Death On Two Legs

Chapter Three

"Phin, we're worried about you," Aboiye said at lunch one day.
"Why?" Phin took a small bite of his sandwich, then set it down. He felt sick again. He'd been feeling sick ever since he fainted at Woolworth three days ago.
"You don't eat anymore, you haven't brought your camera to school, you don't even listen to your stinking Walkman anymore!" Polaris exclaimed. "You're like, dying!"
"I am not dying," Phin said, frowning. "I'm just not feeling good lately, and my camera is useless when it's this foggy," he said, gesturing outside. "I don't feel like listening to music anyway. Is that a crime?"
"Yes," Polaris said, crossing her arms. "For you, yes. You're the musical one here! You have a goddamn signed poster from Queen! So yes! Not listening to music is a goddamn crime!" Polaris just about shouted.
Aboiye placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Chill. Phin, we're just worried about you. You've been acting funky, and we wanna make sure you're ok. It isn't a crime not to listen to music. It's just something we're used to seeing you do," Aboiye said quietly. Flame, meet ice.
"Barf me out," Polaris muttered. "You're so touchy-feely about this."
"Guys, I'm fine," Phin said, softly. He took off his glasses and rubbed his face. "This is silly. I'm just...stressed, or something," He said.
If only it was just stress.

Phin was starting to have gaps in his memory. He didn't know why, but...it was happening. Everyone around him noticed he was exhausted. The bags under his eyes were getting worse. He groaned every time he moved. Sometimes, his voice didn't sound like his own.
Whenever Phin looked in the mirror, it seemed like he was looking at somebody else. Sometimes his eyes were brown instead of green, but he chalked that up to a trick of the light. His bathroom did have shitty lighting after all, according to Aboiye's sister, who worked with makeup for movies. She knew what she was talking about.
Phin slowly got worse as the year progressed. Then, in late December Polaris decided she'd seen enough. "That's it!" She shouted one day as she banged on Phin and Andy's apartment door. "Phin! I am forcing you to eat!" She screamed.
"Pole, he's probably asleep!" Aboiye exclaimed behind her, muffled by the door.
"I was," Phin groaned as he opened the door. "The hell do you want?" He asked.
"Phin, what's your damage? You haven't been eating, you haven't been talking to us, your Walkman and your camera are gathering dust! The fuck is going on?!" Polaris exclaimed.
Phin was taken aback. "What's my dama- What the hell are you talking about?" He asked. "I'm fine!" He exclaimed. "I'm just tired," he said softly.
"Phin, I know tired. This isn't tired," Aboiye said softly. "'Laris is bad with emotions, but trust me. We just wanna make sure you're safe, buddy," Aboiye whispered and gently put an hand on Phin's arm.
Phin gulped. "I...don't know what's wrong," he said, opening up. "I really haven't felt like myself since we got that one photo," he mumbled. "But it's fine," he whispered. "Andy and Aiden are taking care of me. They make me eat and make sure I actually leave the house. I'm ok," he said. Polaris and Aboiye didnt look convinced.
"Well, at least come hang out with us. We can go to the park," Aboiye suggested. He smiled at Phin.
"Yeah, I'll buy us ice cream," Polaris said, trying to be more gentle.
Phin thought about this for a second before nodding. "Ok..." he whispered. "C-C'mon in while I get ready," he said softly. He held the door open for them and gestured to the couch. Then, once they had sat down he quickly went into his room and began to get dressed for the day. He felt gross so he mad sure to lather on as much cologne and deodorant as possible. He had...kind of been neglecting himself lately. He just felt too tired to do anything.
That was all Phin could remember.

The next thing he remembered was Polaris yelling at him. "You're such an asshole!" She screamed.
"I am?" He asked, groggy. It felt like he just woke up from a very long nap.
"Yes, you are!" she exclaimed. As she slowly came into focus, Phin realized her nose was bleeding.
"What happened to your nose?" He asked.
"You fucking hit me!" Polaris yelled. She was pissed.
"I...hit you?" He looked around. They were still at his house. "What the hell?"
Aboiye was passed out on the couch, and he had a bump on his head. "You fucking knocked out Aboiye then started to try and punch me, asshole," Polaris said. "Stop playing dumb!" She began shaking Aboiye gently. "Wake up, dumbass..." She whispered.
"Why...Why did I hit you?" Phin asked. He was confused and his head hurt. What happened?
"Why are you playing dumb?!" She shouted at him as Aboiye began to wake up. "Boiye, we're leaving," she said. "Phin's a psychopath," she said and glared at Phin as she helped Aboiye up.
"Wait, what?" Aboiye asked as he held onto Polaris. "What happened?"
"I-I didnt..." Phin was in shock. He looked down at his hands. Had he really hurt his two best friends? He took a deep breath. Why did he do that?
"You did," Polaris said. She walked to the door with Aboiye and slammed it shut behind them.

Phin didn't leave his room for the rest of winter break. He left only when no one else was awake so he could get food. He didnt trust himself anymore. He didnt know what happened with Polaris and didnt want it to happen again. Andy said he did leave sometimes, but he never remembered it and always woke up back in his room. It was weird.
When school came back around, he found himself sitting alone. Polaris and Aboiye weren't talking to him anymore. He found himself getting skinnier and skinner as the days dragged on. Something was wrong with him. He didnt know what until the end of January rolled around.

He had been staring into his mirror when another face appeared. "You..." the other face said. It looked like the 3 AM man. "We...go..."
"Wha-What the fuck?!" Phin screamed and ran out of the bathroom. He ran to Andy, who was watching TV while Aiden was at work. "I'm possessed!" He shouted.
"Possessed?" Andy asked, looking at him like he was crazy. "The hell?"
"The 3 AM man possessed me," he exclaimed, breathless. "That's why I haven't had any energy and why I have gaps in my memory!" He exclaimed.
"S-Sure..." Andy looked at her brother, her eyes full of fear. A ghost had never possessed someone as far as she knew. She thought her brother had just finally lost it. She needed to get to a phone and call...not an ambulance, but someone. Phin was scaring her as he spoke about possession.
"I just saw him in the mirror! I'm possessed! I'm not a bad person!" he exclaimed, filled with relief. he touched his face and only then did he realize he had been crying. "Shit, I...I need to call Polaris..." Then he stopped. "She wont believe me...she hates me," he said, sadly, losing steam.
"What if...I call her?" Andy asked. Polaris had been keeping in touch with her, making sure Phin was ok. Yeah, she was mad at him, but she and Phin had been friends since they were in kindergarten. She was still worried for him. Aboiye had been by too, bringing food for him. Phin was lucky he had such good friends.
"I doubt she'd listen..." Phin said sadly. He sat on the couch and hung his head. "I punched her, but I don't remember it. I-I think the 3 AM man took over and hit her," he said, tears filling his eyes. He took off his glasses and put them on the couch and rubbed his eyes.
"I'm still gonna try," Andy replied and stood up. She walked to their phone and dialed Polaris's home number.
"Martinez residence, who is this?" a voice came through. One of Polaris's older brothers, Castor.
"Hi, It's Andy, Phin's sister," Andy said, lowering her voice slightly. She was nervous.
"Oh, Hi, 'Dromeda," the boy said. "I'll go get her," and there was a click and a rustle. Then a shout "Laris, Andy wants to talk to you!"
Then another rustle. "Andy?" Polaris asked. "What's up?" she asked. "Sorry about Castor, by the way. You know how he and Pollux are," she said, apologetically. Castor was her brother's twin. They were notoriously loud.
"Nah, it's fine. I'm used to it," Andy said, dismissing Polaris's worries. "It's Phin," she said. "He...He needs help. You know how I was telling you about those ghosts?" she asked.
"That you can see them?"
'Yeah, that. I really hope you believe me because Phin can see them too...and he says he's possessed by this one who's been bugging him."
"You're joshing me, right?"
"I wish I was," Andy said solemnly. "Can you help me? And get Boiye too?" She asked.
There was silence on the other end. Then a sigh. "Fine, ok. I'll be there in 20," Polaris said.
"Thank you," Andy said, filled with relief. "He misses you," she said.
"I miss him too...but don't tell him that!" Then there was a click. Andy smiled to herself as the phone line disconnected. She placed the phone on the hook, then looked at Phin.
"She said she'll be here in 20 minutes," She said, triumphantly. "And Aboiye will be with her."
"Wh-What?" Phin looked at his sister in surprise. "Why?"
"Because you guys have been friends for 14 years? And she's worried about you?" Andy shrugged and sat down next to her brother. "What if I go get you a doughnut from Aiden's work and a coffee while you wait?" She asked. It was a two minute walk to the cafe from their apartment, so Phin nodded. "Cool. I'll be back," she said with a smile. She stood, and grabbed her jacket. She slipped on her shoes, then left the house.
When Andy returned, Phin was asleep on the couch. She smiled and put the drink and pastry on the counter, then placed a blanket over her little brother. She sat in front of the couch and sighed. She never wanted to be Phin's guardian. But she wouldn't trade it for the world. She was 18 when their parents died. She didn't even get a chance to come out to them, or introduce Aiden to them. She began to cry as she remembered they wouldnt be at her wedding. She knew they would've liked Aiden though. They were very accepting when she confessed that she liked guys. She cried softly. The anniversary was in three days, so she was more emotional than usual anyway.