#FUCK YOU HYV DEVSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[schroedingerscryptid]

[VERY LOUD CRYING NOISES]

[wewillwriteyou]

Crazy Little Thing Called Love || Chapter 3

A few elements from the main plot: A fine line falls between fiction and reality: what starts as a musical slowly becomes a game-changer. Tables will turn and it will get clear as the sun that the only unstoppable power in life … is love.

Summary Chapter 3: Joe decides to organize a little night out at the pub with the whole “theatre gang”. Things will not go as expected. 

Word count: 4.4k+

Warnings: Mention of alcohol, language and a hint of angsty arguments blink and you’ll miss it

A/N: Things start to get interesting and in this chapter, you’ll finally understand some of everybody’s love interests’ dynamics, so ... don’t miss it! 😏

Friday, 18 October 2019

“Is it possible to fall for someone without realising?”  

“Oh honey, you really know nothing about human heart…”             

“I don’t. Can you teach me? Can you heal me?”

One pirouette after the other, her mind was more and more confused.

She stopped all of a sudden, thumping with her feet on the wooden floor of the stage. Sighing, she brushed her hands through her loose hair and let them fall to her sides.

The auditorium was completely empty at that time of the day and besides, it was Friday so a lot of people were preparing for the night out.

Not Elizabeth.

She had spent the day studying for her imminent exams and decided to use the evening to do one of the things she loved most in the world: dance.

She had always danced, since she could remember. Even now that she was at college, and she was studying something completely different – she was studying to be an architect, just like her parents - she still took lessons sometimes and danced anytime she had her free time - which was almost never.

That’s part of the reasons she threw herself into the role of princess Hyv for Joe’s play: her character had a few sequences and even a solo at some point in the second act. Now that the play was starting to take shape, she rehearsed every time she could.

Dancing was one of the few things that she never got bored of doing and it had always helped her find inspiration and answers to the problems clouding her head.

She inhaled and exhaled and repeated the choreography from the start. She had pretty much come up with it herself but she had incorporated some of the moves that Malcolm, the choreographer Joe had chosen for the play, had taught her.

Music was playing in loop in her headphones and she let herself flow to the rhythm of the song.

The sequence was constantly evolving, following her train of thoughts. And that evening her thoughts brought her to Gwilym.

She couldn’t figure out why things had changed and when.

Before the summer, everything was fine between them, but now it seemed like there was a gap, a line drawn in the middle of their friendship and she didn’t know whether she was willing to try and cross.

Worst thing was: she didn’t know who to talk to about this…

Joe was her best bud but she didn’t feel comfortable talking to him about Gwilym, after all, he was his best friend too and she thought it could have been weird.

Denise had a lot of things going on in her life and even though she knew she could count on her, she didn’t wanna bore her with her teenage drama problems.

Gwilym himself was been one of her best friends but she couldn’t talk to him, for obvious reasons.

As those thoughts crowded her mind she began spinning and spinning again, till she perfectly landed from her last pirouette, nailing the ending of her choreography.

In spite of the mess in her head, dance had managed to make her body focus solely on the moves, as if completely separated from her mind.

She couldn’t help but smile as she took out her headphones when she suddenly heard a clap of hands.

She jumped on her feet and rushed a hand to her chest, trying to make out the source of the applause in the darkness of the auditorium.

As he walked toward the stage, she immediately recognised his figure.

What are the chances? her inner voice sarcastically commented.

“Jesus, Gwilym you almost gave me a heart attack” she had heavy breath as if she had run the half marathon.

He softly giggled as he climbed the stairs to the stage and walked up to the girl.

“Is that choreography yours?” he asked, genuinely curious.

She imperceptibly nodded, suddenly feeling insecure and exposed. He had seen her perform something that had come out of her body like a force she couldn’t control… she felt as if he had seen her naked.

“Something I’m working on… - she replied, adjusting a strand of hair behind her ear nervously – I thought I was alone”

“I hope it didn’t bother you I watched…” he half-smiled as if to excuse himself for having witnessed something that seemed so personal.

Shit, why are you always such a gentleman, she thought.

“I actually feel a little weird – she said, softly giggling – I can improve a lot and it’s not even finished yet and–”

“What? Are you crazy?” he interrupted her.

“Excuse me?” she was confused.

“Liz that was incredible! - he continued – You should definitely show that to Malcolm and to Joe absolutely…”

She felt her cheeks reddening more than they already were and she smiled “You really think it’s good?”

“Yeah it’s good! It’s pretty fucking amazing actually…”

She laughed “I think you’re too kind with me, but thanks Gwil”

He smiled back and for a few seconds they just stared into each other’s eyes, not knowing what to say or do and trying to understand what was happening.

All of a sudden they both burst out chuckling, trying to break the tension.

Elizabeth was trying her best not to look too much into that awkward silence. She did not want to create expectations. She did not want to let herself daydream. She did not want to throw herself into a pit of helpless hope.

Gwil’s voice brought her back to reality.

“I will look like a fool next to you” he chuckled.

“What are you talking about? You’re a good dancer!”

“Now you sound even crazier - he laughed harder – but I appreciate the effort…”

Liz didn’t know what came onto her, but she unexpectedly grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to her “I’m sure you’re better than you think”

She positioned in front of him and instructed him to put a hand on her waist and the other on her shoulder.

“Now one step at a time, let’s go back, forth, right and left until we make a circle” she patiently said.

And they did.

She guided him at first, but after a few circles, she felt him take the lead. She smiled and he smiled back, absorbed in the euphoria of the moment.

They were spinning faster and faster until Elizabeth left her grip on his left shoulder and spun open their embrace. Gwil immediately caught what she was up to and with a swift move of his arm he made her spin once, twice, five times, before catching her and lifting her from the hips.

She squealed and started wiggling in his grip “Gwil! You know I’m ticklish”

He put her down after a few more spins, as they both chuckled.

When her feet touched the ground again, she realised – but she was sure he had noticed too – they were really close.

She looked up at him and he just gave her a gentle smile, the one he always did when he found himself in lack of words, his signature.

She cleared her throat and took a step back, immediately looking down.

“See? You can dance” she half-laughed before nervousness took over her face again.

Liz glanced at his face and she could have sworn she’d seen a hint disappointment in his eyes.

She didn’t have the time even wonder about it, that they heard voices coming from backstage.

“For the last time, no! I don’t think it’s missing a character -  Denise sounded exhausted – the play is perfectly fine as it is”

“Yeah but don’t you think there should be another sorcerer?” Joe was stubborn as usual.

Why am I not surprised? Liz found herself to think.

They appeared from the back curtain and were startled to see their friends there, standing less than two feet apart and looking as guilty as if they’d done something stupid.

Which was kinda true.

“What are you two doing here? - Joe frowned – rehearsal is not until next week…”

Gwilym and Elizabeth shared a look but Gwil was faster to reply “I asked her to read lines – he lied – we had nothing to do so we came here to get used being on this stage…”

Joe glanced at Liz and she was smiling nervously. She was quite a good actress but had always been a terrible liar. He stared back at his best friend and he had the same awkward smile.

“Alright, if you were boning I don’t wanna know guys” he joked, but unexpectedly felt a sting of jealousy he was fast enough to ignore.

“WhAt?” Liz’s voice came out a bit altered as she tried to hide the redness on her cheeks.

Why was she being so weird about it? Was something really going on with those two? Joe couldn’t bring himself to answer that question.

“As I said, not my business guys – Joe continued - but now you have something to do tonight…”

Liz sighed “What do you need us for?” she asked.

Joe shook his head “You don’t have to do anything – he replied – I thought I would organise something at the pub tonight for the whole theatre gang, you know? To get to know our colleagues better outside of the play.”

“Okay first of all – Elizabeth was the first to speak -  don’t ever call us ‘the theatre gang’ ever again” she stated and Denise and Gwilym chuckled.

“Second of all… - she continued - What time is it?”

Joe grinned “Nine pm at Green’s”

“Neat – Gwil jumped in – we’ll be there”

Elizabeth internally screamed at the use of that pronoun. We.

So much for not daydreaming, uh? she thought.

“Cool – Joe replied – and guess what? Miss Lucy and her servant are coming as well, can you believe it?”

The smile left Liz’s face as she caught with the corner of her eye Gwilym smiling at the mention of Lucy’s name.

“I still don’t know how he convinced them” Denise chuckled.

“But I did – Joe talked back – and who knows? Maybe she’ll even agree to dance with you…” he winked at Gwilym and Liz felt like a bit of her heart was being ripped from her chest.

She kept on smiling flatly.

“Yeah maybe…” Gwil chortled lightly and the others followed him.

All that Liz could hear though, was the music she’d been listening to before, her steps on the wooden floor, one after the other, and that small, broken piece of hope falling into the pit.

She could feel her heartbeat hammering in her ears, until a muffled voice woke her up from her thoughts taking her back to reality.

“Liz? Are you with us?” Denise asked her, rotating her body to look at Elizabeth as the mattress bounced underneath her. Sitting on the other bed there was Alex, who had the same worried expression.

“Oh yeah, yeah. Sorry girls, I’m just a little bit tired - she nervously chuckled, caressing her forehead and abandoning her back against the chair - what were you saying?”

“Alex doesn’t want to come tonight” Denise whined, tilting her head towards the brunette who couldn’t contain a soft laugh that escaped from her lips.

“What? Are you joking?” Elizabeth shockingly asked, almost jumping on her feet.

“I already told Joe: tomorrow my parents will arrive in town and they asked me to help them with the moving and that shitty stuff, like lifting boxes and storing objects on the shelves. I’m probably gonna spend my whole Saturday with back pain and something tells me that reordering a house in hangover wouldn't be a great idea” Alex stated, crossing her legs and caressing her knees.

“You’re wrong - Denise replied, raising her chin - I’ve read many articles, like thousands of articles, about how easier is to move furniture when you’re drunk” she used such a serious tone and made her statement sound so real, that the two other girls couldn't contain the loud laughter.

“She’s right! I’ve heard about that too!” Liz said, standing up from her desk to sit down near Denise, who high-fived her.

Alex shook her head and covered her face with her palms. She was aware that it was a lost battle when it came to arguing with those two. It’d only been a few weeks but she already loved them.

“Besides, you’re the new girl. In movies, the new girl is always the talk of the town. You have to respect the cliché” Denise added, shrugging her shoulders.

“Sorry to disappoint you Didi - Alex started, getting up from the bed and walking towards the wardrobe to swung it open - let me fix this problem as soon as possible” she added extracting a short, black dress from the closet.

Elizabeth and Denise screamed and clapped their hands, getting up to their feet to reach and hug Alex, who giggled and theatrically announced:

“Let’s get ready”

***

The pub was pretty crowded and it smelled like cheap beer and old cigarettes, but the dim light was perfectly paired with the glam-rockish music that was playing in the background.

Liz, Alex and Denise were squeezed on a tiny, not-so-comfortable red couch, chatting lively as they were waiting for the boys to return to their table with the drinks.

“And did it hurt?” Alex curiously asked, leaning her elbow on the wooden surface in front of her. Elizabeth behind her was warmly smiling.

“Not really - Denise answered, curving her lips a little - the real struggle came when I started to take hormones. But it was all worth it, believe me. I think I’m finally feeling my real self like this”

“Sure as hell ‘t was worth it! You’re absolutely gorgeous!” Alex said leaning back on the couch so that she wasn’t covering Elizabeth, who didn’t hesitate to agree.

“You know I think the same,” the read-head stated, with an, it’s obvious tone.

“You two are angels, for real” and saying this, Denise couldn’t help but get a little emotional as she felt her eyes getting watery.

Alex noticed and extended her arm behind Denise’s back to hug her, while she rested her head on Alex’s shoulder for a moment and Liz winked with a proud smile.

“Alcohol is coming!” Joe’s voice announced a second later, as he was approaching the table followed by Gwilym.

An uncountable number of beer’s pints and bottles were dangling from their hands, and the three girls immediately stretched their arms towards them to avoid a complete disaster.

When they were all sat down with a cold beer in front of them, Joe raised his pint.

“Cheers, people!” his tone firm and serious.

“Wow mate - Gwilym said, patting his shoulder - what and inspirational discourse” the girls giggled and lowered their sights, to escape from Joe’s cheesed off gaze.

“I’m putting my entire creativity into the musical project. You can’t expect me to find poetic words even during an alcoholic Friday night!”

“I’ll drink to that” Alex said between the chuckles, raising her bottle in Joe’s direction.

“Thank you! Cheers, girl!” he immediately replied, toasting his pint against Alex’s bottle.

The others, shaking their heads in amusement, followed them and in a moment their chins were all addressed to the ceiling as they were all taking a long sip of their beer.

Soon a noisy chattering emerged from their table, as they were all feeling very talkative. Probably thanks to both the alcohol, that was making them pretty tipsy and the pleasant company.

“So, tell us Joe – Denise blurted, taking another sip from her second beer and already feeling the alcohol loosening her senses – what’s your type?” she inquired, cupping her face with both hands. All eyes were on him, as Joe visibly blushed.

“What does that even mean? Are we in second grade or something?” he stuttered, drinking as well.

He didn’t know what was making him so nervous. Maybe the fact that his brain had almost immediately associated Elizabeth with his type.

Or maybe his mind was simply clouded because of the alcohol.

He opted for the second alternative. Easier and less scary for sure.

On the other hand, Denise felt completely disappointed. A last little spark of hope was expecting him to confess his love for her. Even just that he liked her and he wouldn��t have said no to a casual date. But her rationality reminded her that it was more likely to see a dog fly than to hear Joe say I love you, Denise, let’s run away together on a white horse.

She tried to chuckle with the others, as she sank into the couch to hide her upset expression.

“Why don’t you ask the question to these two? – Joe mumbled pointing to Gwilym and Liz – they seem to be pretty close lately”. His tipsy and talkative self said the words he didn’t dare to speak. He still wasn’t sure whether he wanted an actual answer.

The thing he was sure about was that the tiny flick of jealousy he had felt in the auditorium and that he had been feeling quite often lately, was getting harder and harder to ignore.

“What?!” Elizabeth shrieked, opening her eyes wide. Gwilym, at the same time, scoffed on his drink, coughing a little not to die right on the spot.

“Pair on the stage falling in love in real life. A classic” Alex joked, winking to Joe, who fingered-gun her, and friendly pushing Denise with her elbow, making her finally smile.

“I let you have the part of the typical movie cliché. New girl” Liz sassily replied to her friend, stealing a sip from her beer with challenge in her eyes.  

“Wow. What a bad girl – Denise faked a shocked tone – ‘m sure Gwil loves bad girls” she added. Alex clapped her hands and burst out laughing and Joe tried to follow her right up, but his laugh only covered the ache he felt at the pit of his chest. Elizabeth and Gwilym shared a shy smile.

But, as soon as Gwil opened his mouth to talk back, the little bell on the top of the door rang and Lucy, Ben, and Rami made their entrance in the pub.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and puffed, taking the glass to her mouth to cover her annoyed face.

Gwilym stood up and waved at the trio to recall their attention.

“What is he doing here?” Alex whispered in Denise’s ear when she saw Ben taking a chair to sit next to his girlfriend on the other side of the table.

“Joe invited them because Rami and Lucy are part of the musical too. Hasn’t he told you?” she answered, leaning closer to Alex.

Ben looked at her and smirked, whilst the brunette as a response raised an eyebrow and looked away.

“No. He hasn’t”

A thin layer of tension had fallen between the entire group. Only Joe and Gwilym didn’t seem to notice it, as they kept talking non-stop to, respectively, Rami and Lucy.

“So – Gwil started, moving his chair closer to Lucy – ready for the tiring rehearsal?”

She adjusted a perfect strand of perfect blond hair behind her ear and started to show off about her past theatre experiences.

Elizabeth was watching the entire scene with a disgusted expression written all over her face, as she was trying to extinguish the fire of jealousy that was burning inside her chest.

Beside her, Alex chortled noticing the way Rami was completely ignoring Joe’s words and concentrating his attentions on Denise and Denise only.

“Do you know him?” she then asked, whispering in her friend’s ear once again.

“It’s a long story” Denise asked, sighing and rotating her eyes.

“Well, long story short: I think he likes you” Alex suggested, elbowing her with a grin painted on her lips.

“Don’t you have something else to do instead of playing Cupid?” the other replied, not being able to hide her half laughter.

Alex laughed along and started to get through her bag searching for her pack of cigarettes. She then put one in her mouth and got up.

“Actually I have – she said winking at Denise - excuse me, Madame” she jokingly asked to Elizabeth, who moved her legs to let her pass.

Ben followed her with his eyes and, as soon as the door closed behind her back, he slid an arm on Lucy’s chair.

“I’ll step out for a smoke” he announced in her ear, lightly kissing her cheek. Lucy snapped her head in his direction with widened eyes.

“What? You can’t leave me alone with – she hesitated, lowering her voice even more – them”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not like they’re gonna eat you… And you have Rami anyway – but when he turned around he noticed his friend had sat down at Alex’s place, near Denise; when he met his girlfriend’s gaze he saw she was looking at him under the lashes with her eyebrows raised – I’ll be back in a minute. Promise” he rapidly solved the question, getting up and walking fast towards the exit.

Lucy puffed and abandoned her face against her palm, before going back to faking interest in what Gwilym was talking about.

On the other side of the table Denise was silently asking for help to Elizabeth, not being able to handle Rami’s insistent advances anymore. But Liz seemed on another planet, with her eyes fixed on Gwilym.

Joe had noticed her gaze as well and at that moment he couldn’t lie to himself: he was jealous. For the first time since he had met her, he wanted Elizabeth to look at him that way. The same way she was looking at Gwilym.

“Joey – Denise’s voice startled him – why don’t you buy me a drink, sweetie?” she was clearly trying to let Rami think there was something between her and Joe. But deeply, she knew she was doing that just to see Joe’s reaction.

“Sweetie? Sorry, Den. I-I think I need to go to the bathroom” Joe excused himself and left the table at the speed of light, leaving Denise with her insecurities behind.

Once he’d stepped out, Ben let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and turning his head left, he’d recognized Alex’s silhouette pressed against the bricked wall.

Ben couldn’t tell what it was: he just felt strange anytime she was around, anytime she met her in the hallway. Even if she had been ignoring him since their first meeting, outside the auditorium.

As he walked closer to her, he could see her body tensing, showing how annoyed she was.

He lit up one cigarette as well and abandoned his back on the wall, few feet apart from her.

“Hi” Ben tried. But as a response, Alex let out a long trail of smoke.

“Are you ignoring me?” he then asked, immediately regretting his decision. Alex giggled, but he could tell it was a burst of sarcastic laughter.

“Wow, your sixth sense is incredible” she answered without giving him a single glance.

“Okay, but why?” Ben asked again, nervously wrapping his lips on the cigarette soon after. Alex finally turned her head, but the expression on her face didn’t omen anything good.

“You even have the boldness to ask such a question – she thundered, interrupting herself to take a puff from her cig – because ‘ve met so many people like you that broke my heart in the past. And, even if she’s spoiled as fuck, your girlfriend Lucy doesn’t deserve such a treatment. Nobody does.”

“What are you talking about? You don’t even know me and ‘re already jumping to conclusions!”

“Oh, c’mon Ben, be serious with yourself. Do you think that flirting with other girls when your girlfriend is literally in the room next to you isn’t a little bit shitty?”

Ben didn’t like her tone and her attitude and he didn’t like to hear the truth spilled to him in that brutal way.

But damn, he liked her.

“You could have just admitted you were jealous. It would have been easier” he shrugged, attempting to erase some tension and reacting the only way he knew how: faking indifference and taking the piss of the other person. Though, judging by Alex’s face he realised he had just made another snipe.

“Think as you like it, Ben. I’m not falling for your bullshits – she replied condescendingly – I only pity your girlfriend, to be honest” another grey stripe flew out from her mouth’s corner.

He didn’t know how he could like her. He didn’t even know why he liked her so much. He just did. He felt literally attracted to her by a magnetic field. And more he stared at her, more he felt the need to kiss her.

She had that strong attitude that intrigued him and the impossibility of the situation made everything even more exciting.

“Let me offer you a drink. To start again” he said, imperceptibly scrolling his shoulders.

“No thank you. I’ve already drunk too much tonight” she coldly replied, continuing to smoke her almost finished cigarette.

Ben nodded to himself and absentmindedly kicked away a pebble.

“Is there the slightest chance we could become friends one day?” he asked, tilting his head towards her.

Alex sighed, but when she looked up at him to answer someone cut her off.

“Mate! How are you?” a blond boy questioned, approaching the two of them. Once he was closer, Alex recognized him: he was the guy that had helped her to find the auditorium.

“Hi mate! ‘s been a while” Ben answered back, patting on his shoulder and smiling to him. They talked a bit about practice and sport and Alex understood they were probably in the same rowing team.

“And … hi to you too” the blond guy then said, diverting his attention to Alex. She grinned and waved back.

“Allen, right? – she inquired and he nodded – ‘m Alexandra. Last time I didn’t have time to introduce myself”

“Yeah, I remember. Last time you were pretty desperate, looking for the auditorium. Right? – he teased pointing a finger towards her; Alex laughed lightly and scrolled her shoulders, all under Allen’s intense gaze – so… can I offer you a drink?” he then asked getting closer.

Alex smirked and looked at Ben.

“With pleasure” she answered always staring at Ben. She put out the cigarette right near his shoulder, against the bricked wall, before throwing it in the trash can.

She then perched herself on the arm Allen had offered her.

“See ya, mate”

“Mmmh? Yeah, yeah. See you, Al” Ben carelessly replied.

“Have a good night” Alex sassily added, before stepping into the pub followed by Allen.

Ben remained there. Looking at the black sky above his head, with a finished cigarette dangling from his lips and thousands of thoughts crowding his mind.

In that precise moment, he knew that the knot to his bundle of thoughts was only one. The answer to his questions had a name. And her name was Alex.

-

Chapters: ⬸ previous | next ⤑

A/N: Things are getting intricated, folks. As always, please comment and reblog this chapter if you liked it. For us writers, there’s nothing better than get to know your opinion about what you read. 

Enjoy!

Tag List:  @littledarlingwellaway​​ - @petriwhore​​ - @bohemiandelilah​​ - @misshystericalqueen​​ - @loki-lover095​​ - @inthelapofthe39​​ - @starsoflovingness-wq​​ - @minetticatinwonderland​​ - @cairdes20​​ - @friendswillbefriendsblog​​ - @o-holynight​​ - @trash-record-collection​​ - @please-stop-me-now​​ - @theappleofmybri​​ - @imgonnabeyourslave​​ - @babygotblueeyes​​ - @mi55chanandlerbong​​ - @deaky-with-a-c​​ - @luckytrashgooprebel​​ - @thosequeenboys​​ - @rogahs-drowse​​​ - @rogerismyfairyking​​​ - @killer-qu33n-of-disaster​​​ - @sunshine112​​​ - @a19103​​​ - @queenlover05​​​ - @modymody99​​ - @bensrhapsody​​ - @peterwandaparker​​ - @sjeunhaelover​

[byigoose-blog]

Monocle, part 1. “Clyde and Bennie’s”

The day started off like any other my mum was standing on the balcony of the apartment just staring with that monocle on, she grew up in a fancy house where those things were common it was like an heirloom or some shit. She would wear it most times and people always gave her weird stares who wouldn’t?

“Morning Gabriel did you sleep well?” She asked when I walked in. She hadn’t said it in a friendly way she always wanted me to find a house. She said it would be easier for you if you had your own house. I did sort of agree my mum did some weird things she had some sort of laboratory in one of the rooms and she had a room that was constantly locked which I could hear her in sometimes. Also sometimes when I come home I find a bunch of stuff on the ground the floor would be covered in all sorts of shit vases not all intact, pillows that were torn I once found a green substance on the ground that I could only describe as smelling like a dead rat. I have a theory that my mum is a hit man or some shit or an assassin and brings her targets to our apartment for some reason. It’s a shitty theory I know but come on There was knife holes in the walls of my bedroom one day.

“Fine I’m just gonna head out okay?” I worked at a local fast food restaurant called Clyde and Bennie's. They sold the average thing you would expect from a fat food restaurant. It wasn’t busy most days and I liked that, that’s why I chose to work there.

“Okay, but Gabriel? Can you not come home right away afterwards? I have..... Friends over.” She was doing something I knew she had no friends because she never left the house all she did all day was make “alternative medicine” which she sold at the shop downstairs to Abbey. Abbey was the only person that mum talked too except me. The reason for that was she’s also fucking insane like my mum. Sometimes I see her eating raw meat when she comes over for dinner she gives me chicken and her uncooked chicken it’s weird, and she never get’s sick at all.

“Alright mum I’ll go and do something with Adam.” Adam was my friend. We have known each other for a couple of years since the end of secondary school through college. His dad was super rich but Adam didn’t act rich which I think meant he was insecure about being the guy who bought his way into a college because there was no way he could have made his way into it any other way, his dad payed extra for him to be top of the waiting list, I only got in because I did some quiz that gave me a scholarship I can’t remember it was like 5 years ago.

“Okay bye Gabriel!” She shouted as I walked out the door. Clyde and Bennie's was only a ten minute walk from the apartment so I made it there fairly quickly. The day went fairly normally some annoying customers came in, There was one woman who was nearly the size of a fucking car so I have no idea how she got here unless she walked which I seriously doubt and there were some weirdo’s that normally come in. Of course the weirdos were always directed to me so I had a lot of fun. One was a guy in a suit, tie and a top hat who was a common sight here even though it was obvious he was loaded or trying to look that way, My coworkers didn’t like him that much because she was always saying he wanted one thing then changing his mind, but I kind of liked him he was funny in a laughing at him sort of way he also had weird English accent. Another was girl with the biggest eye bags and she wore the same purple with black stripes jumper she looked like she never got any sleep she was also a regular I think she worked across the road at a hotel I think she was a janitor, me and her were friends... kind of she had introduced herself to me when I was working the late shift she said her name was Nancy and she apparently came here to listen to the radio we had playing. When she came in all she ordered was an ice cream which is all she ever did and would keep doing that until closing. Final weirdo was a new one, he was a guy covered in tattoos and I mean covered his entire face was tattoos he was also massive he was bigger than anyone I had ever met before, he was like 9-10ft tall, but the really weird thing was he had an realistic looking sheep skull on his fucking shoulder he was wearing it like a shoulder pad I couldn’t stop staring. He also ordered a kids meal to go and nothing else I was terrified of him  I don’t know who wouldn’t be scared of a 10ft man covered in tattoos with a sheep skull on his shoulder. Luckily he was gone fairly quickly but it was the longest time ever he was breathing really heavily and grunting sometimes. He had to bend down to fit through the door.

Finally after eight long hours I could leave after all the late shifters arrived. I grabbed my phone and called Adam telling him to come pick me up and take me to his house. He agreed which was usually the case as my mum most nights asked me to come home later than usual which meant wait until 7pm so I normally hung out with Adam until then. I just stood outside the restaurant when after 5 minutes Nancy came out.

“They stopped playing the radio channel I like inside so I came out why are you still here didn’t you leave?” She said this all in one sentence not changing tone once and having a completely dead pan face on her.

“Yeah my mum said I couldn’t come home for a couple of hours so I’m waiting for a friend here.” I replied.

“Oh okay don’t get stabbed out here.” She said as she walked away I didn’t even get a chance to say good bye she was eating an ice cream as she walked away.

After around 10 minutes more of waiting I saw Adams car at the top of the street and I was so glad while I didn’t take Nancy’s advice seriously I seriously thought I would get stabbed if I was out here any longer.

“Hey Gabe how’s it going?” He asked as he pulled up in his Mercedes E class, I couldn’t even dream of affording that kind of car but of course Adam could he worked at his dad’s tech company that developed shit like robots, guns, phones and laptops, cars and everything else you could imagine, they were developing a hover board at the moment. Now not to be rude but Adam could not make any of these things of course he couldn’t he was a test subject which to be fair was a nearly impossible job to get in the company he was extremely lucky to get the chance to do that.

“Not much I’ve just been standing in the same spot for a couple of hours serving people food.” I said sarcastically.

“Well come on get some scientist wants me to do a thing and I asked if you could help and he said sure you’ll even get paid.” I looked at him confused

“How much?” I asked I was curious because I knew the company had some very dangerous thing at it and if I was getting paid £100 to risk my life I would have to decline.

“£5000 Come on!” I instantly jumped in the car and we went straight to the building. It was a huge tower with the logo of the company on it HyV co. (it’s pronounced like high v encase your wondering) He led me into the lift and up to the 37th floor and into a room with a window in it standing on our side of the glass was a man in a lab coat and on the other side was a forest? I guess it looked like it.

“Ah yes hello! boys I heard you two were in the business to enter my experimentation room?” He spoke with a thick German accent. Of course the first scientist I met was a German scientist who looked like Dr. Frankenstein.

“Yeah me and Gabe want to go in there and do whatever you want us to do.” Adam replied without me having time to consider.

“Alright good I have put a specimen in the environment and would like you two to retrieve it.” He said handing us a rifle.

“Specimen?” I said looking at the rifle.

“Yeah they do experimentation on animals now Gabe didn’t I tell you?” Adam said already walking towards the forest I was surprised but I followed after him. I would do anything for 5 grand if it meant I could have a chance to get away from my mum I would do anything.

We walked in and didn’t say anything to each other I had no idea what kind of “specimen” they need us to retrieve but I was sweating. Around half an hour was spent just walking around the forest I don’t know why they spent that much money to make an environment this big to keep only one thing which I still had no idea what it was. I suddenly heard a sound from behind me it was branches snapping I tapped Adam on the shoulder and told him

“Holy shit dude I think somethings back there fucking hell.” I whispered. He could hear it as well.

“It’s fine.” He said as we looked around.

Suddenly from one of the bushes out came a fox that just walked up to us and stared at use. Adam the continued to shoot it with the rifle that fired a tranquilliser at the fox it fell down almost immediately I felt kind of bad as we brought it back. We gave it back to scientist, he gave us the 5 grand and we left I checked the time it was only 6:15 but I wanted to go home so I arrived home at 6:45 which was only 15 minutes early I’m sure mum would be done by now. Oh how I wish I hadn’t came over at all. When I walked in I saw my mum lying on the ground bleeding with claw marks on her side I ran over and tried to tried to talk to her.

“Mum what happened?” I asked while also typing in my phone pin.

“No time to explain Gabriel. You need to listen.” She said as I was calling 999.

I finished the call while my mum was tugging on me to listen but I couldn’t I had to get help. After I had done she grabbed me by my collar.

“Listen Gabriel the ambulance won’t be able to help me I’m going to die I need you to listen.”

“What?” I said feeling threatened by an injured 55 year old woman.

“This monocle is special” She said as she passe it to me.”It can help you see things normal people can’t see with their eyes.” I gave her a confused look as I had known that monocles helped people see did she think I was an idiot?

“I know what monocles do mum.” I said hoping she would calm down and stop moving while the blood was pouring out of her.

“You’re not getting it idiot!” She shouted.”Point it at Abbey some day and that’ll show you what I mean.” I knew Abbey and mum were insane but I never knew they were this insane.”There are books in the room that’ll help you just trust me. Please.”

“But it’s locked.” I said as she slowly stopped moving.

“You’ll get the key soon enough.” She said as she completely stopped moving.

“Mum!” I shouted as I heard the ambulance outside at this point Abbey had came and was looking in she seemed shocked. I waited for the ambulance as they came in and brought her as quickly as they could to the hospital.

But I knew it was too late anyway...