Songs:
THROUGH FIRE - All Animal
Starset - CARNIVORE
Monday comes and Craig finds himself wanting to get to school fast as he can in order to see Kenny. Feeling much better today, after resting a whole day almost and his legs no longer tired. He arrives early, maybe too early, and figures he won't see him till class so he heads to his locker, where he's met with a pleasant surprise. The orange clad figure of Kenny waiting by it.
"You're here early," Craig says with a smile, when reaching his locker.
"Yeah, but I had a feeling I should be," Kenny says.
"And why's that?" Craig asks.
"Just a feeling," Kenny replies and looks at him.
Craig snorts to himself as he gathers his textbooks for his morning classes, then shuts his locker and heads off with Kenny where the two exchange some small talk before the day starts.
The day passes by pretty smoothly, aside from Craig having to push down the occasional memory from last night, every time Kenny touched him somewhere. Other than that, it's a pretty tame day and he now currently found himself with Kenny and his group of friends hanging out at a local fast food place.
"It's been a while since we've been here, huh?" Token says.
"Y-yeah," Jimmy replies.
It had indeed been a while since Craig and his friends had last been here. The last time being when he thought he saw Kenny outside the window and when he didn't really know anything about him, other than his eyes. Now though, he sat next to him in a booth, knowing and having experienced many things with him.
"What should we get?" Token asks.
"I-I'm good for anything," Jimmy replies.
"Same," Craig says.
"As long as we don't get anything sharp! I don't want to choke!" Tweek exclaims.
"Oh that might be hard with 'Mister Taco lover' over here," Token says and gestures to Clyde.
There's a pause as everyone looks at him, before he catches on.
"What?" he asks.
"You're not going to say anything?" Token asks.
"About what?" Clyde asks.
A concerned look crosses Token's face.
"You okay man?" Token asks.
"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" Clyde tells him before getting up, "We going to get food or not? Cause I'm hungry. I'll meet you guys at the cash while you decide," and he walks away.
"Clyde's been acting strange lately," Tweek says.
"Yeah," Token agrees.
"Strange how?" Craig asks, despite having a suspicion as to why.
"I don't know, just… he doesn't seem the same as he was before," Token replies.
"Yeah, i-it's al-almost like something i-is bo-bothering him," Jimmy adds.
"Mhmmm," Tweek nods.
"You don't have any ideas do you?" Token asks Craig.
"No… none that I can think of," Craig replies.
"Hmmm," Token hums before getting up as well, "well, hopefully it's nothing. For now, let's get something to eat," and he heads off, Tweek and Jimmy following soon after.
Judging by what everyone said, it seemed that Clyde still hadn't told them anything yet. Craig knew that part of Clyde's strange behavior was most likely due to Kenny being around, and the situations that related to Kenny and the marks he had seen on him before. He knew what Clyde most likely thought was going on too, but he couldn't say or tell him anything without revealing so much about Kenny, so he had to remain quiet about it. Even though he felt bad for leaving him in the dark, along with the others.
Just as Craig goes to get up, the door to the fast food place jingles and the familiar green suit of the mayor walks in, with a bodyguard of some sort next to her. Craig notices Kenny's stature change almost immediately as he sees her. And he can't help but feel a bit apprehensive as well, recalling the night they broke into town hall, and all that he saw and learned. The two watch as she walks to the cash, makes her order and exchanges small talk with Craig's friends.
"It's weird to see her now, knowing what I know," Craig says quietly.
"Be on guard," Kenny says.
Just as he does, she looks over at them and makes her way over. Craig's heart rate quickens somewhat as she does.
"Hello there young ones, " she greets.
"Hello," Craig greets back, and she gives a small smile before looking at Kenny.
"I remember seeing you at the fair before, but I don't think I ever got your name?" she says.
"Kenny," he replies, his voice wavering with something.
"I see, well whereabouts are you from, Kenny?" she asks, "Because I think I know where everyone else but you came from." Craig notices Kenny tense at that, but he doesn't break his gaze on her. "I know that you moved into town some months ago, but before that, I don't know. So I'm asking because I'm curious is all."
"I'm just from around," Kenny replies, and Craig can hear the tone of a growl being held back.
"From around, huh? Well that's helpful," she laughs. "What did you say your last name was?"
The question prompts something in Craig now that it was asked, he realized that despite knowing Kenny for quite some time now, he still didn't know himself what his last name was.
"I didn't." Kenny replies.
The mayor gives a somewhat half smile to that before her expression changes to something else.
"Anyways," she carries on, changing the topic, "like I asked the kids over there, you two haven't seen any strange activity around here lately have you?"
"Strange?" Craig repeats.
"Oh you know, anything unusual and such," she adds.
"Not that I can think of," Craig replies.
"What about you?" she asks Kenny, "Notice anything strange, Kenny?"
Kenny looks about ready to kill her when his name drops from her mouth, but he looks off instead.
"No." he replies.
Just as she's about to ask something else, Craig's friends start to head back over.
"Well, if either of you do, be sure to let me know," she says, taking note of them, "heard there was a break in not too long ago," she adds and looks at them, "sneaky criminals need to be punished."
The words are cold and enough to make Craig's heart stop, but the mayor just gives a smile as she walks off to get her order.
"Craig?" Token asks, snapping him out of his state.
"Uh, yeah?" he replies.
"You going to get food or what?" Token asks.
Craig looks back at the cash, where the mayor is currently picking up her order.
"Nah, think I'll pass," he replies.
"What's up with him?" Clyde asks, gesturing to Kenny.
Craig looks at him. Kenny is watching the mayor again with a very intent stare, even as she leaves the restaurant. Craig places a hand on his knee under the table and Kenny looks back at him, then everyone else.
"You okay?" Craig asks him.
"Yeah, sorry," Kenny replies.
"Man, what did the mayor say to you two? You guys seem out of it or something," Token says, taking a seat.
"Yeah," Tweek nods, also sitting.
"It was nothing," Craig tells them, as the others sit down, "just her being her creepy self," he adds and his grip on Kenny's knee tightens.
"Yeah, you can say that again," Token says, shaking his head.
As everyone starts to eat, Kenny places a hand over Craig's one on his knee, as if telling him he was fine now and trying to calm him down instead. It helps somewhat, but a worry can't help but linger in the back of his mind.
Once everyone is done, and the group heads off in different directions home, Craig takes the chance to talk with Kenny about what happened.
"Do you think she knows?" he asks.
"I'm not sure," Kenny replies.
"But then why did she say that to us?" Craig asks.
"I don't know. She could have been testing us," Kenny says.
"Testing?"
"For our reactions to it."
"Oh."
"Looks like they have been busy amongst themselves though, behind the scenes."
"We'll need to be careful around her and others."
"Yeah," Kenny agrees.
They walk a bit more in silence and another thought crosses Craig's mind.
"When she asked you what your last name was and you didn't give it to her. I couldn't help but wonder what it was," Craig says.
"My last name is—" Kenny stops then, and Craig gives him a curious look.
"What's wrong?" he asks.
"We're being followed," Kenny murmurs.
"What?"
"I wasn't sure at first, but there's a scent that's been lingering nearby ever since we left the restaurant."
"Where—"
"Don't look," Kenny interrupts, "if you do, they might figure it out."
"Then what do we do?" Craig asks, concerned.
"Nothing," Kenny replies, "we do nothing and hope that they go away. Chances are they are watching me and not you. So don't worry."
"That doesn't make it any better…" Craig tells him uneasy, "how can you be certain they are?"
"The scent is the same as the bodyguard that was with the mayor before," Kenny replies.
"So you think it's him following?"
"Yes," Kenny nods, "we'll need to part ways. I can't walk you all the way back."
"Why?"
"I don't think it's a good idea, and you might end up more involved than you are."
"Alright," Craig agrees, unsure.
"I can't see you tonight either if they're watching me," Kenny says, and although a bit disappointed Craig nods.
"Okay."
"Sorry," Kenny apologies.
"It's okay," Craig tells him.
When the two eventually part, Craig gives a small wave.
"Be careful," he tells Kenny.
"I will," Kenny replies before heading off.
Craig watches as he heads off and spots a man in uniform not so inconspicuously follows after him. He wants to go up and say something to him, but that would only cause trouble. So he instead does what Kenny told him to and heads home. Needless to say, his worry and uneasiness only grow that night, as he finds it hard to sit still or focus on his homework and other things.
When the next day comes, Craig's worry only grows more as Kenny is nowhere to be found at school. Craig tries to tell himself that maybe Kenny is lying low until things pass, but something in Craig's gut isn't sitting right with him. Especially when a second day passes and there's still no word. When the school day ends, Craig decides to take a walk around town just to make sure. Thinking that if he saw any trace of him, it would help ease his mind again, but no such luck.
Somehow, for some reason, his feet guide him to the woods. He needed to make sure.
He's not sure how far in the woods he's gone, when rapid footsteps head towards him. They come to a sudden stop behind him and he expects to be met with orange, blue, black and blond, but is instead met with red, green, gray and brown. The smile on his face falls when he realizes it's Kevin.
"Oh, it's just you," Kevin says, "I thought Kenny might be with you, because I could smell his scent…"
Those words raise Craig's suspicion and unease even more.
"Has he not been back since your fight?" he asks.
"He has," Kevin replies, "but I just kept my distance. Karen wasn't thrilled with our last argument. But that didn't mean I didn't keep a watch on him," he explains.
"Watch?"
"Yes. Like how I know he was at your house after our fight, because he probably didn't want to get into another one."
"Oh," Craig says, "wait, you can't find him?"
"Not since two days ago," Kevin replies and Craig's eyes widen in shock.
"Then where—"
"I don't know," Kevin cuts him off, "his scent just suddenly disappeared at night. Like it was being masked, or hidden." The news makes Craig anxious and all he can think of is who's behind it. "To be honest, I would have suspected you to have something to do with him missing. Like telling someone about him. But with what he left inside, I can tell that's not the case."
"Huh?" Craig says, being pulled from his thoughts, "What he left inside?"
"You two certainly have gotten much more closer since I last saw you," Kevin says, "I guess what I did, prompted Kenny to finally act. He must have been so over the moon to finally be inside you."
The words take a moment to process, but when they do, Craig's face begins to burn as if it were the surface of the sun.
"I—we—didn't—" he tries to speak.
"Don't try to deny it. I can tell because he left a very certain scent in you. And there's only one place that I can think of where it would be," Kevin says, "he must have been so happy. It was something that he had been desiring for quite some time now," he adds and Craig can see the corner of his eyes wrinkle into a smile, "being inside you, that is."
There was no stopping the searing red burn on Craig's face from the embarrassment he felt, knowing that someone could tell what they did, and even more so that it was Kevin.
"I'm actually a bit jealous," Kevin says, looking away, "part of me wanted to claim you as mine. If only to mess with my brother," hearing that instantly makes Craig defensive, "don't worry, I won't do anything to you again," he laughs, "our family has a rule."
"Rule?" Craig repeats.
"Yeah, If someone in our family finds a mate, we are not to harm them in any way," Kevin replies.
"Mate? Wait—what?" Craig says confused.
"Should be fairly easy to understand," Kevin tells him, "you and Kenny fucked, and now that makes you his mate. And not just one he ogles at anymore either."
"I…"
Craig feels the embarrassment come back at the bluntness of those words and is at a loss as for what to say. Did being mates mean dating? Or just sex? Or something more? He was confused.
"Anyways, this gave me a good laugh. But I need to continue looking for my brother now," Kevin says and goes to head off.
"Wait!" Craig quickly says, "I think I know what may have happened to him."
Kevin stops in place and narrows his eyes at him.
"What is it?" he asks low and the tone of his voice makes Craig unsure if he should tell him or not.
"I… I think he might have gotten taken or caught," Craig says.
"By who?" Kevin asks, his tone lowering more.
"The mayor."
"What!?" Kevin practically shouts, "Whatever happened, you better start explaining to me right now!" he demands.
And with some hesitation, Craig does. He explains everything that happened. The break into the office, the restaurant, how Kenny told him that he was being followed, all of it. And after he's done explaining, he can't tell if Kevin wants to kill him or not still.
"I'm going," Kevin finally says with a sigh.
"Going? Going where?" Craig asks.
"To town hall."
"I'm going with you."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you'll just get in the way."
"I won't!"
"You will."
"You're not the only one who wants to find Kenny you know!" Craig says, growing more annoyed, "Besides, aren't I his mate or whatever? Shouldn't I help too?"
"It's exactly why you're his mate that you can't come."
"Wha—"
"It's too dangerous, and Kenny wouldn't want it," Kevin tells him.
"Kenny isn't here, I—"
"I don't care. The answer is no," Kevin cuts him off, "leave this to me and stay out of it."
And before Craig can utter another word, Kevin is gone. There's frustration he feels build at it. He couldn't just sit idly by while Kenny was in some kind of potential danger. He needed to try and help somehow. So discarding Kevin's warnings, he heads off to the town hall.
He was going to help, one way or another. Whether Kevin wanted it or not.
By the time he makes his way to town hall, it's evening. He hides by a nearby building as he thinks of his next move. And just as it comes to him, a voice calls out.
"Craig?"
Craig freezes in place and rigidly turns to face the voice's holder. He's met with not one, but two individuals. Token and Tweek.
"What are you doing?" Token asks, arching a brow.
"Huh? Oh, uh—nothing, just passing on through," he replies, trying not to raise suspicion, "what are you guys doing?" he asks, trying to take the topic off himself.
"We're coming back from meeting up with Clyde and Jimmy…" Token says, "I thought you were busy or something today?"
"I am, I uh, just wanted to take a little walk around the town is all," Craig says.
"You know, we saw you walking around earlier too. Are you sure something isn't up?" Token asks.
"Yeah, I'm fine, everything is—"
Something passes by town hall and catches Craig's attention, a man, the one that was with the mayor two days ago.
"Uh Craig?" Token asks, following his line of sight.
"Nothing," Craig replies and looks at him, "anyways, it was nice seeing you guys. But I got to go now. So I'll see you two around," he quickly says as the man walks out of view.
He gives a small wave before quickly heading off, leaving a confused Token and Tweek to exchange looks to one another.
Craig follows the man down the sidewalk as he goes turn after turn, till eventually he follows him down a small path hidden by some trees and bushes leading into the woods. He's surprised that a path like this exists and that he never noticed it, considering it was just outside of town. The path is long, and with the sun setting it doesn't help with making out just how far ahead the man in front of him is. But he keeps his distance.
Then something else in the distance catches his eye, a light that he can just make out the man entering into what looks like an old building of some sort. As he nears it, he makes out an old wooden door attached to a stone structure. The building has very few windows, most of them seeming to be dim.
He thinks of climbing in through one, because he did not know what waited on the other side of the door. For all he knew he could be grabbed and bagged if he—something grabs his shoulder. A hand. Its grip firm and it pulls him back. Fear and apprehension instantly rise in him. Had they caught him following? Was this it? Well if so, he wasn't going to go down without a fight.
Craig quickly turns on the spot and swings a throw. The punch doesn't land as the figure just barely has enough time to dodge it.
"Whoa!" a voice exclaims.
A voice that Craig knew all too well.
"Token?!" he asks in confusion. And when he looks again, he can now see that it was indeed him and Tweek as well. "What—what are you guys doing here?"
"That's what we'd like to ask you," Token says back.
"Huh?" Craig says confused.
"You were acting strange earlier, or rather a lot recently. A-and we started to get worried that something might be wrong, so we uh, we…" Tweek trails off.
"We followed you," Token finishes saying, "man what the hell are you doing at such a shady place, in the middle of nowhere?"
"It's nothing," Craig replies, flatly.
"Doesn't look like it to me," Token says.
"Look guys, everything's fine, just go back home," Craig tells them.
"No, not until you tell us what the hell you're doing out here," Token states.
"Yeah, it's pretty creepy," Tweek adds.
Some part of Craig did feel a bit bad about what he wasn't telling his concerned friends, but he didn't want to involve them or put them at risk as well.
"Guys I know you're worried, but really, it's—" Craig is interrupted by the loud sound of a scream erupting from somewhere deep inside the building.
"What the hell was that?" Token asks, confused as Tweek lets out a small yelp of some sort. And Craig takes off to the side of the building. "Craig?!" He starts to look for a way in as he walks around it. "Craig, what are you doing?! Didn't you hear that just now?!" Token asks, catching up to him.
"I did," he replies.
"Well don't you think we should leave?" Token suggests.
"I need to find a way in," Craig mutters.
"What?!" Tweek exclaims.
"Look, you guys—just go home and forget about all this, okay?" Craig says.
"Forget about—dude what the hell is going—"
Another scream cries out, cutting Token off.
"Shit," Craig says, and picks up pace searching.
For a brief moment Craig thinks he sees a dark shadow crawl up the side of the building, before slipping into an opened window.
"Dude!" Token says, grabbing him, "Let's go!"
"I can't," Craig says and shrugs him off.
"Why not?!"
"I just can't, okay?!" Craig exclaims and continues his search. His eyes land onto a small window, leading into what he guesses is the basement, and he instantly runs over to it and starts to pry it open.
"Craig, stop—what the hell are you—"
"Look Token—just go home! Leave!" Craig tells him and looks between the two, "Both of you."
They fall silent as he goes back to prying at the window.
"Ngh—is… is Kenny in trouble?" Tweek asks with a twitch and Craig freezes in place. "It's just that, I've noticed that whenever he's gone, y-you always start to act differently now. Like you're afraid of something bad happening."
Craig stays still for a couple more moments, before another scream cuts the air.
"Yeah…" Craig replies as he goes back to prying the window open, he's hands shaking slightly. The sound of footsteps near as Tweek leans down and helps Craig open the window all the way, "Thanks."
"Look dude, even if Kenny is in trouble, shouldn't we like, call the police or something?" Token asks.
"No," Craig replies, "no police can help," he then slides his lower half through the window, and his feet land on something flat, "you two go home," he adds, just before sliding the rest of his body inside.
"Are you serious right now?" Token says in disbelief, "You don't even know who or what could be in there right now. You could die!" he lets out a sigh before he spots Tweek going in after him, "Tweek!" Tweek flinches and looks up at him. "Really man?!"
"H-he could need our help," Tweek replies with a hesitant smile.
"Fine," Token sighs in defeat.
When Tweek joins up with Craig, Craig is a bit surprised to see him and then Token follow in after him.
"Tweek's idea," Token says to the surprised expression on Craig's face.
"I just thought that you may need our help," Tweek says, "a-and, I may not know Kenny as much as you do, but he doesn't seem like a bad guy. So I want to help," he adds and looks at him, "besides, he's important to you, right?"
Craig looks away at that, ignoring the faint burn.
"Thanks," he mumbles.
The three make their way through the dark room they were now in, and come across a door. They open it and find it leads into a stone hall. As they enter it, another scream, this time much louder, echoes down its walls. Craig hurries to its source and comes to an open area. The room is an open space, with torches aligned along it's walls, stone arches and two other halls connecting to it. However, Craig's attention is drawn to the center of the room, where a figure lie chained to a slanted wooden table.
Kenny.
He's nude and has marks littered across his skin. Craig can't quite tell what they were caused by, being too far away, but he knew that they were probably painful. He's just about ready to run over to him, but is stopped by Token grabbing his arm and pointing to a group of dark hooded individuals standing nearby Kenny. Craig is then guided to a stack of wooden crates, where the three of them hide behind.
"What the fuck?" Token whispers and Craig makes a silencing gesture.
"His body and face…" Tweek murmurs.
"The hell did they do to—" Token is cut off as Craig shushes them both.
They go back to observing and Craig tries to think of what to do.
"Still won't talk ,huh?" a female voice, that Craig recognized as the mayor's, says. "If you just told us where the others are, this would all be over. We know that there's more than just you. Eye witnesses have seen you with another male figure around town. And I don't mean the boy in the blue hat who you're always with either. Although, people seem to say that you two appear rather… close. I wonder how much he knows about all this," a low growl escapes Kenny at that, "did I hit a nerve? Don't worry, nothing bad will come to him if you just tell us where the other one is. The one in red."
"There's nothing to tell," Kenny replies.
"You have to understand," she says and motions to another hooded figure, "having you here, after thinking you all were gone, is a danger to this town. And as our sworn duty, we must keep it safe from you and others like you."
The other hooded figure then unravels a long leather whip and strikes him hard three times. Each one causing a gash in his flesh and earning a scream. Anger swells in Craig. He needed to do something, he couldn't keep watching as Kenny got tortured this way in front of him. He needed to—
"Shouldn't be here," Kenny pants and Craig freezes.
"Pardon?" the mayor asks.
"You shouldn't be here," Kenny repeats.
"I'm sorry, what? That makes no sense," the mayor says.
"He seems delusional," a hooded figure says.
But not to Craig, he was certain that wasn't meant for them.
"Maybe we should just wrap this up," a male voice says, and others agree.
"I suppose we could, but then we won't know where the other is," the mayor says.
"But he's of no use to us like this, he won't tell us anything," another says.
"I guess we could try another method then," the mayor sighs and nods to another hooded figure.
This one wore a purple robe though and held something in their hand, a staff, one that looked exactly like the one from the pictures. The figure holding it stands in front of Kenny as the others all stand in a circle around him. A chant starts as they join hands and raise them up. The figure in purple starts to say something then, a spell, and hits the bottom of the staff to the ground before raising it up and spinning it. A light starts to emit from it then and it's aimed at Kenny, completely enveloping his whole body. Kenny cries out in pain as the light touches him. He starts to thrash about, trying to escape it, but unable to.
"You want this to stop?" the mayor asks, "Then tell us where the other one is."
Kenny though, is unable to reply in such a state of pain. The mayor nods again to the purple figure and they press the tip of the staff to Kenny's chest. Kenny's scream rises in pitch at that, and Craig finds this all becoming too unbearable to watch. He needed to do something, and something quick. But he knew that if he just ran in there blind, he'd be grabbed and stopped, he needed a plan, anything, but was at a loss for what he should do.
However, another hooded figure enters the room catching his eye, and before he can even process what's going on, the hooded figure kills one of the ones in the circle with their bare hand, and then another. It doesn't take him long to guess who it is. Kevin.
The circle breaks but the staff remains pressed to Kenny's chest.
"It's the other one!" one exclaims.
"Quick, the gun!" another shouts.
Kevin quickly rushes to the purple figure, his hand raised ready to attack. But before he can land a hit, Kenny lets out an ear piercing shriek, causing everyone to stop and cover their ears. Then in a horrific shift, Craig watches as Kenny's eyes glow bright white and his body contort in unnatural directions. His hands closing into fists and pulling against their chained restraints. The intensity of Kenny's screech seeming to rise in volume the more he pulls at them. The chains begin to creak until a loud snap of each one is heard. And one after another Kenny breaks them off.
The purple hooded figure jumps back as Kenny lands in front of them. Kevin doesn't move either, which Craig can't understand why. In fact, he seemed to be backing away.
A deep guttural growl comes from Kenny as he raises his head up, his long hair now revealing two pure white orbs under it. Kenny's teeth bare, his face contorting into a snarl as he looks around. His pose on all fours, like that of a wild animal.
No one moves, or makes a sound, all eyes were on Kenny and whatever his next move may be. As one of the hooded individuals tries to move away, they knock over a candle, which instantly causes Kenny to snap his attention in their direction and make a direct beeline for them. Kenny moves so quick, that Craig can't even process it properly as the unlucky hooded figure is flung across the room, greeting the stone wall with a crack. Then it's full blown chaos as another tries to run and Kenny jumps on them, biting into their neck and tearing out a chunk of it. All the hooded figures are running in a frenzy then, trying to escape before Kenny catches and kills them.
Craig spots as the purple hooded figure slips away and almost wants to go after them but doesn't as a sudden loud bang and shriek sound off. When he looks back as to why, blood is now spilling down Kenny's arm from a small hole. One of the figures now holds a gun and fires another shot just as Kenny goes for them. Kenny's hit again and reels away, just as another shot goes off. Kenny quickly climbs the stone wall and breaks out a small window with a single hit and escapes into the night.
"After it!" the mayor yells.
"What about the other one?!" one asks.
"It's gone!" one replies.
"Forget it! We have to stop the one that got away! Now! Before it gets to the town!" the mayor orders, and with that they all rush out of the room.
Craig, Token and Tweek stay in their spot until the coast is clear, before going back out the way they came. And as soon as they get outside, Token and Tweek collectively start to lose their shit.
"Okay—what—what the fuck was that?!" Token exclaims, "What the hell did I just witness?!"
Truth be told, Craig wasn't too sure himself what he saw. He was just as shocked and confused as they were. What the hell had just happened to Kenny? Why did he suddenly—
"Craig!" Token exclaims, "Are you listening?!"
"Yeah," Craig replies, "And I'm not sure, alright?"
"Alright?! Nothing about this is alright!" Token shouts.
"I know!" Craig shouts back.
"Craig man, you better start explaining what the hell is going on—because I'm trying really hard not to freak the fuck out more than I already am!" Token tells him.
"Look," Craig sighs, "I'll explain everything eventually, but just not right now!" he turns to run, "Just go home you guys!" and he heads off in search of Kenny.
"Craig!" Token shouts after him.
But Craig doesn't stop because of it, he needed to find Kenny before those hooded people did.
The woods are so dark now, that Craig can barely make out where his own feet are going, but he knew this was the direction from the window that Kenny had headed out from. Voices shout in the distance somewhere, but Craig can't make out what they're saying over the crunching of twigs and leaves under his feet. He keeps on running until he hears a loud sound nearby causing his focus to break and for him to run smack dab into a low hanging branch and throw him off balance and fall to the ground. He lets out a small groan as he sits up and rubs the spot on his face he hit. As he does, another sound is made and he looks around to where it's coming from. Then there's a collective sound of bushes and twigs breaking as a light cuts through some nearby trees and his friends Token and Tweek come tumbling in.
"What—" at first Craig is confused before he lets out a sigh in a mixture of annoyance and relief, "What are you guys doing here? I thought I told you to go home."
"We kn-know, but—"
"We couldn't just leave you out here alone," Token interrupts Tweek, "not when we have no idea what the fuck is going on."
"Guys, I know you mean well. But really, just go home. You have no idea what you're up against," Craig says.
"Oh yeah? Try me," Token says back.
"Look—I can't talk right now, I need to find Kenny before—"
"Uh guys," Tweek interrupts.
"What?" Token and Craig say in unison.
"I uh—I-I think he found us," Tweek says and flashes his small phone light up a tree.
The light reveals Kenny's figure now perched in it. His eyes on them, watching. Before anyone can say anything, Kenny jumps down and lands several feet away from Craig's spot. His eyes focusing solely on him as he stands and steps towards Craig.
"Kenny…" Craig says, hesitantly and Kenny's head cocks to the side slightly.
He takes a few more steps towards Craig, the distance between them slowly closing. Kenny's mouth goes from a snarl to an open one as he nears him. And just as the distance between them narrows it closes.
"Craig!" Token calls out.
And before Craig can say anything, Kenny's head snaps towards him and suddenly he's rushing at him. The next moment happens so fast. First Token is standing and next he's on the ground holding his side, his sweater turning a deep dark red. Drops of red drip from the fingertips of Kenny's hand for the shortest of seconds, before they are brought down fast to Token's leg with a loud crack.
Token lets out a scream, and a chill runs down Craig's spine from both of the sounds. Tweek falls as he backs away in fright and Kenny's attention focuses on him next.
"Tweek!" Craig yells, and rushes over to him. He needed to stop Kenny, he didn't want another one of his friends to be hurt because of him. But he knew he wouldn't be able to make it in time. "Kenny stop!"
There's a split second of silence before a loud crash echoes out. At first Craig isn't sure what just occurred, until he spots Kenny now lying next to a tree on the ground. And when he looks back to Tweek, a hooded figure now stood there. Craig is unsure of who it is at first, until a pair of green glowing eyes reveal themselves from under the hood.
"Kevin?" Craig murmurs, confused.
"Get out of here!" he orders.
Just as Kenny stands, some voices in the distance are heard making their way over to them. Kenny lets out a snarl, looking between their direction and Kevin's before he runs off again.
"Kenny!" Craig exclaims and is about to chase after him, but is stopped by Kevin.
"Go. Let me deal with him."
"But he—"
"You'll just get in the way," Kevin tells him before quickly heading off after Kenny.
Craig still wants to go, but Token's groan in pain and Tweek's quick words to try and calm him, draw his attention back to his friends. As much as he wanted to go after Kenny, he needed to help his friends also. The voices grow louder and Craig quickly goes over to Token.
"Tweek, grab his other arm," Craig instructs. When Tweek nervously does, they both pull Token up to his feet. Token lets out another painful cry as he leans more onto his better leg. "Hang in there," Craig says as he and Tweek guide him away.
It takes 30 minutes at least, before they exit the woods and make their way to a nearby store, where they then ask the shop owner to call an ambulance, saying that their friend had broken his leg from an accident and figuring it was less suspicious than being out in the woods. Craig and Tweek wait with Token until an ambulance finally comes and takes him away before the two leave.
"C-Craig, what was all that?" Tweek asks as they walk back.
"I don't know," he replies, "I'm still trying to figure out some of it myself."
He knew as far as a ritual being performed on Kenny because of what he is and the town's past, but not why Kenny suddenly became so… hostile. Was it a part of one of their torture spells? Whatever it was, Kenny was certainly not himself anymore.
Tweek lets out a disgruntled sound from Craig's lack of response.
"Should we tell Clyde and Jimmy?" he asks.
"No," Craig replies, "I don't want anyone else involved, or to be put in harm's way."
Tweek gives a small nod before falling silent. The two part ways a short while later and head to their homes. Despite Tweek not hounding him for answers, he was sure Token would once he got better, but he would deal with that when the time came.
Craig puts on a change of clothes; a shirt and jogging pants, before lying down in his bed. He knew full well that there was little chance for sleep that night with how worried he was about Kenny, despite Kevin saying he would deal with him. There was still a group of people hunting him down.
He attempts to sleep but can't and ends up just lying there with his eyes closed instead.
Around 2 A.M he gets a text from Tweek telling him that Token will be okay and that his parents gave him quite the lecture. Craig is about to text if he said anything about Kenny, but Tweek quickly adds that he kept quiet about the whole thing, but needs to have a serious talking to later with. Which Craig already figured would be the case. He thinks the conversation will end there, but Tweek keeps going, and Craig starts to figure out that Tweek is also probably pretty worried with what happened that night as well.
The two text for a while longer until something catches the corner of Craig's eye by his window. When he looks though, there's nothing, and he figures that maybe he's starting to finally get tired. But just as he looks away, something jumps past his window in a blur. For a second Craig's heart stops as he gets up and walks over to it. There's an unclear voice telling him something from the back of his mind as he does so.
As he approaches the window something runs just out of the street lamp's light, and stands in the shadows. His eyes widen when he sees those familiar orbs for a split second before they disappear into the dark.
His phone buzzes in his hand, drawing his attention back momentarily to type out a quick message, saying that he needed to go. When Tweek texts back, 'Go where?' Craig quickly types out, 'Kenny' as a single response before setting his phone down and throwing on his jacket and hat.
He doesn't bother to pick up his phone again when it buzzes with a new message and hurries downstairs, putting his shoes on quickly before rushing out the front door after Kenny.