Chapter Text
Greg gripped the splintered, wooden fence and hoisted himself up, just enough to see over the top. He examined the yard closely, looking for any people still out at this time of night. He glanced inside the house's window at a clock that read two a.m. 'Oh, it's getting a little late', he thought to himself, pulling himself up the rest of the way. He chuckled to himself quietly, thinking, 'those pull-ups really did help'. Greg landed on the soft, freshly cut grass with a thud and looked around, frantically trying to determine if someone had heard him. He got up and dusted off his white shirt, hoping no one would notice the new green stain that somehow magically appeared overnight. he crouch-walked around the backyard of the house, making sure to avoid any loose branches or crunchy leaves that might alert someone. This town was the quietiest place he'd ever lived in, but then again it was also the only place he'd ever lived in. Greg was born and raised in the quiet town of Paradise. Everyone called it that because it had everything anyone could ever need. Great neighbors, free food, free healthcare, pretty much everything was free. A dime was neither earned, nor spent, almost like a utopia. He went to a great school, where he was taught from age five to now, age 17. Nobody that Greg knew even cared about any other place besides this one. It was everything anyone could ever need, how could you? He was the only one that fantasized about seeing other ecosystems, other towns, and maybe even cities! He longed to meet new people, but apparently they didn't have what Paradise had. Nothing was free, not everybody was nice. As he grew, he realized his dreams were childish, but deep in his heart the passion still existed. Greg drew up his hand, carefully pushing his blonde hair out of his eyes as he reached for a window. He carefully pushed up on the glass and pushed the curtain out of the way, revealing his sleeping friend, Jacob.
"PSST-"
Greg tried to carefully get his friend's attention as he climbed into the window, barely missing knocking a plant over. He sighed to himself and walked over to his bed, suddenly gripping Jacob and shaking him violently. Greg moved quickly, covering his friend's mouth with his hand before he could scream.
"Phew, that was a close one,"
he said, lowering his hand.
"Oh, it's just you,"
Jacob said with an annoyed expression on his face.
"Shh- they're gonna hear us,"
He answered with a chuckle.
"Now c'mon we got some exploring to do!"
Greg grabbed him and dragged him out of bed, throwing some clothes at his face.
"Go get dressed in your bathroom or something," he said, as he turned to face the corner.
"I won't look, I promise," he said, adding the words and chuckle, "I don't even want to," under his breath. Greg heard the bathroom door open as he turned to face his best friend.
"Ready now?"
He said, halfway out the window.
"Yeah, wait up," Jacob said, leaping out with him. He turned around, closing the window behind him and Greg, making sure not to latch it so he could get back inside. They crouched below the other windows, trying carefully to not make any sounds. Greg turned around to face his friend, asking him, "are you ready?" before grabbing the fence and pulling himself upwards.
"Hey numbnuts," Jacob said, standing up and walking to the gate.
"It's unlocked," he said, pushing it open with Greg still on top. He looked up at his friend to see the surprise on his face. Jacob laughed, saying, "well you might as well finish what you started."
Greg smiled and jumped from the gate onto the grass, finally landing on his feet.
"I've been practicing," Greg said, laughing.
"Oh, what are we gonna do anyways?"
Jacob asked as they walked into the empty, dark street.
"I already told you, go exploring," Greg answered, walking down the road.
"Yeah, but where?" He asked, making his best friend turn around and stop.
"Isn't it obvious? Pandora!" he said, turning back around and continuing down the road. Pandora was the local town forest. It was larger than any house anyone in the town lived in, measuring to what people assume is ten acres of land. Growing up, Jacob and Greg had made it their second home, building little wooden forts and having stick battles. Lately they'd been working on a fairly big treehouse, huge enough to live in. They weren't quite done, but making good progress. The forest had been like a second home to them both, ever since meeting each other there. Right outside of the forest lay a nice sized park where they used to play when they were younger. They were the same age, with Greg being a bit older, so they connected right away. As they grew up, all they had was each other. They never showed any interest in making new friends, they were inseperable.
"Aha- there it is!"
Greg said, running into the dense foliage. Jacob followed just behind him, enough to not get lost. Nobody lived close to the forest, so they could be louder than on the streets of Paradise. Greg emerged into a clearing and looked up into the treehouse. Jacob caught up behind him, asking, "what are we gonna do now?" Without an answer, Greg began climbing the wooden ladder up into the building and came back down with food and tools.
"We're gonna finish this treehouse . . . tonight."
He said, flipping his axe into the air and catching it.
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Jacob brushed sweat off his forehead with his palm, dirtying his jet black hair even more. He slammed the axe into the wood, cleanly breaking off a chunk for the treehouse. He squatted and lifted the heavy lumber onto his shoulder, carrying it to the ladder.
"You got the last piece, Jacob?"
Greg asked, lowering the makeshift hoist down to his friend.
"Yep! this one's a bit heavy, be careful," he said, grunting to get it into the cradle. Greg pulled the rope and wood up into the treehouse as Jacob climbed up the tree to help put it into place.
"You got it, Greg?"
He asked, grabbing a couple nails and a hammer.
"Yep, I got it," he said with strain in his voice. Jacob laughed and grabbed onto the rope, helping his friend pull the piece onto the house floor. They each grabbed an end and lifted it onto the hole in the roof, Jacob pounding in the nails for support. they looked at each other and their creation, high-fiving their wonderful art.
"We're finally done!"
Greg said, opening up one of their windows and looking into the street below. Jacob closed the front door behind them, keeping most sound they made inside and unable to be heard.
"It didn't take us that long either," he said, sitting in one of the chairs they brought from their houses. Jacob opened a book and flipped to a bookmark, turning on a tiny light to his right so he could read without straining his eyes. A couple minutes later he looked at the clock, noticing it had been thirty minutes since he sat down.
"Wow, time flies when you have a nice book, don't ya' agree, Greg?"
He said, putting the mark into his page and shutting it.
"Greg?"
He said again, getting up and walking over to him.
"SH-" Greg put his hand over his friend's mouth. Jacob swatted away with his own hand, disgusted.
"blegh," he said, walking closer to Greg.
"Really, again?"
He said, looking out the window with him.
"I said, be quiet!"
He loudly whispered.
"Ok- ok- what's gotten into you?"
Greg pointed out the window to a house in the far distance.
"That's it?" Jacob said, disappointed.
"That's what you've been staring at for the past thirty minutes? a house?" he said, moving back to the chair.
"No wait! It's back!"
Greg said pulling his friend to the window.
"What's . . . back?"
Jacob asked, looking around the whole town.
"That . . . thing," he said, his voice quivering. Just those two words was enough to draw a chill down his spine. Greg pointed again, but this time he could see it. Plain as day, but not really. A huge, dark figure walking around the sides of houses, checking every window.
"What the actual heck is that."
Jacob said, backing up and closing the window. Greg opened the front treehouse door and strated climbing down quickly.
"Dude, what are you doing?! We can't do back with that thing out there!"
Jacob said, looking down at him.
"WE HAVE TO," he answered his friend.
"Why though?" He asked, climbing down with him.
"Cause that . . . thing . . . is gonna notice our windows are unlocked dingus!"
Jacob's eyes widened as Greg turned around and sprinted towards the road, racing to their houses before the creature could get there. He jumped off the ladder, running to catch up with his friend. Suddenly, a scream echoed closely in front of him. Jacob ran up to where the scream came from to find Greg laying on the cold, hard ground.
"Dang it!"
Greg said, clutching his left leg and writhing in pain.
"You ok man?" Jacob said, crouching beside his body.
"Yeah, I'm fine, I just hope that thing didn't hear me," he said, looking around the forest. Almost as soon as he said it they heard a low growl. Both of them sat upward quickly.
'You heard that, right?" Greg said quietly.
"How could I not," answered Jacob as he grabbed his friend and threw him up on his shoulder. He carefully crouched to a spot concealed behind above-ground tree roots, setting Greg next to him as they watched for any sign of it. About a minute later, large heavy footsteps sounded from the bushes as the large figure made it's way into the clearing. Greg gasped and Jacob moved fast, covering his mouth with his hand. He watched as the creature slowly turned to face them, almost as if it could see them. It slowly walked towards them, moving large weeds. 'BADUM- BADUM-' Jacob's heart pounded in his ears as the thing got closer and closer to finding them both. Suddenly, as if on cue, a door slam echoed in the distance, causing the creature to quickly turn around and run out of the forest. Jacob released his grip from Greg's face and he gasped for air.
"Haha got you back," Jacob said, getting up and dusting off his blue jeans.
"REALLY? THAT'S ALL YOU CAN SAY?"
Greg whisper-yelled at his friend.
"I mean, we just had a run in with the freaking devil or something!"
He continued as he reached for Jacob's hand for help up. He grabbed him and pulled him to his feet, saying, "I know, but we still need to get home before that thing shows up again. We'll talk in the morning."
Together they hobbled out of the forest, not seeing the thing again at all. Not a glimpse, not even a footprint.
"Why are we at my house first?"
Greg asked as Jacob opened his window. "Cause I can actually walk," he answered, helping his friend into his room.
"You sure you'll be fine getting home?"
He asked, grabbing his pajamas.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Jacob said, smiling. "Goodnight! Don't let the thing bite you!"
He said, laughing and closing the window. He made his way around his friend's house, his heart just beginning to slow down.
'Man, what the heck was that thing though? Too bad we couldn't get a good look. It's pretty dark out tonight,' he thought to himself as he opened his own gate and window. He closed it behind him and got in bed. 'I don't even feel like getting dressed,' he thought as he drifted off into his dreams.