Dawn Hollow

XXVIII

His legs burned with the hike that he nearly forgot about. His arms swung recklessly to fight the pain that made them hot. This was something he didn't miss when Kane lived in the gym, though it was the main thing that kept him regular. But it was always worth it. It always made everything better to see his friend there, excited for the next new thing PJ would bring for him.

Every breath seemed more brutal than the last, with the ever-crawling panic rising up his throat like hot tar. Each bead of sweat weighed him down. Each nervous thought dragged him back. It was like nothing wanted him to find the forest boy again.

Maybe he really didn't, but that wasn't true. He was undoubtedly nervous and afraid, but that didn't mean he never wanted to see the poor boy again, far from it. Kane was his world, the one thing that brought him back to earth each and every day. He'd be nothing more than how he always knew himself if he never got Kane back.

PJ made it halfway up the slope before cutting into the forest's trees. The path he made himself was still worn in from all the times he had done this. But at least he was sure this would lead him to Kane. Tree branches swung in his face, brush grabbed his ankles. The forest was after him, but he didn't listen. Just find him; that was all that was in his mind. Find him, find him, find him.

Up ahead was the mild trickle of sound that appeared as twigs breaking. Each twig was followed by a quiet hiss, which only increased his pace. He was close, gaining speed on the noise, knowing precisely what it was coming from. It reminded him of his first time here, sprinting through the forest to find the source of something he could hardly prove was real. Drops of water began to leak on his face as the trees pushed it down on him. The sky grew darker than it ever had before. Loud booms and cracks pushed him around in a sound-based room where he couldn't escape; everything happened all at once.

He pushed back his stubborn wet hair and continued to chase the figure in the mist he had somehow caught up with. Directions were screwed up, navigation was wrong, up could be down at this rate he was so deep in the forest. But he just kept his eyes on the silver hair in front of him, reaching out his hand to try and grab it.

Eventually, he grew risky. PJ clasped his eyes shut and lunged forwards at Kane, hugging his legs together and knocking him to the forest floor, thunder muffling his groans and confusion. PJ lifted his head at his catch just as he looked down at his own feet, fear sweeping over him.

"PJ?" He asked between gasps of breath. "Why are you here? You have to go back to Melinda's; it isn't safe for you here!"

"So then it's safe for you to come back here and risk your entire life just to keep us safe?" PJ questioned with his own salty eyes starting to mix with the rain.

"That's different, PJ! I'm what they want! They only put you four on the wanted list as an attempt to find me. And if they really want to find me, they can have me. But I'm done putting you guys in danger!" Kane kicked the boy off of him, slowly getting onto his feet with a hand patching his opposite arm, which was beginning to bruise.

"That doesn't make anything any better!" PJ fought, scrambling to his feet and walking with him. "Putting yourself at risk isn't going to fix anything! Because either way, we all care about you, Kane! We can't just let you feed yourself to the wolves and move on!"

"Well, you should!" He snapped with a flash of lightning, "It's for the best."

"No, it's not! Not for anyone involved! It's a horrible idea, and you know it!"

"It's the safest and easiest idea, and you know it!" Kane bit back angrily. He had to let out a sigh before moving forwards faster than PJ seemed to keep up, refusing to meet his eyes that were grounded to the dirt floor.