Daylight || Calum Hood

Chapter Four

"See you tomorrow Calum.", Hanna said as they left the science class room.
"See ya...", Calum replied as she walked off to catch up with Lydia.
"What was that all about?", Luke said, trying to tease Calum.
"Nothing, she just said goodbye."
"Hmm...yeh whatever!", Luke laughed and they carried on walking until they got past the school gates.

* * *

About half way home from school, while walking through the local park, both of the boys stopped in their tracks. They'd heard something.
Snap.
It sounded like twigs being stepped on. Calum turned around hesitantly but saw nothing but a set of idle swings.
Luke patted him on the shoulder, "Come on, it was nothing. Probably just a squirrel or something."
They carried on walking.
"Hey, we going to drop by the comic book store?", Luke asked.
"But you've read like every comic there is, how could you need more?", Calum replied.
"Because I-" Luke was cut off.
SNAP!
This time it was louder.
Calum swung his head around to see the two idle swings from before rocking forwards and backwards violently. There was no one to be seen.
"Shit, we better get back dude. I don't want to be the next missing person." Calum said and quickened his pace.

* * *

The TV was on and Calum was almost falling asleep when Luke poked him in the face.
"What?!" He said, his voice raspy.
"Are we going then?", Luke asked.
"Yeah, yeah ok. Let me just get my things." Calum pushed himself from the comfort of the sofa and padded across the room to his bags, still in a daze of tiredness. He fumbled through his belongings and took only what he needed; or what he thought he needed. Carrying the few items back to Luke, he spread them out across the table: a torch, walkie talkie and a Swiss Army knife.
"Woah, a knife? Dude, seriously?", Luke arched an eyebrow at Calum.
"It's for protection, we don't know what's out there. This was your idea anyway.", he snatched the things from the table, giving one walkie talkie to Luke, and shoved the rest into the pockets of his jeans and hoodie. "Let's go.", Calum spoke in a flat tone, and brushed past Luke towards the door. He didn't want to be doing this at all. It was a stupid idea and he knew that nothing good would come of it. But, as always, he ended up getting caught up with Luke. After all they were best friends.

Half way down the street Luke stopped dead in his tracks and turned to Calum, "If you don't want to do this, Cal, then we don't have to. I don't mind, just thought it'd add some excitement to our lives." He searched Calum's face for an answer. He didn't want Calum to be doing anything he didn't want to and he didn't want him to get annoyed at him for forcing him into going into the woods in search of a dead body.
"It's cool, I'll do it. But if anything gets too out of hand then we go straight back home. I don't want us getting into a mess.", his face looked serious, eyes dark and he looked at Luke with great intensity.
"Deal.", Luke replied and they carried on their walking.
The cold night breeze caressed Calum's face with its icy touch, causing him to shudder. Street lamps dotted along the pavements glowed. Their colour the only warmth in the frosty night. The orange tones of the street lights contrasted with the inky black night sky, where only few stars could be seen behind the thickening clouds. There was no moon to be seen, all was enveloped into darkness.

As the two boys approached the glooming forest the beating of their hearts began to increase and their chests pounded with anxiety. Heavy breaths, leaving dragon-like puffs of steam to escape their lips, were the only thing that could be heard, destroying any silence there previously was. The two looked timid against the imposing forest of evergreen. Little light their was reflected off Calum's eyes, wide with awe; or terror; or both. He glanced at Luke, who shared a similar expression, and said with his voice shaking, "You ready?".