The world had teeth and it could bite you with them anytime it wanted." 

Stephen King, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

🔪

"Now you kids be safe now," Elsie kissed both of Ringo's cheeks, plump fingers squeezing her son's upper arms protectively. "Don't talk to suspicious people, don't drink before driving, do not pick up hitchhikers unless you want to end up like your aunt Katie!"

"Yes mum," Ringo gave her one last hug. He was torn between staying in the embrace a little longer or jumping into the van the second it arrives. "I love you."

"I love you too, hon." Her blue eyes welled up with tears, a sniff escaping her. "My baby boy's all grown up, going on his first road trip."

The nineteen-year-old gave her a grin. "Damn right I'm grown up!" He laughed when she smacked his arm.

"Grown up or not, I'll still lecture you!" She tutted. "This is what happens when you befriend the Lennons, you become a potty mouth."

A familiar honk reached Ringo's ears. Speak of the Devil.

"They're here mum!" He kissed her quick on the cheek before running down the steps, red converse crushing scattered petals and dead leaves.

"Don't forget to call!" Elsie called after him.

"I won't! John! Hey, John!"

🔪

"John!" Ringo shouted, trying his best to maneuver through the snake-like roots that curled about in every step he took. The only light permitted was of the moon, unhelpful due to the fact it made the forest far more terrifying with how every single shadow looked suspicious. "John, goddamit! Where are you?!"

The tears he had been holding back started flowing in endless streams, making the small cuts on his face sting. But the pain was nothing compared to the way his chest started sinking unto itself. He forced himself to go on, ignored the heightening pain in his foot and trudged forward.

"John!" He wrapped his arms around himself, blue eyes desperate and quickly switching back and forth for any sign.

He jerked to a stop, terror gripping him like a fist around his neck when he saw deep cuts on the trees. He reached out and the moment his fingertips touched the edges of the marks he recoiled. Was it from a bear? Was it from a weapon? Was it from the horrible god the villagers preached?

There's something in this place-

"John! John please!" He sobbed, throat aching and mouth trembling uncontrollably. "I can't do this without you! John, fuck, where the fuck are you?!"

1 2 3 4 5-

His guts churned and he shut his eyes tight, trying to devour air that couldn't seem to register in his lungs. He felt eyes all around him, mad, dilated eyes waiting for the kill, waiting for him to break and be at his worst, concrete walls closing in on him and forcibly crushing every bit of his body.

- 6 7 8 9 fuckfuckFUCK I'M GOING TO DIE HERE-

Someone touched his sides and Ringo whirled around, letting out a choked gasp as leaves crunched under slow footsteps.

"J-John?"

No reply. Was he injured?

"Johnny... i-is that you?"

Ringo's heart drummed against his chest, his breath jagged as he tried to compose himself. Leaves crunched behind him, and the teenager could hear something gurgle in the darkness.

"John," He choked out. "John please, where are you?"

And then arms snaked around his waist, and Ringo's eyes snapped up to see John's mucky face and autumn eyes.

"Johnny, oh my god," Ringo sobbed, whimpering as John's hands gripped his sides. "I'm so glad you're safe. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry-" He hissed nails dug into his waist. "A-Ah, ow, John, love, that sorta hurts-"

"How҉҉ ͢won̷d̕er̛͝f̷̡u͟͠l̴̢͡" He uttered, voice a low grumble in his throat. He grinned, black tar seeping from his teeth. "H͡ow̡ ̡́̕s̨͘͟u͏̡̕rpŕ̶is̶̷̛i͢ng̷͢͠l̨͝y eą̴sy."

Ringo trembled as John's hand went to his chest. "W-What are you-"

He paled as red eyes gazed back at him, sclerae black like the liquid that continuously dripped from his mouth. His heart started to hurt, clenching as if he was going through an asthma attack.

"Your͡ pu̵re ͡he͜a̡rt͡ wǫuld͠ ̧c͟er͘ta̡inl͡y b̸e ̧d҉eli̸ghtfùl ţo̶ e̷at." The creature's eyes crinkled exactly as John's would whenever he laughed. 

"You- Y-You-" Ringo let out a scream and swung at the creature. "You killed him, you motherfucker! You killed him!"

It barely budged at his fists, an amused look gracing its rotting face.

"Y̢oư̵r l̵oyalt̡y͟͢͡ ̧̧͞t̨o ͝thi̸s m̀҉o̸͢͢rta̷l is̸ ̴̵͏veŗ̵͟y̶̧͡ ̶́͢ad̷͟mira̵̢b̨͘le̛̕.̴" The creature garbled. "Sa̡dl͟y, he̶ ̵isn't ҉dead. Ye͜t. But̴ ̀you̶ w̢ou̢l͏d cer̕ta̛in̡ly̵ ̴dįe f̵or ḩim̧,̡ w͏o͠uld͠n'ţ yo͜u Ri̢t̨chie?"

"How.. how did you..."

It laughed again. "Į͠ s҉e̶͢͜e̛ ͡e҉veryt͘͜hing, ļ͜i͜tt͘l̕͢e s͏h͜e͝e̵p̴̨͏.̷͢͏ You͠r҉̕̕ ̴͜͞hea҉͜͜rt̡,̶͢ yo̵ư̧͟r̵͢ ̷͜͞t͞ho͡ug̴͠ht͜s,͡ y̴̕ǫ͟ur ͢d̵̡̛e͠s̵̕í̴r̴̴es̶̢͝.̢͘͠ ͡But o̸n̶̸͢l͢͞͠y ͏̶͡af̷͢t̴̀͝ȩ̕r I̕ ś̨͡e͡t̨̧̀tle͏̷̕d̸͢ ̸̡͞int̴̀͞ơ̷͠ th́͟e͞҉į̵r ̶sou̴͝͏ls.̀͘"

The smell of rot and decay filled Ringo's nose, and he barely registered it coming close until he felt hot air waft his mouth.

"No-!" Ringo spasmed against its hold, eyes burning when sludge forcefully drove its way into his mouth. He gagged as it pressed against him harder, the tar now streaming along Ringo's throat.

After what felt like forever, it released him, and air suddenly filled Ringo's lungs. He fell to the ground, heaving out what hellish contents violated his throat.

"We͝'̷̴̀ll m̧͘͘éet a͜͞gain ̵̶̡so̶͡on̵, ̷̀̕l̡̢͠íttle ͟sh̴e͝ep." The God purred, placing his hand on the top of Ringo's head. And before the teen could take a swing at him, it was gone, and he lurched again on the forest floor. His arms shook as the world spun around him, eyesight slowly fading to black,

"Ringo? Ringo oh my god, are you okay? What happened? Ringo!"

"John?" He croaked, forcing himself to open his eyes. 

🔪

John instantly feels his face heat up. He hates himself for being so nervous, and he hates himself even more at the fact for bringing Paul with him. It a cowardly move but Ringo doesn't seem to notice it.

"It's gonna be my birthday next month," Ringo's eyes light up at the word 'birthday', and before he gets to say anything - a greeting, he assumes - John starts to ramble. "The lads and I are going on a road trip, a-and I was wondering if you could come with?"

Ringo grins. "Only if I get to sit in the shotgun seat."

"We got the seating arrangement ready." Paul pipes up, fishing out his phone. "Y'know, for fairness. Let's see here, Johnny boy here made sure you're stuck with him at all times-"

John discreetly kicks him in the shin and laughs nervously. "No I didn't. We all take turns. Y'know," He echoed, scowling at the doe-eyed boy. "For fairness."

"I don't mind." Ringo laughs, regrettably so. Oh fuck, he thinks, mentally punching himself in the face, for the love of God shut up. Be happy he's even inviting you in the first place.

The blue-eyed boy can't help but grin once John turns around. This road trip will be so much fun.