Death Valley

Episode 1: Never Miss The Geeks

"Andy! Come on! This isn't funny anymore! Where'd you go!? Don't mess with me, Andrew!"

Silence in return.

"Okay! Okay, you got me! Haha, Andy, you can come on out now! I'm thoroughly freaked out!"

Silence in return.

"A-Andy..? P-please tell me y-you're joking.. C'mon, man.. I need you to show up now.. Please.."

A growl in return. And Patrick's name being screamed. Andy.

"Patrick! I need you, man! Fuck, get it off!"

"Andy!?" Patrick yelled back, running in the direction of Andy's voice.

"Goddammit! Get it- get it off of me!" Andy pleaded, his voice getting louder as Patrick ran towards it, crossbow thudding against his back with each step.

Then, Patrick saw. He saw Andy on the ground, geek on top of him. Andy's arm was braced across its throat, jaw clenched and muscles straining. And Patrick froze, watching it snap its jaws down near Andy's face, inching closer and closer as Andy's bicep became weaker and weaker. Until-

"Patrick! The geek! Crossbow! Now, Dixon!" Andy snapped the younger out of his daze. "Gun, bow, knife, something! Patrick!"

In one swift movement, Patrick grabbed the crossbow off his back, loaded an arrow, and aimed. And mistakenly, he blinked when he fired. And Andy screamed. Loud. The geek moved. The arrow hit Andy. And Patrick couldn't believe it.

"P-Patrick! Please! I-I can't-" he started, and his arm gave out. "'Trick! Geek!"

And just as the geek was about to sink its teeth into Andy's skin, Patrick had punctured the skull, and through its brain, and it collapsed. Dead. Andy grunted as he pushed it off of himself, scrambling to his feet frantically and holding just below his left shoulder where the arrow had hit him. Patrick's arrow. Andy's shirt was staining with his own blood, the crimson liquid smothering his palm. When Patrick tried to help, tried to inspect the wound, Andy pushed him, hard, sending him onto the grass on his backside with a yelp.

"Next time, Patrick," Andy growled, yanking the arrow out of the dirt. "you better fucking hope you send the arrow through my skull. Don't miss the geeks."

"A-Andy, I-I'm sorry.. I-I didn't mean to- the geek- I meant to- the geek moved before I could stop pulling the trigger. I-I didn't mean to get you.. I-I swear. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.. I'll fix it, I'm sorry. Let me fix it," Patrick rambled, standing back up and looking to Andy apologetically, hating himself.

"Don't miss the geeks. Never miss the geeks." Andy press the arrow against Patrick's chest, looking to him sternly until the younger nodded, taking the arrow back. "Tell me you understand."

"I understand. It'll never happen again. I swear on my life, it'll nev-"

"Never swear on your life! I ought to fucking slap you! You never swear on your life! Don't! Don't!"

"O-okay! I won't! I promise, I'm sorry! It won't happen again! I won't miss the geek! I won't swear on my life! I-I promise!" Patrick choked out, his eyes watering involuntarily. God, he didn't want to cry. He didn't want to do this right now, not with Andy. Not with Andy..

Andy let out a huff, pulling Patrick towards him in a bear hug, ignoring the arrow graze of his left arm as he did so. Patrick broke down against Andy's chest, whimpering and crying. Andy ran a hand through the smaller's hair gently, kissing the top of his head as he let Patrick break for the first time in a long time. It broke Andy's heart, hearing his Patrick cry, feeling him shake in his arms.

"Shh, Patrick, it's okay.. It's okay.. I shouldn't have yelled, I'm sorry.. I love you, 'Trick, it's okay.. Please don't cry.."

"I-I'm sorry.. I-I'm s-so sorry.. I love you too.. So fucking much, I'm so sorry.."

And, yeah, Andtrick still goes on..

(To Be Continued)