It Is Well With The Van

Chapter 5: Run Up On Me

That was one weird night.

Josh Roth loved to gasp.

The 6th grader sat next to B. Wells during youth group, and he was pretty crazy. Laughing all the time for no reason, jumping around when anything was said, ignoring Matthew's sister Rachel saying, "Shut up, Becky!"

Why did they call him Becky? No one knew for sure.

But what B. Wells did know is that Paul Ladeau was sleeping over at his house that night, and he was excited to have fun. Honestly, not as excited as he would be if DaVan was there, but still pretty excited.

They liked to play video games together, watch shows and mess around with recordings... At least Paul did. He messed around with everything and sometimes that annoyed Brandon. But he held that in.

Josh said things like "No cap" and "Say less" a lot, but he was just doing what all the other kids around him did. That's what the slang was those days.

But B. Wells could tell the kid looked up to him, and it was nice.

What wasn't nice was Mr. Reinhart. B. Wells was having PTSD from what happened the other day, and his panic attacks were not making it better.

He had asked DaVan if he was ok, and he was actually better because Tyler Wood had been caught with the corn and was suspended for a week.

But at this point, Kyle had mentioned something about singing like a chorus, and that word triggered Brandon... At least it did in the moment.

His breathing started to shake, his heart raced, and the flashbacks of the bald devil toad began.

Josh saw his friend having an attack and he touched his shoulder gently. "Are you ok? Brandon?"

B. Wells tried to take deep breaths. "Hold up. I'm... Alright."

"I don't think you are." He said, concerned.

"I need a break."

B. Wells rushed to the bathroom and pulled out his phone. He needed to call up DaVan.

"Come on... Pick up, pick up!" He muttered under his breath as he went to his Instagram.

DaVan's face showed up on the camera. He was sitting in front of his computer with his shirt off for no reason in particular. He was just tryna chill after that last fire call.

"Bro, Yung Penguin is about to get uploads to Distrokid! Future Legend is actually-"

"Evan, stop! Hold on! Bruv..."

B. Wells was breathing hard, trying not to have an overload.

"Um... B. Wells? What's going on?"

Brandon sank to the floor.

"Are you having another attack?"

"Yeah. I can't stop it."

"Yes, you can, bruv. Breathe."

"That's what I'm doing!"

"Alright, think about something happy. Like DeAngelo."

"Not helping!"

"Uhhh.... When Billy and Tommy saved us... Your cousins! Think about them. Picture Jay, or Zeke. Imagine if you were in Missouri with them. Sitting on the couch... Playing Mario Kart... Just chilling. Being with them is great because, you know, you're safe. No one will ever attack you. You're happy. No fear. No crying. And no.... None of that."

B. Wells began to calm down, settling his breathing. Kyle was still talking in the other room, but he didn't think about that. Just his cousins. Just DaVan. Just him.