The Promise We Made That Day

[Warden]

The cold and wet weight squeezing down on his shoulder like a vise brought old reflexes roaring out of their den, and Nuri would have bucked it off had he not glimpsed that it was Flynn's hand. "Not a big deal," he grunted back, with a head tilt to spare when his old friend smiled. Then Flynn went on to say that he was about to deliver eight-fucking-teen pizzas—the dig at Rex got a short chuckle—which, guess what, was now his shared responsibility to transfer to the truck. Ah, hell. Whatever. There were worse smells for a car than OT's bestsellers.

Even with all the supplies in the backseat, they were able to stack at least a dozen boxes in there. The rest would have to stay warm and toasty on Flynn. "Here, put this on your lap," Nuri tossed over a slightly dirty t-shirt he fished out from somewhere underneath the driver's seat. It was a rag he used on the windshield sometimes. "Oughtta keep the hot grease off your pants."

A couple more minutes and they were ready to go! Keys, check. Wipers, check. Taillights, check.

"Yeah, don't worry. Drove half-blind once. Didn't crash." Nuri joked as he adjusted the rearview mirror, avoiding Flynn's gaze now that the rain was muffled around them, then reached for the radio and cranked up the dial. Static. Great. Now they had to have an awkward conversation on the way to Grenfall. Just as the thought crossed his mind, Flynn opened his mouth and posed the question with his nice, meandering voice. Like he was cautious of hitting a nerve.

Half-blind? A sharp look of alarm flashed briefly across Flynn's features - a look that signaled to his friends that he was about to transition into mom-mode. Friday and Aislyn were the most common recipients of the look but everyone he fussed over knew it well enough—creased forehead, slight frown, narrowed eyes—and even Nuri had been subjected to it whenever he'd made a show out of standing up to the bullies of Littlewood Elementary School.

There was a lot Flynn wanted to say, but he chose silence instead. They weren't kids anymore.

Nuri exhaled and said nothing at first, driving the truck back onto the road leading to the city with unexpected care. They went on at a good pace, and it seemed they were the only unfortunate souls mad enough to drive in the pouring rain. Not high praise, that. Half of Oakwoods would probably short out their heart rate monitor if they tried to do anything more than stand up. Heh.

"… Yeah," he finally answered. "Didn't expect to return. Ever." He narrowed his eyes at the road. The silence stretched out like the path beneath them. What else was he supposed to say? Talking never came naturally to him. "Uh… I moved to Kingsport High after middle school. That was fun." But Flynn knew about that; he made sure to add in those details in his letters as though it mattered. Most of it was there to fill up the space, and at times it felt that he was writing into a logbook more than a friendly letter. How much should you explain in each to make up for lost months? "Hm. You thought kindergarten tug-of-war was tough? Wait 'til you see an inner-city brawl. Best of the best come out to play."

Silence gave way casual conversation, and soon enough, they were sharing the awkwardness of navigating through small talk. There was a lot Flynn wanted to catch up on, but he wasn't sure Nuri would have appreciated multiple questions about his life, something he gathered from the lack of replies he'd gotten in the last two months and the way his friend skirted around questions. "Yeah," Flynn chuckled. "And now, you're back. Stuck with 18 boxes of pizza in the rain. Bet this wasn't the grand welcome party you hoped for, huh?"

Another worried look he tried to hide at the mention of brawls.

"Kindergarten tug-of-war was tough. If I remember right, you skinned your knees twice."

"'member that. We won though. Worth it." Nuri smirked and turned the steering wheel. The vehicle slid around the corner, where the distant lights of Grenfall winked as though in welcome. Then he decided to address the elephant in the room—er, car:

"By the way, who the hell orders eighteen pizzas?"

Flynn smiled. "A Mr. Jannings, I guess. Hey, guy's got good taste." Another pause. "Hey, thanks for driving me. I know it's kind of far away." The road ahead of them was still quite empty, but houses had started to appear along the roadside, and ahead, buildings began to come into view. They were entering the more bustling city of Grenfall. The road started to fill up with more cars. "We're getting close." Flynn fished his phone from out of his pocket and opened the OTs delivery app. "An apartment complex on Finch Road."

Nuri hummed at the thanks again but offered no further comment.The rain continued its pitter-patter rhythm on the hood. His voice was teasing when he said, "I hope this Mr. Jannings has medical insurance, then."

As the car continued on, Flynn noticed a new text from some of his classmates.

"Hey, Nuri. Are you busy tonight?"

Ok. He was really tempted to turn that half-invitation into a joke. But the atmosphere was tense enough as it is, and that wasn't because the anchovy stink was starting to seep out.

"Depends," Nuri drawled, glancing briefly at Flynn and noticing how his face was lit up from behind all of the boxes. Eyes back on the road. Half-truth, half-lie: all he had to do for tonight was bring these materials home. His mother knew him well enough to figure out that frequent, often unexplained nights out were a part of, er, "expressing oneself." Especially now that they were back in Oakwoods. The most dangerous thing here was a stray frog. Or a couple of stray frogs. Maybe an old guy going ham on his automated wheelchair. A wheelchair rampage of death and destruction! God, this place blows. He cleared his throat as they pulled into Copper Street, which was a couple of blocks from the Finch and Roose intersection, trying to sound uninterested. "Why? Gonna paint the town red?"

"Nothing too exciting, definitely not a big city party" Flynn laughed. "Dan's hosting a small end-of-the-year gathering for the class," he explained. "You remember Dan, right? Class officer since the 1st grade, really good at Science - he made that terrarium when we were in the 3rd grade?" Realizing he was going on a tangent, he got back to explaining. "Aislyn, Friday, Blake and everyone else is going to be there. It'd be nice if you tagged along." He really meant it. "It'd be great to have you-"

"Sure. Smart kid. Cried when he lost one of his rare The Galaxy & Me minis, 'til we found out one of the older graders 'borrowed' it for their diorama." Something about getting much closer to their destination inspired some sort of energy from Nuri, and he squirmed in his seat. Come on. Deep breaths, bud. This was going to be a cakewalk. Let's go on one, two… "It's nice to see you again," Nuri blurted out, sounding angry all of a sudden, and his face was scrunched up into an expression of pure, intense focus. As if he saw something on the sidewalk and he wanted to punch it. Hard. "Visited Suni last week, an' she told me off. Thought you would too. Or you wouldn't care. So," one hand went up in the air before smacking back onto the steering wheel with no real force, "glad you're still... you. I guess."

And then Nuri did something he hadn't been expecting.

It's nice to see you again.

Flynn spent a good few seconds staring at Nuri's scrunched up face. It seemed as if it had taken a lot of effort to say, but now that the words were out in the open, the tension in the air dissipated and Flynn smiled to himself in his seat like a grade-A dork.

"It's really good to see you again too, Nuri." Flynn didn't have to say more. The exchange in the car told him that Nuri was still the same ol' Nuri as well. "I'm glad you're back."

Nuri exhaled deeply and nodded. This time, he was a lot more composed when he slowed the truck and nodded towards the door. "Anyway, head's up. We're here. I'll grab the boxes on the left. Between the two of us, it'll only take two returns." He rattled off the commands one after another, and opened the door—armed with the same orange umbrella—and got to work.

Without waiting for anything else, Flynn nodded and got to work on the boxes.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Wyatt did little to stop him from leaving, but Friday cut him off before he could so much as set foot inside the kitchen. The redhead was being his overenthusiastic and hyper self, and while it was fine on most days, he wasn't in the mood for it now. Something fishy was happening. Otherwise, his friends wouldn't be acting so gosh darn weird. "Friday, just give me the phone." Dan stopped himself from snapping and took the shorter boy's phone into his hands. "You got to settings first, then to the grab app. See? Just click 'allow location access' and it should work." He swiped the allow button but Friday had gone off to talk to Wyatt.

"Guys?" Dan called out to them with creased eyebrows. No response. Well, whatever. He'd give Friday his phone later. Right now, he had to make sure Nico hadn't wrecked the kitchen. So far things were going terribly for the distraction team.

***

​

"Oh, this wasn't the plan." Aislyn stared at Blake with utmost seriousness. "Trashing Dan's kitchen would be a bad plan. Nico just messed up, that's all." She was quick to throw the track team captain under the bus. Nico could be even more hyper than Friday, and that honestly said something. "We were just going to keep him busy with movies, but then that happened. So yeah, now we're here." If anything, the whole night had spiraled into a bit of mess. If only Flynn were here, but the poor guy was stranded in the rain. "Don't worry about it Blake, it'll work out!" Aislyn grabbed her friend by the shoulders and pulled her close, but the moment was short-lived.

Friday - with Wyatt in tow - called them over.

Why wasn't Dan with them?

Blake confirmed her fears when she mentioned Dan being missing. Deciding not to waste any time, Aislyn left Friday and Wyatt with Blake and began making a dash for the kitchen. They were too late. Dan was already there, standing with his back to the living room.

​

"What are you doing?" Dan gave Nico a pointed look. The guy was his best friend, but there were honestly days where Dan wished Nico would reel in his energy and do things carefully. The kitchen wasn't in horrific shape like he'd imagined but the floor was covered in wet rags and the smell of burnt food seemed to stick to the walls and everything around them. There were dirty dishes too, but it seemed someone had recently washed the rest. "It's not as bad as I thought. Still, you guys have been acting really weird." Seeing as Ange was the most reasonable of the pair, Dan ignored Nico in favor of talking to his friend's girlfriend. "So Ange? What's Nico up to this time—"

​

"SURPRISE!"

Dan nearly jumped as his girlfied's voice boomed loudly behind him. He spun around and stared as Aislyn threw her hands up into the air.

"Surprise!" Aislyn repeated loudly, hoping that the others would follow her cue. This was the only thing they could do at this point.

 

[Xyvian]

​

Blake blinked once, then twice, then suddenly there was a blur of red as Aislyn dashed off. Well she was a member of the track team, so it was a given she was speedy. The neurotic girl took a moment to breathe in, then out - Panicking would do her no good, not at least until she saw the situation. She had to remain calm. She beckoned for Friday and Wyatt to come along before picking up the pace and walking quickly towards the kitchen where Dan had already gone on in. Blake took a step in behind Aislyn, and had a look around.

She would have been right to panic.

Wet rags sopping up the water on the floor made the kitchen floor a minefield of clumped up towels. The odor of burnt food and dishwater soap clung to the air and Blake had to suppress an audible gag. Thankfully, Aislyn's loud voice covered it up as she yelled Surprise to catch her boyfriend's attention. And when Dan turned around, she repeated the word again, this time with a little less force. Blake tilted her head and awkwardly held her hands in the air, mimicking Aislyn's motion, albeit more timidly.

"Umm... Surprise...?" Blake didn't know what they were supposed to be surprising him with - At this point it looked more like they were surprising him with the fact his kitchen was a mess. Now more than ever, she wished she'd been a part of helping Friday and Nico be more organised. But she had to make the brownies from home, after all. Oh if only she'd had more time yesterday, then the brownies would have been cooked yesterday and then she would have arrived here from the get go! At this point, she wished she was sitting back on the couch watching Star Trek with Aislyn, Dan and Wyatt instead of awkwardly surprising Dan with a mess in the kitchen. But that wasn't possible now. No, now Dan had an idea that there was funny business going on. She gave a desperate glance around to anyone around her to explain the situation, though she didn't think it would be possible to recover from this

 

[Ashi]

​

Jorie surveyed the kitchen with slowly narrowing eyes. Something was not right about this. A bird might have been able to make some of this mess; however, how could it have opened the fridge? Or turned on the stove? Or-- Jorie walked over the microwave and stuck her hand in a bit; it was still warm. A bird could not have done that. Was someone living here in Mr. Brown's absence? Was it possible that Mr. Brown never really left? She opened her mouth to speak and promptly shut it. There was a noise from upstairs; and it was descending.

BLAM!

The door in the hallway slammed shut, cutting off their escape route.

Jorie stared down the pitch black hallway with wide eyes, only turning around when Mori yelled. The sight outside the window forced a yelp from her, something akin to the sound a yappy dog might make. There was a person outside. Or was it? It had a vaguely human shape, yet there were no discernible features that would tell them one way or another. Its banging on the window frame mixed with the thudding and flapping from upstairs.

Rather than throw the flashlight at the strange shadow figure, Jorie turned it on and shone it directly at what she assumed would be its face. The light was bright against the darkness their eyes had all gotten used to, making it near impossible to see anything in the brief moment that it was on. The thing reeled away from the window with the accompaniment of what might have been retreating footsteps. The flashlight went dark again.

"That should buy us some time. We need to figure out a way out of here." Jorie said in an attempt to try to rally her friends, and though her words meant well, the tone of her voice lacked the necessary confidence. She turned and started for the first door she saw, grabbing the knob and jerking it open. It revealed only the storage room, no exits, thus she closed the door again. That trap door spelled all kinds of disaster to her. Going down the basement or its equivalent was never a smart thing to do in a horror movie setting. That was how characters got killed.

"Maybe we should try going upstairs." She headed for the stairs then, in spite of the noise still coming from the second floor. "Maybe we can climb out a window?" Her foot landed on the first step and she looked back at her friends as if seeking reassurance. "Unless you'd rather try the cellar?" It was a rhetorical question really.

Hands clenched against the cool metal of the maglite, Jorie cautiously ascended the steps. Each step creaked beneath her feet and made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Before she made it to the top, she peeked over the top step into the hallway. It was surprisingly dusty for someone having supposedly lived there. Some doors were open, others closed. The gurgling of the pipes startled her into taking a step back, nearly causing her to fall. She flashed a sheepish grin over her shoulder as she took the final steps up.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

​

"WY-Wyatt! No, oh no, oh Dan! Look!" Friday's palms pressed in Wyatt's cheeks and the he turned the bespectacled Barnes' head in the direction of the kitchen. "We need —- Blake! Wait up!"

And, he was gone. Then he was back again. Friday's hand grabbed Wyatt by the wrist and tugged insistently. Chirpy "come on, come on"s peppered the air as red head lead brunette towards ground zero. The scattered guests started gathering there as well. No one seemed to question their need to witness a potential apocalypse.

A's yells didn't help make anything clearer. People began exchanging puzzled glances. There were a few shrugs here and there, but no one joined in except Blake. They simply stared. Dan's best friend took it all in stride. His familiar smile never dimming under the pressure.

"We were —— ordering more food! Tacos didn't seem to hit the spot. Got us, um, ice cream and Kentucky! I remembered you like Jollibee but the Grenfall branch doesn't deliver to Oakwoods." He gestured to the kitchen while avoiding Ange's eyes.

He upped the volume on his laptop so the music was audible. "Shall we get the party started? I've got the music. Hot food's on the way and … Dan! Like where's your xbox and playstation? I think more people can join in. Movies are too passive…"

A tanned hand clapped Dan's shoulder, as Nico tried sussing out whether Dan took the hint. Making a scene now was newsworthy but not in a good way. No siree, Nico was determined to turn this night around! They were going to make Stace's party boring in comparison. Who cares about her mini movie theatre? Who cares she managed to net a popular DJ? They had Dan and that was enough!

Angelique wasn't convinced that Dan would get distracted. She knew their class president could be annoyingly bull-headed. Rubbing the heel of her hand against her forehead, she faked a huge sigh. "Surprise, surprise indeed, K girl!"

A wry smile came to her coloured lips, as she pushed herself away from the table. "Hey Dan! Look the kitchen will be okay in 15. I'll get Blake and Wyatt to help me. You and Nico go out there and be good hosts, okay?"

"Yeah, see!" Nico echoed his girlfriend. He gave her a thumbs up, but her eyes were instantly drawn to his obnoxiously white teeth. Their shine contrasting greatly with his mocha lips. It didn't help that his braces were still a little too shiny after yesterday's dental appointment. "Flynn's been waiting to play A Way Out! Like he's been going on and on about the reviews. He didn't even want to read the spoilers and the walkthroughs. Your cousin didn't borrow it, right?"

Angel nodded sagely as she closed in behind the two boys. She walked with them as far as the door before she grabbed Blake. "Now Blake, you're going to … hmm," she stopped. She glanced around the kitchen before letting go. "I've got a better plan. You're in-charge of looking out for food deliveries. I don't know who ordered what. It's such a mess!"

She waved her hand about absentmindedly then stopped to point at Aislyn. "Now you! You're helping us clean. I know you know how to manage a kitchen." She smiled and grabbed A's wrist. Wyatt was the next kidnappee. Friday didn't need to be grabbed. He knew better than to protest. The captain behind the track captain was the one people feared. Nico and Dan included.

As she tugged A into kitchen, she turned to Blake one last time. "Oh yes! Remind Flynn he has to pick up the un-birthday cake. Bless Mrs. Appleberry, her hard of hearing and those 19 candles! Hope that'll make Dan smile!"

Nico's head whipped around when he caught the word "cake". He waved an arm in the air and added. "I mua, Blake! Like keep messaging Flynn until he replies."

Ange rolled her eyes and counteracted Nico's instruction. "Twice is enough. We don't want his phone to die. He's already stressed enough by the van. I'm not going to be responsible for him having a heart attack at 18."

Notes:

"I mua" means forward, onward or charge! in Hawaiian. No one really cares because it's Nico's favourite exclamation.

 

[Cartoonicat]

So much happened so fast. First, Dan headed towards the kitchen; second, Wyatt received a text message he hadn't the time to check; third, Friday suddenly started smooshing his face? What was with that? He'd ask, but Wyatt felt it'd result in more questions than answers, at this rate. The poor guy still had no idea what in the heck was going on, except that his sister, as always, had failed to inform him of some very important information.

Typical.

He watched the scene unfold and waited for Ange to give him a job, yet none ever came. Perhaps she got too distracted delegating tasks. "Hey, Ange," he started, "what should I do? Uh, dishes? I started them already." Yet, he still hadn't found any clean scrubs to use in the time he left the kitchen until now. A pity, really; Wyatt actually enjoyed cleaning dishes. More so than cooking, anyway.

Just as he opened his mouth to ask about a stash of cleaning supplies, he heard the term "un-birthday cake". Quirked a brow, closed his mouth. With just one reference to the esteemed Alice in Wonderland, his questions had been answered. Hopefully, anyway.

If Wyatt was right, this get-together was supposed to be a token of appreciation for Dan. Had he known that in advance, he'd have brought a gift. Maybe Mom's curry or a plate of rabanadas fresh from the deep fryer.

Thanks, Whitley.

Feeling a little bitter, he took advantage of the time between him asking Ange for directions and her answering to check his phone. As expected, a brief answer from Peter. Wyatt's shoulders relaxed… until he read the tail end of the message.

Peter was at the store picking up stuff for both parties, and Whitley was with him? Of course she was. Under most any other circumstance, Wyatt would be elated… yet she'd left him in the dark. He hoped that, at the very least, she had the courtesy to pick up something for Dan before heading this way, though, in all honesty, Wyatt highly doubted she'd think that far ahead - much less care.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

---

Oakwoods Grocery Store

---

"Pretzels, chips, cookies…" Whitley mumbled around an armful of snacks. She reached for a box of crackers from the top shelf and winced when it collided with her forehead instead. Well, at least it didn't hit the floor. Rubbing the spot between her brows, Whit returned to Peter and dropped what she'd gathered into the cart. Eyed what all he'd put in there so far, which was…

Banana-flavored pockey?

"You alright?" Peter asked. He stood closer to Whit. Close yet still leaving enough of a gap between them. One hand cupped her chin as he checked her forehead. "It's not red so I don't think it'll bruise," he commented.

He let go of her chin gently. His fingers tightened around her wrist but he let go eventually. As he pretended to check the contents of the cart, he replied her. "I don't eat sweets often. Wyatt always encouraged me to try them. Pockey, well, it has a lot of fond memories. We often share a box while cloud watching. 'Sides, he likes bananas."

There was a soft chuckle as Peter added a box of milk flavoured pockey into the cart. "I doubt I'll ever forget that look on his face. I haven't stopped calling him a monkey ever since. Not sure if he minds all that teasing."

He wanted to mention that Wyatt's expression was kinda cute, but that didn't feel like sort of thing he ought to mention so casually to his best friend's twin sister. He didn't want Whitley to think he was weird. "Hey, I'm planning to chill at Dan's later. It'd be nice if you were there too."

Mentioning Dan's party made Peter reach for his handphone. The disappointment was evident on his face when he realised the other Barnes hadn't replied. He shrugged slightly and deposited the phone back into his jeans pocket. "You know, there's this game I've been wanting to try with Wyatt. The "pockey game" I think."

He realised it must sound really obscure. Whitley didn't strike him as the type of girl who enjoyed Game of Thrones or anime. Fanfiction would definitely be alien to her. She was a little too similar to his sister in that regard. He decided to clarify what it was. "It was this thing your Mom mentioned in her latest fanfiction. Erm … you know those stories people write involving characters they like from a show or a book. Wyatt said it was your Dad's latest favorite fandom. But yeah, the game was interesting … a bit like Chicken minus illegal racing and death."

He paused awkwardly. His hand began rubbing the back of his neck as he looked at his shoes. He was a little worried that Whit was already judging him. Stace's reaction to him reading a borrowed manga was still fresh in his mind. His sister practically told him to stop being a nerd before snatching it away. "I've been thinking of asking Wyatt to try it with me."

He pulled his back and faked a cough. "It's not like I have a crush or anything or … I thought it would be fun. Wyatt seems to enjoy talking about your parents' stories, so yeah."

He stared almost wistfully at Whitley when he spoke. Feeling his face heat up with embarrassment, Peter broke eye contact seconds later and began dumping random snacks into the cart. "Grab what you like too! I'll pay for all this. Wyatt's been treating me to lunch. It's packed lunch but I appreciate it all the same."

There was an awkward pause. He thought Whit stiffened slightly but that could have been his imagination. He brushed it off. He didn't think packing lunch from home was considered embarrassing. He kinda did that too. Sorta. Mom's idea of fitting in involved having a servant to serve the two of them a specially prepared gourmet lunch. Sitting down at a table covered with a white table cloth felt really awkward. Only Stace (and Gina) felt it was normal. He was so happy when Whitley agreed to trade places with him every now and then. He didn't ask for her lunch, though. He would just queue up and buy whatever they offered that day. The food always left much to be desired, sadly.

"Your family cooks really well. I'm surprised I actually like curry. Yeah, I think it was curry. My family isn't very adventurous when it comes to food. Father will take us out for Asian food once in awhile. An obligatory staff event to show him accepting staff of different ethnicities. But," he shrugged. "I don't think he likes it that much. Give him a steak or a burger and he'd be content."

---

Road to Somewhere - Dan's or Stace's?

---

Peter tapped the steering wheel lightly. He wondered if Whitley was getting as sleepy as he was. He bet it was the combination of the rainy weather, the warmth inside the car and the smell of OTs coming from the backseat. He reached out to stop the music playing from the phone on the dashboard only to realise it was Whit's phone.

Figures, he thought. He wasn't really into the latest hits. That was Gina's thing. He and Stace pretended to like it because they thought everyone liked it. Stace had a thing for punk rock while he had no preferences. He wasn't a music person by any stretch of the imagination. That was why Wyatt was surprised to learn he knows how to play the violin. It was Mom being Mom and wanting him to be more cultured he guessed.

"Shall we drop off the food at my place first? We can change to my car after. I don't want Stace complaining about smelling pizza all the time. She'd be unbearable until the smell fades." He was kidding, of course. He was too fond of his sister to mind much. There had been occasions it got under his skin but he got over it quickly. She was going to a phase as Mom liked to say.

He thought he heard a familiar ping and his heart skipped a beat. Wyatt? He wanted to check but he didn't trust himself to be able to drive with only one hand. His was barely concentrating at the moment. He suppressed the urge to sigh.

"You could stay at Stace's if you want. I mean it's still raining. I don't mind heading to Dan's alone. Maybe stay for a few hours and come back. Well, if they don't mind. I think Angelique and Nico won't be too happy to see me there. Same for Aislyn and the rest of the track team." It sucked but he expected it. Everyone probably knew why Stace was having this party in the first place. She did everything possible to make it clear that she never approved of Dan being class president. He didn't know why it was such a big deal to her. She had many more leadership opportunities outside class.

"Not to … well, I know this sounds bad, but I thought if you come with me I could stay longer. You're friends with Aislyn's group, right? It's nice to keep Wyatt company. I would have invited him to Stace's party, but I feel he'd be happier being with Dan and Nico. He told me they game together." He had a feeling he was repeating himself. He recalled suggesting this at the grocery store earlier but he can't remember her answer. He was too busy wondering about Wyatt.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Mr. Brown's House

Freddy nearly choked on his own spit when he heard Mori's words. He wasn't going to stab anyone in the neck, and neither was she! Despite all her tough-talking and threats, it was clear that even Mori and Jorie were frightened. Freddy was scared too. They'd gone somewhere they weren't supposed to be - they'd trespassed - and now trouble had found them. "Mori, stop." His voice was dead serious. "The more you talk, the more he'll know where we are." The house was big enough for them to hide in, and if they stayed quiet, there was a chance whoever was out there would grow bored and walk away. Still, it was easier to think about logical explanations than to believe in them. Freddy was just as scared as everyone of them. He stuffed his hands into the his hoodie's pockets, not exactly keen on showing the girls how much his hands were shaking.

"Here's what we're going to do," he said in a quavering voice. "We're going to hide. Then I'm going to text Alfie and tell him where we are—"

Freddy was interrupted when Jorie decided to take action into her own hands. She jolted upright and aimed her flashlight at the window. There was a violent rustling in the bushes outside, one that confirmed that something was out there. It was close too.

"Maybe we should try going upstairs."

Freddy didn't have to be told twice. He placed his pointer finger to his lips and locked eyes with his friends.

"Upstairs," Anna whispered. Jorie's ideas could be outlandish and reckless at times, but going upstairs made the most sense. If they stayed in the kitchen, it meant whoever was out there knew where they were. If they went into the cellar, there would most likely be no way out. Jorie was the first to brave the creaky steps into the second floor, but Anna and Freddy were close behind her.

Upon reaching the last step, the kids were greeted by the sight of a hallway. There were three doors to the left, two to the right, and one at the very end of the hall. There were also wooden steps that seemed to lead into the attic. The hallway was empty, save for the medieval portraits of men and women in renaissance clothing. The paintings were peaceful enough, mostly farmers tilling the field or people at work. Mr. Brown had been a history buff, though all the painted faces in the dark were just a little eerie.

"The windows must be in the room," Anna whispered quietly.

Freddy nodded his head, and with a heavy heart, too the first step toward the first door on the left. Mr. Brown supposedly lived by himself, but the house was old and dusty and looked as if it hadn't been lived in for awhile now. The door creaked loudly as it was pushed open, and Freddy winced whenever the bolts would squeak or the floorboards would creak beneath his feet.

Behind the first door was what appeared to be an old study. There was a beautiful oak desk at the very center of the room while large bookshelves were placed against each wall. There were piles of encyclopedias and dictionaries on the floor. There was one window, but it had been covered up with plywood. Freddy frowned. "We should look for another window."

As Freddy tried to talk to Mori and Jorie, Anna whipped out her phone to text Flynn.

---

Grenfall Highway -> Mr. Brown's House

Mr. Jannings was kind enough to excuse the delay, and soon enough, all 18 boxes of OT's signature carnivore pizza were delivered into his homely living room. He tipped them both 20$ each for 'braving such awful weather' before he sent them off on their way.

They were back in Nuri's car when Flynn decided to invite his childhood friend one more time. "Thanks for the help tonight. I wouldn't have been able to finish the delivery without a lift." A pause as he grinned at his friend. "So, you up to tag along? It's been a long time, and if you're staying in Oakwoods again, it might be good to see everyone before the summer ends. Suni was supposed to come too, but she and her family went on a vacation out of the state. She should be back by next week."

Nuri, for his part, scoffed at the nth round of thanks. Look at him sitting over there, with that big dumb smile, looking so pleased with himself. "I said it's fine, Flynn. Geez." With a quick flick of the wrist, he straightened out the half-crisp bill and slid it onto the dashboard. The rain was letting up. Thank the heavens… literally. A look at the side mirror showed that the road was clear, so Nuri gripped the steering wheel and began to reverse. It was at this time that Flynn brought up the party again—he forgot to answer that, earlier, but to be fair he had a lot going on. But now there was no escape from the damn invitation.

"Uh." Real good going there, Nuri. Usually he would be fearless with accepting party invitations, but this was Oakwoods, for crying out loud! And these gatherings featured people whom he used to watch run across the playground with snot trickling down their lip. What were they going to do, craft a makeshift disco ball with craft paper and flashlights? Hell. That was probably wild by Oakwoods standards. Plus there was going to be no random disappearing, or sneaking off with someone interesting (not that he planned to, but it was nice to know that the option was there), since everyone knew everyone. Mostly. God. Imagine smacking lips with Sasha from third grade and having the entire block gossiping about it for weeks on end. No thanks. Nuri also knew that bit about Suni's vacation—she sorta mentioned it during his visit—so there was one less incentive to attend. But somehow… "I'll drop you off," he replied briskly as they rolled back the way they came, "but I'll just peek in. Say hi. Don't wanta overstay my welcome. Invite's for you, after all, not you and every other stray."

"Hey, having you actually show up is half the battle won." Flynn was smiling like a kid who'd been handed a present on Christmas Day. A part of him had been expecting Nuri to say no, to tell him that he had other things going on and would be busy for the night. It was a pleasant surprise, one that turned a kind of crappy night into a pretty good one. "I'll tell the others not to eat all the food," he added jokingly as he whipped out his phone to send Aislyn and Friday a message.

> You have 2 New Messages​

The first one was from Ange. It was short and sweet, they'd ordered a cake for Dan and were asking him to pick it up before he came over. He was about to send her a quick 'don't worry, I'm on it' when he noticed his sister's message.

8:20pm​

ANNA​

> I messed up. I'm sorry.​

> We went to look inside Mr. Brown's house​

Flynn's blood ran cold. Mr. Brown. The man who'd been missing for roughly over a week due to a possible homicide or abduction. Flynn furrowed his brows and frowned deeply. He'd known Anna and her friends had been looking into the local librarian's disappearance, but sneaking into his house? That was the last thing he'd expected from his straight-A student of a sister. If anything, this had to be Mori's and Jorie's doing.

8:30pm​

ANNA​

> someone's in the house​

> we're going to hide​

> imsorry​

The disappointment and anger that had shone so clearly on Flynn's face melted away into pure panic and concern. "Nuri," he called out breathless. "I need to get off at Sunflower Drive. My sister and her friends are in trouble." He didn't wait, merely whipped up his phone so his friend could read the messages. 15 minutes had passed since Anna's last text.

As if sensing the dip in the atmosphere, Nuri turned his head to the side, though his eyes stayed on the road. "Anna? Trouble? What the hell…?" Once the truck stopped at an intersection he shifted his full attention to Flynn's phone. It would have made him feel fuzzy that his old pal was letting him read from the direct source, but there were obviously more important matters at hand. Like a bunch of trespassing casuals. Brown… Brown… Sounded familiar. His eyes widened and Nuri glanced at the radio in alarm. He heard that report just before the signal was cut off. "Howard Brown? As in the missing dude?" Abduction. Possibly homicide.

It was settled.

The light hadn't turned green yet, but the truck sped through after a series of loud honks. With Flynn listing off directions towards Sunflower Drive and Nuri driving on the cusp of safety on the rain-slick roads, they could it there in record time. "Probably looters," Nuri said, his voice terse, and dared a quick glance at Flynn. Any damn idiot would be half in a panic if their siblings were in the same situation. Just thinking about Pops or Carlos having to face something like this… Damn it! "Listen. When we get there, I'll crash in, make noise. That oughtta keep the heat off the kids, maybe get those low-lives panicking. You check out the other rooms and see where they're hidin', got it?"

As they neared the Brown residence, Nuri stepped on the gas. His eyes were bright with simmering rage—and excitement. But maybe that was just the lights reflecting off his face. "And if there's any fightin' to be had… Leave it up to me."

***​

Three, no, four sounds happened in quick succession, distorted by space and the slight downpour. One, the growling of a heavy vehicle as it skidded to a stop in front of the house, followed by two loud slams as the car doors were opened and shut. The second happened after a handful of seconds: a sharp, discordant shriek as glass shattered against stone. Three, an echoing crunch from splintered wood when the main door was kicked back.


Then, lastly… A deep, guttural voice, roaring into the emptiness which had been Mr. Brown's abode: "TIME'S UP, BITCHES! I'M COMIN' FOR YOU!!!"

 

[Cartoonicat]

---

Oakwoods Grocery Store

---

At first, the prospect of Peter buying pockey - a treat, despite found in most commercial supermarkets, widely sought by otakus and other styles of geeks - made him more approachable. But she was wrong. Totally wrong. Liking pockey comforted her but showing concern like an anime boy straight out of a shoujo manga shot her nerves to hell. Not approachable at all. She couldn't even find the words to ask a simple, "You like pockey?" Whit felt her face go red.

Only when he let go did she realize she'd been holding her breath.

With Peter's back turned and her hands freed, Whit smacked her face as quietly as she could. It didn't help remove her from her stupor, but the prospect of sharing pockey did. Whit blinked several times. What would sharing pockey with Peter be like? Her face turned red again, just thinking about it. Oh, the possibilities.

"Do you want to add anything to Dan's cart? I mean I plan to chill there for a bit … do you want to join me?"

"Um…" The memory of shamefully ignored Friday texts hit her smack dab in the face. She hadn't meant to ignore Friday, really, but what was she supposed to do in that situation? Spend the entire ride texting him back with excuses for not going to Dan's party when she could be making conversation with the guy she's sought after the last, what, six years? They'd hardly talked, but still. The point stood.

Now, she had the opportunity not only to appease Fri but also hang out longer with Peter. All she had to do was ditch Stacey's party.

...Was that really a good idea?

Peter brought up the pockey game with a twist she hadn't expected: her brother. "Wait, the pockey game? Wha- why- the pock- I know what the pockey game is." But why Wyatt?

"But yeah, the game was interesting … a bit like Chicken minus illegal racing and death."

Had Peter not rubbed the back of his neck and looked at his shoes, Whit would have relaxed. Assumed it just boys being boys. Yet, everything about his body language screamed Boy With A Crush. But… he couldn't. Wyatt was her brother. No way, no how. Right?

"T-that's…" she cleared her throat. Maybe if she outright told Peter what the game was about, it'd reveal this all to be a misunderstanding. "Peter, the, uh, pockey game is usually played between couples or… people that like each other."

"It's not like I have a crush or anything or… I thought it would be fun. Wyatt seems to enjoy talking about your parents' stories, so yeah." His words did not put her at ease. They may have made things worse.

Wyatt this, Wyatt that.

Why was everything about Wyatt?

---

Road to Somewhere - Dan's or Stacey's?

---

​

Lost in thought, Whit spent a majority of the drive staring out the car window. It left the journey quiet until Peter broke the silence. She turned to him.

"Oh, um, yeah," switching cars was a good idea. "Sure." Whit hoped she appeared more sleepy than bummed out. Since the supermarket, the desire to party had completely left her - not that it was ever there, to begin with. At least, not Stacey's definition of party. Chilling at Dan's house seemed a good idea if Wyatt weren't there. She didn't even want to look at him, right now.

But she did want to see her friends.

She smiled somewhat at Peter's assumption. "I am, yeah. Aislyn's isn't my biggest fan, but I get along with the others pretty well." Somehow, the supermarket conversation had a sobering effect; Whit managed a conversation free of stutters. Maybe she really was tired. "I'll go with you, though, sure."

The conversation seemed to die after that, sifting between silence and sparse small talk. Upon returning to the party Whit made a point to avoid Stacey until they switched cars and hit the road again. She'd never hear the end of it if Stacey knew she bailed to go hang at Dan's party.

---

Dan's Party​

---

​

While kidnapped and brought to the kitchen, Wyatt hadn't exactly been given a task. He glanced at the dishes left in the sink and decided against finishing them for the sake of hunting down the Tupperware of brownies Blake made. He hadn't eaten since that morning and even though some food did survive, he'd always choose sweets first. So, with Ange's back turned, he escaped to the living room and sought out the girl with bright blue hair.

"Blake-" Wyatt spotted the Tupperware mid-sentence and made a beeline for the coffee table. Plopped down in the seat of the couch Blake had claimed earlier, pulled the brownie box into his lap, and pried off the lid. The scent of chocolate made his mouth water.

Sweet, sweet, chocolate.

After taking two and returning the Tupperware back to its spot, Wyatt melted into the couch with a brownie between his teeth and another in his hand. There, he watched the party go on.

------------------------------------------------​

It wasn't long - maybe five minutes? - before someone knocked on the front door. Wyatt used it as an excuse to get away from the box of brownies; any longer in its presence and he'd cave, resigning himself to eating the whole quantity, leaving none for the others.

He opened the door to the face of his sister, his best friend, and a bag of party snacks.

​

"You made it," Wyatt said mostly to Whit, surprised Peter actually managed to bring her. Well, partially surprised. Her infatuation wasn't exactly a secret. And… neither was her animosity towards Wyatt himself. The disappointment eased as an arm nudged him in the shoulder. He smiled at the offered pack of banana flavored pockey.

Whit wrapped her hand around Wyatt's wrist and pushed her way inside, practically dragging him deeper into the house. She ignored his confused protests until they reached the open kitchen door. Surely, Peter wouldn't initiate the Pockey Game in front of everyone. He wouldn't dare.

"Hey," Wyatt pulled his wrist away. Frowned when Whit snatched the box of pockey right out of his hands. "Um… do you want some?"

Nodding, Whit tore into the package and offered her brother only one. "Share with me." She threw in a curious smile at the last moment and, as Whit expected, Wyatt's eyes lit up. They hadn't shared snacks since they were kids. Not even Peter could pull his attention away, now.

Hook, line, and sinker.

Whitley: 1
Pockey Game: 0

 

[Fox of Spades]

Dan's House

Surprise.

At least Blake had her back, everyone else though - traitors. No one else chimed in, and it resulted in some awkward staring between Dan, Blake, and her. Judging from Dan's silence he either a.) didn't understand what the surprise was or b.) thought they were surprising him with a dirty kitchen. Aislyn turned to give both Friday and Wyatt the evil eye, but before she could do so, Nico started to distract Dan with idle chatter.

Aislyn glared at Nico too, but the track captain paid her no mind.

Dan, who was more tired than anything else, sighed when Ange told him to just wait outside. Honestly, he didn't know what was going on anymore. "Fine, but I swear Nico... you make another mess and you'll be eating on the porch." He narrowed his eyes at everyone in the kitchen. "My parents will be back by eleven, we should be able to clean up before then if no one else makes a mess." With a defeated frown, Dan allowed his best friend (the source of most of his migraines) to lead him back to the living room.

"Hey, Ange? We should have just told him about the surprise. He's going to stress over this all night. You know how Dan is." Telling him would have at least put him at ease, but apparently they were still playing the surprise game. "Let's fix this mes." She glared pointedly at Nico when he poked his head back into the kitchen, but Ange at least told him to stop texting Flynn. Poor guy probably still has his hands full with the van.

***

​

Aislyn, alongside Ange, Blake, Wyatt, and a few other people made quick work of the mess in the kitchen. Before long, they were finished and everything was back to the way it used to be. Well, almost. The smell of burnt food still clung to the walls, but nothing a little lysol wouldn't fix. Aislyn picked up the lemon-scented can of disinfectant and began spraying the room.

She noticed Wyatt slipping out with a couple of brownies and flashed Blake a grin.

"Hey, Blake! I say we've done a good job and deserve some treats. C'mere, you need to eat some too. You cooked 'em after all." As usual, she dragged the shorter girl with her in her quest for chocolate. She grabbed one, waited for Blake, then led them both to the living room just in time to see Whitley and Peter make a grand entrance. Uncharacteristically, Whitley made a beeline for her brother.

This party kept getting weirder and weirder.

"I thought Stacey was having a party?" It didn't matter that Whitley wasn't doing anything wrong at the moment. "Did it end early or?" A subtle way to get straight to the point: why are you here? Shouldn't you be somewhere else?

Sensing the subtle hostility in his girlfriend's voice, Dan looked up from setting up his PlayStation and offered both Whitley and Peter a smile. He was surprised they'd shown up at all, but he had of course extended the invitation to the entire class. "Peter, Whitley. I'm glad you two could make it. There's food in the kitchen," he grimaced. "It should be clean now, but yes, there's plenty of food. We were just about to start up a game."

Dan paused to shoot Aislyn a look: play nice.

"We've got some DVDs too. Just a small gathering to celebrate the end of the school year."

 

[Xyvian]

​

What was happening right now? She was the only one even attempting to join Aislyn in her attempt to distract Dan, but clearly, it failed. And now she was roped into cleaning up the mess left behind. Not that she minded - This is where she did better, in the kitchen, cooking and cleaning. But it was still not great. Blake was quietly contemplating her options as soon as the kitchen was cleaned - She could go back to the living room and insist on watching Star Trek again, but there didn't seem to be much point in it since Nico had insisted on Dan busting out the video games. Which meant things could possibly get too competitive. She could just watch though - She always preferred watching everyone play rather than playing herself. But the others preferred it if she joined in, so-- Her thoughts were interrupted. Aislyn cheerily put her arm around the short blue-haired girl and spoke about how they deserved a treat. Blake nodded, grabbing the box to bring with them to the living room - If they were starting the party, chocolate treats would be welcomed by everyone else.

And like usual, Aislyn led her over to the living room. What was unusual, was seeing Whit, making a beeline for Wyatt and sharing Pocky with her brother. Blake stared quizzically at the twins, confused - If Stacey was holding a party, wouldn't Whitley rather be there than here? She'd made that very clear with the way she treated them in school. Not that Blake understand why she had to ignore them to hang out with Stacey. Couldn't she be friends with both groups? Apparently not, as even though Whitley had yet to really say or do anything, Aislyn was already getting hostile towards her. It was a good thing, though, that Dan decided to be a good host, speaking up to the two guests about how he was glad that they could make it. Blake let out a little sigh of relief - She would hate for there to be conflict.

"There's also the food deliveries that Ange mentioned - Since there's no hot food after uh... Well... There was some issues in the kitchen. It doesn't matter, hot food is on the way," Blake nodded to try convince them it was all fine. She then remembered the box of brownies she was holding in her hand, and offered them out. "I-I also made brownies, there's another tupperware somewhere with cookies too, but I'm not sure where it got to in all the chaos," She gave a nervous giggle as she placed the box down on the table and peered out the window, keeping an eye out for the deliveries as requested. The bell of the door ringing, however, caught her off guard. "O-Oh, that must be them - Already? Oh well I guess it was ordered a while ago, but I never even saw anyone - They must be super fast, or super sneaky, like ninjas-- Oh I should just go answer the door. Don't worry, I'll pay," Blake fished her purse out from her messenger bag as she left the room, heading up to the front door and answering it. She paid the delivery guy, muttering a soft thank you before carrying the food back to everyone else.

"Umm, I think these might be the tacos? Maybe?" Blake stared at the food in confusion - It wasn't often she ordered takeaway. And when she did, it was Chinese food with Bree doing the ordering. "What else should we be expecting?"

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Mr. Brown's House (ft. Jorie, Mori, Anna and Fred)

​

Mori's mouth hung open. She wanted to protest, but she was outnumbered. She guessed following Fred's idea couldn't hurt. At worst, they were delaying the inevitable confrontation. At best, well, she guessed whoever they were would get bored and leave? Who was she kidding?! These people never leave. She was willing to bet that ten-dollars in her wallet that those people were the ones responsible for Mr. Brown's disappearance. Criminals always return to the crime scene! Everyone knows that!

She let out an annoyed huff and shrugged off her backpack. She stuffed the kitchen knife into her backpack along with the chopper Fred abandoned. No one point continuing unarmed, she figured. She was confident in her ability to defend the group if needed. How different could a carving knife be from a switch blade? The difference in length was just an additional advantage.

By the time she reached the second floor, the other three were exiting the library. Someone echoed Fred's suggestion about looking for another window. She nodded pretending to agree. She had a hard time imagining Fred and Anna climbing out the window when they refused to climb the school fence to escape detention. Still, she guessed the plan was decent enough. A height advantage meant that they could drop on top of these strangers. Element of surprise and all.

"Eh? Last window is boarded up too. What do you say we go to the attic?" Mori hoped that'll be the last place they wanted to explore. The attic was the highest part of the house, which meant a greater chance of injury. She raked her fingers through her hair. "Actually, Mr. Brown's too missing to notice anything. Let's just pull down the boards and go already."

She gestured vaguely to the window in front of them. "Didn't you find out his bedroom overlooks the garage," she pointed to Anna before pointing to the window again. "The garage roof is just below this. It's less of a jump compared to the attic."

Anna or Jorie might have said something. Mori didn't manage to catch what was said thanks to the racket from below. Her eyes widened in surprise. More people? Like serious? She stared at each of her friends in turn. No one reacted fast enough. In a panic, Mori bolted for Mr. Brown's bedroom door, slammed it shut and locked it. Her head swiveled around and she did the first thing her mind suggested. She leaped. Her hands found the top of the bookshelf beside the door and she used her body weight to bring it crashing down across the door. Temporary barricade done! She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't let that person out there scare you into opening the door," she ordered. "Now Fred, Jorie, help me get those boards. We need to get out of here fast. Anna, get the bed. Shove it into the bookshelf. Keep pushing your end of the bed frame. We can't let the door open even an inch."

She fished out the chopper and passed it to Fred. "This should help you with the boards. And here," she passed the carving knife to Anna. "If that guy manages to get through the door, just stick this into his eye. You should have the advantage." She flashed her friend what she thought was a reassuring grin. "It's like Fred's videogames. Just think of it like that and yeah ... it'll be fine."

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Dan's House: Living Room
ft. Blake, Wyatt, Whitley, Peter, Dan, Nico, Aislyn and LOTS OF NPCS

Peter thanked Dan for inviting him. He allowed Dan to drift off before edging towards the wall. He leaned against it with his hands dug deep into his jacket pocket. He tried to keep his expression as neutral as possible, but he couldn't help overhearing several giggling girls. They kept commenting about how broody he looked. He felt so embarrassed that he started staring at his shoes. He wished deep down that he had followed the twins earlier. Standing here alone amongst an unfamiliar crowd was just so awkward.

Not too far away, Blake also found herself the center of attention. Her question garnered a medley of responses. Curry, Chinese, Subway, McDonald's - the list went on. Apparently, thanks to all the panicking earlier, every guest present decided to contribute something. Dan's home was going to expect a lot of riders, older siblings and significant others over the next hour or so. Someone was even getting their mom to bring adobo over. Nico's face split into a giddy grin. He flashed everyone two big thumbs up and thank them for their teamwork.

"Blake, right? Come help me set up the table," he exclaimed. He literally bounded over and landed barely a foot from her. He leaned forward until they were nearly nose to nose. "You look like the type who's good at organizing and decorating."

He recalled Ange mentioning Blake before. Blake, Blake, Blake ... oh! The neighbor girl! He couldn't believe he forgot about her. Nico started pulling Blake towards the main dining table, as he chattered about this and that. The topics skipped around at a rate that rivaled Friday's. Energy practically oozed from his pores. He only stopped to catch his breath when he had cleared the last chair from the area and pushed the table against the wall.

"Sooooooo, what do you think? Paper flowers here or streamers? Jackie bought both, because we figured we can't ever have too much colour. I insisted she buy everything in flashy neon and a whole bunch of glo sticks. We have body glitter ... Oh, right!" His eyes sparkled when he brought up the glo sticks and body glitter. The shine died suddenly as he recalled some random fact that had no association whatsoever with his current topic. "I think .... Hey, Aislyn! Did we buy those confetti in a can thingies? You were looking at them."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx​

The energy in the room polarized. Friday finally separated from Nico, much to everyone's relief, and made a beeline for a certain Barnes twin. He charged over with as much subtlety as a ballet dancing elephant. There was so much noise and chirping that his target was alert even before he leaped. Arms missed the said slim girl and their foreheads collided. Next moment, both of them lay in a messy heap on the floor.

"Whit!" He exclaimed before his cheerful smile turned into a small pout. "You're like Flynn! You always notice when I try sneaking up on you." He flailed unhappily before tumbling off. He landed on his side; his head missing the edge of the coffee table by a fraction of an inch. It was enough to make several people wince. "Next time, I'm gonna surprise you for sure!"

The bug got to his feet with the speed and grace of a Bobo doll. He offered Whit his hands, as his bright smile reformed on his face. He hoped she would be distracted enough not to notice the pocky scattered all over Dan's floor. Friday bounced on his feet out of sheer excitement and nervousness. He didn't know what to feel at the moment to be very, very honest. Happy because Whit kept her promise or worried because he ruined her moment with Wyatt. "Also ... I can get you the ice pop! Also a broom, yeah! We gotta clean up the pocky. S-sorry about that!"

Friday's ears had stopped functioning thanks to the emotional overload. He continued an almost one-sided conversation about buying more pocky and sharing some with Whit next time, as he pulled her towards the kitchen. In the vacuum left behind by Whitley and Friday, arms snaked around Wyatt's waist. Peter rested his head on Wyatt's shoulder and he grinned.

"I've found you." The whisper was so quiet that only Wyatt could hear what was said. The blonde snuggled for several seconds before pulling away. As he did so, he pulled out the remaining box of pocky from his pocket. "Good thing I bought an extra box, huh? I remembered the last time we had pocky you ended sharing half the box with that little kid in the park."

---

Dan's House: Kitchen
ft. Ange and more NPCs

"Flynn ghosted me," Ange commented.

"What do we do about the cake?" asked one of the track freshmen. "Everyone's busy keeping Dan busy or trying to sneakily put up the decorations."

"It's no biggie. I'll get it," Ange replied with a shrug.

Dating Nico for over a year taught her to be more flexible. She had gotten so used to fixing his messes that she hardly bat an eyelid anymore. As long as he wasn't dying, she guessed she could live with whatever disaster he created. Today was considered pretty good even his sudden inspiration two nights ago. At 1 am to be precise. She guessed the bigger surprise was how many people were awake at that hour. She thought Aislyn would have gone to bed by then.

Apparently, not. K girl was having a bros' sleepover with Friday and Flynn and everyone knows how much sleep they'd get with Friday there. At least, the kid would usually knock out an hour before dawn. She knew that from firsthand experience having had to suffer through three track and field overnight camps with said child. He and Nico had to be chased out of the hall so people could get some sleep.

"Tell A to keep Nico away from the circuit-breaker. I should be back in like 40 minutes. Depends on how long it takes to make Mrs. Appleberry realize I'm ringing the doorbell." She checked her watch and looked at her phone again.

Pizza Addict (Flynn) Last Seen 22 minutes ago

"Actually, tell A I'll be back in an hour and a half. Gonna try rescuing Flynn. His phone must have died or something. No fun huddling in that rust bucket of a van in this weather." With that, she grabbed her car keys off the table and made her way towards the door.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Mr. Brown's House: 2nd Floor (Anna, Freddy, Mori, and Jorie. Ft. Mr. Puck)

​

"W-What? No. I... I'm stabbing someone in the eye!" Anna was as pale as a sheet. She stared dumbly at the carving knife Mori had pressed into her hands and gaped. This was really happening. They were trapped in Mr. Brown's house with his alleged kidnappers and her best friend was entrusting her with - of all things - a carving knife. Panic began to bubble up in her chest, because if push came to shove, Anna knew in her heart that she wouldn't be able to fend off whoever was chasing them. "I... can't."

Freddy shot Mori a glare before taking the knife from Anna's shaky hands. "We're not doing any of that." Freddy looked like he was ready to fold in on himself, but he forced the words out of his mouth because he knew they had to keep it together if they wanted to make it out safely. "Mori... you already toppled over the shelf, I'm sure it will give us enough time to get out of here." He stopped talking and moved toward the window. A hammer would have been twice as useful as a chopper, but he could at least use the knife to try and pull out the nails.

Fudging fish sticks.

Freddy gritted his teeth when he realized his hands were far too shaky to be efficient. He pushed the metal blade underneath the nail's head and began to pull the knife up sideways. At this rate, it would take minutes to pull out a nail. "Jorie, try and look for something useful!" He didn't know what, but at this rate, they were running out of both time and options.

While Freddy struggled with the boarded up windows, Anna did as she was told and began pushing the bed against the edge of the toppled-over shelf. As she pushed, the sound of metal scraping against the wooden floorboards echoed loudly throughout the house.

"It's boarded up really well." Freddy was starting to panic. "Got two nails out, but there's at least eight left. I need help."

***

Mr. Brown's House: 1st Floor -> 2nd Floor (Flynn and Nuri)
Collab between @Warden and @Fox of Spades

Flynn didn't like Nuri's plan. In fact, he hated it because it hinged on his friend using himself as a distraction. They didn't know if the looters were armed - whether or not they were a bunch of mischievous teens or an actual threat. This unknown variable, and the fact that Nuri's safety depended greatly on it, left a sickening feeling in the pit of Flynn's stomach.

He hated the plan, but there was no time to argue and he had nothing better. His sister and her friends were trapped somewhere in this house and he and Nuri had to find them. Flynn steeled himself for the inevitable, and as soon as Nuri kicked the door open, he ran after his friend. The living room was clear. Flynn reached for the first viable weapon his eyes landed on - a flowerpot. "Okay, I'm going. Nuri, be careful."

"Stay sharp," Nuri replied. His eyes adjusted to the darkness as the battered door swung back, moonlight pouring through the gap. The house was… new. Actually, no. It was dirty: a thin layer of dust covered the nearest coffee table, and the air was thick with the smell of disuse. What seemed to be the sofa was covered by a thin unwashed cloth. A spiffy new television set was abandoned on the cabinet by the corner, its box down sideways on the floor. Huh. That should've been the first to go. The door was left open too—probably by Anna and the birdbrains who brought her along—and the only reason he kicked it in the first place was to make good ol' noise. His fingers tightened around the neck of the beer bottle he had picked up and smashed down the driveway. Speakin' of that, the police tape surrounding the house was still intact.

Shit. That meant the kids probably caught them before they could cart anything off

Flynn was just about to leave for the nearest room when a loud crash resonated throughout the house. After the crash, the distinct sound of metal scraping against wood followed. All the noises came from the second floor.

A mish-mash of worry and panic flashed across Flynn's face. He didn't even wait for Nuri, and stupidly, began running toward the staircase.

Flynn ran, but he spied the movement from the corner of his eye and lunged forward, cutting his friend's advance with one hand. "Stay behind me, you dolt!" Nuri snapped, harsher than intended, though his attention was on the ceiling. On the spot where the commotion came from. His eyes narrowed to slits. The high-pitched scraping noise pierced through wood, taunting, close, and if his nerves weren't shot with adrenaline before, they were now.

Flynn flinched when Nuri directed his anger at him. How was he supposed to stay put when his sister and her friends were trapped inside with a potential criminal. Still, the yell was enough to stop him in his tracks. He was completely out of his element. He clutched the flower pot tightly to his chest and allowed Nuri to lead the way.

As if waiting for an invisible signal, Nuri took a sharp breath—and shot off like a bullet. The first door opened with a click, leading to a gloomy hallway which branched off into two other rooms. At a glance it seemed that there was a soft light coming from the other one, and large, glossy chunks of something were strewn across the tiles. Useless. His gaze flicked to the left and Nuri pounced on the staircase, taking two steps at a time; the old wood bowed under each footfall with a treacherous creak, dangerously close to breaking… but it held.

Despite his initial bluster, Nuri was suspiciously quiet until they reached the landing on the second floor. Here, the noise echoed throughout the suspiciously large hallway, each squeal a jarring contrast to the idyllic paintings on the walls. The echoes obfuscated the source of the sound: there were five rooms on this floor, and a second set of stairs led up to darkness. His hand went from the bannister to the wall, calloused fingers scratching against rough wood and flaking wallpaper as he stalked onward like a greyhound on the hunt. Less weight on his toes. Keep to the edge. That was where the floorboards were strongest and least likely to make noise. He knew that well enough from years of personal experience.

No more need for a distraction; the others already showed themselves.

Then, Nuri jerked his head to the side and pressed his palm flat against the first door. He leaned in. Listened with his ear against the surface.

Jackpot.

From behind, all Flynn could see was the tense set of Nuri's wide shoulders, apparent even under the rigid jacket, as he moved away from the door and—without any sort of warning—brought his leg up and kicked beside the doorknob. The wooden frame surrounding the door shook from the force of the blow, the sound shattering the atmosphere like a gunshot, but Nuri was winding his foot back up again, steely resolve bright in his fierce eyes. Bang!

Two.

A boot imprint now.

Three.

What was this thing made of, petrified wood? Goddamn looters better have enough money on them to buy a ton of milk, because this shit was pushing his calcium intake into a debt crisis. Stupid fucking door! Stupid pretentious Mr. Brown for actually buying an authentic door made out of quality materials instead of settling for those cheap hollow core models like every sucker down every other block did these days!

As Nuri gave the wooden door the beating of a lifetime, Flynn gritted his teeth and raised the flower pot above his head. He wasn't as combat-savvy as his childhood friend, but good smack on the head from a stone pot would knock out any persistent looter. If anything went wrong, he had Nuri's back.

 

[Cartoonicat]

The moment Aislyn spoke, Wyatt's heart dropped into his stomach. Uh oh… He glanced between his sister and the redhead. Even if neither girl did anything particularly confrontational the air was thick with tension; and not pudding thick. More like the densest hostility cake Wyatt had ever experienced.

"She is," Whitley said simply, voice a bit too leveled, "but Friday asked me to come." In her words hid a secret language Wyatt knew well, considering how often she used it against their parents when they were being too strict for Whit's taste: I'll go wherever I want.

Is this what it felt like in the manga, when the electric spark shot between two opposing forces?

Luckily Dan was there to cut through the tension with amicable hosting skills. Whitley's demeanor warmed immediately. "Thanks, Dan," she said. "Game? Sounds like fun; save me a controller?"

Despite her interest in the game, Wyatt noticed Whit surveying the area.

So focused on her surroundings - rather, so focused on keeping Peter away from her brother - it came to no one's surprise that Whit caught peripheral of a charging Friday almost immediately off the bat. She'd already been on alert. Turning, Whit's eyes widened: That boy moved fast! "Frida-OW!" Their foreheads collided and sent them to the floor.

Oof. Whitley blinked several times as Friday said… something to her. Did he mention Flynn? A surprise? She swore she saw stars for a moment there and ended up smiling dumbly, trying to register what he'd said.

"Are you two okay?" Wyatt stared down at them, mouth parted and a pockey stick in his hands. Pockey? Where did he… Oh. OH.

Irritated bubbled in her chest; Pockey had been strewn everywhere, her perfect plan foiled. "Fine. I'm fine." Whit waved away Wyatt's outstretched hand with a scowl. She could stand up on her own. Maybe… her wedges were a pain to walk in, much less stand up in. She understood how Stacey practically lived in heels.

All thoughts of headaches and heel-aches and broken pockey sticks flew out of her mind. "Friday, be careful!" Talk about an adrenaline spike; the bug had nearly banged his head on the table on his way up. Not even Whit's fast reflexes could have saved him, what with how fast he'd shot to his feet. As he was, he resembled a toddler crashing around a small, not-so-baby-proofed apartment.

Still, he stood just fine.

Whit sighed with relief and took Friday's hand. Better to admit defeat than to twist her ankle trying to prove something to Wyatt. Her trying smile grew more genuine at the mention of an ice pop; she could go for an ice pop, yeah. So could her forehead. "Yeah, sure."

Letting Friday dragged her along with promises of ice pops and his usual one-sided stream of conversation, Whitley completely forgot about Wyatt.

As Friday pulled Whitley away, Wyatt found it hard to keep the frown off his face. She hadn't offered to share food since the eighth grade and always refused when Wyatt tried to bridge the gap himself. What he wouldn't give to just hang out with her again. The pockey felt like a step in the right direction, but now it just felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under him. He rolled the surviving pockey between his fingers before chomping down. Talk about emotional whiplash.

Arms snaked around his waist and Wyatt nearly shot out of his skin. Blake stood several feet away and Whit would sooner hug a cactus than him, so who the heck... A chin rest on his shoulder and a familiar voice whispered in his ear. Immediately, he relaxed:

It was just Peter.

In truth, Wyatt wasn't the most cuddly person. It wasn't that he didn't like hugs; rather, he had little desire to initiate them. When Peter first hugged him several years ago it both startled and baffled the Barnes twin, but he grew accustomed to Peter's affectionate personality over time. Nowadays, Wyatt welcomed it; he liked feeling appreciated.

His smile returned at the presentation of a second pockey box. "Well, pockey is good for sharing," absently, Wyatt wondered if anyone else in the room would like some. He peeled open the top and broke into the plastic wrap containing the sugary breadsticks. He offered the first one to Peter. "See?"

 

[Ashi]

​

Crap. There were no open windows. Now what?

"But, this is still an active crime scene!" Jorie objected lightly to uncovering the window; although, it didn't make much sense in retrospect. The kitchen was already a mess and they didn't do that. Besides, it wasn't like there were cameras around to catch them adding to the already-committed vandalism. They had to get out of here. Using the garage as a way down sounded like a good plan.

A moment of silence as she looked to Mr. Puck's smiling face.

"Nevermind. Let's do it."

Blam!

Another racket from downstairs sent chills up Jorie's spine. Who or what was here, now? Was it the shadow man from outside the kitchen window finally busting inside to come after them? Was it the police come to investigate the reports of neighbors or passers by who saw some potential looters entering the house? She couldn't get arrested! She'd surely be grounded all summer, and that was just for lying. Then again, the lack of shouts like "Police! Show yourselves!" or "Come out with your hands up!" quickly dispelled the fear of going to jail and reaffirmed that it was likely the shadow man.

"Let's hurry." Jorie's tone was heavy with urgency. Once the door was closed, she turned on the flashlight. If they were going to get out of here, they would need to see what they were doing. There was no light from outside to aid them. Besides, with the bookcase on the floor in front of it, the gap beneath the door was covered. There was no way the person or thing outside would see it. Setting the flashlight down where it could shine on the rest of the room, Jorie took Fred's advice and started to rummage through the things that had fallen from the toppled bookcase. While it was doubtful that she would find a hammer or a crowbar, perhaps there was a clue to Mr. Brown's disappearance? Aside from some old photos that she couldn't really see and some knick-knacks, there was nothing but books. Where the bookcase once stood, there was an umbrella. It must have been stuck behind it.

BANG!

The door bounced in its frame. Jorie barely managed to muffle her shriek with her hand. Another bang sent her scrambling backwards. The shadow man was trying to break down the door! Luckily, the bookcase was blocking it; although, it was a wooden door and could splinter. What if it broke in half? Gathering her courage, Jorie grabbed the umbrella and made for the window.

"If we can cram this behind the board, we can use it like a crowbar." She made haste trying to get the end of the umbrella between the wood and the window frame.

A third bang. The doorknob rang with distress and the hinges groaned.

"Fred!" She appealed to the blond for assistance. There was little her spindly arms would be able to do alone.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

"He's gonna get in! Flip the bed or something or …"

Mori wrinkled her nose and strained her arms. Only one leg hovered above the floor. They're so dead! It was clear that the intruder had to be some jacked-up-on-steroids muscle man. The door was freaking heavy as heck and yet it was shuddering like flimsy cardboard. Her hands slipped and the metal leg landed on her big toe. She shrieked in pain.

She cussed as she hopped around on one foot. "Frickin fudge sticks up the … a just Mother Mary Holy Infant Jesus bless me!" She gasped loudly. She hated this situation so much! How was she even going to make a difference in this crappy situation? Strategy games weren't even her thing! Fred whipped her so hard the last time she challenged him in Clash of Clans. Frickin' guy must have used his credit card to have so many OP units! She refused to believe for a hot second that he beat her fair and square. He was … frickin' Fred! Fred Meyers, the fraidy cat!

"Urgh! You said no knives. We don't have any other weapons. We need a stun gun or … we just need to stop this rampaging devil!" she practically screamed out of desperation.

She was out of breath again. She panted. Her mind becoming sharper as the adrenaline spike did its job. She was about to help Anna shove the bed against the door when she spotted a weapon. Make that lots and lots of weapons! She grinned with delight.

"Oh Annaaaaaaaa," she thrilled. Her voice practically advertising the fact that her bookworm-of-a-best friend wasn't going to like it one bit. "I've got a new plan. Keep pushing first."

Mori gathered the heaviest books off the floor. She couldn't help chuckling as she noticed how many encyclopedias, Guinness' World Records and hardcover dictionaries Mr. Brown owned. He seemed to really like hardcovers.

She placed them in a neat, loose pile. The next pile of ammunition consisted of fifteen hardcover (large print) novels. Seven of them were from the Harry Potter series. She hoped the Order of the Phoenix and the Deathly Hallows would buy them more time than the Philosopher's Stone. And finally, the last of their arsenal was the swivel chair. It wasn't too heavy but it was definitely going to hurt if they smashed it over the man's head. They could even get a few hits in, because plastic and rubber don't shatter. Thank you, Mr. Brown!

 

[Warden]

​

After enduring a surprising amount of abuse, the door finally lost. With a sickening snap, the dull brass knob caved into the surrounding wood as the trim on the opposite side shattered outward. And yet it remained standing. Nuri righted himself and stepped back, his chest heaving deep, controlled breaths. Shit. Something was keeping the damn thing shut—that last kick should have sent it flying to kingdom come.

What little moonlight came in from the window danced over his clenched jaw. The looters knew their stuff.

"They barricaded the fuckin' thing," Nuri growled and leaned forward, struggling to breathe and keep his voice above the muffled screams at the same time. If he took a second to listen, he could make out the gibberish coming out from the room. Wait. Who was he kidding!? The longer they stayed out here, the more those degenerates could do what they wanted! "It's what I would do, anyway. Damn it. Get ready to get jumped."

He threw his weight against the door, shoulder and knee working in tandem, and tested the weight of what lay behind it. Heavy. The battered wood creaked from the top, but the part against his leg held. An experimental kick on the base received a muffled, "full" thud, confirming the thought. Heavy… but uneven. Good.

He kept pushing until a fraction of space opened, and from there he glimpsed light bleeding out from an unknown source deeper into the room. Aw, great. Seemed like the knuckleheads were planning to blind them to death. Without waiting for any of the thieves to brace the door shut, Nuri shifted to plant his back and waist against the surface then jam his hand into the gap. Finger sandwich. Heh.

(Cue repressed memories of his siblings slamming a door shut with his hand on the way. Accidentally? Tiny devils.)

Once that was done, he pushed against the frame. The door slowly but surely groaned open, the obstructions behind scraping against the floor as they were forced back. When the opening was good enough, Nuri looked back at Flynn and nodded. Here we go.

With their flashlights shining full bore on the lone entrance, the crew couldn't possibly miss their newest visitor as he slipped in and lunged for the corner—but not before chucking something at the empty space behind the door. The resulting crash against the wall showed that it was one of Mr. Brown's ubiquitous picture frames. Rest in pieces.

The first thing they would immediately notice was that the stranger was tall, just a bit more than Freddy, although the way he carried himself made it seem as if he were much larger than that: a towering behemoth casting a long, ominous shadow across a shrunken room. He was leaning forward in a fighting stance, feet planted wide apart and shoulders straining against his scruffy leather jacket. Looming. Ready to charge. His free hand formed a fist raised at shoulder level; the other held the remains of a broken glass battle, its jagged edges glinting wickedly in the artificial light. The posture all but screamed, "Try it! I dare you!"

Eyes green as dark moss in summertime narrowed under thick brows, the right one of which had been cleft in half by a nasty scar, as they readjusted to the sudden brightness. Even so, his gaze moved with predatory intent from behind the entrance to the blurry figures at the edge of the room, and the gash down his upper lip added to the menace in his snarl when it grew. When he spoke, it was with a low, gravelly voice which strongly suggested that, no, he wasn't messing around.

"Tell you what, chucklefucks. Let them go and maybe I won't break your fuckin' kneecaps."

 

[Fox of Spades]

An umbrella! It wasn't exactly a crowbar or a hammer, but it looked sturdy enough to use as some sort of makeshift lever. They weren't going to die today. Jorie didn't have to call him twice, the moment his name left her lips, he closed the distance between them and wrapped his fingers tightly around the umbrella's handle. A deep breath, and then he leaned down, using his weight - and the adrenaline - to push down on the umbrella.

Creaaaaaaak.

One by one, the nails began to lift. One by one, the boards began to clatter onto the wooden floor.

"Guys! We're leaving!" Freddy threw the window open and motioned for Jorie to jump through first, but before they could make their grand escape, the door to the study gave way and Mori and Anna began screaming.

"Jorie, go! Run and call the cops!"

Anna threw a book the moment Nuri came crashing into the room. It sailed over his head, thudding uselessly against the wall. She shrunk into herself as she reached for another hardbound. This was how they were going to die - at the edge of a broken bottle, in a tiny room with Mr. Brown's kidnapper. They shouldn't have trespassed, and she shouldn't have lied to Flynn.

Books began to fly across the room, as the juniors went all out in a last-ditch effort to save themselves.

***

​

Flynn followed Nuri into the room, and like his friend, was initially blinded by Jorie's flashlight. He lifted the flowerpot over his face to shield his eyes. Nuri was screaming and so were the other people in the room. Anna? He heard their voices clear as day, but as soon as he lowered the flowerpot, was met with a book to the face. Pain. The flowerpot shattered on the floor as Flynn was sent crashing into the wall.

"Flynn?" Anna's voice.

He opened his eyes, relieved - but also horribly confused - when the only people in front of them were Anna and her friends. Nuri was there too, eyes squeezed shut as he brandished his broken bottle in a menacing manner. "Nuri," Flynn's tone had gone from alarmed to somber. "It's fine. It's just the kids." He locked eyes with Anna then. The relief was slowly beginning to meld with disappointment and anger. No one else was here. Clearly it was just them. For all he knew, the loud sound could have been a cat wrecking havoc on Mr. Brown's roof. If someone was inside the house, they would have heard him and Nuri breaking through two doors. There was no doubt about that.

Flynn straightened up to his full height, and the worried look he wore gave way to a stonier and sterner expression. He might have been a few inches shorter than Nuri, but - in that moment - he seemed bigger too.

"Flynn! You're here—" Anna was quickly interrupted.

"Anna what the hell? What were you guys thinking?" Flynn exploded then, shoulders squared and jaw taut in anger and disappointment. "Trespassing and breaking into a missing man's house." Flynn's voice grew louder with each word. "This is a crime scene. There was police tape all over for a reason." Flynn brought his hands to his face and began pressing down on his temples. He wanted to kick something. Anna was smarter than this, but ever since she joined the "journalism" club, she'd been been getting involved in stuff like this. "Are you guys stupid? Did common sense fly out the window?" He glared at Anna then before his gaze flitted from Mori to Freddy, and eventually Jorie. "And what the hell, Jorie? Why are you here? You shouldn't be encouraging the sophomores to do stuff like this!"

Flynn would have gone on and on and on, but the distant sound of police sirens put an end to the vicious scolding that was about to take place.

 

[Fox of Spades]

The mess had been effectively dealt with, the last few guests had arrived, and the party was finally in full-swing. Ange had left to get the cake too, which meant, they wouldn't need to keep distracting Dan for much longer. Aislyn let out a sigh of relief then watched on as Friday led Whitley into the kitchen for ice pops. Of course he invited Whitley. Friday was practically friends with everyone. Aislyn couldn't stop herself from narrowing her eyes. Oh well, she hadn't seen Whitley being a jerk to Friday yet. To be fair, the girl was okay when she wasn't hanging around Stace.

"She's not as bad as you think she is," Dan interrupted.

"I know," Aislyn answered. Still, it didn't make her like Whitley any more than she already did.

"Hey, cheer up." Dan smiled. "The mess actually wasn't that bad. My parents aren't going to kill me tonight."

Everyone - despite the chaotic start - seemed to be enjoying themselves. People were doing their own thing, chatting, eating, and simply enjoying the start of summer. Dan left Aislyn to set up his PlayStation, and soon enough, was calling people over to game if they wanted to.

The party continued until a certain someone slipped back inside with the long-awaited cake.