Part 10 - Escaped

Y/n

Why is it that it's only when you're not allowed to laugh, that something funny actually happens.

I was currently sat at the very back table in Professor Orloff's classroom, plants and various organisms covering every square inch of the floor and walls, while shelves were positioned by the window with hundreds of bottles of who knows what.

I couldn't focus on what Orloff was saying, because every several seconds, he got electrocuted by some 'unknown' person.

And that person was looking at me every time he popped out from in front of the desk closest to the door, and I was using everything in my power not to burst out laughing.

Orloff rolled down the aisle in between the rows of tables, saying something I probably already learned last year. So I mostly tuned his words out as my hand idly doodles on my workbook.

"...the human brain is the hungriest organ in the body, consuming 20%-"

And then, Pugsley peeked out again, and we made eye contact before he shot a bit of his power towards Orloff, causing him to stop mid roll and quickly turn to face the class with a shocked look on his face. Pun intended.

"Who did that? Go on, speak up!"

I hide my face behind my hand as an involuntary laugh escaped from my mouth, and I take a deep breath before looking back over at Pugsley, my composure seconds away from breaking again. He grins at me and zaps Orloff for the second time, and everyone else in the room started to laugh, so I let myself join in quietly too.

My amusement is short lived, as a head of dark curly hair catches my eye, and I look to see Eugene standing in the doorway of the classroom, hiding partially so Orloff doesn't spot him.

What was he doing here? He wasn't in this class, in fact, if I was remembering correctly, this was usually when he went out to take care of his bees, out in the Hummer shed...

He gestured with his hands to come out into the hallway, and Pugsley looked back at me again before he carefully moved towards the door. I gathered my books in a pile and shoved them in my bag before calling out to Orloff.

"Uhm, Professor, I'm really not feeling that great, may I please be excused?"

Orloff turns his head within the water contained in the glass contraption he resided in, and stopped his interrogation for the earlier shocking.

"Oh, yes of course miss L/n, would you like someone to accompany yo-"

I walk away from my desk and sling my bag over my shoulder as I walk past Orloff.

"No thanks I'm fine, thank you Professor Orloff!"

I rush out the door, disregarding any looks I got as Eugene pulled both Pugsley and I further into the hallway, away from any listening ears. He looks worried about something. Maybe his bees all died from the awful smell Slurp was creating in that shed.

Pugsley speaks in a hushed tone as he looks between Eugene and myself.

"Dude what are you doing here? I was kinda having fun with my powers."

I snort under my breath at the memory of 5 minutes ago, still fresh in my mind.

Eugene's tone was not as calm.

"Yeah well while you were in there having the time of your life, your pet zombie, Slurp? He's escaped."

Both of our faces dropped. Eugene turned on his heels and made a move down the hallway and towards the exit. I tap Pugsley on the arm and start to pull him along, and he snaps out of his daze as we are quick to follow in suit.

How could he have escaped? He was chained up in the shed and he seemed pretty happy just staying there. What reason could he have had to want to leave...

I just hope he hasn't hurt anybody, or even made it onto campus yet.

The three of us raced through the halls, past classrooms and eventually got out the door into the courtyard, which had the only exit out to where the Hummer shed was.

Nobody was out here during this time of day normally, so we weren't at any risk of being spotted sneaking away. At least I hoped so.

We made it all of halfway across the courtyard, when I see someone leaning in the archway. The same archway that we had to go through to get out. At first I couldn't see who it was, but when we got closer my stomach dropped.

Why now, and why does it always have to be him??

Once we got close enough, Ajax turned his head and saw us, immediately standing up straight and looking directly at me.

Just don't look at him and he'll leave me be, easy as that. We continue to move quickly, Eugene and Pugsley walk past him, but as soon as I try to do the same, he calls out to me.

"Hey, Y/n?"

Just keep walking, I don't have time for this right now. But he catches my arm, forcing me to stop. I groan and reluctantly turn to him.

"Would you just stop for a sec I gotta talk to you about something."

Those words made my heart climb up to my throat. And as much as I wanted to hear what he had to say, I had to prioritize my friends right now. 

"I'm kind of in the middle of something here, Ajax, can it wait?"

His hand lets go of its grip on my arm and returns to his pocket.

"No, actually. It can't"

He seemed dead serious. I sigh and look over at Pugsley, who was still standing outside of the archway, while Eugene had gone on ahead.

"Y/n, you coming?"

I look back at Ajax, who had a pleading expression on his face that tugged at me in a way that I hated.

Fuck.

"Just give me a sec, I'll catch up, be safe okay?"

Pugsley gives me a short nod before he turns and runs after Eugene.

Dammit, why could I never say no to this jackass.

"Okay, so what is so important that you just had to stop me."

"Have you seen Enid? I can't find her anywhere."

...wow. 

I stare at him, saying nothing as I try to wrap my head around how ridiculously stupid I felt right now. I really thought that...

"Are you...actually fucking kidding me?"

He doesn't say anything. His mouth slightly agape at my unexpected response. I felt angry. Not at him, but at myself for thinking that he could possibly move on.

"This is what is so important? Looking for her."

At this point I didn't care if he noticed the bite on that last word. I wanted him to know it killed me anytime he brought her up. He finally scoffed and spoke.

"Yes, because I'm worried about her. And I know you and her aren't exactly close but I would've thought that you might've seen her. But I guess you're not the right person to ask, if you're gonna be like that about it."

He starts to turn away from me, but he can't seriously think this is over. He can't just act like that and expect me to take it.

"Why do you even care so much? She dumped you, remember."

He stopped in his tracks and turned back to me as his jaw clenched.

"So? That doesn't mean I just stopped caring about her. Why are you getting so worked up over this?"

My god is he dumb.

"Because I can't understand how you can still love someone after they break your heart the way that she did yours. It's insane to me. She's obviously moved on, so what's stopping you from doing the same. You'd be happier if you just got over it."

He scoffed again and clicked his tongue.

"Wow. Who knew you'd become such a bitch. Look I know you may be going through something, but don't take it out on me. I've been nothing but a friend to you, especially after what happened last year, but I-"

And there it was. I could see that he regretted it as soon as he said it, but it was too late now. He was the only person who knew about what happened who had never said anything or used it against me. But not anymore.

His shoulders dropped as his expression turned to one of regret, and he tried to reach out, but I stepped back.

"Y/n...wait, I'm sorry- I didn't mean-"

"It's fine."

I couldn't bring myself to look at him, and I just turned away, starting to walk out of the archway.

"I hope Enid's okay."

I could hear him curse under his breath as I finally walk away, not looking back. I needed to worry about Pugsley and Slurp before anything else. Ajax would just have to wait.

««« ♪ ♪ »»»

Pugsley held up a dog bowl that he had painted Slurp's name on last night, and was currently feeding said zombie. Yesterday we came to the shed to find that he had in fact gone missing, but instead of going out and looking for him, and risk getting caught or getting hurt, Pugsley insisted that we wait for him to come back on his own.

And through some fucking miracle, he did. Eugene, as always, looked pretty uncomfortable as Slurp inhaled his bowl fed meal.

"So, Slurp just came back on his own?"

Pugsley grinned, probably proud that his plan of waiting worked exactly how he'd hoped.

"Yep. He was in here when I came in this morning."

I study Slurp for a moment. Wait...

"He looks different."

I point out, something about him had changed since last time, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Pugsley smiles at my statement and nods.

"I..I think he's healing."

Please no.

Pugsley gestures towards Slurp.

"Check out the inside of his skull."

I move next to Eugene and he pulls out a flashlight out of who knows where, and he shines it through the gap in Slurps head as we peek inside as Pugsley continues his proud statement.

"I think he's even starting to regrow a brain in there."

Yup. There it was. The sight of it made me want to gag, but I kept it to myself to protect Pugsley's feelings. He seemed so happy about it.

"Incredible..."

Eugene mumbles, and I just slowly turn to look at him, disturbed. I thought he hated Slurp. He ignores my look and continues to inspect the new brain forming in there.

"It's like he's regenerating in hyper speed."

The movement of it was the last straw and I looked away and moved back to where I was before, I couldn't stand another second of that.

"I'm telling you, it's the mystery meat. The more he eats, the more alive he gets"

Maybe you should stop feeding it to him then.

Pugsley looks over at me with a grin, while I'm trying to suppress the urge to word vomit how disgusting Slurp is. Or maybe just actually vomit.

Eugene finally draws his attention away from Slurp's brain and turns back to the two of us.

"What are we gonna do if he runs away again?"

Pugsley thinks for a second.

"He won't. He may be brainless, but he knows he's got a sweet set up here. Who else is gonna take care of him?"

Maybe the fucking grim reaper.

Eugene looks closely at Slurp again, and pulled something out of a crevice with a pair of some kind of tweezers. Which again, did he pull them out his ass? Where tf did he get those?

"Woah, check out this larva."

Oh hell nah.

He held up a wriggling thing, and I finally gagged. Nope nope nope this is too much for one day. I walk over to the wall and lean one hand on it above my head, leaning and breathing deeply to regain my composure. The boys just shrugged at my dramatic acts and looked back at the bug.

"New England corpse moth. Super rare, only ever found-"

"In corpses?"

Pugsley interrupted, and I heard a small 'mhm' from Eugene.

Slurp made an odd sound, which caused me to look back out of curiosity.

Pugsley looked concerned and put the bowl down.

"What's the matter boy?"

Slurp made another sound, though it wasn't anything comprehensible. But Pugsley's face lit up in excitement.

"Did you hear that? He said his first word."

Uhm no the fuck he didn't? If anything it was a groan, and he made the sound again.

"Brruhhh"

Pugsley just smiled up at Slurp and nodded.

"That's right I am your bruh."

Palm immediately to forehead. He cannot be serious right now. I fully turn back now after calming down and I point my whole hand at Slurp.

"He's a zombie. He's not trying to call you his bruh. He's trying to say brains."

Pugsley turns to me and grabs both my shoulders and moves us away from Slurp a bit as he practically stares into my soul.

"Don't use the z word."

He glances back at Slurp.

"He's sensitive."

I look back and forth between Pugsley and Slurp, who right now was moving uncomfortably closer to Eugene, tongue sticking out.

"Uhm, Pugsley-"

"How do you not know that? We're supposed to be his friends."

Slurp was now way too close to Eugene for comfort, so I point behind Pugsley just as Slurp reached out to grab Eugene's arm.

Pugsley let go of me and shot Slurp with his power, and Eugene jumped back and stood next to me.

"No biting! Bad Slurp!"

Slurp cowers in the corner like a toddler who'd just been told of by their parent. Which I guess is kinda what happened...

Eugene pipes up from next to me, still sounding scared.

"This is way too dangerous, we need to tell someone."

"No!"

I look over at Pugsley's face once he'd retaliated so quickly. He had that same look from when Eugene told us that Slurp escaped in the first place. He was scared.

"They'll take him away, or worse, put him down."

Pugsley's voice almost broke me. He genuinely cared about Slurp, and if anything bad were to happen to him he would be crushed. And Eugene wasn't helping at all.

"He's already dead. We can't leave him here alone while we're off camping."

I smack Eugene with my hand, trying to make him shut up before he hurt Pugsley's feelings any further. But Pugsley seemed unfazed.

"Don't worry about that. I already got that covered."

Eugene didn't say anything after that, he simply just nodded to the both of us before he turned and left the Hummer shed.

I face Pugsley and let out a deep sigh. I knew Eugene wasn't completely on board with this whole friendship thing, but he could at least try to act nice about it.

Slurp had now come back over to Pugsley, and had a hand, if you could even call it that, wrapped around Pugsley's arm. And he just patted it gently in return.

This boy...I swear, as much as I loved it about him, his gentle soul is bound to be the death of him one day.