Gonna Be a Damn Rough Night

Jack didn’t know why Alex had thought it would be a good idea to go to a haunted corn maze. In fact, when his boyfriend had first suggested it, Jack had a hard time lifting his mouth up off of the ground. Jack knew for a fact Alex hated everything to do with scary movies, ghosts, and anything remotely terrifying. Hell, when they had tried a Ouija bored on Halloween three years ago, Alex had had to be handcuffed to Zack so he wouldn’t leave the room- and he had still ended up in the corner crying. Jack’s pretty sure it had nothing to do with the fact that Rian flickered the bathroom lights when Flyzik claimed he had reached the other side. Nope, not at all.

Three days later, Alex had brought up the corn maze idea again; this time shoving a newspaper article under Jack’s face while he was still trying to wake himself up from a wicked hangover the night before. Jack had propped his hand under his head and set down his extra large cup of coffee to look at the wrinkled paper and immediately rose an eyebrow at the gory pictures plastered all over the front.

“Alex, you do know that there’s going to be a lot of fake blood, unnecessary girls shrieking, and people trying to make you piss your pants right?” Jack tried his best to convince him.

The brunette had nodded and rolled his eyes, as if he couldn’t even believe Jack could be so dense. “What’s more romantic than a date when everyone’s trying to kill you?”

Narrowing his eyes, Jack had tried to see what he was up to but came up with nothing, “I’m not staying up with you all night if you get too scared to fall asleep.”

“Duh.”

Well then.

It was officially a week after Alex had first suggested the trip, and Jack was pulling on clothing that would keep him warm in the surprisingly chilly fall night air. He had already put on and yanked off several suggestions before settling on a pair of tight, dark skinny jeans, a form fitting long-sleeved band shirt that was faded until you could barely read the bands name anymore, and a hoodie that he knew would probably end up on Alex because he would more than likely forget his own. Not that he minded or anything because when he would finally get the hoodie back, it would smell like his boyfriend for a few days and that comforted Jack.

Alex had insisted on driving them, claiming Jack was incapable of it, and five minutes after he arrived to pick Jack up they were off. The boy driving had babbled excitedly about the corn maze for the entire half hour drive and Jack had spent the whole time just staring at him wide eyed; wondering where the hell his boyfriend had went. Not that he minded that Alex wasn’t getting scared as often, but he just didn’t understand how Alex had gone from cowering behind Jack at the flying monkey part in the Wizard of Oz, to claiming he was going to get as close to a guy with a bloody chainsaw as possible. Jack just didn’t understand.

By the time they reached the corn field’s location, after getting lost at least twice because apparently Jack was incapable of reading map directions-which okay he totally was, the sky was pitch black and a few light clouds had even drifted across the moon to give the night an even eerier feel. Alex bounded out of the car as soon as he put it in park, snatching up a flashlight for himself and handing the other to Jack before dragging Jack over to the entrance where he payed with a discount since he used the coupons from the article Jack had used as a coaster after reading.

The red headed girl at the ticketing booth had handed them a map of the grounds, informing them that the next group for the location of the corn maze would be leaving in a few minutes and they thanked her. Jack could barely keep up with the older boy as he charged full force for the hayride. Even though his legs were longer, and he spent a lot more time jumping around on stage, Jack was huffing when he finally caught up to his beaming boyfriend.

“I saved you a spot.” Alex said happily, patting a packed down part of straw next to him. Jack grunted in response and flopped down, resting his head on Alex’s shoulder and willed his breathing to settle.

He could feel Alex’s fingers in his hair and then they tightened gently, “You’re out of shape, baby.” Alex teased and then laughed as Jack tried to protest.

“It’s your fault,” he complained with a slight whine in his voice, “This whole tour break all we’ve done is stay in bed and watch Disney movies.”

“And are you complaining about that?” Alex smirked.

“Hell no.”

After a short hayride where a small boy had spent the entire damn time poking Jack in the ribcage with a sharp piece of straw, they finally made it to the site of the corn maze. Even Jack had to admit it was pretty spooky, and he loved anything to do with scary things.

The corn maze was huge, and the group they were with was relatively small; decreasing the chances of them running into each other which Jack was perfectly okay with. There were around ten entrances to the maze and each group of friends or family stood in front of one of the entrances, some eagerly and others Jack could obviously tell were bribed into coming. Noise surrounded the couple when a loud speaker overhead crackled on and a gravelly voice announced a gruesome welcome.

“There’s only one way out of the maze.” He informed them, darkly, “Inside you will find an assortment of people trying to detour you, get you lost, and basically scare the shit out of you.”

A few mothers around them looked annoyed at the use of his language and Jack laughed at the humorless women. If your kids are old enough to go into a haunted corn maze then they’re probably able to hear the word ‘shit’ without being corrupted too terribly, he thought quietly and knew Alex was thinking the same thing because ne nudged Jack in the rib cage and snickered.

“So good luck and try not to piss your pants. We’d really prefer not to clean it up later.”

Jack gave Alex one last chance to change his mind before they got the go ahead to enter, but Alex had declined and wrapped one of his hands in Jacks and the other he held up to his mouth to warm it with his breath. Jack pretended to be mad about Alex forgetting a sweatshirt, but he pulled off the hoodie he knew he would be giving up eventually anyway and handed it to Alex who smiled at him appreciatively.

All at once, haunting sounds filled the boy’s ears. Instead of looking frightened which Jack had figured Alex would, Alex had surprised him and yanked on Jack’s arm earnestly; eager to enter the maze.

“Flashlight.” Jack breathed, reminding Alex that it was pitch black and apparently unlike his boyfriend, Jack did not have the power to see in the dark.

A light clicked on and Alex’s jeans were illuminated for a second before he pointed it out ahead of them, already facing the choice between choosing a right or left option. Alex argued to go right so Jack let him, knowing Alex liked to choose and he was fine with letting him.

“Jacky, holy shit!” Alex yelled a few minutes later and Jack spun around to see Alex crouched around a puddle of what looked like fake blood.

“Ew Lex, don’t touch it please.”

His eyes rolled, “I wasn’t going to.” Just when he stood back up, a rustling sounded from behind where he had just been and Alex turned to Jack wide eyed.

“RUN!” He shrieks and almost tears Jack’s arm out of his socket when he sprints past and yanks Jack along with him.

Together they sprint, whooping and laughing hysterically as they take random turns through the tricky maze. Occasionally they meet a dead end but they back track almost immediately, after sharing a kiss or two of course.

Its a few minutes later when they are backtracking out of another dead end that led to a buff, blood covered guy, laughing manically and wielding a chainsaw that Jack realizes Alex had left his side.

He looks around wildly and when he can’t see anything, he grabs for the small flashlight he had hooked to his pants belt loop when they had first entered. Jack hadn’t bothered turning it on before because he could see pretty well with Alex’s. He clicks it once expecting to be able to see but the light doesn’t come on. Frustrated, Jack chucks it in to the corn and turns around. He can’t even remember the last time he had seen Alex because at one point he had been there and all of the sudden he wasn’t.

“Alex?” Jack called out, cupping his mouth to make himself louder. Feet away, Jack could hear shrieking children but a moment later they moved out of his hearing and everything was quiet.

Awesome.

“Alex? If you’re trying to prank me, you got me good okay? Just come out and we can get the hell out of here.” He begs and even thought his eyes had adjusted to the dark, the clouds he had seen earlier had covered the moon even more and made it virtually almost impossible to see past his nose.

Jack whirls around as a noise startles him from the corn. He should have kept the flashlight, damnit. At least that would have made a better weapon than the only other thing Jack can think to use which is corn.

Heavy footsteps thud closer and Jack cowers into the corn, fading in to stay out of the open space. Jack doesn’t move, barely breathes to stay as quiet as possible.

Fingers press into his back and he fucking shrieks, hopping as fucking fast as he can into the place where the unknown person is.

Jack chuckles weakly and runs his fingers through his hair, “Look dude, I know it’s your job and all but I lost my boyfriend and I’m really not in the mood to be scared right now, okay?”

A light flickers on and Jack groans at the bright flash in the darkness.

“Zack?!” He gasps and then throws himself at his buff friend’s wide chest. “Holy shit I lost Alex and thought you were some mass murderer who was going to chop me up and ea-“

Jack gets shoved away and his back hits the corn again, stumbling to stay on his feet.

“What the hell?” Jack says confused.

“Alex was easy.” Zack mutters ignoring Jack’s protests. He paces the open part of the maze, looking thoughtfully at his feet as he walks. “He never saw me coming, never thought I could do it.”

Jack finally registers what his friend is saying and he starts screaming at him about Alex. Zack doesn’t reply but he shines his flashlight into a corner where Jack can see a collapsed Alex laying in a heap. From what he can tell, a dark substance is also on his face. How in the hell did Jack not step on him before when he was looking for him?

He makes a move towards his boyfriend but Zack steps into Jack’s line of vision, cutting his view of Alex off.

“Zack, what the hell, move your fucking ass.” Jack threatens, pissed as hell and even more confused as to what’s going on. Why is he threatening his friend? None of this makes sense to him but his mind is so scrambled. All he can think is Alex, Alex, Alex, and the fact that Zack is keeping him from making sure his boyfriend is okay.

Zack shoves him backwards again, pushing at his thin chest with rage. “You never saw it did you?” He asks angrily, pushing him back another few inches, “How could you when you had perfect fucking Gaskarth? Even in high school you didn’t see.”

Jack tries to rationalize with him, “See what Zack? I don’t understand what you’re trying to say!”

Jack gasps as Zack lunges for him, gripping his shoulders tightly with his fingers, “I’m in fucking in love with you, Jack Barakat! Alex just had to take you from me!” He spits, furiously.

Jack can’t move, can’t even breathe as Zack struggles to tell him what he means. How in the hell was he supposed to know that Zack had some creepy obsessive crush on him? And Jack tells him so which Zack obviously gets more pissed at.

“I really do love you, Jacky.” Zack states, pulling back from Jack so they’re standing about arms distance apart from each other. “I hope you understand, I just want to do what’s best for you.”

Zack’s head spins as he tries to understand yet again what Zack is trying to convey.

“If I can’t have you, no one can.” Zack says softly and then from the light of the dim flashlight, Jack catches a glare and his heart flies into his throat.

“Zack, no.” He begs, “You know you’re one of my best friends, I’d do anything for y-“

“It’s not good enough, Jack baby.” Zack’s words almost sound sad as he lifts the knife he had been concealing in his sweatshirt pocket.

The blade presses to Jack’s throat and he can’t speak but thick tears roll down his cheeks. In one swift motion, Zack pulls the knife back and that’s when Jack closes his eyes tightly. He doesn’t want to see it, hear it, or feel any of this.

Jack almost has a heart attack when bright lights filter past his eyelids and for a second he thinks it’s heaven before loud yelling fills his senses and what the fuck are they screaming at him?

Trick or treat?

“Zack wha- so you’re not in lov- are you fucking kidding me?!” Jack exclaims as he stares around at his group of friends.

Zack shakes his head as much as he can while laughing. “Dude no. You’re totally not my type!”

“I can’t believe you guys!” He’s pissed but he lets out a relieved chuckle as his friends crack up. Jack feels hands cover his eyes and he can feel warm breath on his ear, “boo!”

Jack jumps and spins around as Alex bends over, holding his stomach as he cracks up.

“You should have seen your face, oh my god!” He cackles.

“What the hell were you guys thinking? I thought I was going to be cooked up and fucking eaten!”

Flyzik steps out of the laughing group and he smacks Jack on the back hard, which Jack frowns at. “Sorry, Jack, Alex wanted revenge and he enlisted us.”

Alex, drying his tears from his eyes, steps back over to Jack, “I got tired of you trying to scare me, so I got you back. But I have to admit, I didn’t think you’d actually get so scared you piss your pants.”

Jack scoffs, “I so didn’t piss my pants.”

His boyfriend smirks and steps up to him, dragging a finger along his jean clothed front. “Seems damp to me.” He comments with a knowing laugh.

Embarrassed, Jack covers himself and scowls as everyone bursts into another round of laughter.

“’m sorry baby,” Alex says softly when he notices Jack’s discomfort. Alex steps forward and wraps him into a hug and Jack buries his head in the slightly shorter boy’s neck. He knew that all of the times hiding behind doors and in closets waiting for Alex to pass so he could jump out and hear him shriek would come back and bite him in the ass someday.

“I forgive you.” Jack says honestly, and then he pulls back from him to give Alex a sneaky looking grin. “Just wait until next Halloween.”

The End