Bully - Phan - Part 15

As I regained my consciousness I slowly but surely began opening my eyes. I was back in one of the rooms in the hotel. I frantically searched through my mind, searching for the reason I was here. The last thing I remember... Dan. He ran, I cut, PJ arrived then blackness. I moved my arm slightly, my freshly made cuts stung agonisingly. 

'PJ?' I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy. 

'Why would you take Dan away from me?' He repeated louder, the sharp tone in his voice making me wince.

'I don't understand.' I confessed. 

'I love him. I fucking love him with all I've got and you took him the fuck away from me. Why would you do that, Lester?' He snarled, stepping closer. What the hell is he on about?

I felt a blade press against my neck and I inhaled sharply.

'Peej, what the fuck are you doing? Please, stop.' I panicked, I couldn't do anything. 

'Give me one reason. One good reason why I shouldn't kill you now and I'll spare you.' He growled. I've never heard him like this before, it's scary. He used to be so innocent, so sweet. What happened to my best friend? He turned into a monster.

'Remember all the times when we were little? How much fun we had? We were best friends.' I gushed, nervously. It obviously hadn't worked as he pressed the knife's edge further into my neck. I felt the skin breaking and blood seeping out.

'Not good enough. You have 10 seconds, Lester.' 

Oh god, think, think!!

'10...'

Come on, there's got to be something...

'9...'

What would matter to him? 

'8...' 

Something that would effect him greatly.

'7...' 

Someone...

'6...'

Of course!

'5...'

That'll stop him. 

'4...' 

If he knew.

'3...' 

Could I tell him?

'2...'

Fuck it, I'll tell him.

'PEEJ, STOP.' I cried out and he stopped counting. 'Dan.' I choked out. I felt him withdraw the blade from my neck and I brought a hand up to it, catching the falling blood. 

'His dad, he's gone to save his family.' I said, still unsure as to whether I should be sharing this.

'What? Why?' PJ's breathing sped up.

'Dan has been sexually abused by his father for about 10 years now. He hasn't told anyone because his Dad would kill everyone he's close to. He had to be there every evening. Every night for 10 years. He was 5 when it started. But then he told me and we ran away. 1 night out of 36500 and he killed his little sister, Ellie. Dan's gone back to save his family, his mum and little brother Jake. He yelled at me then left...' I trailed off sadly, remembering Dan's words. 

Peej's eyes were bulging out their sockets, filled with a mixture of shock and hurt, his mouth gaping open, his eyebrows almost disappearing underneath his hair.

'Really?' He said, barely above a whisper. I heard the pain in his voice and even though he'd almost killed me just now I could sympathise with him. I just nodded and he stood up abruptly.

'We're going.' He said assertively. 

'Where?' I didn't even need to ask, I knew we were going to save Dan and his family. He looked at me as if I were stupid and I just smiled guiltily.

'Don't you dare fucking smile. It's you that got him in this mess in the first place. Cunt.' He said harshly, taking me by surprise slightly. I held my hands up and as soon as he turned his back I flipped him off quickly and stood up to follow him.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

The journey back home was incredibly awkward, neither of us knowing what to say. My neck finally stopped bleeding but there was some dry, some sticky blood all over my hands which gained us suspicious looks from passers-by. I knew where Dan's house was, but not the directions from here. Peej apparently did though. When we get there it wasn't nearly as pretty as when I last saw it. The bins had been kicked over, the lawn was half dug up, , flower pots had been smashed against the fence at one end. I knew immediately who had done it and why they had done it but I didn't want to admit it to myself. I heard yelling coming from inside and I looked over at Peej, who's eyes were filling with tears. I felt his hand clasp mine tightly, holding on to it like he'd never let go. 

So I hugged him.