[TW] Pyrophobia

Chapter Eleven | "Smoke"

DUH

A few weeks had passed since he and Doc had visited Sebastian, and often during his lunch break now, Duh would go see his old friend and talk to him about how his day had been. As the day slowly passed into afternoon, Duh chose to eat alone today, in his classroom. Surely it wouldn't do him any wrong.

He just needed to get all the thoughts cleared up, anyways. He was so distracted by everything that was happening right now, everything that had happened in the past few weeks, in the past month. He prayed Doc was doing okay, he started going back to work about a couple weeks prior. But his eye seemed to no longer hurt, so he was probably okay.

As Duh poked at his food, his phone seemed to ring. He lifted it for a moment and flinched as he got a familiar number. Scope. He thought he blocked the number, but God he must've been wrong. Shit. Shit, no.

He ignored the call, letting it ring. As the phone automatically hung up, he set the phone to silent before setting it face-down on the table and eating his food, trembling. Why the Hell would she be calling him? She didn't want anything to do with him, surely? She hates my guts, just as much as I hate hers. So why is she calling me? He almost thought she was trying to find a way to hurt Doc again... he hoped that wasn't true.

He began to eat, but it was honestly out of his own stress, and he couldn't help but check his phone. Text messages. "Answer the call. I'm trying to help you." He didn't want to. She was such a liar; she was such a monster. A murderer.

He, out of all people, would know that. Not even Doc knew that, right?

He sighed and picked up the phone, calling her back. She answered immediately. Silence for only a moment, then she spoke. "You're in danger."

"...What?"

"Watch out, Duh. RED's not gone."

"...I know he isn't. Doc told me."

It seemed to go quiet on her end for a moment, as if she were confused, but then she continued. "Something's about to happen to you, someone else told me, I... it was someone familiar. I couldn't quite put my mind on it. But someone alive is working with RED."

Duh blinked. "Someone... alive?"

"Yes." Scope mumbled. "As much as I fucking hate you... we both want him gone. And the only way we can do that is by working together. Just... look out."

The call ended and Duh could only feel a coldness running through his veins. Who on Earth could be working with RED, let alone someone familiar? The only person he could think of that was familiar was Milo from high school or her. But Milo was dealt with a long time ago, wasn't he? And Scope was the one who warned him about it.

Standing from his chair, Duh tossed his food, suddenly feeling sick of eating. Something felt horribly wrong, Scope was right on that part. He looked around for any sign before glancing at his phone. Maybe I can call the administration.

As he reached for his phone, a loud boom sounded from the distance, it sounded closer than he could dream but further away than he imagined. Duh only looked around, puzzled. What the Hell was that?

Screams accompanied the sound, screams of children. That petrified him. He knew where the kids were, the cafeteria. He immediately got out of his chair and sprinted out of his chair, feeling multiple teachers racing after him. Familiar heavy footsteps sounded after him.

"What the fuck was that?!" Sebastian shouted beside him.

"I don't know!" Duh yelled back. "I was in my classroom, genius!"

"Shit, shit, shit!" Sebastian hurried ahead along with a few other unfamiliar teachers while Duh followed closely behind. He managed to skid to a stop in the cafeteria and froze, feeling horror creep onto his face. Brilliant colors of orange and gold painted the large room, a fiery labyrinth, as children screamed and panicked, food scattered all over the place. Amongst the hysteria, Duh managed to spot Lulu looking around nervously.

No, no, no! "I'm coming, Lulu!" Duh pushed in front of Sebastian, feeling an agonizing pain on his foot as he leapt through a flame that crept onto a table he shoved past. Ow! Shit! He brushed past the wall to make sure no fire was on him and kept rushing forward until Lulu was in sight. "Sebastian! Can you hear me?!"

"I hear you!" Sebastian's voice called over the crackling of the fire. "Are there any other kids you see in there?!"

"Not that I can tell!" Duh looked around just to make sure before answering with this. "On the count of three, I'm going to toss Lulu towards the clock right over the fire, you've got to catch her and make a run for it!"

"What?!" Lulu squeaked.

"WHAT?!" Sebastian echoed her, obviously shocked. "W-What about you...?!"

"I..." Duh seemed lost in his words for a moment. For Lulu. "I'll be okay! The kids come first! Make sure everyone gets out safely, be the hero in this situation!"

Sebastian seemed unsure as he fell quiet, but then he spoke. Duh barely heard him, but he managed to hear one thing come out. "You'll always be the hero, Duh." Then, he counted down. "One."

"Two." Duh continued.

"THREE!" They both shouted together. Duh grabbed Lulu and tossed her over the fire. Lulu screamed and reached for Duh, but he only watched her as she disappeared in the frame. He heard a gasp from Sebastian, a relieving sound to let him know that he caught her, and then panicked footsteps as everyone began to run.

Stay safe. Duh let out a soft smile before turning back and dashing away. He had to make sure no one else was left behind. Despite all the flames that rushed past him and burnt at him, he had to keep running.

He kept rushing through the blazes until eventually he heard nothing but the crackling and only a few more footsteps. Was it his or someone else's? "Hello?"

"Duh... come on, we can get out of this together!" A voice seemed to call out to him, feminine and almost helpless.

Although he didn't recognize the voice he turned the direction it came from and nodded. "Right, just follow me!" He turned back around, searching for an exit. "There! Just come on, and—"

A large vine suddenly blocked his way, and Duh nearly ran right into it. A vine wrapped onto his arm, luckily not making it bleed due to the Spreading shielding it. He tried to tug away and he turned around. "W-What the—?!"

Nothing came out at first, but then quiet footsteps approached him. A red glare pierced out throughout the blaze. And then, a feminine figure stared out at him, her gaze ferocious and bloodthirsty. She spoke blandly, although there seemed to be maliciousness behind it.

"Remember me, my love?"