Beautiful Dead Flowers

On Our Toes

Dean POV:

"Dean!" Heyden calls from a room over, discontinuing my daydreams. I look up from my position with my face in my pillow, and groggily muddling over my words.

"Wha- Heyden iss foo earfy." I grumble as he pulls my blinds open.

"Up and at 'em! I have a good feeling about today."

He wakes me like this at least once a month. He has a good feeling every day. It's kind of sad, because this feeling probably won't be any more accurate than the rest. Every day is another day on his mission, and every day is another day of uneasiness for Lia and I. We don't know when he'll snap, and we're on our toes, dancing around him awaiting the moment he does, so that we can swoop in and engulf him in comfort that he'll be okay.

He really thinks it isn't over. Others would say, you gotta give it to him for staying positive, but I think Lia and I are thinking the same thing; He's creating a fire, but he's running out of kindling.

"Man overboard!" I moan as my back cracks as I roll out of bed slowly, dropping to the ground in a thud, blankets and pillows coming down with me.

"Alright, come on." Lia comes in and turns the lights on, making me squawk, covering my eyes and shouting.

"You're evil! The blinds and the ceiling lights? Are you crazy?" I stick my tongue out and drop my head, playing dead.

"Can you believe this kid's turning twenty tomorrow? And he still acts like he's a five." Lia rolls her eyes.

"I know. Get up, get changed, and come for lunch. It's already noon, Dean. We've let you sleep long enough." Heyden laughs.

"It's noon!?" I exclaim, jumping up and peering at my alarm clock. "Dammit, I forgot to set my alarm." I sigh.

"There's no point, you just turn it off and go back to sleep," Lia scoffs, and Heyden nods in agreement as they leave the room together.

"Hey!" I call, but they've already left. "I'M BECOMING A MAN!" I scream, and I hear their delusional sniggers.

I can't believe I forgot; I'm turning twenty tomorrow. I'M A MAN, I think in a new mantra of pride as I stand up to change, pulling on a T-shirt and jeans.

I'm glad I'm turning twenty before we get our immortality back though, because at least I made it two decades of growing. And now, I get to become immortal in the best shape of my life, and never have to worry about eating healthy, or gray hairs, or any of that old people stuff.

"Save some food for me!" I shout as I hop down the stairs while trying to put on socks, and I can hear Heyden roll his eyes.

"We always do, Dean." He laughs. "You eat more than all the immortals combined."

Still talking as if Vek was here to listen. 

🥀🥀🥀

"Lia, Heyden, Imma go grocery shopping, but I'll be back in like, less than an hour!" I shout at my friends immersed in a true crime documentary they've been enjoying. 

Not for me; I'll stick to my Family Guy and Brooklyn 99. I relate to Jake on a spiritual level; it's just a thing. Lia and Heyden don't get it, but that's fine. They can have their unsolved mysteries and nights of being afraid of what's waiting outside their windows.

"Mmhmm... bring home some french fries," Heyden mutters as the TV lights illuminate his face.

I feel a sense of ridiculousness wash over me as I scrutinize his request.

"It's like, nine thirty at night. What food joint is gonna be open now?" I throw my arms up.

"I dunno, you oughta figure it out like you always do, Dean." Lia mumbles at the TV screen rather than me, because I'm already leaving the house.

"Whatever, weirdos." I laugh, starting the car, and beginning to drive. 

When I get to the supermarket, I grab a cart and enter hesitantly, kind of getting a deja vu sensation. It's the sense of somebodies watching me. And before you say it, it's not paranoia. Maybe our elf on the shelf, Vek, is back. I mean, tis the season, bro.

But I shake off the feeling, and look through broccoli in the produce section. Because I couldn't get to Costco tonight, the regular spaghetti will have to do. It's okay; the flair of my spices will turn it into a whole new dish, you'll see.

But when I get to an empty aisle looking for some chips I can bring home, I feel the sensation of eyes following me again, and I nervously look around. I'm not a wimp; I just don't like threats that you can't see.

I decide that it doesn't feel safe, and I shouldn't push my luck with whatever feeling I'm getting, paranoia or not.

I pay for the products, and grab my grocery bags, eager to get to my car in the parking lot, when I see a young woman struggling with like, eight bags in each of her hands. Yeah.

So, I think to myself for a minute, that naturally, I should go help her. But then a tingle in the pit of my stomach tells me it's a bad idea, that we should get out of here as fast as possible. But, the 'She's just a young woman struggling with her bags in the winter who needs help' side wins out, and I leave my groceries by the side of my car on the ice, and make my way over to her.

"Miss, can I help you with your groceries? You shouldn't be out here at night on your own." I ask, and the woman smiles warmly.

I feel as though I've seen her somewhere before. Her blonde hair, freckles, tall and lean frame... I can't pinpoint it though.

"Oh, that would be great, thank you!" She says, and I take half of her bags. "Those can go in the backseat."

I open the backseat and put the bags in, and I feel a hand push me into the back. 

"Oof, what the- mmf...!" I struggle to breathe as the girl shoves a chloroform drenched rag in my mouth, and as I begin to deliriously pass out, I see another familiar face.

Brown hair, sunkissed face, tall.

Jason Turner.

"Nice job, Becca." 

"Piece of cake, darling. Innocent, naive Dean."

Some evil laughs and cackles followed by a high five.

And I blink out.