Chapter Four

The bed really was too comfortable. I'd acknowledged that upon waking, feeling the warmth of the duvet, and the coldness of the air outside of it. I knew I didn't want to move yet. It's these movements you savour really, especially when you suddenly see a teenage boy you don't recognize towering about your half awake carcass.

"I'm Danny." The brunette grinned, sweeping his curled locks from his eyes. Stunningly blue eyes. "You must be the new arrival. I didn't think Doug would be so easy." He nodded to beside me where Dougie still lay sleeping.
"How did you get in?" I frowned.
"Patricia sent me up." He shrugged, digging out his phone from his pocket. "I would have woken you myself, but I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by." I was about to inquire as to what he meant when I found his phone thrust in to my face. A perfectly captured picture of me and Dougie sleeping, his arm over my waist. "That was for effect." He smirked. "He won't be hearing the end of this."
"End of what?" Dougie groaned as he stirred from slumber, his eyes squinting and blinking repeatedly until he adjusted to the light. He sat up, looking at Danny then frowned. "What time is it?"
"Past midday." Danny answered, staring at me.

People around here seem to do that a lot.

He slipped a glance at Dougie slyly before grinning again, "Since when did you get the fresh meat?"

Oh, so I'm some kind of object now am I?
Some kind of play thing for their general interest?

"Leave it out." Dougie snarled at him, pushing the covers off of himself, stumbling out of bed, balled fists rubbing at his eyes tiredly. I was silent as he grabbed his clothes from off the end of the bed and pushed Danny towards the door, the both of them about to leave. "Claire, be ready to leave in twenty minutes." And with that, the door slammed shut.

I was alone.
Left to my own devices.

Now, if I knew where Patricia has put all of my clothes, I'd gladly get changed. And I don't fancy rooting in Dougie's cupboards. Lord knows what I might find. That boy has issues.

And his friend.
I mean, where does he get off calling me fresh meat?
Who does he think he is?

I walked downstairs quickly, two steps at a time. Heart shooting in to my mouth when I missed one. I tumbled to the bottom on my arse. Groaning inwardly, I got up, brushing myself down.

"You smell familiar." Came the recognizable broad northern accent. I looked left to where Danny stood, folded arms, leaning up against the doorframe. And he still had that ridiculous grin on his face.
"Okay.." I answered simply. I smell familiar? What is it with these boys and their noses? Hey… Does this mean…
"Yeah, he is." Dougie called from a nearby room. I think it was the kitchen. I couldn't quite remember what room was to the left of the stairs. It was either the kitchen of the living room. "Kitchen!" he yelled.

Typical.

"He's doing the mind thing isn't he?" Danny seemed to catch on. Well, now, isn't he a clever boy. I nodded and grabbed my jacket from where Patricia had placed it on the banister the night previous. "Tell him to-"
"Don't you dare, Jones. I'm having fun." Dougie scowled, talking in to the hallway where me and Danny were now stood.
"Tell him firmly, that he has to ask permission or you have to invite him before he does his thing." Danny continued.
"Why? He'll do it anyway." I shrugged, and pulled my jacket on, slipping my hands in to the pockets and looking to the floor.
"He's bound by vampire ruling." The brunette grinned. He smiles too much. Really, he does. "it's like, a vampire can't step inside someone's house until they invite you. He can't go in your head until you invite him." He glances at his friend, glaring a little as Dougie smirks.. "Although, it looks like he's been taking advantage of your weak state."

Weak state?
I'm not weak.
Just challenged.

"I meant you're vulnerable because you're oblivious to half of the law by the looks of things." He stated. Oh, so he does it anyway. Setting a fine example there now aren't you?
"Oh Dan, you hypocrite!" Dougie spoke camply, a lisp included as he batted his hands in a somewhat feminine manner. The two of them were silent, roaring with laughter upon locking eye contact.
"That's it! You both have to ask my permission!" I shrieked.

Ha.
That shut them up.
Suckers.

I suddenly feel a whole lot better now. I think it's because I'm now the only occupant of my mind. And it shall remain that way. I can assure you.

It was quite a pleasant neighbourhood if I was totally honest with myself. You see the odd thing on TV, with the ideal way of suburban life. Where there's no broken paths or kerbs. There's no graffiti. There's no chewing gum on the pavement. Everyone's front gardens are immaculate to match the house. It's probably at this point I begin to question which of the following I've been placed in. The Stepford Wives, The Truman Show, or Toy Story.

"Where are we going?" I asked. We'd been walking for a good half an hour by now, and all I'd seen so far was houses, nicely trimmed hedges, and more houses.
"The club. I told you last night." Dougie answered.
"Well yes, that's all well and good, but where is it?" I asked. I don't like being led up the garden path and in to a swirling mass of the good old 'I'm not telling you' trick. The two boys remained silent. Assholes. They could be leading me in to some kind of Nazi-like trap. A gas chamber, because I'm a freak. How dare they!
Stupid, lying…

Ouch.

My nose collided with Danny's back. Seems they stopped walking, and I didn't notice. My nose hurts quite a bit now. I look up. They're just standing still. Doing nothing but stare back at me.

"What?" I finally choked out. For some reason, anything more complex seemed a lot more difficult to say. Odd. Danny simply pointed. Downwards. To the ground beneath out feet. I followed both his and Dougie's gazes. Fixated on the same spot. Where I stood. I moved away from the manhole cover I'd previously been standing on. They can't be serious.

I watched, open mouthed, as Danny bent down, lifting up a latch on the cover, and prising it open. Don't those things weight a tonne or something? Well, not literally, but they're still somewhat hefty aren't they?
"Ladies first." Dougie smirked.
"Whatever." I shrug and fold my arms. I'm not going to be budged.
"I'll go first. I'll help you down." Danny smiled. This guy was growing on me. He shimmied in to the hole, and slowly lowered himself down until we could no longer see him. I notice Dougie roll his eyes, snorting a little impatiently.
"Okay, Claire, when you're ready." Danny's voice echoed up to the surface. I bit down on my lip and say, my legs dangling in the dark, blind gap in the road.

Why am I doing this?

I looked up at Dougie as I moved down. He smiled as I put my hand out for the rail. Sht. no rail.
Sht. His eyes widened when I slipped.
Double Sht.

It didn't take long for me to realise I was falling. Probably in to some kind of sewer, or something equally as disgusting. I let out a short sharp squeal, scrunching my eyes tight shut, waiting for the excruciatingly painful landing I was to expect. I heard a grown as my body connected with something. It was a comfy something.

"Claire?" I opened my eyes, realizing that I'd landed in something. Arms. I lifted my head up and let out a small sigh, relieved. "You should work on your landing." Danny smiled, his eyes shining with something I didn't recognize in him. "The idea is to land feet first, knees bent."
I nodded. "Umm.. Can you put me down now?"
"Of course." He chuckled, doing as I asked when Dougie fell, landing feet first, knees bent, resuming standing position almost immediately. Okay, so it works for him. But that's like a thirty foot drop!
"That's not normal." I breathed, finally having my feet on the ground again.
"But, Claire, you forget, we aren't normal." Dougie spoke, his face looking almost distorted in the unnatural light in this space. This tunnel. This…

Wow, it smells funny here.

"I forgot to tell you about the drop." He continued, noting Danny still had a firm grip on my shoulders. Sure. He forgot.
"But I wouldn't worry. It's harmless." Danny shrugged. "Doug fell and lived."
"Yeah." Dougie smiled, looking pleased with himself. "If I hadn't have fell down here, we wouldn't be here now."

Ah. So, I take it he found this place then. What a discovery. I'm mesmerized. So what if he found an abandoned sewer. Does he want a medal or something?

"We should get going before his head gets any bigger." Danny grinned and gave me a small pat on the back. Some kind of knowing gesture?
"I'm allowed to be proud of my discovery." Dougie huffed loudly, his voice echoing as it ricocheted off the damp walls surrounding us.

We were silent again as we continued to walk, guided by, and excuse me for sounding so cliché, the light at the end of the tunnel. As we neared, the brighter it got, and I noticed the small fairy lights flashing, attached along the walls, as well as a low buzzing sound. And that's when the tunnel opened out, a large room was now in front of me.

Boy, was this getting weird.