Static Movements

6

PJ Ligouri was still shocked. No. By then he was far from shocked. It was if one of his mythical creatures from Oscar's Hotel was alive and had rung him on personal business that was more than dangerous.

But wasn't this situation just as dangerous? Dangerous for PJ? Dangerous for Dan?

So much was going on in PJ's mind - what had happened to Dan? Was he now actually, properly dead? - that he didn't realise he was at Dan and Phil's flat. The taxi driver coughed, turning around to the actor/director.

"Aren't ya gonna go now?" the taxi driver asked in a strong Cockney accent.

"Oh, erm, yes. Right," PJ murmured, throwing a couple of twenty pound notes at the driver. "Thanks and keep the change."

The taxi driver shrugged and drove off, pocketing the extra £15 he had gained.

PJ's bright green shoes hit the pavement with a resounding slap. Through his curls he looked up to the flat all the way up on the fifth floor. He walked through the first set of doors and started to make his way up.

His heart was beating with avid anticipation and fear, but the questioning in his head just wouldn't stop.

Why would Phil tell me that Dan was dead when he very clearly wasn't?

Do any of the others know about this?

And most importantly why am I here?

PJ reached the door leading to the Dan and Phil flat. He tried the handle but it was unfortunately locked; this made him groan internally. Then he noticed the potted plant next to the doorway. Phil had mentioned many times that this plant was called Susan10. PJ noticed glinting metal protruding from the soil from behind Susan10. PJ rolled his eyes but grabbed the key anyway.

He unlocked the door and entered the dark hallway. He went up the first set of stairs as quietly as possible for if Phil were still here, he didn't exactly want to come into contact with him.

"Dan?" PJ whispered, looking up the stairs that lead to the office; PJ disregarded this as a place that Dan could be almost immediately as it was fairly small.

He moved into the living room next and then methodically every other room in the flat but found nothing.

Then, a noise.

"Mmm-mmm?" it said questioningly. "Mmm-mmm!" a rattling of metal was heard.

PJ noted that the noise came from the office and stiffened. Was that Dan? PJ climbed up the stairs to the office and opened the door.

"D-Dan?" PJ stared at the male in front of him. "You - did Phil do this to you?"

Dan was secured with handcuffs to the radiator which PJ decided must've rubbed his writs an awful lot. His features were noticeably thinner and his face and body were marked with purple, yellow and black bruises. Dan's hair was overgrown and curly, dirty to the very tips. The same could be said for his clothes; his trousers were stained with what seemed to be urine. What made PJ extremely wary was that Dan's mouth was covered with layer upon layer of black tape. That'd hurt when it was ripped off.

"Mmm-mmm!" Dan murmured excitedly, pulling on his cuffs. "Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm." (Translation: PJ! I am so glad you're here.)

"Oh my-" PJ started. "Dan, this may hurt, but I'm well, I'm gonna have to take this tape off so we can actually communicate effectively."

Dan nodded and lifted his head up so PJ could get to the tape more easily. Five minutes later, the tape was removed from Dan's lips leaving them a bright red colour.