#my chapters are usually 3000-ish words so it’ll be around 30k altogether

[redshoes-blues]

RUNNING TOWARDS NOTHING

A Byler Apocalypse Fic (coming soon!)

From: Chapter One

“What’s got you all distracted?” Lucas asked. He was finished tying up Mike’s hair, hands occupied with tying a bandana over his mouth and nose.

Mike had completely forgot about Lucas. “Hmm? Oh, nothing. Guess I’m just—” he tried to think of an excuse. The last thing he wanted was for Lucas to have him to worry about. “Thinking about how bad it’ll smell outside.”

Lucas laughed. “Yeah, smells like mold and old people. And somehow it still smells better than this rancid old basement.”

“It would make a nice candle. How’s that for a birthday present?”

It wouldn’t be Lucas’s birthday until the air was warm enough to jump off the rocks into Lover’s Lake without quite freezing. No matter the weather, The Party always showed up at his house shortly after breakfast, already dressed for swimming. Lucas told Mrs. Sinclair that “no, mom, we won’t jump off the rocks, I promise. I’m not stupid.”

But jumping was always the best part. The feeling of air underneath their feet until they crashed into the water. A brief moment of freedom from everything. There was nothing Mike wanted more than to be free, and to laugh with his friends as they swam in the cool water before running home to the Sinclair’s for ice cream cake and games. But the last thing Mike felt was free.

More like I’m treading water.

“Yeah, good one,” Lucas replied as he tugged at his bandana. “Get that for Will’s birthday. He loves this smelly old pit more than any place on earth.”

Mike frowned. Will’s birthday. “But isn’t that in—”

Huh. He had a thought, and then it was gone. Maybe he was freer than he thought.

“What is it, man?”

“Nothing. I lost my train of thought.”

“Happens to the best of us. Ready?” Lucas stood up, dusting some chips off his cargo pants.

Mike followed. But he couldn’t help but feel like he was leaving something behind.