lovestar | skephalo

chapter 38 | oh?

Darryl POV
We finally arrived. After continuous yelling and 4 hours of sleep, I finally made it.

I hop off the bus with Rat and I don't know where to go. I was thinking staying in a motel but I clearly don't have enough at the moment.

So I guess I'll just find somewhere else. I look around, I really don't know where to go. I need to get a leash for Rat, they're aren't gonna last staying in a cage. I look at my right, and I see a dollar store. I smile to myself - I'll buy some essentials for me there, hopefully they have stuff for small dogs.

I walk towards the dollar store; Everything feels so different here, the weather is very much the opposite.

~~~

Zak POV
We're performing tomorrow. I feel carsick and I'm distracted by Cara trying to cheer me up by cracking dad jokes.

"Why did the cookie go to the doctor?" She asks. I pause, and then respond, "I don't know. Why?" "Because it was feeling.. CRUMBY!!" She then laughs to herself, slapping her knee and rocking back and forth. She stops when she sees me have no reaction and just sat there. "Why are you so upset - Is this because of Darryl? Come on, he found someone new already."

"Your not helping." I groan.

"Oh so it is because of Darryl?" She sips on her strawberry milkshake, "Come on! Cheer up. We're going to Ohio, you'll get to see your family again."

"My family doesn't even like me anymore." I groan. "There's only 2 hours left. Don't worry." Cara smiles.

~~~

Darryl POV
I walk into the store, it feels cold and I'm not sure where to go. I go up to the person at the front register, "Excuse me. Do you guys sell stuff for dogs?" I ask. "Erm yes, aisle 7." The worker responds, he looks young and has eye bags under his eyes. I nod in response, and I look for aisle 8.

I find it when I see "Pets" written on a board next to the board where it says aisle 8. I walk into the aisle and I see collars, pet food, beds, leashes and other stuff I potentially need. I instantly smile when I see a red leash and a matching red collar with a dog bone in metal placed in the centre.

"Do you like this Lucy?" I place their carrier on the ground, and showing it to them. Rat barks and starts wagging their tail, I giggle. "I'll get this then." I tuck the collar under my armpit. "How about this?" I hold out a toy dog bone, yet again, they start acting excited - I tuck that under my arm too.

After that I find a packet of dog food and a portable dog food and water bowl, this should be good enough, I'll come back here if I need anything else.

On my way back I buy some snacks and water bottles, I also got some black nail polish too - I haven't done that in a while.

I feel my stomach rumble, I should eat soon. I walk out of the store and find the nearest cafe.

~~~

Zak POV
We settled at a nearby hotel, as soon as I enter the room I flop onto the bed face first. I'm gonna have to share with Geo while Cara and Ant stay in the other room next door.

"We haven't had a full on conversation in a while." Geo speaks. "Yeah. We haven't." I agree, we haven't.

"You know.. We can go out for some coffee later?" It sounded more as a question instead of a statement. I lift my head from the mattress, "Yeah sure." I smile with my hair messed up.

"I'm planning to go surprise my family tomorrow." I speak, I haven't talked to them in a while.

"I can come if your nervous." Geo starts to unpack his clothes. "Thanks man." I smile. I start hearing buzzing from my phone, a call is coming through. "I'll take this." I mumble under my breath.

"Hello?" I speak into the microphone. "Is this Zak Ahmed?" The person through the other side of the phone speaks. "Yes? It is." I start to feel a weird feeling in my stomach, I have a feeling somethings about tot go wrong. "Please prepare yourself. This is really important and I'm sorry to say this but.." My eyes widen and I pause. I look up at Geo and he takes notice of how I'm acting. "Are you okay?" I hear Geo whisper but i don't respond.

"We've found a body. A dead body of a teenage boy. Police hasn't yet identified the body but police are suspecting it may be Darryl Novescoschs. The body was found a few minutes away from his house in a forest; seemed to be brutally murdered with his head chopped off and stuffed in a suitcase after."

"What..?" I shakily breathe out

"Sir, we are not 100% sure if it is him but we are just keeping you updated."

I end the call, this can't be happening.

~~~

Even while getting coffee with Geo I'm still sick to my stomach. "Dude, are you alright?" Geo waves his hand in front of my face. I haven't told him yet. "Fuck it. I'll tell you." I mutter to myself. I explain, and let the words fall out of my mouth, the words I was told by the operator.

"Oh." I hear him mumble.

Oh?

Just 'oh?'

"Oh?" I recall, "What do you mean 'oh' ?"

"Zak, I didn't mean it like that, I swear. Sorry- I just down know what to say. I feel bad."

"It's all good," I smile, I forgive him. All of this shit is really getting to me, I have a really bad headache and I want it to go away. "I'm gonna go get some air." I sit up from my chair. Geo says okay and I walk out.

It's getting dark, it's sunset. I walk around in circles with my hands in my pockets.

"Zak?" I hear call my name. 'Another fan?!' I groan, but I don't say it out loud. I turn my head behind me and I see,,

Max?

I instantly wanna fly a fist to his cheek.

He's the reason why me and Darryl broke up. One of the reasons why Darryl is dead, why he had to go to rehab. Why he had to find a new boyfriend.

So I do. In a second I punch him in the nose.

Max doesn't fall or trip, he stays still, but his nose starts to run blood and it becomes in a crooked shape.

Suddenly when I open my eyes I see a gun faced towards my direction. "Max. Don't shoot." I grumble. "Don't worry I won't," He lowers his gun. "It doesn't even have any bullets in it." He chuckles, putting the gun back in his pocket. I sigh of relief.

"However,"

Max doesn't finish, instead I feel a kick in the crotch. I start whining from the pain. Then I feel a fist hit my head, and then I knock down onto the floor. I scurry and try to sit back up but I can't move, my eyes are slowly opening and closing - opening and closing until I couldn't open them anymore.

~~~
Darryl POV
I keep my head low as I walk out of the restaurant. After eating two ham and cheese croissants I feel full.

Rat is currently using their new leash, they walk happily as they walk in front of my presence. As I walked and walked to the nearest art museum I come across a body. I gasp, a singular body. I walk closer and I prepare my phone to call 911 but I don't expect to see the person being Zak.

I don't wanna see him. What is he doing here?

I calm down when I see his chest rising and lowering. I'll take him somewhere for now.