Chapter Text
Tapping the pencil on his lip, an eighteen year old boy struggled to think of an idea. It had been quite a few days since the last time he sketched and each time he tried, he felt... empty. It frustrated him to no end; his only escape from his problems was starting to become a problem.
Biting his lower lip, he scratched the blunt 2B pencil on thick paper with a light circle. Starting the eyes with experienced nimble fingers, he went on to draw a nose and mouth. So, he drew a face, now who was this supposed to be?
Unhappy, he erased it. The paper almost worn out as it was the tenth time he did that. And it had been almost an hour sitting out here on the wooden table bench in the neighbourhood park. Grateful for the chill autumn wind and not the scorching temperatures of summer, he could sit outside not feeling sweaty. "Ugh… this's not going anywhere." He blew out a frustrated sigh.
Meep Meep Meep Meep
The teen moved his hand to his front pocket and tapped on his phone screen, recognizing the caller ID. "Yeah, what's up?"
"Hiccup!" There was loud music playing in the background making it a little hard to hear his friend. "Hey! You know your favourite band, the Tea Dragons?"
He pulled the phone away from his ear a little bit, it was loud. "What about it?"
"Well, they're doing a live performance right now! And I know how much you've always wanted to see them live! We're at Boulevard Street! You better hurry, crowds growing thick!"
"We?" Hiccup packed his things as quick as he could while balancing his phone between his cheek and shoulder.
"Snotlout, Fishlegs and even the twins are here! Look, I know you've been stressing on your assignments the last few days. You probably need to let out a few steam, it's not—"
"I know how to have fun, Astrid," Hiccup zipped his vintage canvas bag, his hand holding the straps and the other on his phone; legs already out from under the table as he hurried. "Why'd you always make me sound like a grumpy old man. Never mind, don't answer that. I'm on my way. Save me a spot!"
He heard her laughed, the music behind getting louder. "I'm doing it right now!"
He hung up and tucked his phone into one of the pockets of his black cargo shorts and rushed out of the park with haste, his left prosthetic leg slowing him down a little earning him a few clumsy trips. His destination was just a few blocks away; it shouldn't take long if he just kept with the speed.
Tea Dragons was his favourite heavy metal band, despite his looks, Hiccup was very into punk and rock music. The screaming and angry guitar strumming helped him to focus better. Since he knew about the band a year ago, Hiccup never thought the well-known band will visit his little less well-known town of Burgess.
It was getting dark as the sun began to set; Hiccup kept running under the street lights in the quiet neighbourhood, excitement pumping in his veins. He was no athlete but, he was going to make it on time.
"Hiccup!"
What?
The auburn haired teen slowed into a jog, he turned his head to look behind him. There wasn't anyone around. Rows of houses lining on his left side and his right were rows of dense trees. Hiccup hadn't realized that the sun was almost gone, leaving the street lights illumined the area.
"Hiccup!"
There it is again. Hiccup stopped in his track and turned in every direction, trying to find the source of the voice. Which vaguely sounds familiar…?
"Hiccup! Please hurry!"
"Who's there?!" He wore a plain dark sea-green long sleeve shirt knowing it would be a little chilly outside but now, it clung to his sweat dampened skin. He wasn't feeling warm, cold, he felt cold.
"Over here!"
Green eyes looked towards the dark bushland; it was coming from in there. He gulped.
"Please help!"
Now, Hiccup knew all too well what could happen when a person walk into a dark forest with no light but a disembodied voice to guide him. He'd been watching too many horror movies with Astrid on Friday nights to not know the outcome. There was no way he was going in there.
"Please, Hiccup! Help!"
But the voice, it felt so familiar, almost as if he should know. His feet hesitantly wandered into the bushland as he used his phone flashlight app to shine his way. There was still a bit of light out here, but, in there, its as if light itself refused to shine. "Hello?!"
"Over here!"
Dried leaves and sticks crunched beneath his feet. He was breathing heavily, not knowing what to expect. "Where're you?!" He called out.
"Over here!"
It sounded closer but further, he was afraid yet his feet brought him deeper into the bushland. I'm just hearing things. I should get back on the streets to Astrid. What am I doing here? His subconscious self biting into his mind, because what if this was real and someone was in trouble and needed help, what if—
"Over here! Please hurry!"
The voice sounded closer, he turned right, one hand pushing away branches and bushes.
"I'm here!"
Hiccup stepped into a clearing, there wasn't a single soul around, but a dead oak tree in the middle. The cold air around him grew foggy, summoning his courage, he cried out, "Hello?!" He stood awhile, waiting for a response. There was none. "HELLO?!" He tried again, walking into the middle of the clearing. Silence greeted back.
"Oh for the love of—" Hiccup leaned onto the tree and slumped down, tired. "Alright! You got me! Why don't you come out now!"
He was still holding his phone, flashing it on all sides, expecting somebody to jump out.
Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep
"Fucking hell!"
Squinting his eyes, he looked at the bright screen, quickly his finger tapped answer. "Astrid?"
"Hiccup!" He felt relieved hearing his best-friend's voice. "Where are you? The show's almost over—"
"Fuck, Astrid. You have no idea how glad I am to hear you," He couldn't hear her on the other end as it was drowned out by cheering crowds. "Sorry I think I might've been pranked. Not sure if I could make it but I'll be there. Just wait for me. You won't believe—"
There was movement in the bushes near him, Hiccup clammed up, eyes widened as he forced himself to look to his right. It was still rustling, as if something was caught in them and it was trying to get out.
"Hiccup, could you repeat that? You're getting cut off—"
And then it jumped at him. Hiccup screamed. His phone clattered onto the earth.
The last thing he saw was a pair of eyes staring deep into him.