~Quatre
°°°°
I stared at Dan incrediously, not sure if he was actually serious. I tried to avoid his intimidating gaze, instead I scanned the creepy cellar of the boarding house. The cellar had five washing machines with dirty washing, piled into washing baskets. Bottles of detergent balancing on each washer.
"Experiments?" I repeated slowly, frowning at him. He nodded grimly. "Yeah," he smirked when I flinched. "Legend says.." he leaned into the wall with folded arms. Then he frowned. "Well, when I say 'Legend' I mean PJ Liguori." he rolled his eyes. "Anyway. PJ says that this house used to be used to experiment on teenagers." he said softly, for once he actually sounded serious.
I choked out a bewildered laugh. "What?!" I folded my own arms and cocked my brows at him. "You can't seriously expect me to believe that!" I scoffed at him.
He sighed. "Fine. Don't believe me Phil Lester." his gaze never left me and I shuffled uncomfortably. Not wanting to go back in the broken lift, yet also not wanting to stay in the cellar with Dan one minute longer. "Would you stop doing that!" I hissed exasperated.
He lifted a brow frowning. "Doing what?"
"That! that 'Phil Lester' crap!" I exclaimed. "My name's Phil, Dan! just call me Phil!"
He smirked again. "Well first things first Phil Lester," he grinned when he said that. "I happen to hate you, and I annoy people I hate." he smiled smugly.
"Oh?" my eyebrows shot up. "Do you take people you hate on tour's too?"
His eyes darkened. "I was forced to." he growled softly. I raised my eyebrows this time. "Right."
"I'd believe him if I were you.." a sudden gruff voice murmured. I frowned. "What?!" I blinked at Dan confused. "What did you just say?" I whispered.
Dan, to my surprise, looked equally confused. "I didn't say anything Phil Lester." he sighed, looking bored and amused.
"About the experiments I mean, not whatever else you were bickering about." I span around, scanning the darkness. But nobody else was in here. The voice was a young guy, about my age. With a strong American accent.
I eyed Dan who was playing with his fringe. "Why are you staring at me?" he suddenly demanded, straightening up. "What?" he walked over to me so he was yet again three meters away from my face. His breath tickled my nose when he giggled. "Like what you see?" he murmured, cocking his eyebrow. I didn't say anything but a blush spread across my cheeks.
He giggled louder, yet his eyes narrowed darkly. "Oh, you do?"
"Can someone get me a barf bag?" the american voice moaned. "Really guys, in the cellar?!"
I took a shaky step backwards. "Who- who said that?!"
Dan clearly didn't hear the voice because for once he didn't have that arrogant smirk on his face.
"What?" Dan demanded warily. Then I saw realisation light up in his eyes and he grinned. "Oh! you might be able to hear the ghostly voices of the dead kids!" he whispered in an attempted spooky voice. But he just sounded like a five year old kid telling ghost stories.
"What?!" I hissed.
He shrugged. "Yanno, the one's who were experimented on." he said casually, but I could tell from the look on his face that he was wary too. His eyes kept darting around the isolate room.
"It's true.." the american voice mumbled sadly. Suddenly I felt his breath in my ear and I had to bite back a scream. I risked a glance behind me and saw- to my relief and horror- nobody there.
"What's true?!" I demanded, my hands were shaking and there was an accute pain in my temples.
Dan frowned. "Alright Phil Lester, you're scaring me now." he muttered tonelessly. He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Right, what are you supposedly seeing then?"
I shook my head. "Nothing- it's…it's nothing." I mumbled.
"Nothing?!" the voice hissed. "Isn't me just whispering in your ear basically confirming what Mr. Arrogant is trying to say!"
I span around, once again being faced with nothing but empty space. "Jesus man, you can't see me…yet." the voice murmured. "Plus stop making it so freaking obvious!"
"I'm….not." I mumbled, glancing at Dan who was wide- eyed. "Who the fuck are you talking too?!" he hissed. "Are you broken?" he screwed the side of his head with his index finger. "Can you see things which aren't there?" he laughed nastily at his own joke. If it even was one. I'm not sure.
"Wow, he's a dick." the american voice muttered. I felt a shiver fly down my spine and resisted the urge to full on freak the hell out.
"Who's there? Is this- is this a joke?" I whimpered. Again I could feel his presence. But when I turned to look, there was nobody there. "No!" the voice hissed irritated. "Does this sound like a joke?" he murmured softly. "Listen to me, dude. Don't react. Just wait, okay?" I stared at the empty space and squinted. I'm hearing things right?
"Hey! Earth to Phil!" I turned to Dan wafting his hand infron't of ny face madly. "Anyone there?!" he clicked his fingers repeatedly, looking pretty wild. His eyes were wide and looked pretty scared and his lips for once weren't twisted into an irritating smirk.
He looked calm last night in the woods when he was speaking to empty space. Just like me? I definitely heard that guy's voice, unless this is all part of a sick joke to scare the new guy again.
"What?" I focused on him and tried not to sneak a look behind me to try and spy the owner of the mysterious voice which was whispering in my ear.
"Who," Dan gasped, his eyes narrowed into suspicious slits. "Who the FUCK are you talking too?" he folded his arms trying to look aggressive but he looked as scared and wary as me.
"Nobody." I heard myself say, but I wasn't sure why I said it. He stared at me for a moment before forcing a laugh and rolling his eyes. "Fucking hell I was wrong about one thing," he said shoving his hands in his jeans pockets.
"What's that?" I couldn't help asking. He shrugged. "I thought you didn't belong here because you're normal-" he pulled a face, "Normal and boring." then he grinned. "Turn's out your fucked up in the head like everyone else!"
Everyone else was fucked up in the head?! If anyone's messed up it's Dan freaking Howell. Yeah the others are slightly unhinged and maybe some of them have anger issues, but they're not 'fucked up in the head' if anyone is, it's Dan.
"And why's that?" I found myself saying.
He chuckled, walking a full circle behind me before coming back to face me. "Zoey." he said simply. And before I could open my mouth he followed up that random comment. "Mad Zoey?" he folded his arms across his chest. "Did you know Zoey freaks out every so often? she comes down to breakfast and for no reason at all goes off her head?"
I thought back to her having to be sedated and my stomach flipped. "So?" I mimicked Dan's body language and it almost looked like I was staring into a mirror. Well, where my reflection was slightly different. When I had brunette hair instead of jet black and my fringe flipped. A confident and sarcastic smirk on my lips instead of my usual wary anxious frown.
"So?" once again Dan mimicked my voice. "How about Luke?" he said casually. Then he lowered his voice. "Bet ya didn't know he killed his little cousin did you?"
I thought of Luke. Funny, innocent Luke. But then I also thought of Luke randomly in the forest last night. Was he really just in there looking for me? I shivered again. Luke wouldn't do that. What am I thinking? I hardly know him!
"And Emma." Dan continued, his facial expression getting less intimidating and more knowing. "She was sent here because she nearly drowned her entire swimming team." Emma. The girl I couldn't understand. She was…strange. But she wouldn't do that.
Right?
"Bethan…" Dan carried on in a bored tone. "She claimed she was 'seeing screaming people' at her annual music gig at school and got sent here." Bethan?! he has to be lying. Does he mean 'Ribbons in her hair' sweet Bethan who welcomed me at breakfast?!
"PJ," Dan said. "That boy stabbed someone in the eye with a pencil" he sighed. "Do you want me to go on?" he asked. I shook my head and turned to go back in the lift. I can't stay down here any longer. But he blocked my way out and his bored frown ignited into a dimpled grin when he realised he was actually scaring me. "Chris," he breathed the boys name in my face and once again I found myself blushing. "Chris was sent here because he tried to kill himself…" he paused for effect. "He said he kept seeing death. Death EVERYWHERE!" he suddenly shouted making me stumble backwards so my back was pressed to the lift. Dan was so close I could hear his breaths slow and steady, his eyes boring into mine, waiting for a reaction.
This guy had truly lost it. I tried not to think about the things he had said about the others but his words kept replaying in my mind.
So even when PJ had told me about Dan supposedly setting fire to his parents house, even he had something to hide.
I clenched my fists and tried not to look scared but I'm sure my bottom lip was trembling. And I bet Dan fucking Howell loved that.
"If you're waiting for me to run out screaming you'll be waiting a long time." I said, trying to keep my breathing under control. Dan shrugged. "Maybe." he murmured, his breath once again in my face. "But what about you Phil Lester?" he said quietly. "Why were you sent here?" he flicked me in on the forehead and giggled, that stupid dimple appearing again. "Why, Phil Lester," he said slowly and dangerously, his lips twisting into an almost grimace. "Why exactly were YOU," he poked me in the chest and I swallowed. "Sent here?"
Dan was really getting me on my nerves. I side stepped away from him and tried to catch my breath. "I came here because my mum sent me here." I replied simply.
He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Really?!" he covered his mouth in mock shock. "Wow Phil Lester, that's not surprising at all!" he gasped and I gritted my teeth.
"Stop calling me that!" his consecutive use of my first and last name was driving me mad.
"What?" he grinned. "By your name?" he chuckled but quickly got over his little moment of hysteria which he seems to keep having. "No seriously Phil Lester, why were you sent here?"
I sighed. "Why do you care?"
He smirked. That stupid smirk. "I don't!" he grinned. "I'm just curious, new kid." he spat the words 'new kid' in my face, and I flinched. "So go on!" he shouted, still refusing to get out of my face.
"I- I don't know!" I stammered back. "My- my mum- sh- she-"
Dan laughed. "Aw- w- was y-your m-m-mummy mean and s-send y-you to a sc-scary b-boarding school?" he sneered, taking the piss out of my stammer.
"N-no!" I tried to say and he raised his eyebrows. Take a deep breath Phil, and take it slowly.
"No." I said. "I was seeeennt here to get an educaaaattttiiooon." I dragged out my words as if he was the slow one.
"What. Are. You. Impying?" he growled quietly. "I asked you a simple fucking question Phil Lester," he poked me in the chest again and dug his fingernail in.
"Maybe I don't want to answer." I muttered, slowly gaining confidence.
"Why?" he sounded desperate. "Just tell me! It's not hard!"
I'd had enough. I turned and pushed the lift button and the metalic doors slid open easily.
Though I didn't walk in. I just stood there staring helplessly. I can't go in there! Dan said been broken for weeks. Is there another way out?
Suddenly the sound of footsteps on concrete and Dan cursed to himself. "Dan?" a female voice shouted. "Daniel, are you down here?"
So there was another way out. A staircase. I tried to make my way towards the sound of descending footsteps but Dan grabbed my arm and yanked me back. "No!" he whispered desperately. "Stay!"
"Get off-!" I hissed back. "Just leave me alone-" the female voice interrupted me and sounded closer. She was in the cellar now.
I squinted in the darkness, trying to find her. There was a click and the room ignited with bright light. Once again I was blinded with black spots invaded my vision and rubbed my eyes trying to see through the intense light.
"What are you two doing down here?" there was tall women with greying hair wearing a blue tracksuit standing there with her arms folded. "Daniel?" she walked towards him and I swear he took a step backwards to try and get away. "And you must be Phillip!"
I nodded while Dan stood there staring at her, eyes narrowed.
She sighed. "Daniel, empty your pockets." she said sternly.
"But I haven't-" he tried to protest.
"Now. Or I will empty them for you."
He sent me a desperate look which looked like a silent cry for help, but then his eyes darkened and he just scowled at me. "I was showing Phil the cellar Miss Jackson." he said cooly. I noticed he had stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets.
The teacher, 'Miss Jackson' shook her head and held out her hand. "Matches." she said. "Give them to me Dan."
"I haven't got any!" he growled.
"You clearly have Mr Howell!" she pointed to the small lump in his jeans pocket. "Come on." she gestured with a sigh. "Hand them over or I'll be telling Mr. Clayton."
"I haven't got any!" he shouted again at her.
Then the teacher pulled something out of her tracksuit pocket and I stared, dumfounded. Is that a syringe?! Is she really going to sedate him because he's not giving up a box of matches?!
Dan's eyes widened too and suddenly he was digging in his pockets and pulling out three- no four boxes of matches and chucking them at the teacher.
They landed at her feet and she bent down and picked them up.
"Where did you get these?" she straightened up. "Dan, what have I told you about playing with fire?!" she tucked the syringe back into her pocket.
"Dunno." he mumbled. He didn't look so scary when he was being yelled at by a teacher. "I just need them for something." he said quietly.
"And what's that?" the teacher pressed.
"Nothing." he mumbled again.
"Right." she said. "Well dinner's ready. You can resume this tour after you've eaten." then she looked at me. "Do you want to carry on the tour?" she asked.
Dan's head whipped up and he sent me what looked like a threatening look. Is he trying to threaten me into saying yes?!
"No." I looked the teacher in the eye. "No miss, I want to go to bed afterwards."
The corners of her mouth turned. "No Phil, bedtime is at ten O clock. The students usually have free time after dinner so why not go into the lounge and play a boardgame or watch a film?"
No, I just want to sleep! But I found myself nodding an okay and following Miss Jackson back up a concrete staircase leading back upstairs. Dan followed me, purposely taking his time.
I took two steps at a time, making my way quickly after the teacher. Dan suddenly picked up his pace and caught up to me, pressing himself against me so his breath tickled my ear. "Don't drink the water." he breathed so only I could hear him. "You hear me?!"
"Go away." I muttered, pushing past him.
But his words played over and over again in my head all the way through dinner. And I actually listened to him. Like Bethan, I threw my drink down the sink.
Why was I listening to him?!
The weird drink, the unstable house-mates who may have done what Dan said they had done, the ghostly voice in the cellar only I could hear, and of course; Why did Dan have matches in his pockets?!
"He set his parents house on fire!" PJ's voice exclaimed in my head.
Was Dan really a fire-starter or was there more to it?