Thanatophobia (H2OVanoss)

Chapter 12

  Luke awoke the next morning to banging sounds coming from the kitchen. He had gone to sleep after checking on Jon last night and...Jonathan!

  He quickly stood up and after falling from the sheets warping around his legs made his way to the kitchen. It was a mess.

Various pots and other cooking utensils were on the floor and on the counters. Steak seasoning and flour were exploded all over the oven and part of the tile. The cover for the butcher knife was in the sink, but the knife was no where in sight.

  "Jonathan?"

He moved farther into the kitchen, moving to avoid glass and other paraphernalia in the floor. He advanced to the living room, which was in the same state.

  That's when he noticed it.

Small blood splatters made a trail on the carpet and through the house up until the wall behind the television, where a crude smiley face was painted and gleamed eerily in the morning light.

He stared at the gruesome image before flinching back as the door slammed. How?...He hadn't seen anyone else in the room. Was it Jon?

  The door was opened and he saw more blood leading to where they kept the bikes parked out front. Luke's was there, but Jonathan's was gone. He was panicking now. Where'd he go?

  Quickly, Luke went inside and started a group call with all his friends. He wouldn't call the police, not yet. If the tremors in his hands were anything to go by, he was too shaken up for them to believe him. As the guys joined the call he was greeted by the gang and their yawning faces.

  "Guys..."

Brock was the first to take notice of the seriousness of his voice.

  "Are you alright? What happened? Did Del wake up?"

He took a shuddering breath and let it out, his body shaking.

  "H-He's...He's gone..."

It took a moment for the words to sink in as they started to fire questions rapidly.

"What do you mean he's gone???"

"Is he alright?"

"What happened?!"

He felt a sob try to come out of his throat. Chocking over his words, he stuttered hopelessly for a few seconds before stopping and trying again.

"I woke up and...I thought I heard him in the kitchen. I went to find him, I thought he had woken up...and the whole place was destroyed. A k-knife was missing, a butcher knife... there was blood in the living room...someone had painted in it...a s-smiling face on the wall...I heard the door so...I went outside...and his bike was gone. I don't know what to do anymore."

He looked into the face cam and his friends' shocked faces.

  "Please...We need to find him!"