Human - phan

Eleven

Dread had hung like a black cloud over my head since I saw Knuckles in the darkness, and had pushed all thoughts of Purple Shirt Guy out of my head. I clung to the corridors, breaking into a sprint if I had to travel too far from the safety of the buildings. Going home each day probably aged me twenty years. I kept expecting him to leap out from behind a bush with a machete or to sneak into my room at the dead of night or appear at my window when I opened the curtains in the morning.

The worst part was knowing that it would happen. That he would come and with certainty, just like the winter and the night. But not knowing when.

I'd been carrying a small penknife in my pocket to college each day. I didn't have a clue what I'd actually do with it when it came to it, but it made me feel a little safer.

*

"Phil! PHIL!" I screamed, catching him as he came down the steps, choking for breath.

"What's wrong?! Dan, are you okay?" He grabbed my shoulders.

"Knuckles and Gabes and Jake all came for me. Oh God. I was only alone for a second. I was late so I cut across the field and they just appeared out of nowhere and started coming at me and Gabes pulled out a fucking KNIFE and I just ran, oh, god Phil, we've got to get out of here. Please!" My voice was desperate and gasping.

"Dan – Dan calm down. We can't go anywhere, I have lessons- I, you'll be fine in college-"

"Please, Phil. Please, let's just get out of here. I can't take it anymore. I've been running for three days, I know they're going to hurt me and I just can't cope. Please, I just have to get out. Please, Phil." I whispered, hot tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.

Phil pulled my into a hug, rocking me backwards and forwards soothingly.

"Please, Phil," I repeated. "Just for one day. I have to get out."

He bit his lip. "Okay." He said quietly. "Let's go, quickly. Before my teachers notice I'm not there."

A little sob rose in my throat and I squeezed him thankfully.

*

We ran hand in hand without a backwards glance at the high brick walls of the college. We had no food and very little money, but I didn't care. We were escaping - if only for a day.

"Where do you want to go?" Phil asked, breathless from running by the time we reached the train station.

We grinned at each other, giddy with freedom.

"I don't know. I don't particularly mind either, so long as it's with you."

He rolled his eyes. "Soppy git." he giggled.

"How about the sea? The place you told me about, where you used to go to school? You promised you'd take me."

"Okay," Phil said simply. "Let's go. It looks like it's about to rain."

And so we boarded a train into the great unknown (at least, for me). I didn't want the journey to end. I felt incredibly and absolutely content, sat across from Phil, laughing and joking, holding his hand under the table, complaining loudly about the price of crisps and gazing.

Watching the world go by without us.

*

"Look," Phil said. "Cormorants."

Two black birds hung poised above the sea. We watched them gliding and pitching as we walked. Even from the top of the cliff I could hear the rush and roar of the waves through the wind. Now, it was raining.