Chapter Text
Chapter One
Sam rested his head against the glass car window, honestly tuning out another warning lecture from Colby.
“Are you even listening to me, Sam?!” Colby huffed. “I swear, this is what I mean what’s happening lately, dude!”
“I’m listening!” Sam huffed back. “I just don’t care wasting time on another lecture when I know you’re wanting to work this stuff as much as I do!”
Kris stared at them from the backseat, sitting awkwardly by herself in the middle seat.
“Guys, listen…it’s okay!” Kris tried intervening. “Colby, if you want, Sam and I can just go!”
Colby narrowed his eyes warningly at her to Sam’s surprise at intervening.
“It’s fine, I’m coming!” Colby sighed. “I just try to keep warning him he doesn’t have to keep taking these risks for us…for VIEWS…”
“Fair,” Kris murmured more to herself, looking anxious as they fought in front of her. “We all still have a choice though, don’t we? Free will is still a thing!”
Sam nodded stubbornly at Colby.
“We used to explore much scarier spots than this, dude…just one little haunted road is nothing!” Sam pointed out.
“And we aren’t even alone this time!” He added with a warmer look at Kris, feeling bad she had to witness a rough patch between them that had been growing.
“Sorry Kris,” Colby apologized more boldly with a nod. “Things HAVE been a little tense here, lately…I just want us to be safe!”
“Safe…but safe doesn’t get the content we need all the time, bro!” Sam tried to make his point.
“We never used to HAVE to be risky all the time like this, Sam…” Colby mumbled as he drove them on. “Remember Annabelle? You told me I could back out anytime I didn’t want to do something…and somehow…” Colby looked off broodingly. “Somehow you always manage to pull me into shit!”
Sam didn’t know what to say to his friend’s statement then, a little stunned if he was honest.
“Colby, I-” Sam stammered, but Colby shook his head.
“Let’s just get to the top, okay?” Colby huffed as he shook his head he didn’t want to go on.
“How much farther? I uh, kinda have to pee…” He confessed sheepishly with a smirk as if in attempts to break the ice.
Sam smiled, relieved he didn’t seem too bitter in the discussion.
“We can pull over,” Sam nodded to show he didn’t want his friends to be uncomfortable. “I could stretch my legs, how about you, Kris?”
“Heck if I’m peeing on the side of the road, sorry!” Kris teased, making them all laugh as Colby found them a safe pull over zone around the next bend.
“We’re really far, aren’t we?” Kris murmured more in curiosity as Colby went off into the clump of trees a few yards away from them.
“Pretty far out from your place!” Sam nodded. “But safe, for the most part!”
“Besides the haunted part?” Kris teased with a smirk.
“Right?” Sam laughed. “GHOST cars…that would be something to see!” He imagined them, but shook his head in disbelief.
“Sam, this fight you and Colby seem to keep having…” Kris ventured carefully while they were alone. “Do you think you’ll ever be able to solve it?”
Sam sighed more seriously, shrugging.
“I WANT to, Kris, but I don’t know…” Sam replied honestly.
“If it came to it,” Kris asked more boldly next. “Would you really make him do something he didn’t want to do? That would risk his life?” She asked more seriously.
“Hell no, Kris!” Sam could answer that one honestly. “I’ve never pushed him, he just follows me! I don’t really know why…” He scoffed in realization.
“Because I care about you, dumbass!” Colby replied, listening to them after returning and eavesdropping on them.
Sam lowered his head sheepishly.
“Sometimes though, Sam…” Colby looked back at him darkly before going back to his car and leading them farther down the haunted road.
“I wonder if you even care about me at all anymore!”