“Oh come on, do you just think I'm totally crazy? I saw it, Mark. It came after me.” Lucas said, staring at Mark and only mark.

“N-n…” He started but faltered.

Lucas laughed dryly causing the trio to flinch.

“So you do think I'm crazy.” He said smiling and staring at Mark.

He did not answer but stood mute piercing his lips.

“Come on Mark. Just tell me. Tell me I'm crazy.” He leaned forward starting at Mark. Blood was still dripping from Lucas' face.

“I'm not the one sitting on a car laughing and bleeding.” Mark said coolly.

Lucas only grinned and began to chuckle. 

“You dont like me very much do you?” Lucas said grinning at Mark.

“Come on man, you're a nice guy but-but you need some help.” Mark said not being able to meet Lucas' gaze.

“You know I've been thinking about it.” Lucas said, leaning back and wiping the blood from his face.

What's that?” Mark asked.

“I think I'm going to leave.” He said looking at the sky.

“Leave, what do you mean?” Penny asked, coming closer.

“oh its just, It's just the thing is, the monsters after me i'm sure of it.” he said sitting upright and wincing at a pain in his ribs.

“What, Lucas come on, you're safe it'll go away, it'll pass through the area.” Penny said, taking Lucas' hand.

“Penny. you're too positive here. It won't pass through, it's after me. I see it in my dreams, it's in my thoughts, in my ears.” Lucas said darkly.

“Lucas, come on, you can't just leave.” Roxanne said, stepping in.

“Stop me.” Lucas said, jumping off the car.

“Come on you've got a concussion you're not thinking clearly.”

“You've been through a lot.” Penny added. 

“So now you think I'm crazy.” He said coolly.

“Lucas, that's not what I said.” Penny said a hit of anger in her voice.

“It's ok. I'm leaving at least for now. I at least need to clear my head if anything. Maybe I'll be back.” He muttered rubbing his temples.

“Lucas you can't go off alone.” Mark said.

“Oh I thought you didn't believe in that thing being out there.” Lucas said, looking back at Mark.

“It- you might be a danger to yourself. you cannot go.” He said, putting a hand on Lucas' shoulder.

But before even Lucas realized what he was doing he spun around and punched Mark hard in the face. He fell back. Lucas took several steps backwards breathing hard.

“I-I I'm sorry. I don't.Just leave me alone.” He shouted and turned and ran.

“Lucas!” Penny shouted and tried to run after him but Lucas was too fast she turned back to the other too.

“What's going on with him?” Mark said angrily, carefully touching his nose.

“I I dont know.” Penny said and then she broke down into tears. Roxanne came forward and hugged her but she was crying too. 

A few blocks away Lucas finally stopped to catch his breath. 

“What's going on!” He muttered to himself. 

He didn't feel normal. There was just this kind of feeling of anger around him. It mixed with the fear in his gut making him lash out. 

Was he going crazy? He sat down leaning against a building. He still felt dazed. He seemed to feel that way half the time now. He finally noticed people were staring at him and just in time. There was a woman across the street pointing him out to an officer. He honestly looked like crap. Blood still lazily dripped from his nose. He ducked into an ally away from the streets.

He could still hear the voices of the street goers, but they were dulled. Thin streams of light slid into the ally. It seemed so peaceful. A kind of dimmer light but plenty to see even the small details in the bricks. it was a peaceful place and yet Lucas didn't feel any peace. He muttered more to himself. Clapping the side of his head trying to block out the sound. He heard someone yelling.

“Lucas! Man come on let's just talk!” 

Lucas jolted up. He didn't want to talk. No he didn't want to go back he couldn't go back, not know. Not to his friends. it would only put them in danjour. The monster would come again. Or what if he went crazy and lashed out against them? He already had hurt mike. Lucas looked around and began to climb the fire escape. He reached the top of the building. It was more peaceful up there. 

“Lucas hey! Where'd you go?” He heard someone yell from below. 

Lucas sighed, rubbing his eyes. He tried to clean off some of the blood from his face with his sleeve. His nose had finally stopped dripping.

He waited sitting on the building before heading back down. He checked his phone and put it back in his pocket. Too many messages. Lucas sighed. What know? Where could he go? He started to walk the streets. The sun was beginning to set. Even with all the emotions the fear of the darkness also began to set. Where could he go? He realized as the light left he began to shake. He hoped his friends were home. He poured himself that they would be. They would risk being outside for him, he told himself. Lucas walked till he reached a bridge. He walked out to the middle of it. It was growing dark fast. Faster than it normally should have felt. He checked his phone. It was already eight. He walked out to the middle of the bride. Many bugs fluttered around under the lights. Lucas looked around but saw nothing and only heard the wiring of electricity and many crickets chirping. Altogether it was a peaceful night. Lucas closed his eyes and sighed. And then kept walking. If he kept going the monster would not be able to find him, he told himself. Luas felt his stomach growl. He felt hungry and exhausted. and his face was beginning to ache. Finally he found some rest by stopping by a little gas station with a little all night dining area. He ordered some food and sat down leaning back closing his eyes. The guy who brought him his sandwich looked him up and down saying.

“You good kid? Need me to call somebody for you?” He asked, sounding gruff.

“Nah, I'm fine.” He said dryly.

“All Right.” The guy said. But he did come by later dropping a bag at the table and muttering dryly it was on him. Lucas looked kind of suspiciously. It was some bandages and some stuff to go on cuts. Lucas sighed and left to the restroom finally properly cleaning his face. Once he was finished he looked at himself. He looked horrible, band aids covering his face. His cheek was bruised and both his eyes were black. His lip was cracked. He stripped off his shirt examining his torso. He had big bruises where Jean had kicked him. He still faint marks from hitting the bridge. He winced from the pain and the memory. WHy had all this happened to him? He heard the bell right as someone else entered the store. He was about to walk out when he heard familiar voices. 

“Where do you think he went?” He recognized the voice as Roxan.

Lucas glowered, feeling angry. What were the chances they would come here? Could he out wait them? And then he remembered he had left his sweatshirt on the seat. Would they recognize it? But Lucas was not even given time for that. 

The guy was knocking on the door.

“Um kid you ok in there? COme on no drugs in my bathroom.” Lucas did not respond; he was too scared that his friends would recognize his voice.

“Hey come on.” The guy said a little louder.

“Oh hey sir?” Lucas heard Mark's voice. He cursed his luck again why couldn't they just go away.

“Sir, erm, we're looking for our friend. He's about my age, He kind of looks pretty beat up. Um gray sweatshirt.” Mark started saying. 

Lucas winced ear against the door. 

“Um why you asking?” The guy asked, sounding really suspect of Mark.

“Oh, I mean it's just erm.” Mark said faltering.

“It's just he's going through a lot and he kind of ran off.” He heard Penny step in finishing.

Lucas glowered listening to them. Is that what it was? He was just going through it. Right he knew it, they really did think he was crazy.

“What was he so beat up about?”

“Some guy beat him up.”

“And how do I know it wants you?” 

Lucas half grinned was the dude's mistrust really going to get him out of here.

“Well. I mean… I have pictures of us together.” He heard Penny say.

“Maybe he cheated on you.” The guy said.

“And besides We dont even know if its the same guy I saw.” He added.

“This’s him.” He heard Penny say.

The dude muttered something. 

“Plese sir. We need to know where he went.” He heard Penny say. Her words pulled at Lucas' heart. She sounded so desperate. But He could not go to her. That would only put her in more danjour. 

“Ok. Fine.” He heard the man mutter. Lucas bit his cheek frustrated, he looked around looking for some way out. Just as he heard Penny yell his name. Lucas saw it. There was a window he could fit through. He climbed up to it looking down. There was kind of a drop off out of it. Lucas felt a strange twist in his gut and the hair stood up on the back of his neck. He only ignored it. He could make the jump. It was about a two story drop he climbed out the window hung from the leg and dropped. He winced upon impact. He fell to the side landing half on his arm. He shouted a little but cut himself off. He had left just in time as he heard the door shoved open above him. He shoved himself wincing. His arm hurt like crazy and so did his ribs. He winced, holding his arm tight to his body. He just needed to get out of there and then his friends would be saved. He was leaving the city when he saw the woods ahead of him. He hobbled forwards. And then he heard it. A kind of laughing. Kind of giggling. And tapping. Lucas froze. Looking around but there was little light here. He saw nothing, just the dull tree line and a thin rode going into the forest. He stood frozen staring. But he definitely heard it. It seemed so loud. And then he heard people yelling behind him.