Ashton stares with wide eyes at the large, grotesque thing staring back at the boys before he feels the hands on his hair loosen, dropping Ashton like a bag of potatoes to hit the concrete floor with alarming impact.
Ashton flinches, slowly lifting his head, his vision still blurry watching the boys within the alley run like chickens without heads, bumping into each other, throwing each other to the other side, attempting to crawl up the alley's walls to escape. The thing, at first, watches, its four eyes wide and watching before it opens its large mouth, using its orange hands to reach for a stranded boy trying to run away, but grabbing the boy's waist just in time to squeeze its hand with enough pressure to cause the boy's body to combust. The thing quickly turns, its head now focused on two other boys trying to run away, but one trip, reaching out to his friend, but his head gets squashed by the thing's large feet.
"Shit..." Ashton murmurs, watching with large eyes as the thing slaughters whoever it sees. It reaches for a boy trying to climb the alley's walls and grab them in groups, lifting its head and dropping the boys in its mouth, licking its lips, and swallowing the boys whole. The thing smacks another boy against the way, it crushes another boy's skull, then it-.
Ashton can't think, his pinkish red eyes focused in front of him, causing his body to still, be frozen in fear. Ashton blinks, watching the thing continue to mascara everyone around him until his eyes widen, seeing Jordan stumbling away to run behind the thing, but one of the thing's eyes catches his movements in time fast enough to lift its hand, raise it high enough, and swat it in Jordan's direction.
"Jordan-!" It's Jake who cries out first, reaching for his friend. Jake turns his head, his eyes widening in fear as he opens his mouth to scream, but the impact of the thing's hand smacks Jordan's back against the wall, causing his insides to splat on the ill walls.
Rodney reacts first, shaking his head, tears in his eyes as he screams and tries to run away in a stagger from the monster, but the monster only reaches its hand to Rodney, lifting him by one of his legs and swinging him in the air. Rodney screams, hitting the monster's large hand to try to force the monster to stop, but the monster only casually drops Rodney on the ground, watching his body spilled on impact.
Ashton feels his body shake, his usually rough and pursed face morphed into one of fear and shock. Ashton, however, doesn't have too much time to dwell on it, because there is a large hand that grips his arm, tugging him backward and pulling him up.
"We need to get out of here, now!" It's Jake from behind him who yells, his usually calm voice laced with grief. "Wake up Ash! Snap out of it!"
Ashton gulps, shakily nodding his head as Jake helps him up, snickering as his eyes land on Ashton's injured head.
"There's no way you can do much with that injury..." Jake said, eyeing Ashton with concern. "Just follow me, hm?"
Ashton nods, feeling Jake swing one of Ashton's arms over his neck as he pushes forward, walking as some boys rush forward, attempting to run past or around the monster. Jake grunts, turning his head back and forth before he stills, spotting something in front of him. Jake grabs Ashton by the side of his waist and drags them both forward, stopping at a hole in between two corners of the long wall.
"Where are-what's this...?" Ashton asked, looking between the mid-sized whole and the monster, who continues to slaughter whoever is in its sights. "Why the hell are you showing me this? We have to get out-."
"We're going to hide here." Jake casually said, unwrapping Ashton's arm around his neck and softly pushing him to the wall. "Get in."
Ashton raises an eyebrow, looking between the monster and Jake before he curtly nods his head, sliding in the hole that barely fits his lean body, but enough that he has to hunch his shoulders and cramp himself together with crossed legs in the hole. He scoots back, but his back hits hard, cold rock.
Ashton looks up, peaking through his choppy bangs as he watches Jake softly look at him, but doesn't make any moves to join him in the hiding space.
"Dude, hurry the fuck up!" Ashton said, but he stopped himself, his eyes wide, catching the soft, small smile on Jake's face.
"I lied. I meant you're gonna be the one hiding there." Jake said, his eyes slowly moving forward, his strong hands clutched into fists, but his hands are shaking. "Only one of us can fit anyway."
"You're being a piece of shit," Ashton said from the dark hole, feeling his shoulders grow heavy, and his breath speed up. "Rodney and Jordan are gone. We-we can make it, at least. For them. You-you still have to get me my birthday cake, you asshole."
Jake laughs, rubbing a hand through his dark hair, his sparkling eyes matching the grin on his face.
"You know you were like a little brother to me, Ash." Jordan said, his tone somber. "Make sure you're happy, eh? You deserve some happiness. You're a good kid, Ash-."
"Stop that bullshit and come here!" Ashton screams, his head pounding, his heart feeling heavy, and he feels tears begin to form in his eyes. "I don't need that bullshit, you ass. Come here!"
"I gotta protect the baby in the group, ya know?" Jake said, letting out a hearty laugh. "I'm sorry your birthday was shit."
"Move!" A sudden voice said, cutting Jake off and pushing him to the side. Jake stumbles, eyeing Ken, who's rushing forward and reaching in the hole to grab Ashton and drag him out. "if you won't get in, I fucking will!"
"You piece of-fuck off!" Jake said, grabbing Ken's arm and pulling him away from Ashton. Ken snickers, shoving Jake and holding his switchblade to Jake's face, who flinches back in surprise.
"Put that-." Jake starts, but Ken snickers, swinging the blade around in Jake's face.
"I'll do whatever the fuck I want," Ken said. "Now fuck off!"
"No, leave him alone!" Jake said, reaching forward, but Ken reacts, swinging the blade close enough to Jake's face that it silts Jake's cheek, causing it to draw blood.
Jake flinches, holding his bleeding cheek. Ashton grits his teeth, attempting to move out of the hole he's stuck in, but Jake meets eyes with him, shaking his head.
"Stay," Jake said, holding his bloody cheek. "Stay in there, Ashton."
"Fuck no!" Ken roars, whipping his head around and running to where Ashton is. "Over my dead body-."
It happened within a flash. Ashton blinks, watching Ken reach for the hole Ashton was in, his eyes wide and angry, his teeth gritted like they've grown fangs, but as soon as he reaches Ashton, there's a quick, large orange hand that shapes into a fist before slamming its hand down, the gravity and force from the attack smashing Ken on the concrete ground, causing his insides to spill from his limp body.
Ashton shakes, slowly looking up to meet eyes with Jake, who looks just as scared and shaken, but there's a glint in his eyes--as if he knows this will be the last time he and Ashton will ever see each other, so Jake nods, whether its in parting, its in acknowledgment, or its just to tell Ashton that he knows this is his final moments before Ashton screams, reaching his hand out through the small cavern he's stuck in, watching Jake as he stands idly by before suddenly, his head is swiped from his body, and the rest of him drops to his knees, and then the ground spills in blood.
Ashton stares at the spot Jake once was, expecting the monster to follow Ashton's scent or something and deal with his life, but the monster's eyes look around, but then its eyes focus on Ashton's direction. They stay in place for a moment before the monster dismisses whatever it sees, turning its body and leaving the disaster it left behind.
Ashton sits in the hole he's trapped in, his head hung low, trying to ignore the screams he hears from out the alleyway.