~defy~

Well I knew what I didn't want to know

And I saw Where I didn't want to go

So I took the path less traveled on

And I'll let my stories be whispered when I'm gone...

Clouds drifted across the sky as Sam walked along the beach with a bag of beach gear thrown over his shoulder. It had been over a week since he had drifted back into town for the carnival and he had still yet to come to any sort of conclusion for his wavering feelings. After the vision of Marla and the accident, he had been forced out of his dreaming and thrown back down to earth quite harshly. He was forced to ask questions that he had neglected to ask before. Serious questions that required serious answers, that he had been unwilling to ask for fear that he would hear something earth shattering.

Over the few days spent on the pier under the cover of night he had been able to walk around as if he was having a very nice dream featuring a very handsome hazel eyed man. That time had come to an abrupt halt much sooner than he had expected it though and now he was left confused; unsure of what step he should take next. Before Santa Carla, he had never felt at home or within a comfortable setting. They had lived in Sacramento for less than a year when his mother decided that the next step was to move in with his grandfather.

They had moved to the northern Californian capitol from the deserts of Phoenix in order to get an assessment on his visions from proper neurological doctors. His father had been the first to claim his insanity and the first to leave when his mother choose to believe Sam. That had been just a few months before the move and to say the least, Sam was still sore over it. It wasn't to say that his father had been unloving or neglectful; the man had just been a perfectionist and the fact that his youngest son was a seer of sorts really rubbed against the grain.

A few hundred feet from the stairs that lead up the cliff to the house, Sam finally found a spot of sand that he found suitable before laying out his towel and setting his bag beside it. He stripped off his top and stretched out on the towel, allowing the rays of sun to sink into his skin. For the last couple of days, he had been coming down to the beach with the knowledge that it was one place that put him at ease. With the sound of the waves crashing against the shore surrounding him, it was easy for him to slip into his own world again.

Upon waking up the morning after their return from the cave, his brother only asked him once more about the happenings of that night. With a small shrug from Sam the older backed off, knowing that when the boy was ready he would explain. The only thing holding him back from sharing the information with his brother was that Sam just wasn't sure what he thought about the entire thing. It wouldn't have been good to explain something that he really had no stance on. What good would that do in the long run?

Sighing softly Sam glanced up above him at the clouds, careful to not look directly into the sun. They drifted over him in careless waves. He knew that Dwayne and the others were not human. That was something that he had come to terms with easier than he should have. What they were, he hadn't the slightest clue. However, there were little things here and there that he had noticed about them. A humanoid form was not their real being, they could easily fly, they fed on humans in a borderline brutal manner, David seemed to be the alpha of the group, and they moved as a pack.

When he really thought about it, there weren't that many things that they could be. Yet he wasn't willing to try and guess; he would rather hear it for himself. Maybe that was what he really needed to do. He should really go to Dwayne and ask the questions that he had to get answers from the source of the issue. Then again, he knew that Michael would never let him go to the pier without him. Sam closed his eyes with a small frown, the only way that he would be able to meet with Dwayne alone would be to sneak away and find him on his own.

A soft white flashed as the image of Dwayne leading him down the stairs from the deck and onto the sand played in his mind; his hand held delicately as he was taken beneath the pier. Soft laughter escaped him blinking furiously as he came back to himself. Above him a seagull cawed and Sam stood from his spot, packing up his towel and shirt as he went. He needed to go and get ready to meet Dwayne that night. As he walked along the beach and back up the stairs, he thought about how he would find the man once he arrived at the pier. They did seem to always find one another, he thought with a confused smile.

After setting the now sandy bag on the porch, Sam walked into the house and went straight up the stairs. Without bothering to shower, he simply dusted himself off and changed clothes; stepping into a pair of jean shorts and a casual purple t-shirt. He straightened his hair in the mirror before he finally slipped on his sneakers and left the room, passing Michael's open bedroom door on the way. "Sammie?" His name was called and he almost cringed at being caught. Stepping back he glanced through the door to find his brother setting the barbell back on the rack as he looked at him curiously. "Where are you headed?"

Thinking quickly Sam smiled, "I was heading down to the comic book store that I wanted to see the first night." Michael made a face as Sam laughed, "The one you didn't want to go to for fear of being labeled a geek." The older just stuck out his tongue before walking out of the door, ruffling Sam's hair on the way. Readjusting his hair, Sam followed Michael down the stairs; stopping by the front door. "I'll catch you later alright?"

"How long will you be?" The question hung in the air for a moment before Sam just shrugged helplessly as an answer, "Just try to be back before dark, alright?" At the deal Sam nodded with a smile before turning and walking out the door. For a moment he sort of just leaned against the surface, thanking the heavens that his brother had let him go so easily. After a quick check to make sure he had his wallet, he started to walk down the drive and then through the streets before he finally reaching the pier. Apparently it was more of a nighttime thing as he found it to be nearly deserted.

He wandered along the walk, going in and out of stores. It was nice to be able to see everything without the huge crowd in the way. By the time that he had walked the entire line of shops the sun was beginning to set and groups of people began showing up on the walk. Soon enough it was as crowded as always and Sam began to keep an eye out for the gang. Without any luck in finding them in what he considered to be a reasonable amount of time he walked into the comic shop to kill some time. He was sure Dwayne would find him. Careful to avoid being seen by the two weird clerks, he browsed the shelves for something new to read.

Once more it was brought to his awareness that the horror comics were in between nearly every other section and he frowned slightly in curiosity. Maybe the clerks thought the comics were so good that they needed to be spaced out everywhere to be seen. Giving up the fight, he reached down and picked up the closest book not even glancing at the title. As he flipped through the pages his frown began to deepen. It was a vampire comic. The creatures could fly and they had one leader who directed the rest. Their forms would shift and they moved as one. As he reached the last page he gasped and dropped the book.

Looking down to where the pages lay open, the picture facing him was of a group of vampires dancing around a fire as they preyed on their victims. A hand on his shoulder had him flinching away with a gasp and he looked up to find the boy with the bandana watching him. "You back for more?" Sam backed away from him and fled from the store, the bells jingling behind him as he rushed through the crowd. Faces blurred together as he dodged bodies the best he could, unsure of where he was going other than the fact that it was away from the comic shop.

When he found a break from the crowd he crashed into the dock railing and leaned over it scrunching his eyes shut. It had just been a comic, but suddenly everything was clicking together in his head; like all the pieces of a puzzle. He suddenly felt nauseated and began to fan himself with his hand in an attempt to not get sick. After a few moments of taking in deep steadying breaths, he stood straight and looked up at the sky; noticing that it had finally gotten dark. With a final calming shrug, he took in his surroundings and found that he was by the stairs leading to the beach.

As glanced around him, he felt a cool hand take his and he turned to find Dwayne standing beside him. Without a word, the man gently pulled Sam after him towards the stairs. Sam wondered if he should really go with the man considering what he had found, yet he still allowed Dwayne to lead him into the sand and down the beach. He easily gripped the hand holding his own as they walked together into the shadows of the pier.

Well in this life you must find something to live for

Cause when the darkness comes a callin'

You'll go back to where you were before

Cause this life is as fragile as a dream, and

Nothings ever really as it seems...

~defy~