Archaic ||Peterick||

10- Alone on a Picnic Bench

"I'm tired." Pete said.

Patrick ignored him.

"I'm hungry." He said, putting all the whiny emphasis on the last syllable.

Again, Patrick ignored him.

"I need to go to the toilet."

Patrick glared at him.

"Now that's just unrealistic, Pete, I don't even believe that."

"You don't believe most things I say."

"Well, you tried to end me on the night I met you, so I think I have a good reason not to trust you."

"So did you! And then you put me in a car and told me you were driving to the other side of the country!"

"No, you put yourself in the car. And then you told me that I couldn't play my music in my own car."

"I never said that!"

"Oh. Good"

Patrick flicked the radio on, and took the Kate Bush tape out of his tape player. He rooted down the side of the car door, and pulled out a tape labelled 'Divas of the Eighties.'

"No!"

Patrick glared at him.

"Yes."

Pete groaned and folded his arms. Patrick tutted.

"Your attitude stinks. Do you want me to leave you at the side of the road?"

Pete considered it. He wasn't sure where he was but he'd figure it out.

"Yes."

Ten minutes later, Pete was sitting by the side of the road. Alone on a picnic bench. Patrick looked at him from the car, and threw his bag at him.

"You're fifteen miles away from Charlotte, which is where I'm going to be until tomorrow. Sun rises in five hours. Get to me by seven pm tomorrow or you're grounded."

"You can't ground me, I'm an adult."

"Either start acting like it or get walking."

Pete turned his nose up at the proposition of actually being mature and sat up on the picnic bench. Patrick closed the car door.

"Your loss."

"Your loss of virginity." Pete said, sticking his tongue out. Patrick had time for one more eye roll, before he sped away, leaving Pete speechless and confused.

He sat there on the picnic bench.

"I know where Charlottesville is..." he said, cockily. Fifteen miles to the- which way had it been that Patrick had gone? To the East? It was the east, wasn't it? Or was it the south? Whatever, it was that way. He'd thought he was in Carolina somewhere, but hell, whatever, he was in Virginia. He sniggered. Virginia was the wrong place for Patrick now. Ha. Virginia.

He'd covered what felt like twelve miles, but was probably more like five when he realised what he'd failed to realise before. He was starving. He hadn't eaten in fifteen days.

He let out a weak noise, he was confused at why he didn't see anything that hinted at a town being ahead, not even a sign. He thought Charlottesville was more popular. He desperately sniffed around for anything, he'd even risk getting his nails dirty to catch a rat at this point.

Then he smelt it. It was faint, but it was blood. He ran forward, eyes darting everywhere. He let out a strangled noise at the sight of a certain leaf. That certain leaf had a drop of blood on it. The smell had seemed stronger than a lonesome drop.

But he'd take what he was given. He ran to it and tried to lick it off, not caring how bizarre it might look. He didn't care if someone were to drive by and see an angsty looking young adult vigorously licking a singular leaf. He really didn't.

Pete being Pete, fanged at the worst moment, just as he had bit the leaf. He glared at the offending plant stuck on his fang and ripped it to shreds out of frustration. But he could still smell the blood.

He dove into the bush in a haste of hunger. He let out a bark like shout.

There, right in front of him, was a body. A dead one to be exact. He scrambled over to it as fast as light and drained it. He could now proudly say he had hunted. He had found a human on their own, grabbed them and bit them. There was no reason to add they were already dead, he concluded.

He smugly got up and started back on his trek to civilisation. He had no way of telling the time but he couldn't image more than three hours had passed. He let out a huff and took off in a run, a wave of energy now consuming him.

It wasn't short lived. He could see the sun starting to peek out over the horizon and hissed. Did Patrick take the whole town and move it out of spite? He guessed that's what had happened, it was the only logical explanation in Petes mind.

As time went on, Pete stayed close to the bushes, bathing in the small amount of shade they offered. He had started to get pins and needles all across his body. He looked down at his hands and flexed his fingers. He winced, opening his eyes in time to watch his fingertips turn to ash.

Patrick wasn't exactly worried about Pete but he couldn't help but wonder. He was sure Pete would've came to his senses by now, he couldn't be this immature.

He could see the sun start to rise, a deadly ombré of yellows, pinks and oranges. He decided to throw caution to the wind and jump in his car, speeding back the old lane he had left Pete on.

This wasn't a 'Patrick was desperately in love with Pete and wanted to save him' moment you should no better than to expect. No, Patrick had plans. Selfish plans. And he needed Pete in order to go through with them.

He stopped beside the picnic bench, expecting to see Pete rocking back and forth under the table, staying in the shade waiting for him. But no, Patrick was wrong. A rare occurrence.

He sighed and began speeding down the road again, hoping Pete hadn't been idiotic enough to take some 'short cut' through the forest. That sounded like a Pete thing to do.

Patrick cursed and hit the brakes on the car. He leaned over and opened the passengers side "Pete! Get in!"

Pete looked up, on his knees and cradling his hands. He looked terrified. He weakly got up and jumped in the car, for once staying silent while Patrick sped back to his motel.

Pete turned to glare at Patrick "you have caused confusion and delay!" He yelled, voice cracking on each of the last three words.

"You're a fucking idiot."

"I just went the wrong way... Am I grounded..?"