The Gnawing Hunger Part Eleven

It wasn't that long until he found himself waking up. Struggling to not scream as he sat up in bed. Quietly putting his hands over his mouth to further muffle any form of noise. Trying to not wake up his sleeping friend. Fearing that Xander wouldn't just accept that it was a nightmare. Despite everything that had happened, he might not accept it. And he really wasn't in the mood to talk about any of this with him right now. Instead Bo struggled to calm himself down as he lay in bed. Putting his hands down from his face after a few minutes.

Laying them on his stomach as he stared up at the ceiling. Well, tried to. As in the dark he couldn't really see anything. But, knew what it looked like as he laid there. Motionless in bed. For a moment, he thought of just laying there. With his eyes open and not falling asleep. Fearful that he would have another nightmare about himself as a monster.

Or worse than that.

Though, he knew that wouldn't be all that wise. If Eleanore saw that he had bags under his eyes. Or was yawning a whole lot, she would interrogate him. Get to the bottom of it and then ask him why he wasn't sleeping. And that was another thing that he didn't want to think about. But, he couldn't force himself to sleep with the nightmare fresh in his mind. So he decided to just shut his eyes instead. Feeling that just resting them would be for the best. That way the next morning he wouldn't be too tired.

At least he hoped he wouldn't be too tired.

After he did this, he blissfully didn't dream. Maybe he fell asleep. Bo wasn't entirely certain of this. But didn't really care as he was grateful for the rest. Grateful to not have that damned nightmare again. When he opened his eyes he turned to look at Xander to see if he were awake. Smiling a little as he noticed that Xander was laying on his side facing from him. He knew he was alive and well. Hearing his loud snores from in front of him. His side was also moving up and down in a normal manner. This made him feel so much better about the night. And that he hadn't tried to kill him in his sleep just yet. For once he was grateful to hear his best friend's grizzly bear-like snores.

For once.

Quietly, Bo gave a sigh as he got out of his bed. Shoving the covers down before walking to his bag. Quietly picking up his clothes from it. The fleeting idea of waking Xander and telling him all that Hawthorne said. Tell him that they needed to get the Hell out of the cabin. Or at least find a way to kill Hawthorne so he didn't hurt anyone else.

Then thoroughly squashed that idea down as hard as he could.

Fully realizing it wasn't going to help. As last night played in his mind. That there was nothing he could do to stop it. So, Bo just quietly slipped away to the bathroom. Unsure of when Hawthorne would show up. Or if he was going to show up at the cabin at all. But, he wanted to be ready to leave for when it happened. Shoving everything under the sink. Then slipping into the shower to clean up as quick as humanly possible. Once he did, he got his clothes on faster than he ever did in his life.

While he walked to the kitchen, he debated on what he was going to have before leaving the cabin. Feeling that he needed a cup of decent coffee. As, for some strange reason, he didn't feel hungry. And who knew how long that would even really last? As Hawthorne had said something about eighteen hours. And he didn't know how long it had been since that feeding. Or if it was really true or not.

Part of him felt that it wasn't.

Wouldn't he be hungrier last night? As he had been fed that piece of his friend liver early in the afternoon. So wouldn't he have been hungry way later? Like today instead of last night? Maybe? It seemed really strange in his mind. And he wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. Or knew how in the Hell any of this worked. He wasn't entirely certain of this type of infection. Or what kind it was either. Since he really doubted that Hawthorne even knew what he was.

The dude wasn't exactly reliable.

Not, that anyone should ever try to rely on a monster like him. Relying on that horrid monster would be a huge mistake. And it felt like Hawthorne thought he was dumb enough to try to. Or at least desperate enough to try to.

And he was going to do his best to avoid that if he could.

Soon as he was in the kitchen, Bo checked for some coffee grounds. Along with filters. It took a little looking around the kitchen to locate them. Probably just five minutes or so. He was feeling so weird about this whole day. Everything was going to be so very horrifying? Exciting? Who in the world really knew aside from Thorn himself? And who knew if he knew what would happen to them both?

Did Hawthorne actually know anything about himself? What if he really didn't? Just what if he was more lost then Bo was about this? That made him pause for the briefest of moments. Not, that it really mattered in his mind. What mattered was trying to think of how to stop Hawthorne. Stop him and protect what little he had left. If he didn't find one, then they were all so very screwed.

His family and his remaining best friend more so.

Especially, Xander. As he got the feeling that Hawthorne didn't like him. At all. Then again, he doubted Hawthorne was a huge fan of his Grandpa either. Despite how nice he had been to that...creature. Probably would tear him to tiny shreds, too. Without even a moment's hesitation. As far as Bo was concerned, he might be the only one Thorn wouldn't kill. Or, and this was something that he wasn't entirely sure on, he couldn't kill.

Bo fixed the coffee maker to start up soon. Then he got a random hair elastic out of the nearest drawer. One that he vaguely remembered putting there sometime earlier. Praying that he wasn't wrong about Hawthorne not killing him. And praying that he could kill the terrible creature who was threatening him. With this, he pulled his hair into a low ponytail.

Though he hoped that he could actually kill Hawthorne. Because if he couldn't then would that mean he couldn't kill Bo either? It would be both good and bad for him. Good that the bastard couldn't kill him. That was something he didn't want his Mom to have to deal with. Or find him dead and mauled by a creature like Hawthorne. But bad since that meant he couldn't kill the monster either. At least not in a direct manner. There had to absolutely be other ways for him to kill that thing. Even if it meant getting his hands on a gun or an ax or something. Just something that he could use on that bastard.

The idea of murdering Hawthorne didn't entirely sit well with a part of him. And he tried to not dwell on it as he walked to the fridge. Opening it up, he peered inside as he thought of what to eat. Then he realized that he still wasn't hungry. Not even the tiniest bit. That struck him as very odd. Sure, he was never ravenous in the morning. But he felt that he was averagely hungry when he woke up. Bo wasn't even hungry for even some dry toast. His stomach wasn't hurting like it had the other night. So why didn't he feel like eating at all? Was that apart of the whole transformation? Keeping him from feeling hungry for normal human food?

"Now I know what David Kessler felt like.",Bo mumbled. Vaguely remembering the Werewolf in London movie Arthur had him watch last year. And how David had been the same way he had. Not hungry when he wasn't eating human flesh. At least David was blacked out when he did that. Bo wasn't going to have the same luxury of blacking out. Or transforming into a horrible creature. Which he felt would slightly absolve him of the terrible things he would do. Well, that kind of transformation. Not feeling hunger for normal human foods or anything.

Though he guessed if absolutely necessary he could. Since last night's McDonald's hadn't made him feel sick in the slightest bit. And that it would be wisest to do so when his Mom was around. As he feared what his Mom would do if she saw him not eating anything.

Probably take him back to the emergency room.

Though he wasn't entirely sure if she would. As Eleanore probably would wait a day or two. Watching him very closely the whole time. Maybe 'politely' encourage him to eat something. Probably more than that if he were being honest. And he was worried about that, too. As he hated the idea of scaring his Mom. Or having to go back to the hospital. Since the hospitals were expensive and he doubted the doctor's would find anything wrong with him. And if they didn't find anything wrong with him, his Mom would force feed him. As she would be desperate to make him eat.

And knowing her, it wouldn't be a long until she got to that point. Which was something that Bo didn't want to happen. Mostly because he wanted to avoid stressing out his Mom.

Everything about this was something that he wanted to keep her out of. And as far away from Hawthorne as he physically could. Not if he could help it. He would do anyhthing in his power to protect her. Protect everyone else in the cabin, too. Even if it came at the expense of his own damn life. Just...just let the rest of them stay alive. For the love of everything let them live.

Even if it meant dying with that pretty boy creep.

What would it take to kill either of them? Fuck, he had to figure it out before his birthday. But not right now. Right now, he was going to chug a mug of coffee. Then sneak out of the cabin to the woods. Thinking he would find that horrible little bastard out there. Which wouldn't be too difficult for him to do. After all, everyone was still fast asleep. And at least two out of the three people were deep sleepers. His Mother and Xander. He guessed a damn truck slamming through the cabin wouldn't even wake them.

Then there was Wayne. Who didn't seem to be up and about in the cabin. And that was either a good thing or a bad thing. This meant that Wayne was just super tired last night. The whole thing just draining him so much he was finally oversleeping. Which was good in Bo's mind. His Grandpa deserved to sleep in. As the elderly man woke up way too early. He was retired, why not sleep in until ten or eleven like his Mom did?

But a terrible thought cropped up in his mind as he fixed a cup of coffee. Holding it carefully to his chest as he stared into it. What if...what if his Grandpa wasn't alive? Just what if Hawthorne broke into the house and killed Wayne in his sleep? Did it quietly for once in the short time they were in the cabin? Bo glanced up from his coffee mug to the hallway. Stomach twisting with anxiety as he thought this poisonous thought over. Fearing that his only Father figure might not be alive. Quietly, he tip-toed over to his Grandpa's bedroom. Doing his utter best to not make too much noise. As he didn't really want to wake the elderly man. As he feared he might be fine and had no way of explaining why he woke him.

Or why he had been making so much noise, either. Not without sounding like a total loon at least.

Also the elderly man might wake up early in the morning. It didn't mean that he was an actual morning person. Just that he was up and ready to do things.

As silently as he could, Bo shuffled his mug to one hand. Grabbing the doorknob as carefully as possible. Then pulled open the door to the tiniest of degrees. Pressing his ear to it as he listened as carefully as he could. Listening while he held his breath. Trying his hardest to not make any form of noise. For the briefest of moments there was nothing. Not even the sound of his Grandpa's labored breathing. Then came one of the most beautiful sounds he heard in his short life.

A snore.

Not a very loud one, like Xander's were, but a soft one. But it made Bo feel so much more at ease. With this, he carefully shut the door. He then crept to the kitchen with his mug. Downing it as quickly as he could. Wincing a little at the hot, bitter liquid went down funny. Kind of hurting his throat as he swallowed it. Then set the used mug in the sink before turning the coffee pot off. Fearing that the pot would set something on fire if he left it on for too long. Quietly walking over to the front hallway to put shoes on. Along with his jacket. Once he did, he hurriedly headed outside with his key. Locking the front door soon as he got outside. Not bothering to bring his phone with him. It wasn't because he couldn't get any reception out there. He definitely could. As he remembered easily making calls in the woods.

And then there was Xander's call to 9-1-1. Which he was glad didn't make things worse for him.

Bo worried about his friends and family hearing the hunt. Or whatever it was that Thorn had planned for them. Which, to him, sounded like a hunt. Though he wondered just what that would be. Who it would be, too. AS there weren't many folks out this time of year. Most people were indoors with their family. At this time of day, most folks were sleeping. Especially little kids that were bought up here for Winter Break.

So who or what did that nasty creature plan on them hunting? Hawthorne didn't strike him as a deer or elk kind of person. Nor did he seem the type to eat a moose, if there were any in the area at all. Well, an animal version of a moose.

A tall human being? Definitely. Hawthorne probably would eat more than one of those. Figured that he might have during the time he was living out there. Well, hunting out there. As he wasn't sure where Hawthorne slept at night. If he even actually could sleep at all. Or if he was just wandering the area and sleeping anywhere he could. Something that made Bo feel a little sorry for him. Just the tiniest amount. Then he squashed this as he started walking towards the woods. Telling himself over and over again that he didn't care. But, figured it would be wise to find out.

If Thorn was living in one spot, he can avoid it easily. Encourage the rest of his party to avoid it as well. In the most subtle of ways possible. Tell them any form of lie that would sound possible. Like that there was some form of wild animal in the area. Or that it was just not safe in general. Something that would make his Mom's smothering tendencies kick in.

But first he needed to find the horrible little creep. Where the Hell he could have gone?

He would like to say that Hawthorne wasn't good at hiding. But, the little monster managed to convince him that he was a human being. One with an actual family. That he wasn't a blood thirsty killer that could tear him to shreds. Hawthorne could definitely be hiding anywhere that he wanted to. In places that Bo wouldn't even think of. So, he decided to walk towards a direction of a trail. Feeling it would be the best of bets to check. As, even in Winter, it got some decent amount of traffic from people. Not a ton. But probably enough to feed whatever the Hell Hawthorne was.

There wasn't anywhere else that Hawthorne could possibly go for that. Definitely not town. There were way too many people for him to want to eat. And he didn't really seem to have too much self control. And all those people would be far too tempting for him. No, he would be deep in the woods. Hiding from the humans he wished to eat until he was hungry.

Hawthorne had to be hiding somewhere in these woods. And as he walked, he tried to listen for any signs of him. Tried his hardest to listen for him. Yet, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary for the woods. Just some birds chirping and the like. Though he felt that there should be more than that.

He didn't know much about the woods. But he felt there should be more than this. Way more than this. Maybe it had something to do with Thorn? The creature probably scared off some local predators. Probably ate most of the really dumb ones that got too close. Or rather were unfortunate to get close. Either way, Bo wasn't sure if he felt sorry for them or not.

At least they were dead. Maybe dead. If they were, they were far more lucky than he was right now. Hawthorne couldn't hurt them anymore. They were safe from everything he could do. Bo tried to not think it over as he took a deep breath. Walking as quickly through the trail. Keeping a careful eye out for anything remotely out of the ordinary. Any flash from the corner of his eye.

That was already proving to be pretty difficult. As there was already something strange.

Just not, possibly, Hawthorne strange. Walking further in, he felt someone was staring at him. That's when he felt his stomach twist once more. Glancing around for signs of that nasty creature. Trying to figure out where the twig snapping had come from. And he couldn't. He the heard the crunching of snow from everywhere and all over at once. The noises were hard to properly place as he looked around. His stomach dropped to the floor as he took a step back.

Then another.

A second later, he found himself being pushed face first into the freezing snow. Hands on his shoulders and a large body sitting on his back. Ice cold breath washing over the side of his face as they leaned into him. In a low voice, he chuckled,"Hello, Bo. I am so glad that you have come."

"I thought that you would be too scared to do this to be honest.",Hawthorne added. And he felt like a total moron for doing this. Though there was this nagging thought in the back of his mind. One that warned him that he didn't have a choice. That whatever this was would probably force him to walk into the woods. As something about this made him do whatever helped Hawthorne. It just sickened him as he laid under the creature. Turning his head to the side, Bo stated,"I don't think I have a choice."

"I haven't been able to do anything that I've been wanting to since yesterday.",Bo informed. Like not telling his Mom, Grandpa, and Xander about the fact he killed Arthur. And how he lied so well that he almost believed himself. Did Hawthorne not realize this? Or was this something else entirely? Either way, Bo knew it wasn't good for him. Glancing up at Hawthorne, he noticed the creature was smirking. Bo asked,"Is that anything to do with what's happening with me?"

"Or is that just something that I'm doing of my own accord?",he questioned. A part of him hoped that it wasn't. As he didn't want to know what that meant. It clearly meant something was wrong with him. Even without Hawthorne's forcing this strange transformation into him. And found himself praying that it wasn't the case. Hawthorne answered,"Don't worry, Bo. It is part of the process."

"I can't have you snitching on me to the rest of your party can I?",Hawthorne questioned. Which he definitely couldn't have. It was smart. Sucked for Bo but, really was wise. With this, Hawthorne let him up. Wiping off snow from his front with a large smirk. Then Hawthorne stated,"We will start out small."

"Go after someone that I have been watching for the past few days before you showed up.",he explained. That made him slightly horrified as he stood there. It wasn't hard to believe more than one person was being hunted. After all, Hawthorne had to eat during this time. The creature wasn't anything like Pennywise the Dancing Clown. At least, not from what he could tell Hawthorne wasn't anything like that. Bo asked,"Who are they? They're not a child are they?"

"Oh, no. Children may be the easiest to go after but they're too protected.",Hawthorne answered. Everything about this was a little more than terrifying. But it also somewhat put him at ease as he stood there. Not enough that he thought this whole process would be easier to do. But he felt the tiniest bit better that they weren't hunting a child. Even if the reason was to keep the police out of things. At least Hawthorne was smart enough to not pull that. Then he felt his blood turn to ice as Hawthorne continued,"We are going after a woman in a cabin six miles from yours."

"She's all alone up there with no friends, no partner, and no dogs.",he added. As if relieved that he wouldn't be dealing with some dog. That was something that Bo decided to make a note of. If dogs were something that he was scared of, he'd find one. Or at least lure a neighbor dog to keep Hawthorne at bay. Just something to think of as they walked towards the cabin. With Hawthorne turning back to a more human-like appearance as they walked down the trail. Bo asked,"You scared of dogs or something?"

"No. I would just rather not deal with a guard dog.",Hawthorne answered. Tone was deceptively calm. Though Bo felt that he was somewhat annoyed with his question. Glancing over at him, he saw that Thorn's expression was neutral. Not angry or even disappointed. Just somewhere between calm and detached. So, he decided to not press his luck as they walked along. A second later, Hawthorne joked,"Also I'd rather not hack up a hairball man."

"Dog fur ain't great going down, it's worse coming back up.",he cracked. It wasn't really all that funny. Yet, he found himself laughing a little bit. A tiny smile working itself on Bo's face. And he noticed that Hawthorne was also smiling. It was strangely sweet of him. Sure, the joke was a bit on the corny side. But, a part of Bo appreciated the effort he was doing. Even though he really didn't want to appreciate anything that Hawthorne was doing.

As the creature of nearly a hundred years was leading him to a cabin. One with a woman that he wanted to train him into eating. And as they neared the cabin, he prayed that they wouldn't be killing her today. Since he felt he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did.