Silence of a Love Bat

“And we'll all dance alone to the tune of your death/We'll love again, we'll laugh again/And it's better off this way” – My Chemical Romance, I Never Told You What I Do For a Living

“So we should split up,” Andy mentioned as soon as we got on the dirt path of the park.

The wind ripped violently around us, the only sound was the rustling of the trees and Patrick’s humming. It was dark and cold, so I had every right to be a little freaked out. And might I add that this was the same park as where I experienced my first fight…not fun.

“Split up?” I squeaked.

“Yeah that way-” Andy started.

“I call Emily as my search buddy!” Pete cut in enthusiastically. He grabbed my hand and was pulling me away before anybody could even say anything.

I looked back to the guys for some help. “Um, Patrick? Care to help?”

Patrick laughed a little. “Ha-ha no.”

I faced forward again and trudged along with Pete. “Don’t come to me next time you need a lab rat, Trick!”

“Let’s go!” Pete whined, continuing to pull me along.

“What the hell, Pete. Did you eat sugar, or some shit?” I asked, tugging my hand away.

He released it, and slowly fell in place with me. “I just…in case… Oh Emily, I just wanted you to come with me so nothing happens to you.”

“Oh,” I smiled, but dropped it when I noticed his sly grin.

We walked in silence for a little while, straying from the trail and edging deeper into the trees. It got quieter as we went on, and a million times darker. The trees above us blocked out the moonlight, and everything felt frozen in place. It was eerie, and my hands began shaking.

“Pete?” I called out, but I couldn’t see him. “Hey, is there some way to turn on the night vision stuff? Or do I just have to suffer?” He didn’t answer. “Pete? Pete, come on! This isn’t funny!” When he decided not to answer again I began sweating. Where’d he go? It’s not like he could have just disappeared – though knowing him it was quite possible.

I was stupid and kept walking around, clueless, as to where I was going. I didn’t know what I was doing…of course I didn’t. I was just hoping I would run into one of the guys, or at least notice any signs of where Pete could have gone.

So, when Pete screamed and wrapped his arms around my waist, standing behind me, I jumped and screamed too. He proceeded in laughing and squeezing my hips, the shrill of it breaking the uneven silence.

“Scared Emily?” he mocked, rubbing his face against my neck.

“Fuck you Pete! That’s mean!” I yelled, but didn’t move. “I was already scared!”

He pulled off me chuckling. “I’ve never heard of a vampire who’s scared of the dark.

“Stop laughing!” I smacked his arm. “Just in case I forgot to tell you, you’re fucken mean.”

“Oh calm down,” he rolled his eyes and stopped laughing. “Come on, I found something.”

“Something?”

“Not something, someone…well someones.”

He turned me around and me walked for a while longer. It seemed like we kept circling, but he eventually told me to look through the trees as he pointed ahead. I focused on it and noticed a group of people.

“Who are they?” I asked in something below a whisper.

“Well,” he began, “one of them is Travie. I don’t know who the other three are. Come one, let’s go interrupt his party.

But as we got closer and the group came closer into our view I stopped walking. “No Pete wait.” I reached a hand out to grab his arm

He stopped as I brought my hands to my sides and clenched them into fists. “What’s wrong?” he asked, putting a careful hand on my cheek.

I glanced over his shoulder quickly, and then met his eyes. “The people…”

“Yeah, come on. We can save them.”

I shook my head, and he pulled his hands away to lean his forehead against mine.

“Emily…. what’s wrong?”

I waited a while before answering him. “Pete, I know them.”

“You…” he looked over his shoulder. “Oh.”

“They were my friends…I can’t.”

“No, you’re right. You used to know them…that’d be weird.” He pulled me closer to him, and then hugged me. “It’s okay.”