T W E N T Y
Following the map, I limp towards the nearest open of the forest which is an hour walk. Since I have no way of calling the lads, I can't get a ride from someone I trust.
Since it's pitch black outside, I have to trust my feet, hands, and the dim lighting of the moon to lead me through the forest.
- - - - - - - - - -
Lights shine in front of me as I finish the worst. Finally. I'm home. I limp into the city. Busy people on the streets stop to stare at me. You think I would be used to having all eyes on me, but honestly, this is making my stomach twist in ways that is shouldn't.
I duck my head, avoiding eye contact with anyone, until I hear familiar screams of fans, "OH EM GEE! DAN, WILL YOU MARRY ME?!"
"DAN, I LOVE YOU!"
"DAN, HAVE MY BABIES!"
I stop in my tracks, turning to the three fans. Staring them in the eye, I see how excited they are. But then, I pounce, "NO, I WILL NOT MARRY YOU! NO, I DON'T LOVE YOU, I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU! AND NO, I WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT HAVE YOUR GOD DAMN CHILDREN! BLOODY HELL! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWATS?! I JUST CAME BACK FROM ALMOST BEING BURNT ALIVE, DIEING IN A PLANE CRASH, LISTEN TO MY SIBLING GET MURDERED, AND THEN I WAS ATTACKED! AND NOW I AM BEING ATTACKED BY YOU, SO, CAN YOU PLEASE KINDLY FUCK OFF?!"
The three girls stand staring at me, horrified. I know what they're thinking. 'That's not Dan. That can't be.' Well guess what, this is the new Dan, so if you don't like what you see, quite the fandom! The girls stare at me, tears in their eyes.
People all around glare at me, as if I am the monster. I AM NOT the monster! Darcy and Cameron are! It was Darcy's body to decide whether she got cancer or not, but what do you know! She gets Leukemia! One of the almost incurable cancers. THEN HER DISEASE FORCED HER TO FALL GIVING HER GOD DAMN AMNESIA!
Pushing through the crowd, I dart past everyone, covering my face. I keep running until I hit a wall, only to look up to see a clear screen with tellies facing the outside. All of them have videos of Ellie's and Hunter's murder at different angles. My eyes make their way to the center tellie. A black cloaked figure stands facing me on the screen, and over it, giant bold red letters read "We are all in this together". I crawl back on the cold cement, away from the tellies, hot, steamy tears burning my eyes.
"Oh, boo hoo," I hear a voice in the distance. My head jets to different places, just to see no one is in sight, "Aw. Let us all feel sorry for poor baby Danny." The voice mocks me in a babyish tone as other voice chuckle along.
"WHO ARE YOU!" I spat, my hot breathe turning into warm clouds in the air.
"Why only you worst nightmare, Daniel." A female voice coos. Black cloaked people step out of the shadows, covering the perimeter of the alley.
"Don't be so timid, Dan." Two other cheer.
"Your cousins are mottled with dirt and their own blood. There is nothing else to do except morn for them. But the more you morn, the worse the tormenting gets." The first voice echos. I get to my feet, my fists clenched, and my anger boiling.
"YOU'RE SCARED!" I shout, looking at all the cloaked people, "EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU ARE SCARED!"
"Pff!" One chuckles, "Scared of what?! YOU?!"
"You're scared that you will be shut down. You know there are more people like me than you think. I have fans. I have band mates. Now look who's afraid," I shrug, "Sure as hell ain't me."
"YOU BASTARD!" A female shouts, her Scottish accent clear beyond belief.
"Settle down." One mutters, holding her back.
"Exactly. You know I am right. You know you are nothing, because I can easily tell the world about you."
"And we can easily spill all of you secrets. And we can easily kill all of your loved ones. You never know. Maybe your fans are one of us." The first voice fights back.
"I dought it, you jackass."
"Get 'em." He mutters under his breathe.
"Wait, what?" Next thing I know, I am blind folded and knocked out.