[Heyo this chapter goes out to my back-to-school anxiety, how ya doin', it's been a while you bitch.

Anyway--weLCOME BACK, Y'ALL.

Video in the MM is Indie Rock Compilation March 2017 provided by Fancy Melancholic on YT. Check them out, they've got a lot more compilations!

Enjoy the chapter!]

Stay Creepy, My Friends!~

Chapter 35

Elizabeth's POV

Another day at the shop. Plenty of calls came in, but aside from that, I haven't talked much. Most of the time, I kept staring at one spot on the desk, zoning out, trying to forget what happened last night.

...

I clamped my hand over the young boy's face, keeping him from screaming. Glaring into his frightened eyes, I whispered, "Don't you dare make a sound. If you do, you're not making it out of here...!"

He gulped audibly and nodded his head with some reluctance. I turned my attention to the narrow basement window above and signaled for Caedis to come in. The mute soldier swooped in and landed on his feet with a soft thump. There's no way anyone would've heard it anyway; there's some party going on upstairs. Still, we had to be cautious. Carefully, I let go of the young boy--probably no older than 14--and snuck up to the stairs that led to the rest of the grand house. I grabbed the doorknob with a gloved hand and crushed it, forcing the lock to give up. With caution, I peeked my head out and glanced both ways of the hall, before signaling Caedis to move on ahead to the party. He quickly crouched past me, disguised once again and with a gun in hand at the ready.

Just before I stepped out of the door, I took a glance at the young boy below. He sat on the concrete, looking up at me with horrified eyes now that he could see my face in the light. Even though he already looked so balled up, he pressed himself against the wall, rattling the iron chains cuffing his ankles and wrists. I grinned a monstrous grin and growled amusedly before slinking away into the hall.

By the time I rounded the next corner, gunshots went off, followed by screams and returning fire. A warped chuckle left me as I touched the floor and spread a black web over everything. Any means of escape was cut off now--windows, doors, the chimney if anyone would've been desperate enough. Caedis' attack distracted everyone long enough for me to complete the trap. They're all mine now.

The mouths hissed along with me as I sprinted out into the main room and struck. Furniture was overturned and broken, walls were dented and scratched, and the party-goers were reduced to terrified prey, going down one by one with every second that ticked by. I hate it when they scream, but god damn does it make me feel soooo much relief. The mouths become happy with every life I take, and that means I can be happy too. Thanks, stupid human traffickers.

As the minutes wore on, eventually the only sound that was left throughout the house was the music. I stood amongst a pile of dead bodies and watched the black substance come back to me, withdrawing to the tips of my fingers. It was then that I noticed the way my fingernails looked. Are they darker now? I tried wiping one of them. Nothing came off on my skin. It doesn't seem like a concern, although they look so...gray.

While the mouths writhed on my skin, illuminating their signature red glow, I told Caedis, "Get the boy. He won't like it, but just bear with whatever struggle he gives you."

He nodded and sauntered back to the basement to retrieve the boy. In the meantime, Zalgo decided to make an appearance and showed up on one of the couches, lounging next to a corpse.

You've done well, Elizabeth. It's intriguing to see how you've stuck to your roots while still adhering to the mouths.

"Thanks," I muttered, wiping off blood from my face.

The former Lord of Chaos began inspecting his nails with a light mien on his face.

You know, it's been a while since you've given a visit to the twins...

It has been. I wonder how they're fairing with the cat I gave them, too. Maybe I'll drop by the other realm after this. I looked at Zalgo one more time, taking note of his black fingernails. Furrowing my brow, I glanced at my own and began piecing things together. Just as I opened my mouth to ask about my new nail color, there was three gunshots that sounded from the direction of the basement. Alert, I formed my black mask and sprinted away, leaving Zalgo to himself.

I ran around the corner and saw Caedis against the wall, blood pouring from his face. In the doorway of the basement was another man that I didn't recognize. He held a gun in his hand and he looked rattled.

Snarling at him, I growled, "How did you slip away from me?!"

I raised a hand and sent a spike toward the man's chest, but somehow he dodged it out of luck...and pulled that captive, young boy in the way. He must have been trying to escape with him, but that assumption didn't matter. It was too late for me to take back my attack.

The spike punctured through the boy's sternum, lodging itself in the doorframe behind him with a splintering crack. He gasped once and stayed silent with a look of utter horror and sadness. I froze in place, and my monstrous face fell away to reveal the real me. And the boy stared at me the entire time while tears streamed down his pale cheeks. For some reason, he looked relieved to see my real face. I didn't look like a macabre monster, but I truly felt like one for the first time. I was supposed to save this boy.

Right then and there, I felt his life drain into me...and the mouths went into a bigger uproar than ever before. His life... tasted much sweeter, felt more plentiful, made my skin buzz right to the tips of my fingers, and my knees quaked at the situation. I've taken innocent life before, in Ohio and in New Jersey, but it's never felt so personal and strong until now; I've never seen a young life die right before my eyes, all for me. The mouths were raving over this. After all this time of killing wrongdoers...that all felt insufficient now. My heart was racing fast as I listened to the mouths chant in glory in my head.

A gunshot snapped me back to my senses and I found Caedis standing over the other man, having shot him in the head. I truly realized what had happened now and immediately took the spike out of the boy. I ran forward and caught his body, limp and frail. Blood had completely covered the wall behind him and the floor underneath us; some of it even seeped down the basement stairs. I cradled his lifeless body in my arms, trying to think of something--anything--that could fix this. But the mouths were begging me for more and it was hard to concentrate.

"I'm sorry," I whimpered.

The mouths kept demanding me for more. I was salivating at the thought. I can't be here anymore.

"Take him from me," I commanded to Caedis. The mute soldier came forward and picked up the boy's body from my arms. I stood up without looking at the young corpse and muttered, "Get rid of...it. I just..."

Without another word, I summoned spikes to impale the man that pulled the boy into my attack and ripped his body to shreds. They twisted and pulled at flesh and bone, and all that was left was a pile of mush that used to be human. My rage was still not sated and I went ahead and destroyed the rest of the bodies I left behind, along with this wretched house. I screamed and cried and growled all I could, but none of it would amount to anything. What's done is done.

I went ahead and summoned the black substance to take Caedis and I away from the wreck. In a few seconds, I was back at the homey cabin, where nothing was wrong. When I turned to look at my mute soldier, I was surprised to see he still held the boy's bloodied body.

"Wh...Why do you still have him? I told you to get rid of his body!" I barked.

He didn't react to my outburst and nonchalantly sauntered down the porch steps.

"Hey! Listen to my orders! Caedis!"

I watched him walk away into the forest and didn't go after him until he disappeared in the dark. I found him a ways away with the body on the ground. Before I could do anything, Caedis came back with...a shovel in hand.

Silently, I watched him dig a hole big enough for the young boy's body. It must have been an hour that we spent out here, yet I didn't waver in my place and neither did he. He kept digging and digging with a blank expression, while I stood still and cried.

He buried the dead boy, just like I showed him with the rabbit. Except this meant way more for him and for me. He's learning, and so am I...

I took an innocent life...and crave for more.

...

"Angel," someone called me. "Angel? Hey?"

It took me a few moments to grasp reality and realize Reese was speaking to me. I looked up at him and lightened my expression. "Hey, kid."

"Are you alright?" he asked. "You were zoned out pretty bad."

Rubbing my face, I muttered, "Y-Yeah, I just...had a rough sleep last night. It's fine."

"Okay...," he said with some uncertainty.

I adjusted my glasses and asked, "Leaving already?"

"Yup. My mom's making potatoes au gratin today, so I'm super excited. I could save you a plate, if my brother doesn't eat it all."

"I'm good, thanks," I chuckled.

He smirked. "Alright then. See ya, Angie."

And with that, he walked out of the office. I sighed and looked down at my hands. My fingernails were now fully black and no matter how hard I scratch, nothing comes off. I'm unsure if this means anything or not.

My train of thought was interrupted when Reese came back and said, "Try drinking valerian or chamomile tea, or even drink warm milk with honey for a better sleep. The milk did wonders for me when I was younger. Still does, actually."

I managed a smile and replied, "Thanks, Reese. I'll try those."

He flashed me a kind-hearted smile before leaving, for real this time.

Even though I appreciated the advice, my mind was still caught up on last night's events. The mouths' hunger for innocent humans now, and there's only so much I can do to sate them. I'm scared--not for the pain that they might inflict on me.

I'm scared because I might start giving them what they want.

...

Reese's POV

Dinner was fantastic, as always, because Mom is the best at cooking. I felt too tired to even do the homework that I should be doing but will save for later (at the last minute, possibly). Long day at school, productive shift at work, and a good meal has me beat. Yet I couldn't ignore the buzzing of my phone, especially when the caller was Ben.

"Hey," I answered, lying in bed.

"Reese puff daddy, it's yo boy," he greeted.

I grimaced. "Please don't call me that."

"....so, you'd want me to change your contact name too?"

I chuckled. "You're in high spirits."

"I am! Because I can talk with you! That and I was looking forward to showing off your new contact name to you, but, uh, count that one off the list..."

"List?"

"What? Nothing. Anyway, how was your day?! I need to know how my Reese's pieces has been..!"

I sat up and leaned against the headboard of my bed. "School is the usual. There's been more talk of prom since it's a month from now. Fliers and announcements have been everywhere. It's all anyone talks about."

"The time has come...," Ben said in a joking-foreboding tone.

"There's no way you still want to take me," I murmured.

"Reese, this is me you're talking about," he responded. "When I put my mind to something, it's gonna happen. How do you think I made my weapons? How do you think I got an awesome car? How do you think I became Sweden's top model for two years??"

I faltered. "Y...You did?"

"Nope. But it's sweet that you'd believe me if I did!"

"Well, you..." I scrapped my thought before it could be completed. "Ehh, never mind."

"Hmmm??? What were you going to say???"

"N-Nothing," I stammered.

"Oh, 'nothing', huh? I can just smell the lie from here!" He proceeded to dramatically sniff and I laughed. He continued, "What were you going to say?"

"It was nothing. I couldn't finish the thought," I answered.

"That, oooor you didn't want to say it out loud," he said. "Tell me, Reese. Nothing's weird with me. Were you going to admit that I'm...devilishly handsome and would thus be a perfect model? Because saying that would be like saying the sun rises every day--it's a pure fact of life!"

"Anyway, Narcissus," I interjected.

"Changing the subject. I see how it is," he remarked.

I rolled my eyes and went on, "Anyway, you seriously don't have to take me to this prom thing. It's not worth it."

"It's your last year, Reese. I wanna make it special!"

"And you have. I mean...befriending a ghost is as special as things can get for me," I said.

"And this ghost of yours wishes to let you have the big prom experience," he argued. "Besides, consider it a gift. You wouldn't turn down a gift from me, would you?"

I bunched up my lips and grumbled. Why's he gotta pull that card on me? After some thought, I questioned, "What if something gets in the way?"

"Like what?"

"Like...your work?" I mentioned, hesitant to bring it up, since he doesn't like talking about it with me. "Sometimes stuff comes up and you suddenly have to go away for a while. What if that happens during prom?"

"...Then, I'll do something else for you," he stated. "It'll be better than any prom you can think of."

"Ben, you don't--."

"I want to. For you, Reese. You deserve to be a teenager. You're much more mature because of what you've been through, so I want to give you the chance to experience something fun for your last year. I don't want you regretting anything you have or haven't done. So even if Corrupted fuck up my schedule, you're worth the effort to do something better."

A smile met my lips and I shook my head at him. "You're such a dork, you know that?"

"But I'm your dork, right? I'm yo boy?"

I chuckled and said, "Yes, you're my boy."

"Yeah!" he cheered. "Wait, the one and only, right?"

"Well..."

He gasped, offended. "Who else is there??"

"Can't tell you," I teased.

"Is it Hunter? Damn that wild-berry skittles-loving man...!"

"I dunno."

"Reeeeeese, you're gonna make me jealous! You know I wanna be your one and only boy! I'll be the best boy! You can't stop me!"

Just as I was about to tease him further, my door was busted open by none other than my wild-berry skittles-loving brother, Hunter. Immediately, he threw himself onto my bed, exclaiming, "Little brother! I have some important news! Stop talking with your b-f for like a second--."

"Shut the fuck up, Hunter," I hissed, having covered my phone's mic.

"What's going on?" Ben asked.

Quickly, I said, "Hunter just came into my room like a dumbass."

"So he is yo boy!" the wraith said in a devastated tone.

"No, he's not," I muttered. "Can you wait a bit?"

"Alright. I see how it is. Go talk with yo boy then."

With a sigh, I pressed the mute button and said to Hunter, "What's this news that you felt was so important you had to practically drop-kick my door?"

"Oh, well, if you wanna be a Sassy Susan about it, then fine. I guess it's not that important. I mean, it is only tickets to an indie rock concert next Saturday, at seven," he admitted, holding up two tickets.

I smirked and replied, "Oh, really?"

"Yes, really," he responded. "Unless, you can't go because you'll be busy with your Benny-boo, like always."

"First of all, don't call him that, and second, no I don't have any plans with him," I said.

Hunter rubbed his chin with an impish grin on his face. "Well, I think you do...because the concert will be your plans." He then smoothly revealed a third ticket from behind the first two and wiggled his other hand like a magician.

I smiled at him and chimed, "You got Ben a ticket?"

"Of course! I am your loving, caring, thoughtful, and most genius brother, after all."

"Thanks, Hunter."

"Yessir, and maybe you can keep this in mind for when my," --he coughed loudly--, "birthday," --another cough--, "comes up two months from now..."

"Yes, I'll do something in return, you dweeb," I assured him.

He beamed and got up from my bed. "Sweet! Now if you excuse me, I'm off to chow down on whatever's left of dinner. Later, little brother!"

"See ya."

Just as he was walking out the door, he added, "And tell the special mister I say hello!"

"Go stuff your face, jerk...!" I grumbled at him. He's never gonna stop teasing me about it, is he? I can't imagine how he'll be next Saturday. That is, if Ben can even go.

Finally returning to the wraith, I unmuted him and said, "Hey, I'm back."

"Done talking with yo boy?" he harrumphed.

"Are you actually jealous?"

"What? Noooo...," he murmured.

I chuckled and assured him, "Fine, fine. You can be the one and only boy, if..."

"If...?"

I smirked. "If you're able to come to an indie rock concert next Saturday with Hunter and I. Tickets are on him."

"Really?" he remarked, his tone lighter.

"Yeah. If you come, you can prove to me there that you deserve to be the one and only best boy," I challenged.

"I'll do it!" he exclaimed.

"Good," I chimed. "Come to the apartment before seven and we'll all go together."

"So wait, do I have to compete against Hunter? Because I'll fuckin' crush him if I need to," the wraith said.

Feeling mischievous, I replied, "I dunno. You'll find out when you come over."

"...I feel like you're teasing me."

"What? Noooo."

"Mmmmgg! Mark my words, peanut butter cup, I will do all I can to win this. Just you watch!"

"Make me proud, perv," I joked lightheartedly.

A little while later, after mentioning homework, Ben forced me to complete it and helped me with whatever I needed. We talked some more about miscellaneous things until it was time for me to shower and sleep. Even when I laid my head against my pillow, my mind was imagining how the concert would go out of anticipation. Concerts with Hunter are always fun, and bringing Ben along would make for a more wonderful night. I missed that EDM festival with him last time so this is perfect. I can't wait to see him again.

...

Ben's POV

The week went by faster than I expected. It was Saturday and for some reason I was having a harder time picking out clothes than I normally would. Ao was busy training with Jack, so my only option for help was...well...

"That shirt doesn't go well," Sally critiqued, holding Charlie on her lap as she tapped her chin.

"What? This is just a plain black shirt. Black goes with everything," I said.

"Well, not with you, apparently."

"Sally, please," I muttered.

"Alright, alright. Step aside!" The little ghost girl jumped off my bed and came over to the closet to pick out clothes for me. I stood to the side, watching her in scrutiny. When she was finished, I stared at the outfit she displayed on my bed and grimaced. A red flannel shirt, zigzag pants, a colorful baseball cap, and sandals. Dear god.

"Sally," I started, "I'm trying to look presentable...not desperate."

"Listen, you wanted my help," she grumbled.

"You're just messing with me!"

"I actually picked this out for you."

"Well, I am not wearing this."

She crossed her pale arms and muttered, "Someone doesn't know fashion then."

"I am literally nothing but--! You know what, I'm not even gonna bother," I said, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Fine. C'mon Charlie. Let's go somewhere where our taste will be appreciated...!" she proclaimed, then twirled around and marched out of my room.

With a sigh, I checked the time on my phone and groaned. Ten minutes until I have to meet Reese at his place. I don't even know what I'm going to wear. You know what? Fuck it.

Energetically, I rifled through my closet and picked out whatever looked okay and threw it on. Green muscle tee and black pants! That's fine! And shoes? High tops! It's whatever! It's a concert! It's not like anyone else will really care how I look, except myself, because I wanna make a good impression on Reese since I feel like this could be a date even though it's not but I like to imagine it is and I'm gonna have to prove I'll be his best and only boy because I love and care about him so much it physically hurts!

I hadn't realized I was incessantly screaming with frustration as I changed into my outfit and put on my cloaking chip, until Hoodie came by and asked, "Hey, are you okay?"

"I have perfectionist issues, Hoods!" I yelled immediately. "I'm also a NERVOUS WRECK!"

"Why are you shouting?"

"I HAVE ISSUES!"

A pause. "...Do you wanna talk about that, or...?"

I stared at him for a few seconds, and perhaps they were a few seconds too long. Still pent up, I yelled again, "No, it's okay, but thank you for your concern! I appreciate the kindness and cherish you greatly as my FRIEND!"

"Um...thanks?"

"YOU'RE WELCOME! Now if you excuse me, I have to scream some more before I leave!"

He nodded slowly and awkwardly continued walking past my door to leave me be. Once he was out of sight, I let out an aggressive scream towards the floor, releasing my nervousness. Even though my body was still buzzing with residual energy, I pushed through and grabbed my phone off of my nightstand. I took a deep breath before closing my eyes and teleporting to where I needed to be.

In a split second, I showed up at Reese's apartment door, being mindful to temporarily mess up the hallway cameras as I teleported in. I took another deep breath, before knocking on the door and waiting. Then it opened and revealed Reese's mom looking expectant. As soon as she saw me, she smiled and chirped, "Benito, hello! Come in." Her welcoming vibe made me feel a lot better and I kindly obliged.

"Hi, Mari," I greeted and she shared a hug with me. "Where are your sons?" I asked.

She glanced at the hallway and said, "They're getting ready."

Suddenly, Reese came stumbling out of Hunter's bedroom, saying, "Stop spraying that shit on me!"

"But you'll smell like 'Scandalous Danger'!" the older brother argued, holding up a cologne bottle.

"I don't need it!"

"If you're gonna make things work, ya gotta appeal to all five senses! And I mean all of them. Even taste--."

"MOM!" Reese pleaded.

She sighed and said to them, "Hunter, stop attacking your brother with cologne. Huele feo de todos modos..."

Hunter clutched his shirt and said, "Por qué, mama? Por qué me traicionas?"

"Te amo, mijito," Mari deadpanned.

He shook his head. "No, mama. Cómo puedes decir eso después de que rechazaste mi colonia? Comó?! Que cruel!"

"Callete la boca, novela idiota," Reese whined and finally escaped his brother's cologne trap. Hunter sighed and muttered as he went into his room, "Ay de mí..."

As soon as Reese came up to me, he smiled and said, "Hey." That made my heart flutter more than it should've.

"I felt like I just saw a TV drama," I remarked.

"Hunter watches them too much," he grumbled.

"His acting was good, I'll give him that," I complimented.

"Don't let him hear you say that. He'll start getting ideas," Mari whispered before slinking away to the kitchen. I chuckled.

I turned my full attention onto Reese now and couldn't help but admire his appearance. It wasn't much since he wore all black, but there was something about his jogger pants and the way a part of his shirt's hem was tucked in that made me want to swoon. And dammit if he doesn't look good in black...!

Not only did he look good in his outfit, but he looked good in general. His tan skin was absolutely glowing with the contrast of his black clothes, and his gray eyes seemed to gleam with excitement. His hair was fixed and looked so soft that my hands twitched to touch it, but I remained still and kept smiling like I wasn't dying on the inside looking at him. Then, I got a whiff of the cologne that Hunter sprayed on him and smirked.

"Doesn't smell that bad," I said.

"That's because you're not inhaling it with every breath like I am," he retorted. "Here."

Suddenly, he leaned toward me, presenting his neck and shoulder to me. Blushing, I sniffed at his collarbone and felt my nose sting a little. Despite that, I was trying really hard not to latch onto him and never let go.

"Oh yeah. That's, uh...that's strong," I wheezed.

He pulled away (to my dismay) and said, "Is it 'scandalous' like Hunter said it would be?"

"Scandalously strong."

"Ugh, that jerk," he jested, rubbing at his neck to probably wear away the cologne's scent somehow.

Trying to deter my emotions at the moment, I said, "Hehe, well, I'm sure the ladies will love it."

"Thanks, but I'm not really concerned about any ladies," he responded with a cute, innocent smile.

FUCK. THERE GO MY EMOTIONS.

Thankfully, Hunter unknowingly came to my rescue when he sauntered into the living room with a big grin on his face. "Are we ready to go get our indie rock on?" he cheered.

"Ye--," I had started but my voice cracked so I immediately cleared my throat. "Uh, yeah. Let's go...!"

"You three be careful, okay?" Mari piped up, before placing kisses on her boys' cheeks.

"I'll take care of these kiddos, ya know, make sure they don't cause any trouble," Hunter replied with a smirk.

"I mean, I smell like 'Scandalous Danger' so my prospects aren't looking so good already," Reese muttered bluntly.

Hunter nudged his elbow into Reese and said, "I'm not too sure about that, buddy."

Reese shot his brother a look but didn't fire back with a witty comeback like I would expect. They're more comically-argumentative than usual. Wonder what's up.

After saying goodbye to Mom-bomb-dot-com, we all made our way out of the apartment building and to the parking lot. I thought we were going to go to the concert in the Chevelle, but we walked up to an average, gray car instead. Reese took a shot at his brother and said, "There aren't any pizza boxes in the back, are there?"

"Pfft, no," Hunter replied. Then he froze and stared away in thought. "I think."

"Go ahead and sit in the front," Reese told me, smiling at his brother's goofiness.

I beamed with joy. "I get shotgun?"

"Like a Redneck dad," Hunter blurted as he hopped into the driver's seat.

"That's extreme level of shotgun," I awed, and gladly jumped into the passenger's seat, while Reese sat in the back.

"Buckle in," Hunter said as he pulled on his seatbelt and turned the engine simultaneously. Once he reversed the car out of the parking space, Reese leaned forward, holding up a pair of pants.

"Really, dude?" he muttered.

"Well, there's no pizza boxes, right?" the older brother jested.

"Are...Are these my shorts here, too??"

Hunter smiled. "Whoops, how'd they get there..?"

They went at bantering for most of the twenty minute drive, arguing about borrowing clothes, keeping things clean, and what pizza would be best for after the show. And I thought that novella bit earlier was entertaining. Reese is so cute when he argues too.

In no time, we arrived at the venue and it looked jam-packed with other attendees. Luckily, Hunter snagged a decent parking space and we were set to go. The three of us exited the car and I could already hear the pre-show rock music from our spot. People convened outside, with different looks yet equal visual excitement for the show.

Reese came up behind me and poked my back playfully. I giggled, then quickly contained it, but he had heard it anyway and smiled. With an eager mien on his face, he said, "C'mon, let's beat Hunter to the front."

It wasn't until he mentioned it did I notice his brother had started off ahead of us already. Grinning, I declared, "I'm gonna be best boy!"

Without a second thought, I hurried forward, dragging Reese with me. Even though we passed up Hunter, my drive to be Reese's one and only took me all the way to the curb and I nearly tripped on it. Thankfully, Reese caught me and propped me up-right.

"Calm down there, Ben. At that rate, you're gonna cause an explosion or something," he remarked.

"Explosions are cool."

He laughed and added, "Am I gonna have to keep you by my side at all times?"

Feeling bold, I raised my head and said, "Perhaps you might, peanut butter cup."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really, independent man?"

"I am independent! Just with my trusty sidekick," I exulted, patting his chest.

"Why am I the sidekick?"

"I'm your hero, remember?" I purred.

A smile came across his lips and he rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright. Stick with me then, hero."

Oh, believe me, that won't be a problem.

Hunter suddenly jumped in and locked the both of us under his arms. "Come along, my bouncing boys! This is my practice to become a cool adult so let's get started!"

"Woo!" I cheered. Reese just groaned at having his head locked in his brother's arm.

Inside the venue, the place was lit with normal lights. Even then, everything looked grand. There were booths that sold merch like t-shirts, posters, backpacks, and more; the concession stand was already getting a line; groups of friends gathered around to take pictures and some were already jamming to the pre-show music. This air feels familiar. It's been so long since I've been to a concert of any kind. It's amazing..!

Hunter gave the concert tickets to a ticket collector and we passed through a turnstile to get to the more spacious area where all concert-goers would be in a few minutes. Suddenly, a voice called out Hunter's name and we all turned to see who it was. A few feet away stood a group of three friends waving at the older brother. He waved back, looking excited.

Reese said, "I didn't know your friends were coming.."

"Yeah! They paid for their own tickets though, since I wanted to bring you and Ben along too," Hunter elaborated.

"Hunter, my dude! Get your ass over here! Val's been chatting about you non-stop," one of his friends hollered.

"Shut up, you ass!" a girl complained, giving the guy a punch on the shoulder and getting a laugh out of the other. Even from here I could see her blushing.

"Hold up, you three!" Hunter exclaimed. He turned to us and said, "Would you two mind if I hung out with them for a while?"

I didn't answer since it wasn't my place, so Reese went ahead and said, "Sure. Go ahead, man."

"Awesome. I'll see you two in a bit. Be careful!"

And with that, the older brother rushed off to join his friends, leaving Reese and I alone together. For a moment, I was kinda flustered at the idea of it just being us, but then I noticed the disappointed look on Reese's face. Carefully, I asked, "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah," he replied, unenthusiastically.

Glancing at Hunter and his friends, I questioned, "Jealous?" I hoped I didn't sound like I was teasing him; I meant to be as sincere as possible.

Fortunately, he understood my tone and sighed softly. "No, it's just... It's been a while since I've been to one of these things with Hunter. I was hoping he'd stick around, but I guess not..."

Pursing my lips, I stared at the floor to think. After seeing those two interact, I realize it is kind of a bummer that Hunter is hanging out with other people. Still, Reese should enjoy the concert, and it's not like his brother is completely ditching us.

To change the mood, I beamed, jumped in front of the blonde boy, and chimed, "It'll be alright! We'll meet up with him in a little while. In the meantime, let's find a good spot to watch the show. And if you wanna eat something, food's on me!"

Like magic, I watched his annoyed expression shift to something sweeter. "It's alright. I can buy my own food--."

"No! I insist! Don't you dare pay a penny," I interjected.

He chuckled lightly. "You really wanna be the best boy, huh?"

I smiled tenderly and replied, "That's not what matters at the moment. All that does is that you have a good time. And I'll help with that."

His lips moved into a smirk and he took a glance in Hunter's direction. Reinvigorated, he looked to me with bright eyes and said, "Well, you know what. Hunter doesn't seem to be the one winning title of best boy. C'mon..!"

Out of nowhere, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards the crowd gathered at the stage. Just as we reached the edge, the lights dimmed to black and everyone started whooping with excitement. The migration of indie rock junkies was immediate and I felt bodies bump into me as the crowd got bigger. In the mix-up, Reese lost his grip on my wrist and I was left stranded in darkness. Multicolored stage lights ahead turned on, helping me out, but not by much. And for some reason there was a lot of tall people around me--a short man. Dammit, every time!

As the first act appeared on stage and began hyping up the crowd, I felt someone's hand latch onto mine and pull me away. For a few seconds I stumbled blindly into other people, only being led by the hand. Finally, I was able to make out the familiar triple scars on the left side of Reese's face in the colorful lights and smiled. Then I realized he was holding my hand and was glad the lights could hide my wild blushing.

After pushing through the crowd without a care, Reese stopped somewhere near the front and I was relieved to not be bumping into random bodies anymore. And to my joy, Reese pulled me close, right against his side--the only body I wanted to feel. I felt his hand let go of mine and press against the small of my back, keeping me anchored to him, sending lovely tingles up my spine. I saw his silhouette lean in close to my ear and he said over the melodic music, "You've gotta stick with me, remember, hero?"

I gazed up at him, watching red, blue, green, and pink flash across his face. Seeing him smile down at me had my limbs thrumming with energy more than the rhythmic drums pulsing though the crowd. In that moment, I felt like reaching up and cupping his face in my hands, so that I could pull him down and kiss him. Although I wanted nothing more than to feel his lips, I knew better than to do something like that so suddenly. Just having him next to me is enough.

Taking in the upbeat atmosphere, I started bouncing on my feet and gradually dragging Reese into it. Soon enough, we were jumping around like idiots, bumping into each other on accident, and sometimes on purpose. We head-banged at the most aggressive songs, and swayed together at the more slower and emotional ones. My heart was racing and I could already feel a sweat coming on. Despite that, I kept dancing around with Reese, even if no one else around us did. It didn't matter if we were the only ones. Every second that we spent jumping and laughing was precious to me.

There came a moment when we lost track of the people around us, and a few taller attendees got in front of us. Although I focused more on dancing to the music, I still wanted to see the bands performing. So I tried to tiptoe and even switched places with Reese to see if his view was better. Definitely not, at least for me. He seemed to see just fine.

The blonde boy took notice of my struggle and told me, "I'll carry you on my back..!"

Flattered at his offer, I didn't protest and waste time, and stood behind him. He crouched enough for me to wrap my arms around his neck and hike my legs up against his sides. Then, he held onto the back of my thighs and straightened his body with a strength that had me wanting to squeal. After some minor adjustments, he yelled, "Can you see now?"

I looked up at the stage, content with this much  better view. "Definitely..!"

Curiously, I glanced behind me to see the other concert attendees. Sure enough, some people went to move to a better spot where I wasn't in their way. Haha! How's it feel now?!

Without any reason, I gave a loud howl and cackled with delight. I heard Reese react to me with a laugh of glee, which warmed my chest. An idea came to mind and I pulled out my phone from my back pocket. Next, I activated the front camera and aimed Reese and I in the shot. "Cheese!" I sang and the both of us grinned wide. I didn't check how it looked (even though I'll probably complain about how horrible I look later) because it's a perfect picture no matter what if Reese is in it. I'll be sure to send it to him after this.

Now that I wasn't dancing around like a dork anymore, I took this time to rest my body and just enjoy the show. Unconsciously, I leaned my head against Reese's, feeling his golden locks brush my cheek (I hoped he didn't mind). My arms tightened, locking him into more of a hug than just me holding on to him. I felt his grip on my legs tighten and smiled giddily (maybe he doesn't mind). As time went on, and song after song was played, I started focusing on just Reese. I focused on his presence, the way he kept carefully shifting me up, how strong he was to carry me so effortlessly, the warmth radiating from his skin, the way he tapped his feet and twiddled his fingers and bobbed his head to the music. All of these little things were slowly driving me crazy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. That just tells me I'm still in love with him, even if he doesn't know.

Gently, I leaned my face to the side of his head and my lips briefly brushed his ear as I said, "I'm so glad I could be here with you."

He froze for a second before looking at me with wide eyes (how cute) and replying, "M-Me too..."

I smiled and squeezed him, then rested my head on his again to enjoy the pure euphoria of the magical music and the pulsing crowd around us. Everything about this felt so right and so perfect. At the back of my mind, I had the thought that I didn't deserve this, didn't deserve to be with Reese, didn't deserve to feel this happy. But every time I heard him cheer on the indie bands after every song they played and remembered the way he had smiled at me this whole time, I also thought, fuck my doubt. Straight up fuck it, because as long as I'm with Reese and can make him happy, I feel like I deserve the world. He makes me love myself a little more each time.

A while later, Reese's grip on me slipped and my right leg fell for a second. I leaned towards his ear again and asked, "Are your arms tired?"

"A little, yeah," he answered.

I chuckled and said, "Take a break." Before he could protest, I loosened my grip on him and carefully slid off of his back. We looked at each other and shared content yet tired smiles. How long has it been since the show started? Probably a while. I wonder where Hunter is hanging out with his friends.

Suddenly, when the band on stage finished another of their songs, the female lead vocalist announced that they'd be playing a cover that's dear to them. After some cheers of encouragement, the band began the song with a gentle acoustic guitar rhythm and piano notes to go with. I wasn't able to recognize the song, until...

"When I look into your eyes, I can see a love restrained..."

My body froze without warning and I stared ahead at the stage, dazed in the slowly changing color of the lights. Slowly, everything around me started to fade out, even Reese, and all I heard were those lyrics and that guitar. All I heard was that woman on stage singing with soul and that damned guitar strumming with feeling, as the words seeped into my very being...

"Nothin' lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change,
And it's hard to hold a candle,
In the cold November Rain..."

"Ben?" a voice called to me, but it wasn't a familiar one.

Curious, I turned to my left, expecting Reese, only to see a different person. The stage lights ran across his face, allowing me to see dark hair and brown eyes. This boy had a cunning smirk on his face as he said in a British accent, "You alright there, Ben?"

Furrowing my brow, I murmured, "A...Adam?"

He chuckled. "Correct, that is I."

Looking around, I saw that the venue was different too, and so was the band that was on stage. Even stranger was that...I was different. I wore a blue sweater and black jeans, and worn sneakers instead of high tops. What...?

"Ben?"

I looked up at Adam, only to see Reese again. Confused, I blinked my eyes and tried to get a grip on myself.

"Are you okay?" Reese's voice asked.

Hesitantly, I nodded and said, "Uh...y-yeah, I'm fine..."

"That's good," a British accent chirped. "I was getting worried you were getting all queasy. First concerts can be real blood pumping, huh?"

"First...concert...?" I murmured.

Again, I looked up and saw Adam. He was smiling at me, amused. Benignly, he stepped close and placed a hand at my back, and I involuntarily flinched because he touched a bruised spot (why am I bruised???).

"Need some water?" he offered.

"N-No, I don't need water..."

"Water?" Reese came through this time with one blink and I gaped at him. "Do you want water?"

"I...I-I just said I don't want any," I stated.

"Ben, you're acting a little funny," the blonde boy remarked.

"I... I don't know what's going on... Th-This song..."

To add more confusion, Adam's voice spoke up, "I know, it's bloody great. You love Guns N' Roses, right?"

"Yes...I do...," I replied reluctantly.

"Good, then. I'm glad you're enjoying this," he gushed.

A headache was started to come on and I rubbed my eyes to try and stop whatever this was. As I did, I felt a hand at my shoulder and flinched again, but this time it was Reese.

"Ben, you're worrying me," he said.

"Sorry, I... I can't," I started, and began backing away. Then, out of nowhere, someone bumped into me and I was forced into Adam's arms.

"Ey, watch it," he grumbled with a scowl. "Fuckin' nob..."

"It's okay," I assured him, gingerly patting his arm.

The British boy smiled down at me and joked, "I've never been this close to you before. You're always so shy and distant."

Blushing, I looked away from him. "A-Am I?"

"It's not bad. Just what I've seen of ya. But I feel you're opening up some. Well...I hope you are..."

Nervously, my hand traveled all the way down his arm, wanting to grab his. But something told me not to; some sort of internal fear held me back. I shouldn't be here with him. I shouldn't be with Adam. I shouldn't be feeling so happy and...so warm...

"Ben?" he said to me. To my relief, he grabbed onto my hand first, and I released a sigh. Adam cradled my palm in his, and I was awed at how warm and rough, yet tender his skin was. Without realizing, I leaned my head against his chest, catching sight of my chestnut brown (not blonde) hair for a second. My heart was racing. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be doing this.

"Holding you like this feels nice," he admitted to me.

"I...I think so too," I responded shakily.

"Yeah? Wanna keep like this?"

For some reason, I felt like crying. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be doing this. But I want this--need this.

"Yes. Please," I whimpered, pressing my face into his shirt, taking in his scent.

I heard and felt the chuckle reverberate through his chest. He squeezed my hand, intertwining our fingers, and leaned his head against the top of mine. His breath brushed my hair as he sighed and said, "I'm glad."

"Adam," I began, "I...I..."

"Adam?" Reese's voice inquired with surprise.

The warm feeling in my chest from just a few seconds ago quickly disappeared as my mind switched back to the present. It was also at this point that the cover of November Rain had finished and the crowd was in an applause of cheers and clapping. The band thanked everyone for listening before getting ready to leave the stage for the next act. Peculiarly enough, my mind stopped switching. I stayed as myself--the Ben who wore a green muscle tee, black pants, high tops, and who was also affectionately hugging onto a confused Reese and holding his hand with intertwined fingers.

Embarrassed and frazzled, I yelped and jumped away. "Shit, s-sorry, I didn't... Uh..."

"Ben, what's going on?" he asked.

"I...I don't know..."

Something about his concerned expression changed a bit. "Who's Adam?"

"A-Adam?" I stuttered.

He nodded, looking serious. It was then that I realized he held some...annoyance...in his features. Crap...

"Reese, I... Listen, whatever I said, I didn't... Th-The song did something to me a-and..."

"Hey!" Hunter's voice suddenly chimed as he came up to us through the crowd, his three friends following behind. He smiled kindly and said, "I've been looking for you two. How's the show so far?"

"It's great," Reese answered, yet his eyes were still on me.

My heart was racing again, but not from anything positive. All of a sudden this crowd felt too claustrophobic, and Reese's gaze felt too daunting, and there doesn't seem to be enough air to breathe here, and I can't stand all of the chattering around me ringing in my head.

"I-I need some fresh air!" I blurted and began turning away to find my way out of the crowd.

"Ben! Wait!" Reese called after me and caught my hand firmly. I yelped and nervously looked at him.

Still holding that concerned expression, he asked, "What is going on? Are you okay? Please, just answer me."

"I... I can't," I murmured. "Not right now. I need to step out for a while."

"Ben--."

"Y-You wanted to spend time with Hunter, right?" I interrupted. "Well, go ahead. The next act is coming up. Just...hang out together. Have fun. I'll be back."

Speaking of whom, Hunter stepped forward and asked, "What's going on with you two?"

"Nothing," I told him. "Spend time with your brother...!"

Too anxious to stay any longer, I yanked my hand out of Reese's grasp and rushed through the crowd just in time as the next band began their line-up. Music started playing through the speakers as other concert-goers shifted toward the stage, allowing me to effectively escape Reese.

Without a moment to lose, I ran for the nearest exit and practically rammed my way through the door. I nearly tripped onto the concrete, but maintained my speed and kept running. And for some reason I never stopped. My legs just kept on going and I was too disturbed by what I just experienced to realize and stop myself. By the time I finally stopped running, I was all the way across the entire parking lot. Well, at least it's practically empty over here and no one will want to bother me.

Panting, I took a seat on a curb and rested my head in my hands. Bit by bit, my headache was going away, but I couldn't shake the hallucination I just had. I was different, and the venue was different, and there was some other person with me named Adam. And I was scared. As happy as that interaction had made me, deep down I was terrified. But why, and of what? What's going on with me?

Under the faraway sounds of the concert and of the busy highway next door, I heard...whimpering...crying. Cautiously, I stood up and followed the sound to the back of a closed strip plaza. No lights guided me but I didn't need any. The moonlight and residual light from elsewhere helped me see that there was a girl being pinned against the wall while a man hissed awful words at her. Faintly, I saw the glint of a knife in his hands.

Scowling, I stepped forward and interrupted the scene. "Hey! Get away from her!"

The thug just looked at me and snarled. While I thought to summon a weapon into my hand, the girl began shrieking violently and I froze. Before I could figure out what was wrong, something big and black snatched up the thug's body from above, startling me. To make matters worse, his screams were cut off by some inhuman growl, followed by the sound of bones breaking. From my place, I felt the blood splatter on my skin and the terrified girl was getting drenched. Horrifically, something fell with a thud and I saw the glint of the thug's knife...and his hand still holding it.

The girl finally escaped her shock and ran off, screaming and sobbing. Just as I was about to teleport to her and take her somewhere else, a distorted voice spoke up, "Oh, hi... Fancy seeing you here..."

Wide eyed, I looked up at the top of the building to see a shadow hunkered at the edge. One red eye flared at me with intrigue. Then, slowly, the silhouette of two large, clawed hands rose up--I could faintly see pulsing red in them, like veins. My throat became dry all of a sudden and my limbs buzzed with fear. There's no way. It can't be.

"I'm a little annoyed with you," the monster said. "I missed my chance to eat the girl."

"Don't...Don't touch her...," I stammered uneasily.

"It's too late now. I'll just have to make do with something else..."

A guttural roar erupted from the sinister shadow, shaking me to the core, deafening me briefly. The sound was terrifying and so inhuman that it could've come from a Corrupted, but it didn't. It came from someone who was once human, someone who was my friend. This is worse than any Corrupted.

As quick as lightning, Ellie leaped off of the building and came after me with a lust for blood.