A guitar played softly in the distance. The same repeating gentle melody. He couldn't quite place where he'd heard it before or who played it but it was warm and Billy felt warm too. It was familiar and safe. He listened to the music and soaked in the warmth. Bliss.
Pat. Pat. Pat.
Billy flinched from whatever was trying to disturb him. He wanted to listen to the song. The melody was very familiar and he could almost recall where he'd heard it before. He could almost see the face of the guitar player, it was almost clear. So familiar. If he could concentrate a little harder…
Pat. Pat. Pat.
That was starting to get irritating. The interfering noise was growing louder by the second, distracting him. It was all around him, drowning out the beautiful music and sucking away the warmth. He could even somehow feel it on his face and through his clothes. How a noise could be felt he didn't know but it was making him cold. Another noise started to accompany the patting.
Pat Pat Pat.
Billy Billy Billy.
Fans calling his name was usually something he enjoyed but right now it was distracting. He grunted at the irritations, willing them to go away. They didn't. They got louder, pounded on him harder. He tried to listen to the music again but it was getting further and further away until it was almost gone. The warmth faded into a bone-chilling cold that made him shiver. The familiar face faded from his mind and once again he was left in the dark as to the identity of the guitarist. He reached through the void, trying to get them back. Billy longed for the music and the warmth. The patting became tiny icy bullets that hit his skin and beat the floor around him like drums. The chanting grew louder and louder. Static joined in. A deafening drone of noise and cold. Hands grabbed him, pulling him into darkness, towards glowing eyes-
"BILLY!"
Billy jolted. Panic tore through as if he was falling, falling into darkness, and he reached out for something to grab onto. It took a moment to realize he was lying down. He trembled and panted as he struggled to regain his bearings. Everything was wet and cold, including him. Something was stuck to the side of his face and it was so dark he could see no more than a foot or two ahead of him. Rain pounded the ground and crickets and frogs sang all around him.
Where was he and what had he been doing to end up here? Why was he soaking wet? Whichever one of his bodyguards had left him here was so fired-
"Billy!" someone shouted and he felt them latch onto him.
He remembered. Dolls, mannequins, animals. Gabbing, snapping, biting. Two huge orbs glowering at him with malice from the dark.
Billy panicked and pushed whatever it was off of him. He backpedaled until he hit something which made his head exploded in a wave of pain. He hissed and grabbed his head, "Ow, ow, ow, ow!"
But he knew whatever had grabbed him was still there and he looked up. There were no dolls or mannequins grabbing at him, no stuffed animals with dead eyes snapping their jaws at him. Just a little kid on the ground shivering and looking at him with big brown teary eyes.
"Spence! Oh, shi-Uh- Dude, I'm sorry! You scared me."
Spencer crawled over to Billy and wrapped his little arms around him.
"You ok, tater-tot? You hurt?" Billy asked as he patted the kids' back.
Spencer shook his head against Billy's chest all the while his little body shook with sobs.
"Hey, come on, BJC's not good with tears. What's wrong?"
Spencer shook his head again and his grip tightened. Billy went quiet and thought for a moment as he started to recall how they ended up here. He remembered the dolls, the mannequins, the taxidermy animals, and that terrifying thing - a ghost - with glowing eyes that attacked them. They were real. Monsters were real. "You scared?"
Spence nodded, "You didn't wake up! I was scared you wouldn't come back like you said!"
Billy blinked, his mind still fuzzy and muddled, "What?"
"About being ghosted but not coming back! You didn't wake up or become a ghost or a zombie. I thought you weren't coming back like you said, not ever!" Spencer sobbed as fat tears rolled down his cheeks. Or maybe it was rain. Either way, the kid was clearly distressed.
Oh...shit, Billy smacked himself in the face. He could almost hear his mom scolding him, telling him that his actions and words have consequences. He ruffled the kid's hair, "Hey, it's ok now, right? I'm still here, BJC's not gonna die."
"But what if you did? You'd be gone forever like you said!" He bawled into Billy's chest.
Billy's face crumbled and he wrapped his arms around him. He didn't mean to scare the kid, "Spence?"
Spencer continued to sob into his chest.
"Spence, listen…"
The kid only responded with broken sobs. Billy waited a few minutes before putting his hands on his shoulders and gently nudging him off enough so he could look him in the eye. "Listen, tater-tot," Billy waited until the kid nodded to make sure he had his attention, "don't worry about what I said before, ok? Besides, you were right about the ghost thing."
"But you said your dad-"
Billy cut him off, "Let's not talk about that. It's not gonna happen to me. This face is too good looking to rot anytime soon. We're ok now, right? Everything's gonna be ok."
Spencer sniffed and buried his face in Billy's shirt again. Billy patted the kids' head as he looked around. It was dark. Really dark. Like nighttime dark instead of stormy weather dark. As his eyes adjusted to the light he could see that they were still in the woods at the bottom of a steep incline by a creek. It was raining and they were both soaked to the bone. Wet leaves and mud clung to their clothes and skin and Billy pulled a wet leaf off of his face. A week ago he would have thrown a tantrum about being soaking wet, stuck in the woods, and filthy. However, given that they had barely escaped with their lives from a ghost and a terrified child was clinging to him he couldn't find the effort to throw a tantrum. He was responsible for the kid right now since he couldn't pass him off to his parents or an adult like he would have a week ago. They were alone in the middle of the woods.
"Hey, how long have I been out?"
Spencer pulled back and rubbed at his eyes. He sniffed, "Long time."
"You've been here the whole time? Why didn't you go home?"
"I could still hear them," he whispered and looked back up the incline.
Billy followed his gaze but focused on listening. The rain, thunder, and critter noises drowned out most of anything else but in the distance, he could make out creaking. The same creaking he'd heard coming from the limbs of the mannequins and taxidermy. Billy shivered but not from the cold.
"We can't stay here," Billy whispered as he pushed himself to his feet. His vision spun and he steadied himself against a tree. His head hurt like hell and he was nauseous but they had to get back to the house, to safety. Billy held Spencer's hand to make sure the kid was right next to him as they started walking.
It occurred to Billy that he had no idea where he was and he had to rely on Spencer. He hoped the kid recognized the area enough to get them out of the woods. Spencer told Billy how he sometimes plays in the creek during the summer to fish for tadpoles and crayfish. But the kid couldn't be sure where the path in the woods was which he typically used to get to the creek. The pair followed the creek downstream in the opposite direction of the cabin in hopes it would lead out of the woods or somewhere recognizable.
As they walked Billy continued to glance behind them, watching and listening for any pursuers. When he felt Spencers' hand tighten around his he glanced down at the kid. Spencer kept glancing behind them too. The kid was just as scared as he was. Billy needed to keep him focused and unafraid. He decided to try something he hadn't thought of in years.
"Hey...you know what I used to do when I was scared as a kid?"
Spence blinked up at him.
"I'd sing this song my dad taught me when I was your age. Wanna try it?"
Spencer frowned a moment but nodded.
"Ok here's how it starts,
Let's count down from three to one and make it fun.
Three: we'll sing it out loud and we'll it sing proud,
Two: we're almost there so don't be scared,
One: Now we're done but we've only just begun-
See? It's silly and you keep going and going and adding stuff that makes you happy. So the next verses are freestyle like this:
Three: It makes my heart flutter when I eat smooth peanut butter
Two: When I sing and dance it puts you in a hypnotic trance
One: You'll be beguiled when I show off my awesome style!
Now you try!"
Spencer pouted and glanced behind again, ignoring the song.
Billy frowned, "Uh, why don't I help you? Let's see…
Three: This tater-tot loves spooky movies but is afraid of cooties!"
Spencer glared up at him, "Am not!"
"Really? Cuz if you wanna stop me you're gonna have to sing!
Two: Spency eats bugs and chugs juice made of slugs-"
Spencer grumbled and playfully shoved him. Billy laughed and stumbled into a tree but hissed when his head throbbed and his vision spun from the sudden movement. He steadied himself against the tree, waiting for the dizziness to pass.
He heard Spencer gasp and felt a tug on his pant leg, "I'm sorry!"
"D-Don't worry, I'm ok, I'm ok. Just need a sec, lil' brosephs..." Billy waved him off.
There was a loud caw followed by the rustle of leaves and the beat of something behind them. Both boys spun around right as several crows took off into the sky from the trees. The forest was dead silent for a moment except for the thunder and rain. The one by one the remaining critters started to chime back in.
Billy swallowed. They didn't have a 'sec', "Ok, let's keep moving." He grabbed Spencers' hand again and kept walking. He used his free hand to steady himself against the passing trees. "You gonna sing or make me do all the work?"
Spencer glanced around the woods repeatedly before looking up at him, "T-Three:..I-I like spooky movies and-and-"
Billy bit his lip as the kid looked like he needed help, "And...cartoons that are looney?"
Spencer looked up at him with a small smile and nodded.
"Good, keep on that."
"Two:...I like to play with monster masks all day…"
"There, see, you got it! Now don't forget about your bro-mazing cousin."
Spencer giggled, "One: I like when Billy plays with me and he sings off key!"
"Hey! I don't sing off key you little flea!"
Spencer laughed and continued on the next verse. Billy sighed in short-lived relief before looking back again and making sure Spencer didn't. With the kid's mind taken off of the looming danger behind them, Spencer focused on finding the way out. Billy kept watch and listened for anything that may be following while trying to keep the kid preoccupied.
It was an hour later by the time they exited the woods and located a road that Spencer recognized well enough to take them home. The rain was starting to let up but Billy felt no less miserable. He was soaked, cold, his head throbbed, and he could feel the bloom of bruises and sting of scrapes all over. Spencer still sang quietly, sounding utterly exhausted. Sometimes he only hummed or muttered under his breath. Billy focused on walking, keeping his eyes fixed on his footing and straining his ears for any sounds indicating they were being followed. So far there were none.
When they finally approached the house Billy noticed the house lights were all on. He was sure they hadn't been when they left. Crap. The Wrights and his mother got home before they did. They were in for a world of trouble. Yet, then again if the adults here home it meant they were going to be safe. The adults would know how to handle those monsters, Billy was sure of it.
The kids walked into the house through the back door and into the kitchen. Loud, frantic voices filtered in through from the living room until the door slammed shut behind them. After a beat of silence footsteps thundered towards them and the three adults came running into the room.
"Boys!" Hugh said.
Billy's mother sighed, "THERE you are!"
"We were worried sick! Where have you-" Janes' voice trailed off as her eyes swept over them, "Are you alright? What happened?" her tone of voice switched from an annoyed parent to a concerned mother like a light switch.
Billy winced, knowing they must look awful and filthy, "I-uh…"
"We were attacked by a ghost and monsters!" Spencer shouted.
Billy nodded. He unconsciously rubbed the spot on his head where he had hit it and winced when it hurt. Jane was in front of them instantly. Her hands swept over both boys as she inspected the cuts and bruises they'd acquired. Spencer didn't look as bad as Billy did in terms of injuries. Jane gently brushed Billy's hair back and examined the spot that hurt.
"You've got quite a nasty bump," she said.
"What happened?" Billy's mother asked, her voice laced with concern. He only now noticed her standing next to Jane.
"I fell. Got knocked out…"
Both mother's faces erupted into shock, glancing at each other before they looked back at the boys. Billy found himself guided to one of the chairs and made to sit down. He wasn't sure which one of them did it but a moment later something cold was placed against his head where the bump was. He brought up his hand to hold it there and his mom sat beside him.
"What happened?" She repeated, softer this time. Her face etched with worry the same way Janes' was.
That's new, he thought. Billy's mouth worked but for once nothing came out. There was a lump in his throat he couldn't seem to get past. Now that they were home he knew he should feel safe but the reality of what happened crept in. No longer distracted by having to keep a child distracted and safe he thought back on the nights' events and fear was setting in. He was shaking.
"I said we were attacked by monsters! We were! Billy fought them off!" Spencer shouted again. Jane shushed him.
Billy nodded as he finally swallowed past the lump, "He-He's right. We were attacked by a ghost or something and dolls, mannequins, and animals-dead ones. Ya know, like stuffed ones."
All three adults looked at one another with confusion. Billy could see that they didn't believe him.
"It's true!" He insisted, "And they're still out there so we need to do something! Call the cops or military or whoever can take care of those things!"
"Yeah!" Spence agreed.
"Hun," Jane placed a hand on his shoulder, "I know you two like to go out and play pretend. Are you sure you didn't dream that up?"
Billy blinked, "What?"
"When you fell and knocked yourself out you must have dreamt of whatever you two had been pretending. After all, there are no such things as monsters, dear."
"It was real!" Spencer cried, "It wasn't pretending!"
"Yeah, yeah it was real! How'd we get these bruises and scratches if it wasn't?"
"It looks like you got them from running around in the woods. You boys tend to be a little too rambunctious," his mom said.
"Are you sure it wasn't something else chasing you? Was it a person?" Hugh asked.
Billy was stunned. They really didn't believe him, "No! Those things definitely weren't human."
"Could have been coyotes or raccoons, we've got tons of those here. Maybe you disturbed a nest and riled them up."
"No! I mean there were those but a bear too and a wolf! But they were already dead when they attacked us!"
The adults shared another concerned look, obviously still not believing the boys.
"I'm not making this up, I swear! Those things could still be out there and come after us. Like real, actual monsters!" Billy yelled. Spencer nodded vigorously.
Billy's mother sighed with exasperation, "Why did you even go out there? You were told to stay here."
"We went to play and I was gonna write a new song when-" Billy froze. Oh no. No, no, no, "My guitar. I left my guitar there! Oh, my-Fff- How could I be so stupid!?" his fingers threaded through his hair, not caring that he dropped the ice pack, and he flung his head down into the table with a thud. Ow.
The sudden motion made his stomach flip. His hands flew to his mouth as he retched. Billy stood, the chair clattering onto the floor as it fell, and he bolted for the downstairs bathroom. He made it to the toilet right as his stomach decided to empty what little contents there were. Embarrassing.
Several agonizing minutes later his stomach decided it was too empty to continue retching. He flushed the toilet and went to the sink to wash his face. Billy hated vomiting because you didn't just vomit, your eyes and nose ran too. At least his did. He always looked like an utter mess when he threw up and Billy didn't want to be seen like that, even if it was only by his family. On top of things, his throat was now raw and it burned meaning no singing for a while. He gargled several some water to alleviate the pain.
Looking up in the mirror he could tell the water didn't help much to save his looks. He looked as miserable as he felt. The faint bruise of his black eye still remained, new bruises bloomed on his face and arms along with cuts and scrapes from the fall. Twigs and leaves stuck out of unruly hair that had once upon a time been styled to perfection. His clothes were dripping wet, covered in mud, and torn in several places.
For a minute he just stared at his horrible trembling appearance. All of it was caused by some vengeful ghost and its' minions. Why didn't the adults believe them? Did they really think he'd make something like this up? Beat himself up for a story? They would need proof to convince the adults.
Billy shook his head from that thought. The danger was still out there. This wasn't a movie, they actually got hurt. They could actually die. His heart beat a little faster and he found it a little harder to breathe. Now that they were home his mind was working itself into panicked overdrive. He could almost see those eyes staring down at him, fake hands grabbing at him, the jaws of beasts snapping at him. And for a moment he did see something. Two great glowing eyes behind him.
Billy's head spun around so fast he almost gave himself whiplash. There was nothing there. Looking back in the mirror he saw the eyes were gone. His overstimulated mind was playing a trick on him. Billy splashed more water on his face before he pulled the twigs and leaves from his hair. He ran his wet fingers through it to comb back. At least it looked less like a birds nest.
As Billy walked out of the bathroom and into the living room his mother placed a towel around his shoulders. Jane, Hugh, and Spencer were absent from the room but Billy could hear the bath water running upstairs. He figured they must have taken the kid to clean him up.
"Maybe we should take you to the hospital and get you checked out. You might have a concussion," his mother suggested.
"NO!" No hospitals, they freaked him out almost as much as ghosts did but that was a story for another day. By the look on her face that wouldn't be a good enough excuse, "I mean-I'm fine! B-Besides going outside probably isn't a good idea right now. Those monsters could be out there waiting for us."
"Baruch, there are no such things as monsters."
Billy was too tired, too freaked out, and now too irritated to deal with arguing. "Figures you don't believe me," he fumed and stomped into the kitchen. He collapsed onto a chair again, grabbing the ice pack from the table and pressing it against the bump on his head.
Billy stared at the table, his mind going blank. He couldn't think, his nerves were frayed. What if the monsters followed them back here? They could attack at any moment. He didn't want to see those nasty things ever again for as long as he lived. Something touched his arm and he flinched away, expecting a mannequin or doll to be there. It was only his mother sitting next to him.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
He frowned, opening his mouth about to say 'I'm fine' on impulse but he stopped. He wasn't fine. At all. He shook his head. In fact, his entire body was shaking.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
His frown deepened and he shook his head again. He didn't want to talk about it since he could barely even think about it. She wouldn't believe him anyway. He didn't even realize his mother had stood up to do something until a glass of water appeared in front of him. He stared at it for a moment before grabbing it and downing the whole thing. Billy hadn't realized how thirsty he'd been.
"Baruch, I realize this week has been...different for you and quite difficult. I'm sure there's a logical explanation for what happened to you tonight-"
He shot her a glare.
She paused before laying a hand over his, "But there's no need to be afraid. You're safe now."
He stared at her for a beat. This was weird. Was this really his mother talking? The word 'safe' struck something within him and he kept quiet for fear his voice would crack.
"It's true I had hoped this little vacation would clear up some things, but I see now that with the way things have gone I did not approach it well. You seem more troubled than before and I feel like our little talks may have contributed to the stress you're feeling now."
Billy recoiled a little. This is not at all what he was expecting. It was almost too much to take in after what happened. What was going on today? Did he fall into an alternate dimension or something? He shook his head, "What's with the sudden change of heart?"
She sighed and glanced into the living room as Jane and Spencer were coming downstairs. The kid was dry and in new clothes but Billy was relieved to see very few visible bruises or scrapes on him. At least one of them was better off.
"Jane and I had a little talk while we were out today and she expressed some concerns over our recent arguments. She told me how upset you had gotten and how it was putting extra stress on you. I think it may have something to do with this little breakdown you're having."
A breakdown? She thought he was having a breakdown? That he made up the story of the ghost and the monsters because of a breakdown? Or that he was going crazy? Billy glared and opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off.
"Jane also helped me understand some things about your...choices. Kind of. Furthermore, she insisted we have a proper honest talk when we get home. I'll make an effort to...try...to understand your reasons for doing things the way you do. It also got me thinking that you were right-"
Billy smirked.
She quirked an eyebrow, "Don't get a big head over this like I know you will. But you were right in that I shouldn't have kept the things about your father a secret. So when we leave here and I will tell you about your father."
Something warmed started to bloom in his chest that could almost make his current fears disappear-
"If-"
Never-mind, it was gone.
"You take a deep breath, take a moment to think back and go over everything that happened today. No more lies, no more overdramatic stories - this isn't one of your shows - just the plain, honest truth. What you were doing today, where you'd gone, and what happened. With a clear head, I'm sure we can figure out what actually happened."
Billy heard a huff and he looked over to see Jane and Spencer hovering in the doorway. Spencer was looking up at him with his big brown eyes full of expectation. The back door creaked open and Billy jumped so violently he almost fell out of the chair.
"Good news is the storm is letting up!" came Hugh's voice as he stepped into the kitchen from the back door draped in a raincoat and holding a flashlight. "Well, I didn't see anything out there so whatever you said came after you boys must have gotten scared off."
Billy blinked. He had been in such a trance that hadn't realized Hugh even left the house. He must have been patrolling around the house while Billy was being reacquainted with the porcelain throne. If he'd known he would have insisted the man stay inside.
"There were monsters! There were!" Spencer insisted, "We have to go back! We need to get Billy's guitar and the treasure chest!"
Billy bawled at the kid. Go back? Was he serious? Billy shook his head, "No, no way. It's too dangerous, Spence!"
"But we have to! We can show them the monsters too and they'll know we're telling the truth! Monsters and ghosts are real, I always knew they were real and now they can see too!" the slight excitement in the kids' voice and his smile made Billy uneasy. This wasn't something to be excited about. This wasn't a movie and the kid didn't seem to grasp the full danger of the situation.
Billy continued shaking his head slowly. There was no way he was ever going back there and sure he could hold the kid back now but what about when he left? Spencer could go there after he leaves and Billy dread to think what could happen then. He was really starting to panic.
Hugh said there's nothing outside so perhaps they weren't followed after all. Billy frowned at the table. That was a good thing but he also had no proof of what they'd encountered. Without that the adults weren't going to believe in the danger. But he couldn't go back there. He wouldn't.
The longer he dwelled on what happened the more far fetched it sounded, even to him and he'd lived it. A ghost? Dolls, mannequins, and taxidermy coming to life? A week ago these kinds of things only existed in movies. No wonder the adults didn't believe them. If two kids had said the same thing to him a week ago he wouldn't believe them either. Their story sounded crazy. He sounded crazy. Hell, he felt like he was going crazy. It was all too much at once. What was going to happen if he told the truth? Nothing good. At least not in his mind.
Another fear crept into his mind as he glanced at his mother and Jane. If he told the truth, regardless if they believed him or not, would his mother go back on her word to talk to him? Not just about his father but for once maybe they could clear the air and it was all thanks to Jane. She had helped them take a big step towards reconciliation and he didn't want to lose that. If he were honest he'd admit that he wanted a better relationship with his mother. Especially after seeing how the Wrights interacted as a real family. If he told them what really happened would his mother write him off as irresponsible for not 'telling the truth' even though he was? It could ruin the chance to fix their relationship and learn about his father.
Everything was happening way too fast and he had a choice to make right now. Even if they were fortunate enough to have lost the monsters Billy still had to be sure no one went to the cabin ever again with a believable reason. Especially Spencer. When Billy was gone Spencers' parents would have to make sure the kid doesn't go back there. The adults would never believe a story about ghosts and monsters, he was sure of that now. But he still needed to warn them about the danger. They needed to be told something they would believe. A realistic danger. If it was something they believed in they would be compelled to ensure Spencer doesn't go there. If he told the truth and they wrote it off as Billy was having some kind of episode they might not keep as close of an eye on Spencer when Billy left. Billy decided that he had to lie.
Billy took a deep breath, thinking back and trying to put his thoughts in order, "We'd gone out to play at a fort we made by the old cabin in the woods."
"Old cabin? What old cabin?" Hugh asked.
Billy swallowed, "There's this old cabin in the woods down the old dirt road with piles of junk everywhere. We'd made a fort and played there a couple of times so it seemed like a chill place at first. But we went there again today, it was only supposed to be for a little while and I planned on us being back before it stormed, I swear. But we went to explore the cabin and were attacked by-" he glanced at Spencer for a moment, "Something…"
"They were monsters and a ghost! Billy, tell them it's true!" Spencer shouted.
Billy winced. He needed to come up with something else to say and fast.
His mother raised an eyebrow, "Did you actually see what attacked you? Did you get a clear look at what it was?"
Yes, he almost said. He desperately wanted to say yes but he couldn't risk it. There was too much at stake in his mind. He was too afraid, too overwhelmed. It was hard to breathe and his chest felt too tight but he steeled himself, "No. It-it was dark. I don't know what I saw exactly, but eyes shined back at me from the flashlight and they came towards us. So it probably was a couple of animals as you said. We got scared and ran into the woods. I fell and got knocked out."
Spencer's face fell, "Billy, tell them about the dolls and the ghost! It was real, you saw them! You fought them!"
"I-I...I don't...know what I saw. When I conked myself out I must have imagined the animals as monsters..."
"See? You just got scared and worked yourselves up, that's all," his mother said. Her voice was uncharacteristically gentle but the look of betrayal on Spencer's face didn't make him feel good about it.
"It's a good thing you told us, sport!" Hugh said while patting him on the back, "Now I don't want you two going there anymore. That goes double for you, young man," he said while pointing at Spencer, "That places doesn't sound safe for kids!"
Spencers' eyes became glassy, "But-but- the guitar! The song! And our treasure chest!"
"If you left something there I suppose I could go with Billy tomorrow morning to get them. But after that the place is off limits," Hugh said.
Billy froze. He wanted his guitar back, more than anything. It was his most treasured instrument after all. But could he face going back there with those things still lurking? They MIGHT be able to sneak into the fort, grab it, and run but it was a huge risk. The shoebox was a lost cause either way. He didn't know what to do. The thought of encountering those things again with their grabby hands and glassy dead eyes made him want to run away to the far side of the planet.
Billy shook his head, "It's not really safe there, ya know? Those animals...now that I think about it they seemed rabid. Foaming at the mouth and stuff. Guess that's why I thought they were monsters. It-it might be best to forget about that place and the stuff."
"Oh dear, you're right. Animals are one thing, but rabid animals are another! But are you sure you want to leave your things there?" Hugh asked.
"Billy, what about the guitar for the song and our treasure chest? You said they were important!" Spencer whined.
Billy could see the tears starting to bead at the edges of Spencer's eyes so he looked away. There was too much to risk and he couldn't look the kid in the face right now. Billy swallowed past the lump in his throat. He wanted that guitar back, wanted the shoebox to give to the kid to make things better, but Billy was petrified of going back there. He could tell the Hugh-man where the cabin was so he'd make sure Spencer never went there too. Billy looked at Hugh, "Their not important. We can forget about them."
"If you're sure, sonny. I'm sorry, Spencer, but Billy's right. That place sounds too dangerous for kids like you to be hanging around. I can't allow you to go there," Hugh said.
Billy heard a small hiccup from the kid. He glanced over to see the teary kid glaring at him.
"You're a liar and a big meanie like the others! I hate you!" the child shouted and ran off. Jane followed after him.
Ouch. That hurt worse than his throbbing head. Worse than the realization that he needed to abandon his prized guitar. Billy's eyes stung and he screwed them shut.
Hugh put a hand on his shoulder, "I know that must have been tough but you're doing the right thing, kiddo. We'll talk about where that cabin is in the morning."
Billy nodded. It didn't feel like the right thing. His mind was blank but his emotions threatened to overwhelm him, "Can I go get cleaned up now?"
"Of course," his mother said.
Billy jumped up from his seat and wasted no time in running upstairs. He nabbed some clothes from one of his spare suitcases in the hall and locked himself in the upstairs bathroom. He could faintly hear Spencer crying in his room with Jane trying to console him. Billy didn't want to listen so he turned on the bathwater. He shed his sopping wet filthy clothes and made sure the water was hot and bubbly before he slipped in.
The heat sank into his tense muscles and helped him relax. Now all he needed was some music to distract him. Without that, his mind soon began to wander. He plunged his head underwater.
A week ago things had been so different. He had been different. A week ago he'd laugh out loud if someone told him there was a possibility of him and his mother reconciling. A week ago he was blissfully ignorant of his father's life before he died and probably would have remained so had he not come here. A week ago he would never ever care about what some little kid thought of him let alone become friends with one. A week ago he would never have gone out into the woods, nature of all places, to build a fort with the kid and play childish games unbecoming of a teenager. A week ago ghosts and monsters didn't exist. A week ago his primary concerns were girls, big yachts, and money. A week ago he was happy with the person he was, even if he wasn't as great of a person that he always claimed to be.
He resurfaced and sucked in a deep breath. Then he punched the bathtub wall. Not hard enough to leave a mark but hard enough to vent some of his pent up emotions. Part of him wished this whole week never happened. He sank deeper into the bath, resting his head on the back of the tub, and closing his eyes.
Billy dozed, for how long he didn't know. Each time he drifted too far into sleep images of the ghost and monsters would flash in his mind, scaring him awake. He longed for the melody of the guitar he dreamed of earlier but he could scarcely remember it anymore. It was fading from his mind and monsters dominated his dreams. He sighed and threw water on his face to wake himself up. No sleeping tonight.
Billy had been in the water long enough for it to grow lukewarm. He grumbled and conceded to getting out, drying off, and getting dressed. Having anticipated not sleeping he hadn't bothered to grab pajamas before. Instead, he opted for jeans, an orange shirt, a green vest, and socks. As he exited the bathroom he noticed the kids' room was dark. Spencer must have cried himself to sleep already. Billy felt ashamed and he couldn't bear to face him right now.
He trudged downstairs in search of food. With his existential crisis on a temporary hold, his stomach decided to remind him that he hadn't eaten since breakfast. Vomiting certainly hadn't helped. His stomach muscles ached and his throat hurt but he grabbed some leftovers from the fridge anyway. He didn't even care what they were as he heated them up and plopped down at the table to eat. Billy could hear his mother and Hugh talking in the living room but he didn't care what it was about right now. Jane walked in when he was halfway through his meal and sat next to him.
"Thank you for telling us what happened and where you boys went today. We can make sure Spencer doesn't go there in the future, at least not by himself."
Billy nodded. That's exactly what he wanted, "Not going there at all is better. I know now that place isn't safe…" He poked at a piece of broccoli and stuffed it in his mouth. He mused briefly on the thought that he was willingly eating vegetables. What had his world come to in a mere week?
Jane smiled a little sadly and nodded. They were both quiet for a beat.
"Uh, thanks for talking to my mom."
Jane brightened, "So she's already talked to you? I hoped she would. I noticed how upset you were after your last fight so I tried to convince her to put herself in your shoes."
Billy shrugged, "It helped. We're going to talk about a lot of stuff when we leave. Hopefully, it goes well."
"I hope so too," She patted his hand with hers, "But your cousins are always here for you if you need us. Or if you just need someone to talk to."
Billy appreciated that more than she'd know, "How's Spence?"
She frowned and let out a sigh, "Don't worry, he'll come around. Kids tend to have overactive imaginations and I think he's just been excited to have a friend to play with. But it was very mature of you to drop the act when things become serious. I'm proud of you for that."
Billy wanted to slam his head against the table again if it wouldn't likely cause him to vomit. If only she knew the real truth. She would be disappointed in him for betraying Spencer, "He probably won't come around before I have to leave…"
"Well he'll have time to cool off and maybe things will be better next time you two see each other."
Billy frowned, "Yeah...next time." If there ever was a next time.
Thoughts of months-long tours, recording sessions, merchandising meetings, movie cameos, modeling gigs, and all the other things associated with being a pop-star flooded his head. It never occurred to him how busy he always was because he hadn't minded it before. It had been his entire life. His mother must have pulled teeth to get them this week off. If Billy new his managers as well as he thought he did he suspected it would be a long, long time before they gave him so much time off again. Billy felt the urge to throw a tantrum at the prospect of all the stuff he'd have to do when he got back home.
"I'm going to check on Spencer again. You finish eating and get some rest, ok?" She patted his hand before heading back upstairs.
Billy said nothing but nodded. How was he going to make it up to the kid? He knew Spencer wouldn't get over it so easily. After all the confidence-boosting Billy had tried to instill on him and convincing the kid that he wasn't weird for liking horror Billy had let him down in the end. He supposed he could talk to Spencer and try to explain why he lied to the adults. Though he doubted the kid would understand. But what about the song? Billy could still write it and record it. He didn't need his guitar for that bit. Maybe the kid wouldn't be as mad at him if he finished the song and sent it to him. Then he had a lightbulb moment. Something he knew would cheer the kid up.
He jumped up from the table and ran into the living room, "Hughster! Did you fix that camera I gave you?"
Hugh stopped his conversation with his mom mid-way. She gave him a look and Billy felt partially guilty for once.
"Not yet, sonny. But don't you worry, the Hugh-man is no quitter!"
Billy forced a chuckle, "Right…"
Well, there goes that idea. Billy considered taking it home with him to a professional to be fixed. Or he could just buy the kid a new one. That was probably better than giving him a potentially haunted camera. Come to think of it he should dump the thing now and hope for the best.
Thundering footsteps from the stairs caught the attention of the three in the living room.
"He's gone!" Jane cried as she ran down the last few steps.
Hugh stood up from the couch, "What?"
"I went to check on Spencer and he's not in the room or any room upstairs!"
Billy's stomach plummeted. The adults immediately started checking everywhere downstairs. Billy didn't bother joining them, somehow knowing the kid wasn't downstairs. He jumped up the stairs two at a time and burst into the kids' room. He laid flat on his stomach on the floor to look under Spencer's bed but the kid wasn't hiding under there like before. When he sat up he saw something that sent a new wave of horror through him. The window was propped partially open with a toy building block. Shit.
Billy threw the window open and looked out to see if the kid was on the awning as they had done before but it was empty. He looked out towards the woods. The rain had let up a bit and he could still see lightning in the distance as the storm moved away. He knew where Spencer went.
Billy didn't think as he flew out of the room and down the stairs. He slipped on his wet shoes, bolted through the living room, through the kitchen and he threw open the back door.
"Baruch! Where are you going?!" He heard his mother call.
"I know where Spence is, I'm going to get him!" He shouted as he ran down the porch steps and flew around the playhouse into the woods. He heard his mom calling him and the shouts of the Wrights but he ignored them. Billy ran as fast as he could.
