Chapter 20
"What the hell did happen with you and Kenny?" Asked Kyle to Damien as we left the school gates.
"Nothing much, he was just in trouble with some stuff and we lent him a hand." Kyle looked over in disbelief, probably at his vagueness but pushed no further.
We walked for some time before Stan took the lead, and turned with a near mischievous look and said "I bet you wanna know why Kyle asked you to come with?"
Kyle glared.
Sure, why not?" Said Damien.
"Cus' his mom, as fat ass has put it, is the most overprotective, insane woman in town."
"No. Cartman said she was the biggest kike bitch on Earth," Kyle replied, feigning nonchalance.
"Whatever, but I have to say thanks."
"Uh... Why?" I asked.
"Cus' his mom's right to be worried," from my side I saw Kyle glare, a red tint on his cheeks, "if we didn't have you guys around I'd have to walk alone, and fuck that!'
"Glad we could be of help," Damien said.
"She's not that bad," argued Kyle.
"Yes she is!" He turned back to us, "anyway, yeah, thanks for basically being around, Kenny couldn't have picked a better time, because fuck walking alone right now." He rejoined us in our slow march forward, "hell, fuck just walking with Kyle."
Damien smirked, "because a bullied orphan and a… well, me, can help you fend off some trained killer."
"Who says he's trained?" Kyle said. "Chances are he's just some sick whacko. It was a kid that was murdered wasn't it?'
"Yeah," answered Damien, seeming somewhat out of it. We were reaching the invisible barrier from working class to unemployed. Only about ten minutes from Kenneth's house.
'So he's probably only starting small if he is some serial killer. We wouldn't even be targets until it was the fith or even sixth killing, as damn sick as it is, it's the truth. My mom's just… too worried."
"I…" I started, gaining their attention, " I really hope to god that this all ends soon, the silence is… bad."
"Doesn't everyone?" Kyle said, Stan nodded.
"I guess I haven't been here long enough." Responded Damien.
"Well..." Kyle trailed off looking around at the quiet mass of run down houses and trailer parks, it was silent, the wind could be heard silently escaping from the desolation. Flakes of snow and dust following suite.
"Shit, Kenny hasn't gone and done a runner with the rest of his neighbours has he."
"They're… um, I guess it's because that… they're the most vulnerable." I quietly muttered under my breath
"What?" Asked Stan.
"Um…" I faked a cough to 'bring' my voice back to full level. "It's uh… nothing, just… just nothing."
'Seriously, what did you say?" Pressed Damien.
I gave in, "oh, it's just that, well, it's never really been very safe here to begin with, why… why wouldn't people lock themselves in?"
'Well…" Stan started as we began moving, "imagine Kenny stuck with his entire family for a day! He'll need that immortality! "
The shadows of the trailers crawled towards the road, urged on by the moving sun that made the world as bright as a fogged morning.
At least one or two people were outside in the town's center.
Dirt crunched beneath our feet in an erratic, random melody.
"Shit man, I don't think I've ever realised how serious this is." Stan said.
"Yeah." Kyle muttered, "yeah… it's real serious."
It was as quiet as a tree, where only the breeze could create a natural sound, and there was no breeze.
