✔︎ fallen ; my inner demons

32 ✯ run

❝Don't run with your legs, run with your heart.❞ -Dean Karnazes

The games at the fall festival were fun. Most of them cliche, but what else could be done? The festival had a sense of familiarity, and it felt just like home. Seeing the orange hues piled against the grey concrete reminded me of every single autumn I'd experienced since I was a child. With leaves swept into piles and laughter sounding from every corner of the park.

I had a good laugh out of watching the boys play multiple fair games, failing miserably at most of them. I can't blame them, most of the games at the fall festival are rigged. As bad as it sounds, there's never much that can be done. It's not like anyone can prove that fact, and it's down to you not to waste all your money on unwinnable prizes.

I mean, the people running the booths there are just workers like everybody else, and need the money to support themselves and their family members. It pisses me off that sometimes I can't even get any type of consolation prize, but it's not like I don't blame the workers at the fall festival for trying to earn some easy money.

Asch, Pierce and Noi tried the basketball game. They all thought they were good at it, but were they oh so wrong. They kept missing the hoops, gave the man a few more tickets, then repeated the cycle until they'd used the entirety of their tickets on a single game. They looked really disappointed after what'd happened, but they just went on to jeer and laugh at the other daemos when they lost at their games. Truly childish, these boys. Yet, endearingly so.

Leif got chased out of the apple bobbing booth he was going for for being too violent and acting like he was going to chop off the head of the owner of the stand. That's what he gets, I suppose.

Rhys was at the ring toss, muttering "Focus" repeatedly and eyeing the bottles he needed to throw the rings at. Finally, he threw the ring, and it landed just around the milk bottle. The festival staff running the stand was shocked, probably cause he rigged the booth, but he gave Rhys a pink stuffed poodle.

Rhys turned to hand me the poodle, and I raised an eyebrow at him. I didn't expect him to suddenly give it to me. It was his prize, after all.

"Rhys, you can have it back. I don't need a pink poodle, anyway. Actually, why'd you want to give it to me in the first place?" I asked, squishing the poodle a little.

He smiled, and tilted his glasses back up to the tip of his nose, and gave the poodle's head a soft pat.

"Because Socky taught me that you should be caring, and generous, and that I should give gifts to those I enjoy spending time with to thank them for staying by my side when I need them." Rhys lectured, waving his hands in the air as he spoke.

I grinned. He was actually learning something from Socky the Sock Puppet? I mean, the TV shows we watch as children do heavily influence what kind of person we become in the future. And these guys, when thinking about them on a level of knowledge, can honestly be compared to children.

"Thanks, Rhys." I said, thanking him.

"No problem, Y/N."

I grabbed his arm and hooked it with mine, before looking up at him and giving him a smile.

"Let's go find Ava and the other daemos. I think they probably killed something by now and we gotta go clean up their mess." I joked, dragging him with me down the path to where the other daemos were, at the square in front of the humongous pumpkin.

Ava was freaking out, and if I could see that from a distance, that meant something was up, and definitely wrong

"Ava, what's going on?" I asked, and she jumped up and down, gripping my shoulders tightly.

"Y/N! These idiots decided to be even bigger idiots than usual and steal corn dogs from those children over there, and now their mother has called the staff here to be on the lookout for a large group of strange looking men!" She groaned, putting her head in her hands.

I was actually kind of expecting something like this to happen. I don't know why I thought it wouldn't happen sooner. You know, it's not like they're technically grown men or anything. But let's forget that fact.

"You know, Ava, every single time we've encountered illegal-ish situations with the police because of these boys, we've ran away from the problem at rocket speed. I think we should—" I began, but Ava cut me off with a determined look.

"Yes! Exactly! We should continue to run away and avoid confrontation! Okay, Pierce and Leif, come with me! Rhys, Asch, Noi and Y/N you guys go the other way! If we split up, there's a higher chance that they won't find and catch us! I have to make sure I don't get caught by the police so it doesn't affect my dads! Okay, we run on 3." Ava said, determination twinkling in her eyes.

I sighed in exasperation.

"1..."

That was the exact opposite of what I was going to say and explain.

But, it's not like I'm going to get snatched by those bulky looking staff members for these 5 idiots, so I guess running is a better option.

"2..."

I don't understand why Ava thought bringing them along would be a good idea.

Maybe the holiday spirit sent her into brain cell death mode.

"3!"

And off we went.

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edit : 02.15.2022

word count : 962 words

we're close to the end as im editing ??? omfg