By All Means, Fear [AJR]

Chapter 9

I hugged Shawn tighter. I had almost lost my favorite person. My best friend. My boyfriend. My life partner. But he was okay, and that was all that mattered to me at that moment.

"What happened?" Chelsea asked Shawn. "I don't know," he admits. "I sort of just blacked out. I could feel time pass, but that's about it."

I kiss him again. "I'm just glad you're okay," i tell him. "I don't know what i'd do without you." Adam knocks on the wall. "What about Dan and Jack?" he says. "They're still knocked out."

"Oh. Right," Shawn says. "I don't know how we can help them." Ryan glances at the TV, which is turned off now. "Should we just pass the time?" he asks us.

"Wait a minute," Steve interrupts. "Shawn, how were you not on the bed when Adam and Ryan came in?" He shrugs.

"I was never in the bed," he says. "I got up when Ryan said that...." His voice trails off, and he looks at Steve. "....that Steve likes Jack."

Steve buried his head in his hands. "I'm sorry," he says. "For what?" we all ask simultaneously. "For being like this," he says. "It was probably something i did that got us in this situation to begin with. For all we know, Chelsea shouldn't even be here."

We all turn to Chelsea, then look back at Steve. "I was just using you as an example," he says. "No need to be upset at that. Sorry if i  offended you with it. It was unintentional."

"No, it's alright," Chelsea assured him. "So, what do we do about Jack and Dan?" i ask. "If we can't do anything about it now, we should just do something to pass the time," Ryan says. "But stay here," Adam adds. "Maybe cook or something."

"That's it!" Ryan says. "What?" i ask. "I know what we can do!" he says excitedly. "What do you have in mind?" Shawn asks. Ryan dashes out of the room and comes back with Risk.

"We could play a board game!" he says. "No," Adam says without hesitation. Ryan's shoulders sag. "Why not?" he asks. Steve pulls out a bag of watermelon Sour Patch Kids and offers some to us.

"I feel like you need to go through....anger management or something before i play another board game with you," Adam says, cringing. "Oh, anger management, huh?" Ryan snaps.

Ryan angrily looks his brother up and down. I then hear something no one else seems to hear. I rush over to Ryan as he opens his mouth, and i put my hand over it, shushing everyone.

"OW!"

Someone screams from the other room. We all look at each other. Without a word, we all go to Adam's bedroom, where Dan isn't. The TV suddenly goes on, and i can hear the theme song for The Loud House.

We all turned around, but no one is there. Shawn looks up, and staggers back. "What's wrong, love?" i whisper. He points at the ceiling, and i look up, gasping when i see it.

Jack.