The Creature He Is

CHAPTER 6

When the next day arrives, Kenny's words echo heavily in Craig's mind. He was here for a reason? What was it? And what was this personal business he needed to take care of? And what did he mean something bad could happen to him? More questions kept popping up, each time he got any shred of new information about Kenny.

He lets out a sigh and lies his head down on his desk, facing it towards Kenny's vacant one. He wonders faintly where Kenny is right now, and what he's doing, before turning it away.

The morning passes by and lunch arrives. Normally Craig would go and seek out Kenny during it, but he didn't seem to be here today. He thinks of joining his friends for it, but when he spots Clyde, he changes his mind and goes off on his own, deciding not to, or wanting to, get into another possible fight with him again. So he ends up spending lunch instead, outside sitting next to the school, and facing out towards the forest that was near it, while listening to music off his phone.

Some movement in the bushes catches his eye. And for a moment he lifts up his head more, but when he sees it's just a squirrel, he lowers it back down again. He knew he wouldn't find what he was searching for that day in them. A light drizzle starts, but he doesn't leave for a few minutes, until he starts to feel the light raindrops soak through his clothes.

When his second shared afternoon class comes and he glances around, Kenny is still a no show. As his scan of the room continues, he spots Clyde looking at him, still seeming to be pretty pissed at him, before he turns his head away. Needless to say, that when gym class comes along, the two avoid each other. And when the school day ends, he heads off home right away, so as to avoid his other friends asking them all to hangout. He didn't want there to be any awkward air around everyone.

When Saturday comes, he spends it mostly at home, said for when his father asks him to pick something up from the corner store. Which he reluctantly agrees to and heads out wearing a hoodie and sweats, with his hat hiding his messy hair. As he walks to the store and picks up the item his father asked of him, which was a loaf of bread, he exits and heads on his way home.

While walking back, a thought crosses his mind and he decides to take a detour before heading home, since he was outside anyways. His feet guide him to Stark's Pond, where he takes a seat on a bench overlooking it. Staring out over it, he recalls a couple nights ago when he met Kenny here and learned those things about him. It was still a lot for him to process, and he wasn't sure where to start with it, he knew though, that whatever it was, it was serious and probably way too over his head. Still though, despite the potential danger, it didn't stop him from wanting to learn more about Kenny. Nor did him discovering that he wasn't exactly human either. Although that didn't really surprise him much, as he already figured it was something along those lines anyways.

His eyes scan the area, lost in thought. Part of him wondered if he might spot him somewhere, but he knew that was unlikely. He figured he wouldn't see him again till Monday at least, which made him somewhat impatient about it, but it couldn't be helped.

The dreary weather from the day before had carried over to today's as it started to rain. It's light at first and Craig doesn't mind it all that much. Then in the next couple of minutes, it starts to pour. But he doesn't move, unlike the last time, and just lets the rain soak him. He closes his eyes and listens to it as it hits everything around him, the grass, the pavement, the bench, just listening to it all, as his mind is lost in thought. When he tilts his head towards the sky, he opens his eyes. He stares blankly at the sky for a while, before the sound of something in the distance pulls him back. He tries to find where it came from, but has no luck. After a few more minutes, he finally decides to head home.

When he makes it back, he's soaking wet and his father scolds him a bit for not coming home right away, and getting everything wet, including the bread, before he tells him to go wash off so he won't get sick or something. He does and afterwards goes to lie down on his bed after wrapping about three layers of blankets around himself. Where he spends the rest of his day, pretty much in bed watching videos on his phone.