Sense of a Foreshortened Future : THIAM

The Strange Intimacy of the Struggle

Liam drove slower than everyone else on the highway. Well, he was going exactly the speed limit and everyone else on the road was an asshole. He gripped the wheel until it creaked under his hands every time someone cut him off or got too close behind him.

He could feel the weight of the full moon pushing down on him. Theo helped. He would pull Liam out of his building rage and focus it on something else like video games or movies. Theo was trying and succeeding at having a lot of patience, but Liam could tell it was wearing thin. He wasn't helping with his glares and short responses. Liam knew he was still being rude even though he wasn't trying to be. It was just a horrible second nature to snap at people.

After hours of irrational irritation building inside of him, Theo told Liam to pull off the highway and park at a gas station.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom then we're switching." Theo said, not leaving any room for argument before he slipped out of the truck.

Liam took the keys out of the ignition and jumped out of the truck. He couldn't be in there anymore. It made him feel trapped. It was too small and warm and uncomfortable. His irritation started to dissipate as he walked to the far side of the parking lot. Unfortunately he was left with an uneasiness.

It was a feeling he had been pushing down since Yellowstone. He felt like he was being watched—followed. Liam couldn't stop himself from being wary of every car that passed by. Which was sort of an issue considering they were at a busy gas station. There was something wrong.

Liam paced the area he was at, swiveling his head, looking for something that proved he was right. There was nothing. It was a lot scarier not knowing where the danger was. He was getting worked up then. He needed to find what was wrong. Liam, in an act of desperation, opened his phone and called Scott.

He didn't wait for Scott's greeting, he just started talking as soon as he heard the other man pick up, "There are people following us." Liam said. He kept scanning his eyes over the parking lot.

"What? Are you okay? What do they look like?" Scott said, obviously panicked.

"I'm fine. I haven't seen them yet, so I don't know what they look like." He could feel his voice trembling and he wished Theo would hurry the fuck up with whatever he was doing inside the gas station.

"Do you know what type of car they have? If you have the plates we can run them." Scott suggested. Liam felt a pit form in his stomach.

"I also haven't seen their car." He said self-consciously.

Scott paused, and Liam felt the pit grow deeper, "If you haven't seen them, how do you know someone is following you?"

"I don't know. I just have this really bad feeling."

"Does Theo have the same bad feeling?" asked Scott.

"No, I don't think so..." Shit, Liam should have brought this up to Theo first. Why was he so out of it?

"Li, do you think it might be the full moon?" Scott asked in an almost condescending tone. Liam didn't want to believe it. He thought he had been doing better. That he had killed and buried his paranoia. Maybe not. Maybe Liam was wrong. He'd been wrong before, and if Theo didn't have the same feeling Scott was probably right.

"I... I guess."

"Why don't you just try and rest?" Scott suggested and Liam felt like such a little kid. He tuned out of the rest of the conversation, too focused on the horrible feeling swirling around inside him. Every full moon for the past six months he'd tried to stay calm and in touch with reality. He hated the idea that he was slipping back into what Deaton said were delusions . Why couldn't he just be normal again?