Sink your teeth

Chapter One

It all started with a thunderstorm on a Saturday morning at 2. Andrew drove through the glistening streets and was, as always, the only one sober. Austin and Kyle clung to each other in the very backseat, passed out, while Joshua was struggling to keep his eyes open, his back against the door of the car. Michael sat up front with Andrew, being the least drunk of the four, besides Andrew, he got that privilege.

To Andrew, it felt like they were in the middle of nowhere, it was dead grass and flatlands for miles. That's why when they passed a large house, Andrew was sure he was hallucinating. That couldn't have been too far off, he was tired and emotionally drained, he desperately needed a nap. The house looked worn down, in fact, the only way you could tell that it was occupied was the warm light that bathed the inside. It was eerie... Andrew shakes his head to rid the thought and drifts his eyes back to the road.

He grips the steering wheel tightly, enough to make his knuckles white, as they finally reach the city.
"Finally," Michael groans, stretching his arms, "Why the hell did the party have to be near the farms? That drive was torture..."

Andrew stares out the front window blankly, parked in front of a small diner.
Michael raises a brow at him, "You good, man?" He asks, making Andrew snap back to reality,

"Huh? Oh, uh... yeah, yeah, I'm fine..." he mutters as he removes his hands from the steering wheel and sighs, "Just... in my head, again..."

"Ah," Michael nods his head and pats Andrew's shoulder, he glances back at the other three boys to see them all fast asleep and he chuckles before whispering in Andrew's ear; "Honk the horn, that'll get 'em up,"

Andrew sighs and chuckles softly, shaking his head with a slight smirk on his face, "You're evil."

"C'mon man, it'll be funny!"

Andrew rolls his head and, despite himself, honks the horn, making the three sleeping boys jolt awake. Michael chuckles and Andrew can't help but grin as Joshua, who nearly just had a heart attack, hyperventilates.

Kyle sits up groggily, seeming dazed, and Austin does the same. "What time is it...?" Kyle mutters, making it nearly impossible for Andrew to hear.

Andrew glances down at his watch, "Two-twenty."

"Hm? Then whhy is it soo dark out...?"

"Am. Two-twenty am." Michael sighs with a roll of his eyes.

"Am...? Amplifier Mother...?" Austin asks drunkly,

Andrew blinks, confused, and Michael does similar, his brows tightening.

Joshua smacks Austin upside the head, "After Midnight, dumbass."

"Ah... ouch..." Austin whines, rubbing the back of his head.

A slight awkward silence, then Michael clears his throat, "Come on, we gotta go in. Y'all need food and water in your systems so you're not deadly hungover in the morning."
He opens his door and steps out, expecting the others to do the same.

Andrew sighs and steps out and Joshua follows close behind. Austin and Kyle stumble out, still clinging to each other.

As they entered the diner, the smell of freshly baked fries and burgers fill their senses. They find an empty table, though all tables were empty, and sit down. A sticky substance covers the benches and crumbs coat the table.

With a sigh, Andrew pulls out a notepad and pen, scribbling ideas down for writing, painting, or photography. Michael notices this and rolls his eyes, "Don't you ever take a break? I swear, you're the most boring guy I have ever met."

That earned Michael a side eye.

Michael chuckles and puts his hands up defensively, "I'm just saying."

Soon, a waitress rolls over on skates and sets down a plate of fries. Andrew raises an eyebrow and stops her just before she can leave, "Excuse me, sorry, but we didn't order any food yet?"

"The young man over in the corner sent it over." She points to a pale man wearing a long black jacket eyeing Andrew.

Andrew shudders and looks away, who was that? And why in the world was he familiar to Andrew...? Andrew swore he had never seen that man in his life.

"Do you need anything else, sir?"

Andrew flinches slightly and turns back to look at her, "Uh, yes! Uhm, can I get... 5 glasses of water, please?"

She smiles and nods, "Of course, I'll be right back!" She rolls off again, disappearing into the kitchen.

Andrew looks down at the table. He could feel the man's eyes on him still. Eerie...

"When did they start giving waitresses skates? They're clumsy enough as it is." Michael scoffs, breaking the silence.

"Oh, uh... I-I heard it was for the, uh, aesthetic of the place... I think..." Andrew sighs and shakes his head, trying to get rid of the tight feeling in his stomach.

Andrew raises his eyes from the table, the feeling of anxiousness raising his senses. The wind howls outside the window and every flash of lighting makes Andrew flinch. Even the sight of his car outside alone makes him uneasy.

"Here you are! Five glasses of water!" The waitress says happily, suddenly right next to Andrew.

Andrew flinches and leans back, bumping Michael, who had already picked up a glass, making him spill the water on his shirt. "Ah, dammit man..." he sighs, annoyed, and glances over at Andrew. Andrew was trembling suddenly. "Hey man, you okay? You're suddenly so jumpy..."

"S-sorry... I-I'm fine..." Andrew takes a few deep breaths to calm himself, his body mainly relaxes, but his leg continues to bounce up and down.

Michael furrows his brows and sighs before setting his glass down and putting a hand on Andrew's knee, which makes the bouncing slow. Michael give Andrew a small smile, and Andrew sighs and smiles back, "Relax. Whatever is bothering you, you're okay. Okay?"

Andrew swallows the lump in his throat and nods, "you're right... it's just... super late and I'm not good with, y'know... big storms and stuff..." he says, nodding at the window,

"Ohh, the storm is making you jumpy? Well, don't worry. Wether we're in the car or in here, we're safe. I mean, as long as we don't stand in the middle of an open field or under a tree for over thirty minutes, I don't think it's likely we'll get hurt or be in any danger, 'Kay?"

"'Kay... thanks,"

"'Course."

Though Michael's promise was assuring, Andrew couldn't shake the sense of anxiety and uneasiness that stirred within him. From the rest of the time in the diner, to the time everyone went home, he didn't speak once. He felt like he was being watched, like...

That man...

Who was he, and where had he come from? And why...?

And why did he give off the same aura as that strange house...?

~ 1146 words