Frozen Solid // Alan Ashby

Chapter Twelve

Surprisingly enough, I was the first one awake the next morning. I jumped out of my bunk as quietly as humanly possible and crept out of the bunk area.

Upon waking up, I had an extremely strong urge. Not a good urge either. I found Alan's jacket and searched his pockets until I found the somewhat familiar box I was in search of. I grabbed it.

I slipped on my boots and snuck off of the bus. I checked my phone, it was only six am.

I felt extremely guilty, but under the circumstances, I felt as those I needed to do it; so I did.

I shoved the pack into my pocket and pulled my sleeves over my hands, much like Alan tends to do, and decided to walk around the venue for a bit.

The sun had only just climbed into the sky, so it was still somewhat chilly. I walked around the building until I found a series of portable toilets and a shed. Alan had warned me in advance about how death was easier to withstand than the stench of the wretched toilets.

I approached the shed, I opened it and peered inside, it only contained a couple stacks of white plastic chairs. I dragged one of the stacks out and used it to get on top of the roof. It was only about ten feet so it was fairly easy.

I pulled the packet out of my pocket and opened it, thrilled to discover that there was a lighter in there; I took it out.

I carefully removed a cigarette, I eyed it intently. Strangely enough, it looked sort of innocent. Looking at it for the first time you wouldn't think that it was something that could gradually kill you.

I put the yellow part in my mouth and brought the lighter up the tip. I spent a solid minute trying to figure out how to use the blasted thing. Eventually I got the tobacco lit.

I watched as people slowly moped out of those buses, and as crew members started setting up for the day ahead of them. No one noticed me perched stealthily above.

Through the course of an hour, I managed to finish the last 5 cigarettes Alan had left. Guilt and panic shot over me when I realized that I wouldn't be able to put the box back in his jacket pocket and not have him know I took them in the first place.

As if on queue, a very tired looking Alan Ashby moped off the bus, wearing nothin but basket ball shorts and a black zip up hoodie that wasn't zipped up, exposing his torso.

I saw him approach a crew member and I could faintly hear him asking about a skinny little black haired girl. I decided I'd wait up here for him to find me, the later I'd have to confess my theft the better.

A solid ten minutes of Alan wandering aimlessly with a look of fear on his face passed. He eventually started calling out my name. I felt somewhat guilty for making him worry, but something about his distraught was rather humorous.

"December? Deceemmmber?" he dragged out my name as he scurried around the pavement. He walked over to the shed I was on and stood in front of it, his back towards me. He looked at the ground and kicked the cigarette butts I had dropped.

A devious smile took home on my lips as I neared the edge of the roof. I heard Alan sigh heavily. He ran his fingers through his hair as he scanned the area from his spot.

I quickly jumped from the roof, landing directly in front of him.

"Oh my god!" I hear him shout. I turned around and saw him with his back pressed against the wall. "Where the hell did you come from?!" he squeaked.

I pointed up. He shook his head and tried to catch the breath that I scared away from him. "Okay, let's go back to the bus." He panted. I nodded and ran ahead.