North Star || (ORIGINAL VERS.)

𝓢𝓮𝓹𝓽𝓾𝓶 | 𝓥𝓘𝓘

‼️TW: Mentions of blood & body horror(?)‼️

First Person View

I was walking down the street to the closest drug store to get cough medicine, the last bottle expired and I'm sick.

"I'm really sorry I can't get it for you, but we're really busy today." Dallas said over the phone.

"It's fine, I'm almost there." I smiled. "Now go back to work. You're still busy, right?"

"Ah! You're right! I'll see you tonight, hope you get better!"

"See you later." I hung up and my faint smile disappeared. It was always the same, Dallas wouldn't keep his end of the deal up, come home past midnight, would be too tired to help with anything, and the cycle repeats. Vincent was (probably) piss drunk at his reunion and Riley was away. 'See you my ass' I whispered under my breath.

"Ugh, I have to pack still." We were moving again. And since I'm the 'kid' they haven't told me why. I just have to assume it's for Riley's job. What did she do again? She was always in those pretty dresses when she left for work, when she came back she would clean them with strong-smelling chemicals. I grimaced at the thought of her being an escort. Degrading. I hope she's just at fancy parties or something like that. At least I'm done with therapy.

"Finally." I saw the drug store's blindingly bright lights. I checked my watch, 23:42. I should get home quickly, before Dallas gets home and scolds me for 'being out too late'. Hypocrite. I readjusted my mask, I want this cold to be over quickly. I walked past the automatic doors and sped towards the medicine isle. As I was browsing isle 3, I heard people talking on the other side of the shelves.

"Remember the plan, in and out. You checked the store?" A man said nervously.

"No one else is here," well that's false, "We're all set to go."

Apparently I was being small brain and didn't realize they were about to rob the store. Which is stupid, come on guys, you really think you're gonna make a profit off robbing a tiny drug store?

I grabbed some NyQuil and walked to the counter. I glanced over towards the two that were talking, they were surprised to see another person here, especially a 14-year-old. They both had masks and were wearing an all-black outfit.

"5.65" The cashier got my attention. I fished a 10 out of my pocket but it was snatched before the cashier could grab it. I turned and it was one of the guys, he was wearing a medical mask and some horror flick shirt.

"Um..." I murmured.

"What do we do, Caleb?" The first man's friend (I assumed) appeared behind the first one. He was about as tall as me, maybe a little shorter, and was wearing sunglasses and skeleton mask.

"I told you to call me boss!" The horror guy whisper-yelled over his shoulder. "Ugh, c'mere!" He grabbed the collar of the skeleton guy and yanked him into a huddle.

"Call me boss, remember?"

"Sorry dude! I'm trying! But what do we do?"

"The kid? Just knock him out or something. Shouldn't be too hard." They both looked at me.

"Come on, kid. Let's make this easy." The skeleton guy said as he walked towards me, arms up, ready to grab me. He grabbed my left shoulder.

The memories hit me like a freight train.

I immediately punched him in the nose.

"Gyah!" He stumbled back, clutching his nose. "What the fuck kid?!"

"You piece of shit!" Horror tee pushed Skeleton behind him and stepped closer to me. You could see the blood seeping through skeleton's mask. I swung a random item from the counter into his cheek. I heard a crack. I looked at my hand and it was the hand-held scanner. It was not broken, which means... I snapped my head to the guy. His mask was hanging off one ear and his jaw looked unhinged.

"Ah..." Horror shirt said quietly. "AAHHHHH!" He started screaming and slumped to the floor.

Oh no. I did it again. They were right, I really am...

"I need to go..." I whimpered. I stepped back, grabbed the NyQuil and booked it.

I need to leave.

I ran out the convince store and ran in a random direction until I saw lots of people. I ran all the way to town square. Usually it was all too easy to ignore the noisy chatter in this city, even on the busiest days, but everything sounds ten times louder. I can hear my breathing, my heartbeat, the ringing in my ears. The man's screaming in my ears. And unfortunately, it was only getting worse.

I pushed through the crowds, trying to bear it. But of course, I couldn't take it after long. I put a hand on the back of my neck. I was burning. I need to get home before I collapse.

"Aurgh, fuck it." I said before downing the NyQuil. "Shit, it tastes like Detroit." I gagged. I felt the stares of a few people. I paused, I feel a little better, just a little bit. I need to get home. I pulled out my phone and looked at the maps app. Where am I anyways?

"Fuck," I stared at my screen. The store was a minute away, how did I run a mile from home?

"Shit!" I turned around and ran towards home.

It took me 5 minutes to run home, Roger Bannister* would be proud. I walked in the elevator and almost fell asleep. The ding startled me. I walked to the apartment, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. I looked at the time when I was locking the door. 11:57. Three minutes. I threw my jacket on the floor and walked to the kitchen, that run sucked the life out of me, I'm starving. I grabbed some leftover macaroni and cheese and heated it up. I looked at the microwave. 11:59. I stumbled over to the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the porch. Sitting down I started eating.

"I still have to finish packing."

Man, this was the worst birthday ever.

~

Roger Bannister*

The first person to run a mile under four minutes. His record was 3:59.4 (three minutes, fifty nine point four seconds)

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