Castle High's After School Horror

Bob wants to throw up. There is still a sizzling sound coming from Ray's lifeless body, lying in the pool of acid and being disintegrated into absolutely nothing. Bob can see the smoke coming from the clear pool, and then his eyes fall onto Ray and how he barely has any skin left to fry. How his tissue and bones are corroding quickly as well, gone forever just like his life.

Bob shudders and turns away. What a horrible way to die.

Gerard starts down the hall in the way they'd come from, holding Chelsea in his arms. She is crying silently. The blood from her burned arm drips to the floor. Bob feels something touch his hand and sees that it's Bonnie's hand. There are tears streaking her cheeks. Mikey looks about ready to cry, glancing at his own burned arm.

No one speaks as they continue down the hall. The air is tight with tension. Bob's chest feels hollow, remembering all that he had seen. The images of the dead bodies invaded his sight. He could see their dead and empty eyes, their blood staining the floors...

"Put me down," Chelsea groans.

Gerard stops, looks down at Chelsea unsurely. He lowers her down to the ground and she lies there, rolled up into a ball. Gerard sits across the hall from her and brings his knees to his chest. He looks like he's given up. Everyone follows in their example. Bonnie sits next to Chelsea and Mikey opts to sit next to Gerard.

Bob looks around at all of them. They aren't looking at each other. No one moves or speaks and they hardly even breathe.

"Guys?" he says awkwardly. He knows that what they'd all seen isn't the easiest thing to deal with but he also knows that they can't sit around and give up.

"We're never gonna get out of here," says Gerard. "We're all gonna die."

Bonnie sobs. She hugs her knees and starts rocking herself back and forth. Bob glares at Gerard and kneels down next to Bonnie, rubbing her back. "Don't say that. We'll be okay."

"You don't know that," Bonnie sobs. Bob sighs.

"Remember what Frank said?" Bob says solemnly. Everyone looks at him, even Chelsea.

"Remember to stay positive," Mikey chokes, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"Exactly."

Gerard runs his fingers stressfully through his hair. Mikey obviously isn't in the mood to stay positive. Chelsea is still crying. Bonnie reaches for Bob's arm and pulls him down, wrapping her arms around his waist. She sobs into his chest. Bob holds her close. He's glad that despite all that had happened and all they had seen that he could still be there to comfort this beautiful girl, to be the one holding her hand like she said she needed...

Bob feels that strange spooky feeling accompanied by the raging headache he gets when he's around Mikey and looks up. Mikey is staring at him with wide eyes.

"What?" Bob spits.

"Are you seriously using this as an excuse to get closer to her?" Mikey hisses, as if he is telling a secret that no one else is supposed to hear. Of course they do, though. Bob looks around and sees everyone staring at him. Gerard, the defeat that had been troubling his features meshing into confusion. Chelsea, looking up curiously while wiping away tears. And finally Bonnie, who seems to be looking at Bob unsurely.

Bob's eyes narrow as they fall back onto Mikey. "No, idiot. I'm trying to comfort her."

Bonnie relaxes back into Bob's arms. Chelsea rests her hand on her good arm again. Gerard stares at a wall.

"It's weird..." starts Mikey, still staring at Bob, "that you're the only one that hasn't had some form of a break down from losing someone."

Everyone looks at Bob again. This time, they're all giving him accusatory stares. Bob's heart beats angrily in his chest. He thinks about what Mikey said and realizes it's true. Bonnie had lost her sister, Gerard had lost his girlfriend. Chelsea and Mikey had lost their boyfriends. Bob shakes the image of their dead bodies from his head and clenches his fists, glaring at Mikey.

"Bob, do you...h-have anything to do w-with..." Gerard starts, breathless. His face is red and he looks like he's ready to break down. Bob's eyes narrow at Mikey.

"How could I have anything to do with what's going on?" Bob exclaims. "Huh? I've been with you guys this whole time!"

"You sure are getting defensive," Mikey says softly. "And I don't remember seeing you when I passed out earlier..."

Bob's furious. Bonnie pulls her arms away from him and scoots over to Chelsea, who's sitting against the lockers now.

"I didn't see you, either," Bob says. "So what does that mean?"

Mikey's jaw drops. Everyone looks at him. "I got hit on the head! I was bleeding!"

Everyone is now looking at Bob. Bob shakes his head angrily. "Why the fuck are you trying to accuse me, huh Way? How do we know you didn't fucking set up your boyfriend to die?"

Mikey gapes at Bob for a second. Tears spill over his eyes.

"Bob, calm down," Gerard says. "We're all scared. He didn't mean to accuse you. You obviously couldn't have done anything, that's just ridiculous."

Bob sighs, fighting the urge to just punch that idiot in the face. He hisses when a sharp pain attacks his head. Mikey groans.

"You're such an ass hole!" he yells. "After all that's happened you still manage to want to hurt me!"

"Because you still manage to annoy me and creep me out!" Bob yells back.

"Guys, stop," Bonnie pleads.

"Come over here, ass hole," Mikey challenges. "I dare you to lay a hand on me."

Bob does not turn down a dare.