The Poets

Chapter Seven

"Sooo Anderson..."

This snapped Todd out of his calculating thoughts on calculus, he turned to see Neil stood above his desk.

Neil continued in a murmur, "Are you coming to the meeting tonight..?"

Todd had no remembrance of a meeting being scheduled. They'd had some meetings, but they became less frequent with Neil's rehearsals, Charlie's preoccupation with Knox's love life, and whatever Meeks and Pitts did in their free time.

"I hadn't realized we had one tonight...", Todd looked down.

Had the rest of the group not wanted him to come, maybe they purposefully didn't tell him but neglected to tell Neil of the plan...no, thats silly right..?

"I don't know if I should come...", Todd lowers his voice to a whisper, "I mean are you sure the invitation was extended to me as well...?"

Neil sighs and lightly rests his hand on top of Todd's—physical touch now becoming a norm for the two boys, "Todd, of course you are...you're a dead poet after all...", Neil goes on, "...plus I want you to be there."

Todd's mouth twitched into a shy smile, nodding his head, subliminally agreeing to the invite.

Neil grinned, "I'll be seeing you!"

After classes, Todd went through the usual stages of doing his homework, pretending to sleep, and then rushing into the night.

Neil never came back to their dorm, which was odd as they always enter the cave together. The disruption in routine caused his stomach to ache.

Todd went in a mad dash throughout the school trying to get out undetected. The cold air whipped his hair and cape as soon as he entered the sinister forest. The sky provided no light as the moon was covered by the inky black of the night. He couldn't help the goosebumps that spread across his skin, the woods were daunting when conquered alone. Despite his terror, Todd marched on.

   He continued on his trek, becoming more and more unsettled, feeling as though he was being watched.

A hot blast of air hit the nape of Todd's neck, causing him to go into defense mode. He whipped around punching at the air till' his fists landed upon a solid mass in the darkness.

"JESUS CHRIST!", Neil cried out in a hoarse tone

Once Todd registered what, or more realistically whom he hit, he rushed to his aide, "OH MY GOD, NEIL I'M SO SORRY!"

Neil let out a raspy laugh holding his hand out for Todd, "it's fine Anderson, but I will take fighting lessons as an apology.."

Now stood, Neil with a pained expression across his face and a stream of blood running down from his nostrils, held onto the bridge of his nose where Todd had punched him.

"Oh Neil, I really am sorry..", he could barely see Neil's injury in the dark, "...lets get to the cave, I can see better in there.."

Upon arriving at the cave entrance, Todd could make out the light of the "god of the cave", which was really just a beat up lamp Neil had found at a yard sale one day before a meeting. He had expected to see the rest of the dead poets inside, but when they entered there was nobody except them.

Neil went ahead of Todd inside the cave, "Sorry, I forgot to mention the others couldn't make it...just us for tonight.", Neil mentioned nonchalantly with a small smirk across his lips

Todd looked around, the cave felt more cozy than usual. There was a bag filled with bottles (presumably vodka), multiple blankets on the usual damp stone, and there was Neil disheveled yet still handsome: sat atop his usual rock.