Disappearing Bay

3. I stabbed him

As Dan lay down on his bed, he stared across at Phil. He felt bad and part of him regretted coming back. He had just caused more unnecessary stress.

He had to admit it, he'd missed this room. The smell of Phil's deodorant, the half torn Free! poster and their sort of matching duvet covers.

It felt as if he had returned home.

Dan closed his eyes and slowly fell deeply asleep. The bed was a comfort which he hadn't recently been used to and he was thankful for it.

He hadn't realised how much of a strain he had put on his back whilst staying at the dingy trailer park.

Finally, a good nights sleep.

As the sun broke through the curtains, it lit up a section of Dans bed. It made him wince and run at his eyes before sitting up and looking across the room.

Phil tossed and turned in his sleep and mumbled occasionally, making the brown-haired boy in the bed next to him smile. But his smile slowly seeped away as he was brought back to the cold reality which was his life.

He hadn't totally lied to Phil, but he hadn't totally been honest either.

Dan had escaped now, but for how long? He knew they weren't just going to let him runaway and do nothing about it.

"Fuck" He said as he put his face in his hands and sighed.

"Dan?" Phil muttered, rubbed his eyes and looked over.

"I-I just bumped my head, sorry. You can go back to sleep" Dan replied quickly, rubbing his head.

"It's okay.." Phil outstretched his arms and yawned before continuing. "I'm awake now and you have a lot of explaining to do".

The blue-eyed boy swivelled his legs out of the covers and stood up, running a hand through his messy black hair. He began to walk towards the kitchen area.

"You still like coffee, right?" He shouted through as he switched the kettle on.

"A coffee would be great...thanks" The other boy replied whilst also getting out of bed, still dressed in last nights clothes.

Dan walked through and joined Phil by the kitchen counter. It was fairly cluttered and everything seemed to be stained, this made Dan frown a little. But there was no time to be picky about cleaning habits.

Phil passed over a mug and then took a sip from his own.

"You've probably not even called your family yet, or the cops, or anyone.." Phil began to list but was interrupted by Dans hand landing on his shoulder.

"I can't.." Dan frowned and shook his head, gripping onto Phil's shoulder slightly.

"What is that even supposed to mean?" Phil said frustratedly as he put his coffee down and shook his head.

"I.." Dan sighed and turned to look Phil in the eyes.

"I have done things I am not proud of, things that make me feel physically sick. But, most of all, I've been selfish. I've...I've put you in danger. I didn't mean to, I was scared and I panicked and-and I-" Dan started to pace down the small open space of the kitchen but Phil grabbed his arm and shook him slightly.

"Dan, stop it! You're scaring me!" Phil said loudly as he looked into the brown eyes in front of him.

"I'm just telling you the truth! It's fucked up but it's the truth! It wasn't all me, I wasn't always myself. It was my choice at first but then they started threatening me when they wanted to. They used me and I had to escape." Dan began, running his hand through his messy hair.

Phil stepped forward and took his hand.

"Let's sit down and talk through this properly. Explain everything" He said and kept a hold of Dan's hand, leading him through to the bedroom and sitting down on his bed.

They sat next to each other and Dan took a deep breath. He was trying his best to keep it together but his hand had started to shake slightly.

"I....I tell you this and you have to believe that it's not my fault....I had to do it they were going to keep me there forever just because I didn't pay for some fucking weed" Dan looked up and their eyes locked in a furious battle.

"You know you can talk to me. Please, just tell me what's happening." Phil replied, his mind whirling with possible theories.

"Like I said last night, I was in a shit place. You knew I had this but-but it got to this point where I need to do something. I had anxiety and depression and I couldn't relax, I couldn't do anything. I started to go to these guys, I could pay for it at first and it made me feel free of my worries but...but it came to this point where I stopped being able to pay and they threatened me. They told me I had to stay with them and work off my 'debts'." Dan paused and sighed.

"I had to work for them, doing.....I did things. Disgusting things. But I had to, they said they would kill me otherwise or they would hurt the people I loved. They said if I escaped they would find me and kill me and my family and my friends. They said they would kill you, I-I shouldn't have come back."

"How did you escape?" Phil asked.

Dan had a look of disgust and he shook his head slightly.

"I....I-I Stab-" he began but let out a sob.

"I stabbed Vic, I had to........I couldn't-couldn't stay there forever. I needed you, I needed everyone I loved. I didn't want to hurt anyone else but-but I had to." He wailed and covered his eyes.

"Oh my..." Phil's eyes widened as he moved back slightly.

It took a minute before all the information registered, and then he sat forward and put his arms around his roommate. Holding him close.

"I should've noticed, I should've looked out for you. I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry." Tears began to form in his blue eyes as they hugged.

In return, Dan wrapped his arms around Phil tightly and buried his face into Phil's shoulder. But he suddenly moved back with a serious facial expression.

"I can't stay. I'm sorry" He said gravely, all emotion slipping from him.