The next chapter, I find myself rather enjoying making this. I'm even considering heavily editing it when I finish it and maybe trying to get it published. (the chances of that are very low though.) Also, reviews, I've got to say that I'm quite chuffed that people are enjoying this but if anyone does have any criticism, I would gladly take it.

Once more, I hold no copyright.

Chapter 14

Once more I found myself inside Damien's house, this time waiting in his living room. Damien had ran off to the kitchen to grab food and such. I was by the window watching the street for any sight of the Ford van or the dark blond man. Kenneth was behind, just sitting on the sofa.

"Do you think they'll actually try to spy on you when you're at the window? That seems a bit retarded."

I stared outside for a second before I complied and resentfully abandoned my watching. "Y-yeah, I guess you're right."

"Pip, I know when something seems retarded, and those Fanatics would have to be really fucking retarded to think we definitely wouldn't spot them if they started camping out the house with you at the window. You're not supposed to be stuck in a hospital bed anymore."

"I-I was at the window for a-ages at the hospital and they still didn't act… S-sorry." I said, embarrassed for correcteing him.

"What are you trying to apologise about? And, hey, even the retarded can learn from their mistakes... maybe, right?" He asked, looking at me confused.

"I-I don't know. Sorry again."

"No problem, it was hardly a serious question- Jesus Christ!" Kenneth looked at the doorway to the kitchen, bug eyed.

Following his gaze revealed Damien in the doorway, holding a large tray in both of his hands; on top were three plates with sandwiches, crisps and other foodstuffs.

"What the hell got into you?" Said Damien as he moved over to the center of the living room and placed down the tray. "Pick any, they're all the same."

"Jesus, thanks man."

"What the hell are you so surprised about, it's lunch."

Kenneth quickly snatched one of the plates. "Listen man, I normally don't accept shit from my friends. Charity, even from them, I don't really like it. I thought you were getting some hot pockets or shit. The sort of stuff we eat at home, but instead you get this. Man, I'm beginning to like you!"

"If you don't like charity then why are you gorging yourself now?" Replied Damien.

"Sorry, but fuck man, sometimes I need some shit to eat, this is one of those times." He said, although everyone knew that literally anytime was when he would need to eat.

"It's not roast chicken or anything! And also, Why the hell are you so calm? You haven't even seemed worried, at all this entire time." Asked Damien sharply, perplexed by Kenneth's eccentric behaviour.

"Oh, I'm fucking terrified." Kenneth said, catching my attention. "Real, real fucking terrified, but I can't show fear, you show fear and you're an easy target. I can't do it or I become a target. You see."

"I think this is a really reasonable thing to-... sure, whatever." Damien said "Dad should be home soon, and the police will deal with this and in such a small town they'll be caught in no time."

"And if they aren't?"

"Well… to say it in words my father wouldn't allow here, we would be fucked." Kenneth's infectious calmness had seemed to claim him, I seemed immune. Instead I sat to the sidelines, next to the window, slowly chewing on a biscuit and quickly glancing to the road, every five seconds for a minute then I changed to every three, as if the van and driver could just appear at a quick glance.

'There's no one there, like Kenneth said, it would be stupid for them to try and stake out now, when it's pretty obvious that they know that at least one of us knows that they're following us.' I thought. 'But they burnt down Damien's old home, burnt that marking on his neck, who's to say they won't just do the same.' I argued, agitating myself with the thought of The Fanatics suddenly running and bursting into the house, or that they had already broken in before and set a trap to burn it and us to nothing but, cold, dead ash.

I found it plausible that at any second I would smell the thick, clotting scent of smoke and bright orange flames would erupt like a dragon's breath from the stairwell. Then, when we left, we would find them, all mad with bagged eyes and thinned figures, holding rifles and handguns. A second it would take to blow us away, we would not burn in ash, but die messes of lead and thick, red, fleshy meat.

A Clap suddenly sounded in front of me, like a firecracker being blown in front of my face. Startling me so much that I jumped backwards and knocked my head against the radiator that was under the window.

"Oh shit!" Kenneth exclaimed, chuckling slightly "You ok?" He was kneeling in front of me, scratching behind his head, somewhat guilty. "Sorry about that, you were out of it, you ok?" He repeated.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I replied cradling the area where I had hit my head.

"What the hell were you thinking about?" Asked Damien.

"Just… things." I replied.

"Who would have guessed that you were thinking of things? It's the story of the century!" Said Kenneth, who moved back onto the sofa.

"Yeah… Just things." I echoed myself.

"Listen." Damien said, looking straight at me, with an intensity that seemingly bore into my soul itself. "It's going to be fine, stop shaking like a leaf, ok? It's gonna be fine, remember that I had a good feeling about this. So far I haven't found good feeling to be bad. So stop worrying." He was as convincing as a trained conman was to stupid, rich women, although he was much more respectable and honest than any conman I could think of.

"Sure, yeah, i will, or, well, I'll try."

"That's the spirit Pip!" Exclaimed Kenneth. His happiness didn't break and shatter the hard stone that was my anxiety but his effort allowed a small, sad and undeniably scared smile that wavered back to neutrality fast.

For the remainder of the time Damien and Kenneth conversed some, keeping the topics as far away from The Fanatics and religion in general. In an hour it had gone from Kenneth mocking Damien's music taste - and, him being mildly shocked by mine - to, somehow, Kenneth questioning Damien on his possible girlfriends.

"Anyone hot?" He had asked "Have you been with anyone hot."

"What the hell do you mean?"

"Have you banged, or, at the very least, been with anyone hot?"

"What? Why?" Damien spluttered.

"I'm curious, what type of catches are there over in Chicago and Provence? Anything to distract from the bullshit smog and complete boredom?"

"Uh… Uh… I guess. Maybe, there were attractive people yes, but…. yeah, yeah I guess there were." He fumbled. The air between them was still amazingly laid back, I even thought, for a millisecond, that maybe the whole Fanatic thing had been some elaborate scheme to make me friends with Kenneth and, somehow, the same with Damien. My tapping right foot, impulsive fiddling fingers and quick glances out of the window evaporated that thought like water over lava.

"By what you said, I'll just guess that it's the same as everywhere else. You poor, poor, inexperienced guy." He said, sounding like a disappointed mother. "You're obviously too meek to just say such things."

Damien quickly recovered "What do you mean, there were attractive people, yes, I just… never dated any of them." He quickly said, in some attempt to regain the pride that Kenneth had tried to swipe away." I glanced once more at the window. At least one person had to worry for them. 'Where is Lucas? for once I'd be happy to see his damn smile.'

"Ah." Kenneth replied, as if he had just solved the world's most puzzling question "I get it now. They were all cunts, I see. A guy with your looks and bearableness could get any chick he want's. But who wants to be with a cunt?"

"Sure, yeah, right."

"Yes, yes I am right.-" Kenneth got out.

"H-hey Damien. uh, where's your dad? How long have we been waiting?" I asked, eyeing the driveway once more.

"He should be maybe… ten minutes or so. Listen, if it makes things easier, the back yard has extremely small fences, you could step over them, we have a way out if they strike today. They won't though, I'm still going to go on this feeling, I think I'd end up like I was a couple days ago if I didn't."

I looked once more, tightened my fists in my laps and stared outside. The winds were strong, swaying the trees so that the leaves would point to the left, as if nature itself was informing me to look.

I turned to stare down the street and saw a car driving down; the sunlight gleamed of the window and shrouded the driver's face. It slowed down as it approached the house, and parked half on the street, just a little ways from the house.

My breath hitched, my blood turned to icy water and my entire body felt clammy and stiff.