Five Nights At Howell's

What Once Was, And Might Become

"Dan, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, fire away."
"Do you think that if we were older, we would have liked each other more?"
"I'm sorry, Phil."
"No, no, it's fine. My fault for asking."

"Whatcha thinking about Philly?" Dan's voice was still course but it was gradually getting better.

"Oh nothing, Danny." Phil smirked at the nickname. Dan calls him Philly but he hates Danny, it's too... Un-articulate. Not British enough, his parents would say. After a while, his parents hate for the name rubbed off on him.

"Ooh, don't." They both started laughing, the noise filled the room. Laughter echoed off the walls and made both of them shiver.

"Hey, Phil? Where's Jason?"

"I don't know. He hasn't made an announcement in a bit. I... I think I was actually worried about him earlier."

"Yea, that's nothing to be ashamed of. He hasn't done an- well, it's not wrong to worry about the one person who has complete control over our lives."

"No, suppose not. Wanna call out for him? I could look around?"

"No one is leaving either ones sight, we know that by now. But, sure, let's call for him. "

"Jason! Hey, Jason!" Phil yelled out.

"Hey, you cheeky bast-"

"Dan..."

"Sorry. Dude. Where are you?"

"Jason... Went away for a bit. Let's just say he is getting a taste of his own medicine"

The voice was deeper than Jason's, more manly. It had a sick-throaty sound to it, like there was something stuck in his mouth. His tone was sinister, mean, and calculating. The man was happy to be looking over them, if not delirious, in a way. The voice sickined the two, most of all Phil, who was starting to shake his foot. The movement was causing his entire body to shake, which Dan noticed.

"What did you do to Jason, you sicko?"

"He's with you, Dan. You do like Dan, don't you? I know Jason called you Daniel. Too formal I say. Your father is in the house with you, hidden. Wanna play a mini game to find him? Or do you not care enough for that?"

"T-tell us where h-he is."

"Ah, Philly, is it? Nice to hear from you. Wanna play the game too?"

"Do not call him Philly! Give us the damn clue already."

"Up the ladder and to the right, past the room of your first fright."

"First fright? Where would that be? The apartment, maybe."

"I don't think he means the very first fright, maybe the first one in this house."

"Oh, that's smart, Dan. We should go look."

"I don't know if I can. I can barely lift my arms and legs, how will I walk and pull myself up? You have to go."

"You just said no one was leaving the others sight, now you want us to split? No! I refuse to leave you a third time. The last two times you nearly died, one of which you were almost carved to death and the other stuffed. I will not leave you here alone Dan! If you think I'm that daft, you're wrong."

"Ok then, how do you suppose we find him? Huh, how will I get upstairs? I realize you trusted me to not get myself killed. I realize that this is the third time I have almost died. I realize all of this, Phil! If I hadn't screamed, you wouldn't be here. This was my fate, not yours. If I had not been suck a dick to Jason, I wouldn't have almost died a second time. I can't say the third time isn't my fault either because i couldn't move due to my actions beforehand. I apologise for all of that, I really do. It kills me each day to know that you are here because of my actions. My actions and a deranged father, the father who happens to be mine.

It all ties back to me, I screwed this up. But now, you need to go get Jason. You need to look past my mistakes and do the right thing. I know you don't want to lose me. I would hate to lose you, and all the time I regret that I lost you in the first place." At this point in his speech, Dan was tearing up while Phil was bawling. "Phil, please, go. I will be fine. If anything happens, you can string me up yourself."

"I- I don't want to. I'm scared, this damned place haunts you every night and I can't stop it. Now I really know you're not ok, and you're begging me to find the spork who brought us- most importantly, you- here. I do not understand, I don't think I could understand. You... You seem to be so calm and unbothered by what is going on, you almost seem unreal. You've become undeterred to my feelings. You're right, I don't want to lose you, again. It sucked the first time and I would rather not truly lose only best friend and my one true love."

Dan shy'd away from the last part, unable to face Phil. He looked into those eyes once today, the sad blues bore into his own eyes. Guilt and memories washed over him.

Memories of the first few months of living with Phil.

"What was really on your mind earlier, Phil. Don't blow it off this time."

"If we had been... Older, known each other more or had more experience, do you think we would have lasted?"

"I don't know. I honestly do not. Maybe, I guess it's possible."

"Yea."

"Are you staying, or looking around?" Dan figured this was a long shot.

"For you, I will. I'll go, but please do not go anywhere and if anything happens, refrain from dying, if you would."

"Yes, sir"

Phil stared at Dan for a split moment before going upstairs. He climbed the ladder once again, each time he pulled himself up with more anger and confusion than strength and courage. With his head hung low and his spirits lower, he made his way into the kitchen. It was there that he received the next clue.

"Straight above, in that room, hides another clue. It may seem vague, possibly downright rude, but I don't mind. It isn't my funeral, not yours either. It will just show how far you would go for Danny Boy down there."

"I'd go to Hell and back, if I haven't already."

"How lovely."

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