Phil wondered down the street aimlessly. He didn't know where to go, what to do. It was getting dark and the low sun cast long shadows over the pavement.
A shop suddenly caught his eye. He'd never seen it before. It wasn't a shop, it was a pub. Where was he? He looked around trying to grasp where he was. He had just walked on and got lost. He might on the other side of town perhaps?
He wasn't sure what to do. He looked back at the pub. There was nobody at the door. Everyone was inside, dancing and drinking and socializing. Nobody his age. They all looked eighteen or older.
Phil suddenly realised how young and helpless he looked compared to everyone in there. It wasn't like he could go in. They'd mistake him for a ten year old, he thought bitterly. But what else could he do. He stood there dithering for a while.
He looked back. There was a purple and green light that glowed from inside. He saw what they were drinking. He'd never tasted alchahol before. He wondered what it was like.
He knew a handful of kids from his year had drank plenty. He could just…take some. Just to see what it was like, and then leg it.
He shuffled his feet, thinking. Nobody in his year would be afraid to, Dan wouldn't. He felt a pang in his heart. He knew deep down Dan would never. Nobody would.
But his thoughts were clouded and blurred. He was lost, upset and lonely. He made his choice. He dashed in, grabbed a bottle and ran out. He felt as if his feet were on fire.
Lots of people started shouting and drunkly pointing. A lot of people hadn't noticed him. Some men chased after him. What would they do to him if they catched him. He spurred on blindly. He was sure they could hear his heart pounding in his chest as his feet thundered against the ground.
The men were slowing. Phil saw a patch of tree's. He dived in, lying flat on his stomach, holding his breath. His eyes were wide with fear. The two men looked round, then one convinced the other to give it up and they left.
Phil breathed out, tears streaming down his face. He felt too worked up. Too scared. He didn't bother to wipe the tears from his face.
The darkness closed in on him. He started shaking, forgetting that he was still at bit scared of the dark. But Dan would be there, Dan would always be there.
His fingers ran down the bottle, feeling the cool glass against his hot skin. He didn't know what kind it was. It was just a clear transparent bottle. He tried to open it but the top didn't move.
He pulled it off with his teeth and rubbed his mouth. Was he going to try it, late at night in a bush all alone? He poured some into his cupped hand and lapped at it like a dog.
He instantly spat it right out, gagging slightly.
"Yuck…." He whispered in disgust. It tasted awful. He rubbed his head and sighed. Why didn't he like it? Everyone else seemed to.
"Just grow up already Phil!" he whispered in frustration. Dan would never say that. More tears dripped down his cheeks. Enough tears now Phil
Was that Dan's sweet voice he heard. He stayed still hopefully but he couldn't hear it again. He decided it was right. He wiped his tears away and sniffed.
A sudden wave of consciousness washed over him. He sat up straight. He was suddenly filled with panic. He was lost and it was night. Kate would be looking for him. He had to get out of here, but maybe the scary men from the pub were waiting to catch him?
He left the bottle in the bushes and cautiously crept out. Nobody was there, it was completely empty. He could hardly see at all, he felt disorientated and dizzy, so it surprised him when a yowl broke the silence.
Panicked he whipped his head around to see a small black and white cat in a driveway. Its green eyes glowed in the dark. It hissed at him. Phil crept towards it. It rubbed against his legs to his surprise and purred.
Phil opened his mouth. He felt calmed. "Hey little kitten" he said to it softly. Normally he was a bit allergic to cats, but one or two was fine. He looked around, a little uncomfortable he was so close to the house.
"Are you scared of the dark?" he asked it. It twitched its ears and licked its paw, running it over its face. It let out another long deep purr, sounding like an engine.
"Ok…..right, I shouldn't be scared, Dan wouldn't be" he whispered, trying to sound bold. He marched off in the direction he thought he had come from.
But he was scared. It was so different than it was in the day. Everything seemed to stretch and slither around. The tree's seemed to grow into long crooked claws trying to grab at him. He just wanted to curl into a ball and close his eyes.
He couldn't go on. He was exhausted. He curled up in a patch of grass. He'd just lie here for a little while…
He fell asleep instantly. It was pitch black when he was awoken by a scream.
"Harry come quick there's a vagrant by the door!" a woman squealed. Phil suddenly looked around, then he realised she was talking about him. He jumped up and fled, wildly running into the darkness.
The man came and suddenly realised he was young and chased after him.
"Hey little boy wait!" he yelled. Phil ran and ran and ran until he collapsed, wheezing. He looked back, and they weren't running after him.
Now Phil was scared. Why didn't he stay with Elen?! He cursed himself. What could he do now? He lay on the ground very still.
He'd just to wait till morning, and then he could ask someone where he was. Morning seemed a long long way off. Could he sleep again? He felt exposed so he crouched behind a tree. He lay down, but sleep wouldn't come. He just felt terrified.
What he would give to be back in his own house right now, sleeping beside Dan. He must have slept at some point because it was dawn when he woke up.
He got up, freezing and stiff. Shuddering he wandered off. He saw a mother with her three daughters and there dog. He looked at the dog warily, he wasn't much of a dog lover. He decided they were safe.
He walked up to them.
"Excuse me miss" he said meekly. Miss?! Why was he so awkward? She looked at him in surprise, shielding her children.
"You look funny" one said.
Phil swallowed. "I wondered if you could tell me where I am?" he stammered. The woman looked at him.
"Are you lost?"
Phil nodded.
"This early in the morning, where are you trying to get?" she asked him, raising her eyebrows. Phil shuffled his feet.
"Rounchill lane" he said, which was where they lived. "Uh.. it think it's round here"
"Oh yes, that's where we've just come, just keep going straight on until you need to cross, then you keep going left and your there, do you want me to walk you there or give you a life, it's not trouble at all"
"Oh err no thanks…thank you" he nodded at them and went straight on, blushing like an idiot. As he walked on things began to seem a little more familiar. He began to feel more worried. Kate might have been really worried.
He felt guilty and began to run, but he never had much stamina and he was stiff from sleeping outside so he quickly slowed down. He came to the street.
It was now mid-day. There was a bunch of older girls and boys in a cluster talking together. He crossed onto the other side of the road so have not to awkwardly get past them.
He knocked on the door, feeling stupid. The door was flung open imidatly. Kate stood there. She breathed an immense sigh of relief, tears dripping down her face and drew him in for a hug.
Phil gasped. She had been worried about him. He felt a massive pang of guilt.
"Phil! Oh my god you're Ok" she cried, tears streaming down her face. Phil struggled but eventually gave in and let her hug him.
She brought him inside. Her look was replaced by anger. Phil swallowed, licking his lips nervously.
"Philip Michele Lester!" she began. Phil winced at his full name. Here it comes.
"Do you have any idea how much pain you put me through, I had the police looking for you, I ran all over town looking for you, I now need to go call the police to tell them you're ok, how can you do this to me in this situation, I was scared I had lost you to!" she shouted.
Phil looked down at his shoes.
"Sorry, I got lost, I'm sorry mum" he muttered. He tried to slope of but she caught hold of him.
"Oh no young man you are going to apologize to the police!"
Phil backed away in horror. "What!?"
There was no way he could do that. He was too awkward and stupid, he'd end up saying something wrong and arresting them all.
"No way" he shrieked and ran upstairs into his room. She didn't come after him. He didn't cry, he'd cried too much. He needed Dan. He needed Dan to tell him it was ok. He needed Dan to stick up for him.
He knew that right now he didn't really want Kate, or his real mum, he just wanted Dan. He thought of Dan in hospital lying motionless on his white bed. Did Dan want him to?