A Step By Step Guide To Mortality

Like a Scratch in The Record

Phil was expecting a call from Wilbur but not in this way.

He'd known that Wilbur and Techno would need to be picked up but he didn't anticipate the urgency.

The absolute anxious energy that poured through the phone and washed over Phil was beyond what he expected.

"Phil, please . Please get here fast." Wilbur rushes and Phil is already out the door, shrugging on a jacket.

"Wil? Is everything okay?" Wind brushes against the speaker of the phone and Phil pinches the device between his ear and shoulder, sitting down in his car and starting to reverse.

"Phil, I— there's some things you don't know." Wilbur croaks out and Phil's mind is racing. He's terrified, driving over the speed limit to get to Wilbur.

"Like what?"

"It's Tommy."

"Like what , Wilbur?" Phil breathes.

There's the sound of a rustling on the other side of the phone and a beat.

"Phil, I'll tell you in the car, okay? Me and Techno have started heading down the road to save time. I'll tell you then."

Phil opens his mouth to object when Wilbur hangs up with a beep.

He's trying to not let himself worry, he really is. The road twists and bends and Phil drives along it, taking the fastest routes he can think of with such little time.

What was wrong? The question rings in his head a thousand times over. He runs over everything that could stress Wilbur out about Tommy. It had to be something important. Something big. It would be a lie to say Phil wasn't concerned.

He finds the road that Wilbur and Techno are heading down and he pulls over. Techno yanks the door open with a sigh of relief and Phil watches him cautiously, trying to check for injuries. They both seem okay and uninjured. It does nothing to soothe Phil's nerves.

Neither of them sit in the front. Oh god, was it bad? They were creating distance from Phil, even if he wasn't supposed to notice it. It was terrifying .

"Finally." Techno huffs, sitting in the back and sliding all the way over as Wilbur follows suit.

"Okay, let's go." Wilbur snaps his seatbelt on and locks eyes with Phil.

"Not before you tell me what's going on."

Wilbur sinks back into the seat, almost recoiling at the statement. "I... I haven't been honest with you. More specifically, Tommy hasn't been honest."

Phil shoots him a stern look. "Mate, you're freaking me out. Why were you rushing me to come and get you? And how is Tommy related to this?"

Wilbur sucks in a sharp breath. There's a break as Wilbur struggles to find the right words. "Have you ever wondered why Tommy acts the way he does?"

Phil frowns, staring at Wilbur with confusion. "Like...?"

"Like he's constantly terrified we're going to turn our backs on him. Phil, remember all those months ago when you threw that sandwich at Tommy and he didn't eat it until you gave him permission? Or— or when he freaked out because he forgot his dad wanted him home."

"He wanted me home an hour ago." Tommy looks up with wide eyes, almost jarred by whatever just happened before he scribbles down whatever was left for him to finish.

"He's gonna be upset."

Phil's heart sinks, like there's a pause on everything other than Wilbur's voice and the background music he never realized was there has come to a stop. Like a scratch in the record.