A new friend.

Right now, we're okay. I got up early this morning to go out and get some food in town, and had to wait for dusk so I could come back. Joel needs to stay in there really. It's not safe for him to be out and about right now, as there are witnesses to one of them.

And... Well...

I saw Him, I was sat on a bench in the town centre, someone else sat next to me and then I saw him. He was in the doorway of another shop. Just turned in my direction. It didn't matter that he was watching me, but there was something about how everyone else keeps moving, doesn't even look, like you wonder if they can even hear the humming in your ears or feel the compulsion to approach. I'd also bought a little gas stove, the kind you get for camping. One hob, and a couple of small single use bottles

I don't know if I told anyone before. I sold the house before I left. To one of those "Quicksell" companies. I figured I wouldn't be using it again and needed the cash for running. Joel was the one with the cards though, he kept them... I had enough money out to get by before he left, but still, it left me in a little bit of trouble the night before.

Like this need to understand that I'm not the only one who's seeing this, like I've finally gone mad. It was then that I realised that I wasn't alone. There was a boy next to me, staring too. He couldn't have been older than thirteen. Short brown hair, with a backpack that looked like it weighed about the same as he did.

He reminded me a little bit of myself when I was younger...

I couldn't just let it slide. I spoke. "You see him too?" Just quietly.
"Yeah." He replied. He seemed like a local. A terrified local.
"You... You alright?" I wasn't expecting yes really, but he seemed to reply.
He shook his head. "He took my friend." He murmured, he seemed on the verge of crying.
"I know the feeling..." It's true, it brought back memories when I saw Joel walk away for that last time. "I'm sorry. What do you call yourself?"
"A runner." He looked at me like I was an idiot.

I like this kid.

That made me smile a little. "I meant your name." I figured I may as well try and keep him distracted from Mr Faceless on the other side of the square. Who, by the by, was still there. Even though I wanted to run away.
"Oh... Joshua."
"Lucas. When did you last eat?" I reached into a bag and passed him a bag of chips crisps. He didn't admit it, but by the way he wolfed down the packet, I'd have guessed it would be a while.
"Well, want to stay with us for a little while?"
He smiled at that. I was glad I could do that for him really. He also carried some shopping bags for me. I'd been holding a lot of the heavy stuff in a backpack. But either way, apparently only being able to use your finger and your thumb to carry bags is a tiny bit difficult. I can't wait until five days time when I can remove the damn splints...

When I can finally hold something...

Dusk came and we walked back the way I came, leading him to the house and walking in. Joel was sat there looking at us. Joel was curious.

When I say curious. I mean he had a revolver in his hand when we walked in and asked who he was. I dumped the bags down. Told him he was another runner, and we spent the rest of the evening chatting really. He told us his whole story as we ate...

Kid's been running for a few weeks now, he was smart enough to notice the signs and get online before anyone else died. But he had a friend who did the same, a girl, Jennifer. She was the bossy one, she looked after him. They were together, and presented with Slendy in front of their eyes, for the first time. Josh ran away, Jennifer did the opposite. He was a minute or so away when he realised she was gone. He ran back to see them walking away, hand in hand. No matter how loud he called her name, she didn't listen.

Then he asked what about us... And... Well... We told the truth. A pair of British lovers in America, where one became a proxy and the other... Well. The other is me.  I made sure that he realised that Joel isn't going to slit his throat in his sleep, and I also made sure that Joel realised that too...

Josh is asleep now, Joel keeps asking me why I invited him, and honestly, I don't know why I did. Maybe I just felt the need for conversation other than Joel, who is silent for 98% of the time nowadays... Joel looked at me for a moment. And just smiled before he went to sleep, leaving me to type up the days events.

Busy busy. In a couple of days time, we shall be planning where we're going. There is one place I want to visit in particular, which is north of here. I might get Josh posting tomorrow, we'll see how he feels.

~Lucas