jane, help!” I plead, but my scream was already being ripped away.

Through the door, I see her hurry forward, but the impatient wind pulls her feet out from under her too! “Yiiieeeee!” She slides past me, scrambling for purchase on the uneven floor.

“Jane!” I scream releasing my own loose flooring without a second thought as I try to grab her instead and we tumble slowly yet steadily wherever it wanted.

Her necklace chain breaks with a sharp snap, and the whistle vanishes down the hole in the floor.

“Theodore!” She screamed in my ear. “I c-can’t hold on! I’m slipping!”

My fingers shook as she keeps being pulled faster than me, Jane starts to cry… and suddenly my fear ignites into anger! Furious, I scream into the howling darkness. Nobody made my best friend cry! “Stop it Mr. Red! Stop it right now, or else, or else my friends are gonna come and burn your stupid house down!”

And just like that, the wind dies, and the house falls still.

Cautiously, I push myself up. Jane sobs quietly a few feet away from the stairs, still clinging tightly to the floor more than me, shaking harder than I’ve ever seen.

“Jane, c’mon!” I hold my hand out. “Let’s get out of here!”

“M-my whistle,” she manages around snotty hiccups. “It took my whistle…”

“I know, but we’ve gotta go before it changes its mind and takes us too,” I insist. The tingling sensation was back on my neck.

Nodding, Jane lets me pull her up, and the two of us sprint out the front door.

At the edge of the clearing, I can’t resist looking back one more time. The ruins sit still and quiet, showing no signs of life…

“Theodore, come on!” Jane insists, sprinting ahead of me once more.

“Coming,” I agree, turning away, hurrying after her. Behind us, a soft whistle rises and falls as it echoes through the clearing…

…

All day after the pep rally, my mind races with thoughts of Dan, and Jane… and him.

If Redfield is really back… then Dan is in danger. And we have to help him…

“Now, if you’ll all turn to page 102 in your textbooks-” as Mr. Cooper turns away to write on the board something about comma placement, I open a group text on my phone. Thank god for social media, it wasn’t too hard to find all their numbers.

Theo:

This is Theo. We need to talk.

Lily:

hey Theo

Her’s was the one number I didn't have to ‘stalk’ out and I smiled at her as always.

Ava:

Yo.

My smile grew in surprise to see her so readily willing as well.

Noah:

sup

I blinked in surprise Noah was so quick to respond, he wouldn’t have made my list.

…actually, my list of people I expected to respond had stopped and ended with Lily and maybe Ava, so this was already going better than expected.

Stacy:

Wth how did you get my number???

Theo:

facespace

Can’t believe I have to grumpily remind her of that of all people considering she never stops uploading selfies.

Stacy:

wow creeper much

Well, there went the sweetheart label I guess.

Andy:

Theo what’d you want to talk about

I smile at once and try my best to ignore my heart twinging at Andy responding. I’d wanted to ask for his number more than once after our pickup games but never had the nerve, I wasn’t sure how he’d respond, but I’d suspected something worse.

Honestly, I’d already thought he’d ignore my existence as thoroughly as Dan had the moment he joined a team once summer was over. Not that we were any more great friends up to this point any more than Lily, but we did stop and have awkward chats when we passed each other out on the town… and still the idea of him in those shorts was kind of lingering and maybe-

Right. I should answer.

Theo:

The pep rally

(and don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean)

Noah:

when/where you want to meet

I bite my lip for a moment before answering… but yeah, good point, shouldn’t have this out over text.

But also, some of them haven’t even taken to this mode of communication well.

Better to try I guess?

Theo:

By the fountain

After school

Stacy:

Can’t, I’ve got practice until 6

Andy:

Same

Meet after?

I really should stop smiling like a dope just because Andy was clearly trying here to talk this out instead of flat getting out of it.

Also far more importantly, he was the only one considering even coming apparently!? Not even Lily answered that time!

Theo:

Guys this is serious

Andy:

I can’t just ditch we have a game coming up

Theo:

Fine. We meet at 6

Noah:

kk

Oh hey I think you forgot to add lucas to this text

I stare blankly at the numbers I’d put in and realize he was right. I’d miscounted, he wasn’t just ignoring us.

Well, there was an egg on my face already. It was pretty early in the year for that, but hopefully this just meant I got it out of the way for this year?

Right. Anyways.

Theo:

Crap, you’re right. Hang on let m-

But before I can finish my text, my phone dies! “Augh! What the hell-” I’d just been charging it all of lunch! I eyed the girl three seats over in the back corner with envy who always got the good spot next to the wall plug. I’d just got this thing for my birthday, did it already need a new battery-

“Theo.” Mr. Cooper’s voice was not going to hold any sympathy as I jerk upright. “Nice of you to volunteer. Since you’re so obviously paying attention, perhaps you’ll know the answer to my question. When did the last witch trial take place in the United States?”

“Ummm,” I stammer, mind a flood of panic at once as every random date I’d ever tried to memorize fritzed through my mind. 1812- no that was a war- 9/11- wait that’s a date-

My classmates start to snicker as Mr. Cooper stares me down.

Lucas catches my eye from a few rows up with a smug smile and a nauseating wink- then he opens his hand under the desk.

From my angle, I can make out four digits written across his palm.

“1878,” I say with cautious confidence.

Mr. Cooper raises an eyebrow. “Well, you certainly kept us in suspense Theo, but you are correct.” Mercifully, he turns away. “1878. Think about that everyone. It’s not so very long ago! Just 75 years before The Crucible, which we’ll be reading this semester. In literature, as in life, the past is always creeping up just behind us…”

The bell rings.

I bet he practiced that.

Could he be more ominous though as my neck tingles unpleasantly?

“And so is the end of school. Class dismissed,” he nods as most of the students have already been shoving their things away for the past few minutes anyway.

All around the crowd is murmuring and milling towards the door while I make my way to Lucas, feeling like a pretty big jerk and pretty grateful for the save. He didn’t even ask Mr. Cooper if there was anything he’d forgotten to summarize on the syllabus today, maybe I’d been to harsh on him lately-

But Mr. Cooper beats me there. “Mr. Thomas, a word?”

“Uh, yeah, sure,” Lucas said in surprise, tucking his neatly stacked papers into a binder before folding it away.

Out in the hall, I lean against the wall near an outlet, plugging in my phone while I wait for him. “Stupid thing, I just charged you-”

The hallway empties as everyone heads home for the day. Gradually, I become aware of muffled voices inside the classroom.

“-and I know what you’re doing-” Mr. Cooper was a pretty chill teacher most of the time, it was strange to suddenly look over at the door and hear him so, frustrated.

“-don’t know what you're talking about!” Lucas’s voice was firm and insistent.

“- may have everyone else fooled, but you can’t fool me-”

“What the heck is going on in there,” I mutter, at the length of my cord and head tipped closer before I even realized it.

Then I feel a rush of guilt for ease dropping on them like this, especially after the save Lucas had just given me, and shuffle right back away. Lucas probably wouldn’t want me to overhear whatever that was, it was clearly private.

As I stoop down to grab my things, I smell the strangest hint of wet earth that makes my stomach turn while moving away from the door and find another outlet at the end of the hall- when cold hands suddenly grab me from behind, covering my eyes!

“THERE you are!”

“Ahhhh!” Panic floods my body, I struggle wildly against my captor as I’m dragged down the hall! “NOOOOOO! Let me go! Let-”

My shout turns into a gasp of pain as I’m shoved backwards into a cold wall. I hear a deafening slam, and then, muffled laughter.

“Wha- HEY!” Light trickles back in through thin metal slats from my twisted position as my neck strains in the cramped space, my sleeve was caught on something painfully above my head so I can’t lower it, my knee was in one of my organs I’d flunked out of biology to remember right now but it wasn’t pleasant!

“Hahahahah! OMG, your face! I can’t believe his chunky, furry little body fit!”

“Squeak! Speak!” A girl’s voice agreed.

Somehow, impossibly, they sounded even more obnoxious through the metal echo.

“School’s back in session, Theodore!” Cody cried with joy as he slammed his fist against the locker that made me wish to claw my ear off in pain from where it was wedged.

“Let me out you freaks!” I howl, twisting and kicking with all my might. My shirt was tearing, everything was thrumming with pain so much like the whole world was having an earthquake.

“Awww, but we wanted to make sure your school year started with a BANG!” Jocelyn kicks the locker door, making me yelp in pain once more as I thrashed against nothing.

“Get comfy in there rodent,” Cody’s voice was already retreating. “We’ll check on you tomorrow morning.”

“Byyyeeeee!” Jocelyn sneered one last time.

Their laughter recedes down the hall, leaving me alone in the dark, cramped space.

No. Hell no! Absolutely fucking not?! How had Mr. Cooper and Lucas not heard all that, I’d been right outside their door!?!?

After a few minutes of pushing, punching, swearing, and vowing to make some kind of emergency escape hatch a law on these things when I grew up, the locker door still won’t budge. I slump against the back wall, shaking and horribly defeated, resisting the urge to cry with all my might. “Great. Perfect!”

“Theo…”

“What now?!” I demand, everything still had a faint ringing noise to my ears. “You guys think of some more fun ways to torture me!?” I slam the flat of my palm that wasn’t still wedged above my head against the locker again, convinced it would give out under all my weight any second-

No. Don’t go down that rabbit hole again Theo.

They can hurt you, but you know how much you matter.

Okay, fine, if I wasn’t bulky enough to get this thing open, then-

“More… fun….”

A soft voice echoes agreement.

“Get lost Cody!” I snap. “I’m not scared of you!” I’m pleased my voice doesn’t shake-

BANG! The whole locker shakes, and the shadows all around seem to thicken… growing colder, closing in…

“N-not scared. I’m not scared…” I’m not able to say it as strong the second time, but I have to keep trying. I won’t let them win. “I’m not scared!”

And then, I’m not in the locker anymore.

“Wh-”

I’m back there in the forest, the old crumbing house-

And Jane’s in front of me. Stamping her blue ballet slippers as she snapped, “I’m not scared!”

I spin around to find her staring up at me, her hands balled into fists. Behind her, the ruins loom against a backdrop of twisted trees.

“...Jane?” I whisper in absent horror. This can’t be real, but even if it was, just for a second- “Jane! We have to leave!”

I try to reach for her, but my body stays frozen in place! Night creeps over the woods as I struggle against my invisible prison.

Jane watches me with huge, sad eyes as darkness bleeds from the doors and windows of the stone house, shadowy tendrils reaching out for her. “Promise you’ll watch out for me?” She whispered.

“Jane I- I didn’t know what would happen- I’m sorry-”

The darkness finally grabs hold of her, snatching her back toward the old house.

“Theodore!” She pleads one last time.

Jane screams as the darkness swallows her… and then the shadows explode outward, a black hurricane howling toward me!

“No! Please! I’m sorry! Jane I’m sorry-”

The locker door springs open, and I fall face first onto the floor, gasping frantically for air. Slowly, I realize that someone’s kneeling over me.

“Oh thank god! Lucas!” I pant, wondering if he’d let me borrow his glasses for a moment, my head was spinning so hard.

“Don’t let my abuela hear you saying that, she keeps a chancla just for blasphemy,” he says with a friendly smile as he offers me a hand up.

“Thank you Lucas,” I say again more firmly as I take the offering and haul myself back upright, mostly, still leaning hard against the locker despite the fact a part of me wanted to burn this school to the ground right now.

“Of course,” he drops my hand but puts it right back on my shoulder in a gentle, friendly hold as I keep wheezing. “Easy now.”

“How’d you, get the door open?” I finally ask, looking wearily around for Mr. Cooper. He’d have to believe me this time, right?!

“I’ve been telling the school for years that we need to replace these old lockers,” he offers with an apologetic shrug as he drops his hand and looks over his shoulder. “Anyone can open them if you know the trick. Guess it’s a good thing they never took my advice, huh?” He gives me that pep-rally winning smile, but it’s ten times less slimy and gets me to smile along this time with that charm aimed right on me. The world’s barely stopped blurring at the edges, he’s the only thing easy to focus on.

“Yeah, lucky me,” I agree, rubbing hard at my chest, my fingers twisting and tangling in my necklace biting into my neck. I’m shaking so hard I’m scratching myself as I brush in frustration at the tears leaking out. “Where’s Mr. Cooper?”

“Oh, he headed off for home, I was heading this way when I heard the commotion,” he offers me my phone and charger, and I take them feeling numb.

What… how had they not heard…

I glance at the nearest classroom and see I’m several halls over, somehow. Cody had really dragged me that far away that fast?

Lucas glances at his watch and heaves a weary sigh.

“Late to something?” I offer apologetically, half surprised he didn’t carry a PDA to keep track of it all from the little I knew of half of it.

“Just a lot to do, as always,” he tries to shrug. “Did you want to report this incident? I can take you by the office if you like.”

Misery clouds over me fresh and old as a spring storm as I finally shove off the locker and head over to snatch up my bag in frustration, the contents dumped for all to see my glorious C- average. “I doubt it’d do any good. But, there’s actually something else I need to talk to you about," I firmly keep track as the ghost of a little girl laughs and twines around my knees where she’d never unclench her fists… my hands have finally stopped shaking as I get everything put away and straightened up.

I wondered if she’d be tall and lanky like Noah and picked up his bad habits, or be concerned about them? I wonder if she would have liked playing video games with me, and learned to stitch or code with Lily…

Or maybe she’d be more like Ava and have a peevish outside but would have always remained soft and gooey on the inside? Maybe she would have gotten into sports like Dan and Andy, or even rivaled Lucas for class president?

She’d know what she wanted though, and she’d make sure everyone else knew it, I was sure of it. She was always the outgoing adventurous one who knew where she was headed in life…

The blue lockers looked nothing like her bright eyes on sunny days, but I hated the color so passionately as I turned away. For no shade of anything having looked right after that day.

“Oh!” Lucas seems amiable at least as he gestures away but doesn’t sprint off. “Can we walk and talk? I’ve got some things to take care of before I head out.”

I nod and the two of us set off at his brisk pace. “It’s about what happened at the pep rally.”

“Oh, the blackout?” He chuckles so casually. “Don’t worry, I’ve already filed a maintenance report. Can’t have the lights going out during the basketball game.”

Of course he did, because it wasn’t like the school could function without him? Couldn’t someone who worked here have done that- not the point. “And the voice?” I challenged, voice chipped at having expected, but no less pleased to hear someone else playing this off.

“The-” he doesn’t stop, multitasking quite well as he easily keeps his pace and keeps going as if there had been no pause. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“But-”

“Sorry, one sec,” before I can say another word, Lucas ducks into the auditorium. Inside, he waves to a group of band kids on stage. “Sounding great guys! Just make sure you’re done in here by the quarter, okay? Drama club needs time to set up.”

I did not have time for this, I didn’t even wait for him to turn around. “Dan is in danger!”

“Dan who?” He asked me blankly, glancing casually back over as the door closed before something clicked. “Pierce? I haven’t talked to that guy in years.”

Because that made what I said less important?! “Are you sure about that,” I snapped.

Silence as he starts scratching at his arm before he abruptly stops and pats at his phone to assure himself it's still there.

“Lucas!” I hiss, resisting the impulse to hit him but knowing that wasn’t a healthy outlet and I was still reeling pretty hard from my panic attack. “Mr. Red is back!”

“Mr. Red,” he glances back at me like I’d just showed him a new teddy bear. “What, from when we were kids? Theodore, come on-”

“It’s just Theo,” I snip.

“Oh, my apologies,” he says absently, shaking his head in clear exhaustion of me. “Look, that was just some make-believe game that you and Jane made up.”

“Are you sure about that?” I demand again.

Lucas looks rattled… and it’s only then I realize my fists have balled up against my will-

Then he jumps as well as any basketball star as his phone starts buzzing. “I, uh, I have to answer this. Excuse me.”

He slips around and out a side door.

By the time I catch up, he’s already in the middle of the call. “Yes, Mama, I know college prep is tonight, but we talked about this. Because, I have to meet with the homecoming and yearbook committees after school, and I can’t be in three places at once! I know Mama. I know. Yeah, love you too. Bye.”

“Jeez, you really are busy,” I gape at the stress radiating off of him as much as me. If he’d been shoved in that locker with me, it probably would have exploded from pressure. “You know, if you just slowed down for a second-”

“Pretty sure the school would literally collapse,” he sniffed with clear derision at the mere suggestion.

“Uhhu,” I mutter with renewed disgust, wondering how Britney thought the world revolved around only her when guys like him existed too.

Lucas’s phone buzzes again. He checks it and sighs. “Great. Now the school paper says they need an interview- tomorrow?!” His words start to come faster and faster, growing louder as he starts to pace back and forth in front of the school's fountain. “How am I supposed to get ready for an interview by tomorrow?! I can’t handle this right now!”

“Can’t you just, say no-”

“No Theodore, I can’t just say no because I’ve never turned them down before and I have expectations and responsibilities-”

“Whoa, okay, Lucas!” I throw my hands up in honest concern of him, for him as I take a weary step back as he throws that at me like an accusation.

“It’s just one little interview!”

“But it’s not just the interview!” He plows on, his polished shoes flashing like strobes on every heel turn. “It’s the interview, and college prep, and homecoming committee, and yearbook, and-”

Lucas suddenly stiffens, squeezing his eyes shut. He seems to struggle for a few seconds, his breathing sharp and ragged.

Finally, he slumps, all the energy seeming to drain out of him. “Sorry. Just forget it. I’m fine. It’s fine. I’ll figure something out.”

Did this guy sleep?! I notice for the first time the faintest hint of dark circles under his eyes and wonder how soon premature gray hair kicked in. Pity finally welled up in me at the sight of how little good I was doing here, so, I tried again.

“Just…” I sighed and offered him one of the techniques I used to have to use all the time. “Just stop, and breathe for a second, okay?” I put my hand on Lucas’s shoulder, meeting his eyes. “Just focus on me, okay? Deep breath in…” to my surprise, he doesn’t jerk away, but instead mimics me. I take a long, slow breath, motioning for Lucas to do the same. “Good, now back out, nice and slow.”

“Ahhhhh,” Lucas sounds like he’s trying to force sand through a strainer one grain at a time, but we take a few more breaths. Finally, he smiles at me.

“Better?” I smile. I can feel the tension literally radiating off of him start to ebb.

“Yeah… a little,” he sounds less than grateful, but my hand’s still on his shoulder, and he hasn’t made me want to hit him again yet, so I’d call it a win.

“Good,” I patted him and moved away. “I might have an idea about the interview, actually,” I offer, smiling hopefully as he whips around to me with an expression that kind of made me want to leap back as the faint flickering memory of a reminder that people that were drowning were just as likely to take you with them came to mind as I offered him a metaphorical hand. “Maybe it’d be less stressful if I helped you prepare? We could grab a coffee down the street, and I could throw you some softball questions?”

“You would, do that for me?” Lucas asked in such soft amazement, I smiled and relaxed. I’d forgotten what a big-eyed kid he used to be, all wonder at the world and always asking every question I’d been too nervous to be laughed at about that had never stopped him.

“I’ve been meaning to catch up with you anyway,” I promise. “It’s a perfect excuse for me to ask all kinds of nosy stuff.”

“Th- that would be great! It would truly be a help Theodore- err, Theo,” he’s already sagging in relief.

“Then let’s do it,” I smile and gesture away. “But, you have to promise to hear me out for five minutes when we’re done.”

“Deal,” Lucas literally looked ready to sag to the ground in gratitude. I should have asked him for something more unreasonable, like a spot in his cabinet when he became president.

Soon, we’re sipping warm coffee at the cozy cafe down the road. I put on my best ace reporter voice and mimic writing in a notebook, again resisting the urge to ask for his glasses to really sell this. “Hi, nice to meet you. I’m Theo, with the Westchester Word. Thanks for sitting down with me. And can I just say, sir, what an honor it is to interview the Class President Thomas?”

“Oh, gosh.” Lucas even looks a little flattered, maybe I was laying it on to thick with the mock praise. “Uh, my pleasure. I’m a… big fan of your work? I guess?” He smiled along at the game though and I can’t help but laugh.

“Aw, thanks,” I give a big exaggerated laugh before settling into a ‘serious’ face. “Let’s start with an easy question, to help our readers get to know you better. Tell us about your hobbies?”

“Who has time for hobbies?” He asked blankly.

“Lucas, that is a terrible answer,” I groan. “Everyone has hobbies. You must do something other than try to run this school. You’re not a robot.”

“I guess I…” he swallowed hard, but forced himself to smile. “Beatbox. A little.”

“Oh my god, no way,” I yelp in surprise, nearly upsetting my hot coco. “That’s so cool!”

“It’s not that big a deal,” he hastily says. “Just something I’ve managed when I have, you know, an hour.” He chuckles so nervously, though I know that might be literal with him.

“Well now you have to show me some,” I urge.

“Isn’t this supposed to be a newspaper interview?” He pushes my ‘imaginary,’ notebook around by poking lightly in front of my chest. “How would that even work? What, would you transcribe it?”

“Oh no,” I wave off, “I’d just be like, ‘Mr. Thomas proceeded to spit a series of sick beats! They were so hella dope, my soul briefly left my body.” I made a series of motions I was sure would impress… someone, possibly.

Clearly not him, as he began rolling in the chair laughing. I smiled in surprise, it had been a long time since I’d seen him lose control of himself like this. “Okay,” I smiled as he finally eased back into his chair, blinking in shock as he looked around. “How about we try another. What are your, um, aspirations? I understand you’re looking at colleges right now. What do you plan to major in?”

He still looked a little dazed, but far more relaxed. “Well,” his smile stayed pleased and saccharine at the obvious low ball just as I’d promised. “My mom wants me to become a doctor, like her. And my dad wants me to become a psychologist, like him.”

“And what do you want?” I insist, honestly curiously now what he was striving so hard for with all this pressure.

“Honestly? I want to go into politics,” he said promptly.

Huh. Maybe President Thomas wasn’t such a joking title. “Oooh. Should I get ready to vote for ‘Senator Lucas Thomas?”

“God no,” Lucas waves his hand errantly to my immediate surprise. “This is gonna sound super nerdy, but I want to work more in the background. Like writing legislation and stuff. Specifically, I’m interested in how public policy can help protect the watersheds in national parks from natural gas drilling.”

I understood most of those words, and the clear interest in his voice caught me up plenty. “Wow, that is super nerdy,” I couldn’t help but laugh and play off before this got off track. “But good answer.” I gave an imaginary tick on my notepad.

“Thanks,” Lucas even was relaxing in his seat, though still properly in the confines of the chair and sipping his coffee without so much as a splash on that sweater. He was just, smiling, like that sweet kid who used to help me with my math homework no matter how many times I forgot my multiplication tables.

“Moving right along, let’s talk about the school year ahead,” I flipped to a new imaginary page. “What are you looking forward to most?”

“Ooh, good question,” he nodded eagerly. “I’d say this year what I’m most looking forward to is homecoming.”

“Oh yeah? That’s surprising,” I confess.

“This is the first year the student council has an actual budget,” he leaned forward on the table eagerly. “We can afford to hire a decent DJ!”

“And you can get a hook into that awesome field of music huh?” I nod along. He blushes, just a tiny little flush up his neck, but I know the thought had crossed his mind. “Wow, that is super cool to think about, a school dance is actually going to be cool for once?”

“That’s the hope,” he knocks cheerfully on the table.

“And on the flip side, what are you totally dreading?” I grin slyly, expecting to hear him say ‘nothing’ and breeze through all his classes-

“Oh, this one’s easy,” he actually slumps a little uncomfortably over his drink now. “Graduation.”

“Really?” I just stare at him for the punchline, but there didn’t seem one coming. “Why?”

“I’m class president.” He reminded as if I’d forgotten. “Graduation means a speech in front of every student, teacher, and parent. At the absolute least.”

“And?” I ask blankly. “You were great this morning, don’t ever seem to have a problem at all speaking up.”

“It’s not the public part that gets to me,” he absently adds some more sugar to his drink and stirs it for a long time before taking another small sip, saying pretty loud and clear he was going to leave it there as he doesn’t continue.

“Okay, yuck. That does sound awful,” I finally agree it had to be bad for whatever was eating at him.

“Oh god, and what if I’m valedictorian on top of it?!” He gasps like the idea had just occurred to him, the smartest kid in the school would get such a title.

“Well,” I offer with a quick smile at the panic clearly swimming back to the surface. “If you need crappier grades, you can always cheat off me.”

Lucas actually laughs for a moment. Wow, I’d forgotten how long it had been since someone actually laughed at my jokes. Lily didn’t seem to think I was that funny. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

I theatrically cleared my throat as I went back to it. “While we’re on the subject of big school occasions, let’s talk more about the event on everyone’s mind. This year’s homecoming. How is the rest of the planning going? Got a theme in mind already?”

“Thankfully, I have no idea,” he says with clear relief.

“Aren’t you, on the homecoming committee?” I ask in concern if we were going to be eating food out of the dumpster that night or something.

“Yeah, but once the actual planning starts, the cheerleaders tend to take over,” he grins and shrugs. “Which I am a-okay with.”

Huh, remind me to sign up for that later, I tell myself as I scribble that down in invisible ink. Then I click my imaginary pen and close my ‘notebook.’ “Well, I think that’s just about everything I need for the interview. Look for it on the stands tomorrow.”

“Hah,” Lucas smiles and takes another sip. “But seriously, thanks Theo. That helped a lot.”

“Anytime Lucas,” I shrug in surprise at how not uncomfortable this was. “I’m really glad I could help." Not like I was doing anything else but moping around trying to finish that last accomplishment on my game tonight. “Now,” I clear my throat and was almost wishing for that big, empty, creepy house though as I nibble on the lemon cake I’d dipped into my own drink before I brushed the crumbs off and told myself to stop stalling. “There’s something else I needed to talk to you about.”

“Oh,” Lucas struggled to swallow, and I half expected him to play ignorant again there could be anything worth discussing. “You mean what happened at the pep rally.”

“Yeah,” I agree with a heavy sigh. “So you heard it then? The whispers? The, voice?”

Lucas scratches his arm uncomfortably, glancing around. “I mean, look, I don’t need it getting around that the class president hears voices… but hypothetically, suppose I did. What then?”

“Well, hypothetically,” I was really great at playing along, maybe I should take my mom’s advice about drama club more seriously. “A bunch of us are meeting by the fountain to talk about it. Six PM. So, you in? Or are you too busy?” I asked with reluctant expectation of the answer.

“I’m in,” he surprised me again instead. “I owe you at least that much for helping me with the interview.”

“Great,” I find myself smiling in relief. Between all of us putting our heads together once more, surely we’d be able to work this out… whatever ‘this’ was. “See you then?” I rise from my seat hopefully in case he was going to change his mind if I kept trying this whole conversation thing and made it awkward. I even shoved the rest of the cake in my mouth and downed the coffee with hopeful eyes on the door.

“Yeah,” my reluctance seemed called for, it matched his. “See you then.”

…

A few hours later, the sun sinks behind the trees as I walk out of the school building.

I had triple checked all his usual haunts and even risked talking to people who I’d rather chew my tongue off than converse with.

Dan had not been at school today.

This was real.

I find Noah, Lily, and Lucas already waiting in prompt silence.

Andy arrives a minute later with Stacy trailing behind, texting busily. “Hey guys! One sec.” She’s smiling at her phone and I resist the urge to ask if she was speaking to it or us.

“Jeez, how’s it this dark already?” Andy’s frowning up at the mass of twinkling stars above.

Lily moves to stand beside me, her hands twisting nervously together. Noah stands up from his seat on the fountain, “who’re we missing?”

“Um… I don’t see, Ava…” Lily mutters, eyes locked firmly on the ground as she answers.

Ava speaks suddenly from behind us, making Lily jump high enough to hug the moon. “You guys look like the cover of a Christian rock album.”

“Jeez,” Andy’s rubbing his chest just as hard in surprise. “What are you, a ninja?”

“Vampire,” she pleasantly corrects.

“But… I've seen you out in the sun,” Lily frowns.

“I am the daywalker,” she said deadpan. “Fear me.”

As funny as this kind of was, I clear my throat. I knew we had limited time among some people. “Okay, look. We all know why we’re here. The blackout at the pep rally. The wind. The voice.”

Stacy’s face goes pasty pale under that fresh layer of makeup. “I- I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Stacy, I saw your face at the rally,” I tell her coolly, sick of all of them playing dumb already. “I saw all of your faces! And you were all just as freaked out as I was. There’s a reason you came here,” I firmly pushed past her nonsense, I was so sick of this already too, but at least I wasn’t trying to bury myself in the sand. “We’ve barely spoken in years. None of you would be here unless you were just as freaked out as I was. And heard the same thing I did.”

“Everyone plays together,” Noah said in the creepiest damn way possible as he stayed slouched and hunched over by the fountain without moving any closer like Andy and Ava did. Lucas and Stacy remained on the fringes as well, clearly ready to bolt.

A long, heavy pause fills the air as everyone refuses to look at each other.

“There’s… there’s something else…” Lily finally pipes up, her voice a harder tremor than her hand, but she held out her phone without managing to drop it.

A painful feeling of the coldest nausea seeing a polar bear wouldn’t cause in me slammed in as I just got a skim of the words. “Lily… are those texts from Dan?!”

“Wait, you got them too?” Lucas frowned, finally stepping into the diameter that had slowly formed with the empty space in the middle of who was missing.

“Hold up, did we all get weird-ass texts from Dan last night?” Ava confirmed, and god did I feel so much more sane, like pressure was literally easing off my neck even if the bruise was as dark as ever.

My fingers brush over the mark, which begins to ache at my touch. “Guys, I have to tell you something…”

I summon my courage, and tell them everything that happened to me last night. The texts, the blackout, the creature that wore Dan’s face. “I know it sounds crazy, but, I think it was, him. I think Mr. Red is back.”

Andy’s glowering at me… or my neck as his hands tighten into fists. “We have to call the cops. Right now. They’ll find that sicko that attacked you and-”

His response warmed me to my core, I think I took my first deep breath of relief not to have them all shouting I was crazy, but I shake my head all the same.

“Andy, there’s no point,” my throat hurts to say the words anew just as much as I’d convinced myself this morning. “There’s no way the police would believe us.”

“You don’t know that!” He fires back.

I turn with a very obvious look. “Ava, would your dad believe me if I said a nightmare monster was coming to kill us all?”

She gives us each a look of pity. And she’d claimed she didn’t have a compassionate side, look at her saving me a trip to the mad-house for the weekend. “Hell no. He’d make me pee in a cup and then search my room for drugs just for going with you.”

The confirmation she would have been there to back up my crazy was just as touching though.

“Besides,” Noah scoffed, “what are cops gonna do against Redfield? Arrest him?”

The image of that voice locked behind a cell did nothing but give me the creeps of who his next victim would be.

Andy kept clenching his hands tight for several moments before he crossed them instead. “Yeah, alright. I get it.” His tone was mullish agreement at best as he looked over me one last time. Probably thinking he was next and this wasn’t something he could do laps around.

“Maybe get the smoke monster to testify?” Noah smirked.

“I said I get it!” Andy whirled on him, fists right back at his side.

“Noah, leave her alone,” Lucas sighed, scratching absently at his arm again as his eyes darted around in an obvious attempt of looking for a car in the empty parking lot to flee all of this like the local cops were really going to break this up.

There was a moment of ugly silence before I opened my mouth-

“Him.” Andy said flatly.

“Huh?” Lucas looked absently back at all of us before focusing on Andy.

“Him. You said, her…” Andy’s lost that fight in his voice, he sounded small for the first time in a long time despite the fact he only had a few inches on Lily at best.

“Oh…” Lucas’s eyes went wide as he floundered hard. “Oh! Jeez, I’m sorry Andy.”

I couldn’t decide if he really meant it or was just saving face as his light brown skin went blotchy and he began scratching at his arm harder than ever like he wanted a new task of picking out string from under his nails.

“...s’fine…” Andy finally muttered before turning purposefully away from him back to us, shrugging and crossing his arms. He aims a sharp kick at a pebble, sending it flying across the street, fists still clenched in his armpits.

“Oh yeah,” Ava said a tad louder than usual into the following dead air. “Uh, speaking of cop stuff, Dan’s parents reported him missing this morning.”

“They what?!” I whirled on her so hard I almost smacked into her shoulder.

“Dan’s missing?” Noah echoed. “And you're just telling us about this now?!”

Ava puffed right back up at his attitude. “I figured you would have heard!”

“Not everyone's dad is the sheriff,” Stacy scowled right back.

“Guys!” I bark loudly. “Dan could be in trouble! We have to go find him.”

Stacy looked at me like I’d just demanded she give up her phone. “Theo, come on! He needs actual help. From, like, adults. And professionals. Professional adults!”

Yeah, that’s what I thought last night too before he strangled me, I resisted the urge to snap back as I found myself rubbing the collar of my shirt and struggling to swallow. Instead, I said, “no. It has to be us.”

Lucas has finally stopped trying to dig through his arm and has that practiced politician smile on as he lightly debated with me while crossing his arms behind his back, “and why is that, precisely?”

I scowl and glower around at all of them. “Because. We know who took him. Have you been listening about the cops-”

Stacy’s not impressed. “Right, his imaginary friend from when he was like, eight years old.”

“Mr. Red wasn’t just Dan’s friend,” I fired back.

“And you know damn well he wasn’t imaginary,” Ava’s scowl looked deeper than just anger at them still playing this game.

I took a steadying breath and tried to push my anger away. “I know nobody wants to dredge this stuff back up. But it happened. We all remember Mr. Red, and we all saw what he did to Jane.” I let her name hang in the air as they all shrank away and wouldn’t meet my eyes. The anger came rearing right back. “We can’t let him do the same thing to Dan!”

“No one did anything to Jane, Theo,” Stacy insisted, eyes darting to her manicure with a nervous laugh that made me want to cut her ponytail off. “It was just a freak accident."

“That’s bull and you know it!” Noah stepped right into the middle of the congregation now, right into her face. Half a foot taller than her, it made my hackles raise even if I understood his anger well.

“All I know,” Stacy jabbed a bright purple nail with silver glitter into his chest, “is that we were a bunch of dumb kids who shouldn’t have been playing in the woods by ourselves!”

“Look,” Lucas calmly stepped forward and separated the two. Noah reluctantly stayed where he was with his arms crossed while Stacy gratefully took that space back. “Let’s all just calm down for a second and consider the facts.” He shot a nervous look at me and tried for a convincing smile. "Everything that happened at the rally could be explained by some faulty wiring. As for Dan, what exactly are you proposing we do?”

I wasn’t sure what he was trying to convince me of except to drop this, which wasn’t happening. “Isn’t it obvious? We have to stop this. We have to go find Dan and figure out what he did, so we can undo it. We have to go-”

“Into the woods…” Lily’s voice hitched into a painful yelp of pure terror. The wind picks up. Leaves flee across the asphalt as Lily backs away, shaking her head. “No. No, no, no. I’m not going back there!”

Noah moves towards her, holding up his hands in a calming gesture that as far as I knew had literally never calmed anyone who was panicking. “Lily, I know you're scared, but if we want this to stop, we have to-”

Andy blocks Noah’s path, placing a gentle but firm hand on his chest. “Back off man. Lily doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to.”

“Are you serious right now?!” Noah towered over the pair of them and looked half his age as he stamped his foot.

Somewhere, a heavy door slams open. As one, we tense, like animals caught in a predator’s stare.

Three cheerleaders round the corner of the gym, chatting happily as they pass. They vanish into the school, and I start to breathe again.

“Noah,” Stacy smoothed nonexistent stray hairs from her forehead back into her ponytail. “Maybe you have time to go running around the woods chasing boogiemen, but some of us have real problems,” her eyes were flickering between her team and us. I couldn’t imagine the story she’d come up with to explain away talking to us like we deserved her undivided attention.

“Gettin’ kidnapped by some shadow monster nightmare dude seems like a pretty real problem!” He yelled back loud enough we all flinched and took a step away.

“We need everyone’s help,” I snap. “Everyone plays together, we-”

“Could just as much be a warning that all of us being together is causing this!” Lucas was quickly losing his composure, and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that he’d probably consider switching schools right now with half his credits not transferring preferable to me continuing to speak.

“I’m sorry,” Stacy’s already bowing out too. “I can’t get involved with this.

“Why?” Noah’s voice was more noxious than anything he’d likely ever done. “Cause it might mess up your standing with the popular kids?”

“No,” Stacy snapped back, clearly not backing down from him. “Because if Dan’s been kidnapped by some crazy guy, a bunch more of us stumbling around in the woods doesn’t help!”

“And what if it’s not just some guy?” I demand. “What if there’s actually something supernatural going on, again?!”

“Then we should stay far, far away from it,” Lily sounded like a broken squeaker toy as wobbly as her voice came out.

Noah waved his long arm around, he looked as tall as the school and ready to knock over some trees. “So you’re all just gonna close your eyes and pretend nothing’s happening! Just like you did with Jane?!”

“Noah-” Stacy reached out a cautious hand towards him.

“Guys, let’s just calm down,” I plead, forcing my hand to stop the continued strangulation and press down hard on my temple instead. I was starting to miss the endless frustration of rechecking every door for the loose panel in the vexing puzzle of it being a game I could turn off when I was done playing, or finally just cheat and look up where that last key was.

“Don’t tell me to calm down Theodore!” Noah snapped at me now too. Honestly this was the most I’d heard him talk in literal years, he’d been sent out of class more often than not for blatantly ignoring teachers and keeping his headphones in. This intensity was starting to scare me too. “Dan is missing, and none of you give a damn!”

I had a suspicion he didn’t mean Dan…

“That’s not fair,” Lucas spat, surprisingly to me as he waved his phone around and gestured at me. “Theo is the one who told us all to come here! We’re all worried about Dan!”

Noah ground his jaw but made a wild gesture as he backed away towards the fountain again before retreating no farther.

Lucas turned back to speak in a more level voice again. “But, if the police have already been called, then we should let them handle it.”

“And do what?!” Noah demanded, a muscle starting to thump unpleasantly in his adams apple. “Like they handled it when my sister died?!”

“Noah-” Stacy took a step towards him, her heel clicking loudly.

“No,” Noah cut across her and anything else. “I’ve had enough of this. Redfield killed her right in front of us, and you all shrugged it off like nothing happened!”

“Hey, no one ‘shrugged off’ anything!” Andy was still matching his temper beat for beat.

“The hell you didn’t!” Noah roared back. “Class president, cheerleader, basketball jock! You all seem to be doing just fine! The second Jane was in the ground, you were all happy to move on with your lives. And you’re pulling the same stunt with Dan!”

“Oh, now you care about Dan?” Stacy accused, taking another step and jabbing that finger at air. “Where have you been for the past year? Where were you when Dan got totally wasted at winter formal? Where were you when he was having breakdowns after every football game? Where the hell were you, Noah? Where were any of you?!” None of us were spared as she did a perfect twirl, all she was missing was the pompoms as her voice carried in the night.

Well, I felt like a pile of rat droppings and kind of wished not to speak for a year. And my biggest grievance these past few years was nobody using the name I wanted and feeling like a liferaft in an ocean. Not, that.

“I,” Andy cleared his throat awkwardly, but was the first to own up. “I didn’t know Dan was having that much trouble. Why didn’t he say anything?”

“Because apparently when you're a big strong football star you're not allowed to have feelings!” Stacy was still going full force.

“But, we could have helped,” Andy had grown quieter the louder Stacy got. “I could have…”

“Well, now it’s too late,” frustration bled from her heaving chest. She turns away and storms off without another word.

Too late… god no, please… let me fix this… please Mr. Red, anybody…

Lily looks down at the ground, holding her textbooks in a shaking, white-knuckled grip.

“Lily…” I’m honestly proud of her she’d even stayed this long instead of taking off when the shouting started. Couldn’t I just ask a little more of her-

“I- I’m sorry, but I can’t go back there. I just can’t,” she turns, hurrying back toward the school and trying to muffle a sob.

Noah turns to Lucas with an accusing frown. “I guess you’re gonna bail too Captain America?”

“Look,” Lucas was doing great at that whole politician thing as he averted his eyes and refused a straight answer. “Even if I did believe all of this, I just don’t have the time.” He too turns and heads back into the school.

At nearly seven pm. Seriously, I didn’t even know kids stayed here that late. Janitor must hate them.

“Fine!” Noah hollers after them all. “Just bury your heads in the sand again! This isn’t just gonna stop you know!”

“Noah,” I cautiously put my hand on his arm and sigh in relief when he just glowers at me rather than shrugging me off. “We don’t need them. If they won’t admit what’s happening, then they won't be any help anyway.” I’m not so calm myself, like I was absorbing his simmering frustration before he boiled over. “If I hadn’t seen that thing last night…. I’d probably be in denial too.” I offer.

He doesn’t respond.

I turn to Ava, who’s cleaning her fingernails like commercials were on for the movie to get back to it. “So, what about you?” I couldn’t help but smile though, I had a pretty good idea.

“Oh,” she flicks nonexistent blood off the tips of the alien painstakingly dying in green blood on her pinky. “A creepy deep-woods ghost hunt is emphatically my brand. I’m in.”

“Me too,” Andy stepped back up beside me at once. “I don’t know about this ghost crap, but Dan’s a good guy, and he needs us.”

Okay, I had to admit to myself I seriously had a crush on both of them and now just was not the time to deal with this as I gratefully took my hand off Noah since he was obviously in.

“So when are we going? Friday?” Ava prompts as she goes to filing at the next one.

“What? No!” Noah frowns anew. “We have to go tonight!”

“Ugh,” she groaned like she’d been afraid he’d say that and I hated to see the reluctance back in her, but I was sure it was genuine as she tapped her pocket where I saw the outline of her phone was. “I can’t. My dad’s got this really strict school night curfew and WOW does this sound lame out loud.”

“Yeah,” Andy rubs awkwardly at the back of his neck. “I can’t go tonight either. The team needs me here early tomorrow for training.”

“Sure they do,” Ava nods so mock seriously at him I was surprised not to see springs in her neck. “How will team dudebro know they’re having fun without some minorities around to exclude?”

Andy stiffens, ready to snap at Ava… then wilts, grumbling. “I mean, you’re not wrong. But I have to keep showing up, right? They can't ignore me forever.”

Great, now I wanted to hug him or sick Noah’s sudden bottomless pit of anger on the entire team. Possibly both, but certainly a later problem.

“I admire your optimism,” Ava said, but I genuinely couldn’t tell under the deadpan if she meant that or was resisting the urge to vomit.

“So, that’s it? You’re both sure you can’t come tonight?” I wheedled. Noah was going out there, and there was just no way I could crawl into bed tonight with even the hint of knowledge that he might or might not find Dan without me, let alone that monster would come back for me.

Andy and Ava look at each other doubtfully…

Pushing Lily hadn’t worked… but I had to try again… or maybe die trying. “We’re all going, yes?”

I watch very reluctant grins appear on them and eagerly encourage this. “Ava, what if we told your dad you were studying at my house?”

“Huh,” lying apparently had not occurred to her. Guess she didn’t have a helicopter parent who still asked when and why you weren’t going out on weekends and had literally lied to avoid the subject.

Lucky.

“That might actually do it,” she nods slowly. “He always liked you. And he’ll be thrilled to hear I’m making ‘normal’ friends.”

Honestly I was just grateful I was considered normal by someone’s standards as I turn to Andy. “I know basketball is important to you. But this could be life or death. You’re the strongest person here, and I’d feel a lot better with you looking out for us.”

Definitely trying and failing not to file for later how to butter him up as he smiles at me like that. “Well, when you put it that way,” he blew on his knuckles and rubbed at his jacket with pride. “Alright. I’m in.”

“Noah?” I prompt eagerly.

“Yeah, I’m in,” he chuckles at my little pep talk working.

“All right then,” I try to grin and not look over my shoulder at what we were preparing to do. “I’ve gotta go in and grab my stuff, so you go on ahead. We’ll meet up in front of the hardware store.”

“Alright. Then what?” Noah frowned.

“Then…” I take a deep breath, pretending my throat isn’t trying to seize shut in terror, pretending I can’t still see Jane reaching out her hand and begging me to save her…

I would not fail again.

“Then, we go save Dan.”

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Wouldn't You Like to Know