Wolfsbane: Troyler AU

Running

Tyler's POV

The screams woke me. At least, I think they were screams. All I know is that one second, Darren Criss and I were on a beach about to rub each down with suntan lotion, and then the next second, I was ripping my sleeping mask from my face, my heart was in my throat, and I was half crouched on my bed with my eyes partially bugged out of my head. Listening. Listening hard. The silence was like a physical thing, heavy, and it seemed to push at me the more I strained to hear.

I swore I had heard screams. Screams like someone was fighting death as hard as Death was trying to drag them into the Great No More. But there was nothing now. Almost a minute passed before my pulse stopped hammering in my neck enough for me to realize I was barely breathing, and my muscles were cramping because my body was in that rigid place just before it decides whether it wants to fight or fly.

I snorted. Me, fight. How precious.

All at once, I collapsed back onto the bed, my legs pushing out and my hands grabbing for the pillow behind me. As I snuggled into the pillow, I thought about the mysterious screams again. I sleep like the dead, and normally it takes physically pushing me out of the bed to wake me up if my body wasn't ready to be up and going. Screams. But nothing now.

I yawned, and as my eyes slowly closed, I decided it had most likely been my sleeping, Real Self screaming in excitement over Dream Me's impending rub-down with my Darren.

I literally fan-girled myself awake. As I dropped off into sleep, I felt myself blushing.

Jesus. I'm a mess.

**********

My body wasn't ready. But my alarm clock insisted it was 5:45 a.m., and after the third time slapping the snooze button, I hit the alarm clock so hard it flew off the nightstand and into the wall. Whoops.

I am not a morning person, but I was a busy person, and if I did not get up for my daily run at the crack of dawn, chances are, the run would not happen. Then, I'd make an excuse the next day and wouldn't end up running then either. Then, after I inhaled pizza and tacos on the weekend, I would have to think about all the grease clogging up my arteries, my organs literally floating in it, and I would remember that running would have made sure that all the grease and oil was pushed out of my system in an efficient manner.

I am not a morning person. I am also not very logical in the morning. Sue me.

With my eyes half shut, I pulled on a pair of grey sweat pants, a black tank top and my sneakers. I cupped my hands under the running cold water in the bathroom sink, downed a few gulps, and was ready to beat the streets with my feet.

Leaving the house, jogging at a steady pace, I decided to ditch my usual route and take a new, three mile course that would take me past Highlandtown Library and Highlandtown Park. Still jogging, moving a bit faster now, I felt my muscles loosen, and my sneakers began to hit the cement at an even faster pace.

In and out, in and out, in and out, I breathed to myself, letting my body take over, feeling myself get faster and faster. Girl, getting up to run was a beast, but when I was actually running, it was like freedom. Nothing could ever catch me. Not my thoughts, not nothing. I was a blank slate, and all that mattered was my feet moving.

I whooshed past Highlandtown Library, arms pumping briskly, and water splashed up as I zoomed in and through the puddles from last night's rain. The sky was still gray and clouded, and the morning sun hadn't risen enough to burn off the foggy haze that hung in the air. I felt my legs give a bit more push, and I was running even faster. I could see Highlandtown Park getting larger and I moved closer to it at a steady clip.

Once I get past the park, I thought to myself, I will make a left at the post office, and then turn around and retrace my route back home. When I could clearly see the swings in the distance, I decided to dig even deeper. I wanted to run so fast, I would be damn near flying.

But for some reason, it didn't work, and as I got closer to the park, I actually began to slow down. I wasn't trying to slow down either, and for a brief moment, I panicked and a cold, trickling sweat popped out on the back of my neck. Why was I slowing down? I want to go faster! Faster! But I continued to slow, and slowed, and slow rapidly until I was walking directly into the park.

The hair on the nape of my neck was electrified. I could feel a buzzing in my brain, but I couldn't hear anything. Not even my feet on the pavement as I stepped on the curb from the street. Not even the squishy sound of my sneakers as they moved from sidewalk to grass. I couldn't even hear my breathing. There was nothing.

I thought of last night. Me popping up on my bed, terrified. Listening for that sound that had startled me awake. The screams, those awful, terrible screams. Getting nothing but a heavy silence in return. I headed towards the slide, walking at a steady pace.

I swear I tried to stop myself. I swear to you, I could not stop. I could not stop, I could not stop, I could not stop. I could feel my breathing get quicker, so quick it felt like a soundless whistling, and then I could barely breathe, my chest began to ache,I felt lightheaded, and then oh, my God.

 There's a body under the slide.    

A/N: I love cliff-hangers (please don't hate me)!! However, the boys are about to meet! I'm not quite sure how I want that to go down however. Do you guys think I need to tell what happened to Troye (from his POV) in the next chapter, or should I let it come out in bits and pieces in the story, like as he's talking to Tyler? Idk, idk, idk!! I appreciate you reading it, and would appreciate comments and votes too. I'm really enjoying writing this, and I think for a while, I will be uploading a chapter a day. Ok. Bye! <3