Summertime Hell (South Park summer camp AU)

Chapter 17: Stopped And Stared

Another night, another sleepless struggle for Stan.

The rest of the day had gone by in a blur.

Stan didn't interact with Kyle.

Kyle didn't interact with Stan.

And then Stan once again, didn't sleep.

He wasn't scared of Kyle.

He could never be scared of Kyle.

He just didn't know how to act around him anymore. He didn't want to be a 'burden' or whatever the fuck Kyle had said he was.

Stan's memory was becoming increasingly foggy on that subject.

He was sick of what was going on between Kyle and him. Sick of the awkwardness and the sadness and the uncertainty. Part of him wanted things back the way they were.

But a small part of him wanted to be mad.

Kyle had really hurt him and he wanted to hurt Kyle.

He knew that wasn't sensible in the slightest, but it felt rational to Stan.

But he hadn't slept in days, so he wasn't really all that great at rationalizing.

He felt like he was going crazy.

He was almost entirely sure he was crazy the night Kyle found him pacing.

The exhaustion, the anxiety, the stress, the FUCKING SCREAMING APPARENTLY ONLY HE COULD HEAR.

It all just made too much sense to not be true.

Until there was the continuous murders.

And the encounter with the thing in the forest.

Yay!

Not crazy!

But still definitely sleep deprived.

The screams had made their debut again, late that night but Stan wouldn't bother telling the others.

What was there to tell? They had a.ready figured out that something was in the forest. What's the point I'm letting them know it's doing shit again?

He would feel bad if he disrupted their sleep.

Even though he was kinda jealous of the fact that their bodies could perform basic human functions.

He didn't understand why he couldn't just do it.

He tried so hard!

But he could just never get to sleep.

It wasn't the fact that he wasn't tired.

He was exhausted.

To the point where he could hardly see straight.

But then night comes, and he can't sleep at all. He feels restless and hot and overwhelmed and hyper active and insane. He feels sad, and anxious and scared out of his fucking mind.

These emotions would mix and match with each other, creating the perfect formula to keep Stan up for all the hours of the night.

He wanted so desperately to get some sleep.

But, alas, it had not happened and he was destined to be a tired little fella for the rest of his life.

Or 'till he died.

Which, would technically be the rest of his life.

So 'till he died then.

Perfect.