"I Love You" (A Lander Story)

Cold [NEW]

This one is basically just Zander angst, I had a really interesting idea and i didn't wanna scrap it just cause it was angst. Also writing angst is really fun. Hope you like this! It's up to you what was going on with Zander. His characterization is a lot different than what is normally do but he's a child in this so that's my excuse-

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The loud slam of a door closing rung through the darkened neighborhood.

The streets were deserted. No one there to see the lone boy running down the cold sidewalk.

Zander couldn't hear a thing over his own thoughts. Every breath seemed exhausting as he felt his feet slam down on the solid ground.

He felt dizzy, he could feel himself trembling as he veered off the side walk into the woods surrounding his town. Pine needles falling into his face. He didn't seem to mind though. His only thought being to get somewhere,

Somewhere where no one could find him.

Pitch black surrounding him as he collapsed onto the dirt covered ground, not a light in sight. He turned onto his back, the small action seeming to take any remaining energy out of him, for he couldn't seem to find it in himself to care that he was covered in dirt.

Zander saw as his vision blurred the stars above, his tears felt cold against his skin.

He felt confused, scared, angry. angry at the man in red. He found that he didn't like red very much.

He used his sleeve it wipe away his tears, smudging more dirt on his face. He looked up to the stars getting lost in their gentle glow.

The boy in purple thought that who needed people when he had the stars? They were so much prettier than people. They never left.

But he knew that he had to go back. He didn't want to, but he knew that when he left it scared his mother, Zander didn't want her to be scared. But he didn't want to be scared either, and the stars never scared him.

He stood up and looked around, he had never gone this far before, it was really dark too. But that was okay. He always found his way home.

He began walking blindly through the night. Only the moonlight to light his path. After awhile the cold began to bother him, he decided he didn't want to be here anymore. His mind felt foggy with the need for sleep.

But Zander didn't want to go home, home wasn't any warmer. But maybe he could go to Luke's house. His house was always warm.

He felt through his pant pockets, grabbing onto his small flip-phone. It was coated in black paint and he could feel the scuffs running across the entire phone.

The phone screen dimly illuminated his face as he clicked through the different screens to Luke's contact. A loud ringing sound filled the forest, overpowering the faint sounds of animals scuttling in the underbrush.

"Zander?" A groggy voice answered, recognizably Luke's

"Can I come over?" He asked his voice still slightly rough from crying. He continued walking whilst he talked, His feet crunching sticks beneath them.

"Zander it's 11pm, what's going on?" Luke answered confusing and sleep evident in his voice.

"Can I please come over?" Zander asked again more persistently, his voice betraying his exhaustion.

He heard Luke yawn loudly before mumbling into his phone "I don't mind, but I think my mom's asleep by now"

Zander gave a small thanks before hanging up. He spotted a light from between the trees, that lit up the branches and cast a shadow on him.  He wandered out of the trees and found himself back on his road, the ground feeling so much rougher than the soft soil of the forest.

He saw Luke's house at the end of the road. The walk to it seeming to last forever. He reached the door and knocked. Luke's mom answered, she looked at him in relief and worry, she spoke her voice laced with concern "Where have you been? Your parents were worried sick"

Zander looked away and picked at his sweater. "Come on, I'll take you home" she said, leading Zander away from her house. Each step to his own seeming so much more difficult than the last.

The door opened, it felt just as cold as the deserted road.

Word Count: 672
03/18/2021