cat whiskers // phan.

Chapter 36

Sally found the place we were meant to go very soon after, and she said they'd recently shopped at a cafe in the outskirts of town. She said that its only a short drive, and I was so very excited to go. We planned the day ahead of us, had some lunch and squeezed back into the car. PJ and Kayleigh were in the front, driving and directing (and the usual ogling over each other). Sally, Emma, Toby and I were somehow sharing the backseat.

We drove for hours and hours, the roads dragging on and on, like the ending credits of an animated film. And let me tell you, that's a long time. I spent most of this time listening to Muse and fantasizing about how perfect our reuniting will be. When we eventually came to a halt, I looked out of the window to find us next to a lane, leading into a very, very dark wooded area with, apart from the small road we just came along, no one else and nothing else to be seen. PJ, being himself, smiled brightly and said to us,

"This will be a nice adventure" and before we could reply, sped down the lane at a high, very unreasonable speed. He screamed in delight as we screamed in terror when we flew down a cascading slope, which lead to a massive field.

"Well, this is it" Kayleigh declared as we all clambered out of the car, trying not to be sick. I looked at my surroundings to find that there isn't a shop in sight. It's just an empty field surrounded by dark, twisting trees that are most likely filled with ghouls and goblins. I sound like PJ right now.

"Dan! There's a sign that says about a cafe!" Sally exclaimed excitedly. I smile at her as a thank you, and we all head towards the sign. It seemed kind of handmade and generally just badly crafted. We followed the direction it said, straight into the forest. Sally was almost clinging to Emma, Kayleigh the same with PJ and Toby and I were left kicking the floor at the back.

"I wonder why and how they found this place" Toby wonders as we walk for miles along the twisted dirt road thinner than a small doorway. I shrug my shoulders and continue to walk. We end up before an old, shattered shack with the windows broken and the door boarded shut.

"I don't.. Understand?" I whisper, my hands shaking. I had been so excited for this moment, I had fantasized it so many times.

"This can't be correct?" Sally tells us, looking up and down at the mess. We stand, confused for a couple of long seconds, before there's a loud howling sound. The sound came from the left side of us; yet I  could have sworn I saw a small person shape running into the trees, to the right of us. Before I know what's going on, I am being dragged by the top of the arm by Toby and we're sprinting into the woods.

"What's going on?" I pant, but before Toby - or anyone else for that matter - could answer, I heard them, right behind me. Wild dogs barked manically and they were trying to lunge for our ankles. Sally was up ahead somehow, I never knew she could run, then it was Emma, then Kayleigh and Toby and myself, obviously.

"Where's PJ?" I exclaim, noticing our missing friend. My legs were burning and my lungs were on fire, my face so red and my hands shaking more than a pig in a slaughter house. (an/ noice one quinn)

That's when I noticed that the barking was becoming distant, so I stopped running. I turned, gasping for air, to see if the dogs were there. They were for some reason running away from us. I then realized that PJ was making the weirdest noise from very far away. Nice distraction, I thought to myself.

"At least we're okay now" I smile and turn back around to face my friends. That's when I see the unexpected. 

Toby had a gun.

He had it held to my forehead and I dared not say a word. The three behind him were wide eyed and their mouths were open in shock. I gulped and shut my eyes.

"Move, and you're dead" Toby whispers, "that goes for you girls as well"
 
"Actually, I don't identify-" I opened my eyes as Sally started arguing about their gender, but was cut short by Toby turning his body in seconds and pulling the trigger, aiming straight for their forehead.  I immediately looked away as the loud noise occurred and Sally's body fell lifelessly to the ground. Kayleigh's hand reflexed to cover her mouth and her eyes went red. Emma looked down at the body, her face pure white (paler than normal), making her freckles stand out like a rose in a field of daisies. Toby turned back to me, his eyes dark.

"Look at me" he ordered, when I didn't do it, he shouted again, "look at me!"

This time I obliged, looking straight at his pale skin, dotted slightly with pale freckles.

"Do you know why I'm doing this, Howell?" he whispered.

"No" I shakily replied. My voice was hoarse and it cracked, even at that short statement.

"It's an agreement, Daniel. You see, I've been admiring you through YouTube for so long. But you admire Phil. I came up with an agreement with Steve to have Phil taken away from you, him being a homophobe and all. But I've decided that's not good enough. You're still trying to find him, and if I can't have you, no one can. So you have to go somewhere no one else can have you. You have to die"

That's when I got the idea.

 It was foolish, it could backfire heavily, it could kill us all. It was better than nothing. I looked subtly over to Emma and Kayleigh, suggesting I knew what I was doing. I then glanced over to the body and back to them, also suggesting that they need to get the body; then running away was fairly understandable.

"Toby, point the gun at the ground, just for a second, please?" Toby spent a second thinking, whilst looking at the gun itself. He slowly lowered the gun, confused.

My stupid plan was about to happen, and I was terrified for what I was about to do; but if it could save my friends, it would be worth it.

So I kissed him.