Freak Show {The Pack and Friends}

• Part 11 •

Rob's Perspective

I was in bed, a small lamp shedding golden light across the pages of my favorite book. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. I had read and re-read this story several times, but I couldn't help picking it up one more time.

I flicked through the page, getting to my favorite scene. Baz had started a fire around himself, Simon trying to save him from the possible suicide.
He kissed the vampire, spending the rest of their time together.
I let my mind wander, to no one else but Preston. In some ways he was like Baz, with their singular similarity being a love of fire.

A window was sat next to my bed, whenever I was bored taking to stare outside.
I saw a familiar figure, tall and slightly slouched, hands tucked into pockets. The moonlight reflected off of his hair, blonde. Was that Lachlan?

I grabbed my phone, calling up Mitch. I knew he was awake, spending his Fridays with his laptop, burning the skin on his stomach.

"Hey dude."

"Hey Rob. What's up?"

"I think I just saw Lachlan sneak out of his house."

"Lachlan? No way. Are you sure?"

"Positive bro. Can you head over to mine?"

"Yeah gimme a second."

The phone was muffled, Mitch's distant voice head in the background.
"Yeah okay. I'll be there in a second. What are we going to do?"

"I swear that was Lachlan... I just wanna know what he's doing. Where would he be going at 11 o'clock?"

Lachlan's Perspective

I trudged through the nearly pitch black forest, using my cell phone screen as a dim flashlight. The white text on the screen red 11:13.
Why was I doing this? Why was I risking everything I knew? My life, my family, my future.
I was throwing it all out on the line. And I didn't care what happened if the sacrifice wasn't enough.

As I walked closer, I heard the sharp whistle and click clacking of a train. Quiet, yet audible voices made their way to me. And I knew I was going in the right direction. I spotted the train, a cargo, the second-to-last car with doors open wide. Ant sized people ran between the camp and the car, loading up tents, lights, and curtains.

I sprinted towards the train, getting closer and closer. I ignored the small sparks of pain in my chest, I had just about as much stamina as the main character in a horror game.

I was about halfway there, tree branches, and abrasive leaves scratching up my arms. The jacket I was wearing now torn. Did I care? No.
The train had begun to pull away, each second getting me farther and farther away from the vampire.

"VIKK!"
I yelled, my lungs wheezing at the effort, legs burning with how fast I pushed myself. Sweat pouring down my face. I was panting,
I was so close now, I could see him. Vikk was sitting close to the edge, mere inches from falling onto the tracks. His legs were pulled close to his chest.
He looked up, with I breaking through the clearing of trees. His gaze met mine, running towards him.

The clearing was covered in long, tan prairie grasses, each stem reaching as high as my waist. I didn't let them distract me, pushing past the stalks.
Vikk stood up, waving his hands. I pushed myself even harder, if that was possible at this moment.

I felt sick, the small amount of food I had eaten when I had gotten home threatening to leave my stomach.
"VIKK!"

I yelled again. Seeing as he jumped up and down. My foot didn't hit the ground, a sickening crack as my ankle twisted under my weight. I felt my non-broken foot slip out from under me, collapsing onto the ground.
All the wind was knocked out of my chest as I started coughing. My face grew damp, a sharp metallic taste meeting my lips.

A few small droplets of red dripped into the grass, black from how dark it was outside.
I looked up, the train pulling away. Chugging along, with the rhythmic click-clack.
Vikk was gone.
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Yeah yeah. I'm the worst. No update for a week. Blah blah fight me.