A//n: Holy crap, I honest to God, did not know how this happened again. This one was a lot was a lot easier to do. Cause it was a lot easier to start since I wasn't stuck in one scene for a long time and it also wasn't as long but wow! Yay! I tried to do the Phineas Gage transition justice cause I felt that was just too important so hopefully I did alright.

Warnings: possible trigger warning for anxiety attacks. You know the drill (hopefully). If you would like to skip the small blurb I will indicate the start and end of it with these symbols [●●●]. Also, spelling and grammatical errors and typos galore. Have not edited yet.

||𝟑𝐑𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕||

"I still don't get why they call him zombie boy," Max asked Lucas, as they made their way to class. "I mean, I get it. He got lost in the woods for a week or something, but why is he a zombie? Because everyone thought he was dead?"

"Yeah, I mean, we had a funeral for him and everything." Lucas explained.

"After a week?" Max asked, dumbfounded.

Lucas knew this was coming.

"Well, see, some other kid drowned at the quarry. We thought it was Will because his body was super decomposed."

"What?" She stopped walking and gave Lucas a look, not buying the story. "Okay, that's not funny."

"It's not a joke, all right?" He sighed. "It's public knowledge. You can ask anybody. Except Will, because he is really sensitive about it. All right?" He stressed the last point.

Lucas liked Max, she was cool. And obviously no one was ever really allowed to know what happened during that week. But he also cared about his friend, and knew Will had enough going on, to have someone he didn't know asking all these questions, and bringing up what had happened.

Max saw the sincerity in Lucas's eyes, and her expression shifted to one of understanding.

And she did believe one thing. Whatever bullshit this kid was giving her, real or not, she knew from one look that he meant what he said about not bothering Will.

Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper, surprising even her.

"Okay,"

And without another word, the two carried on to class.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Bob pulled up to the front of the school, and Will stepped out.

Bob, who had previously rolled the windows down, called out a farewell to him as he shut the car door.

"Have a good day, kiddo!"

Will gave a weak smile in thanks, and swung his backpack over his shoulders.

As Will walked across the schoolyard, his head down low, eyes darting everywhere in suspicion.

[●●●]

It felt like everyone was watching him. Judging him.

Zombie Boy.

He felt an unpleasant, dark presence creep up from his spine, and settle on his chest, and stomach.

'Was this how Y/n always felt during her anxiety attacks?'

He suddenly felt worse.

He knew he had unintentionally been avoiding her, but in all honesty, he was worried of letting her in. Besides, he hardly had time to sleep or think clearly since these episodes had been happening.

Will thought he felt more pairs of eyes on him and it made him feel like more of a freak. Every look, every glace put more weight on his shoulders.

[●●●]

"The case of Phineas Gage is one of the great medical curiosities of all time."

More kids stared. Will caught their eye by accident, and quickly ripped his eyes away.

"Phineas was a railroad worker in 1848 who had a nightmarish accident. A large iron rod was driven completely through his head,"

Will hoped, Will prayed they would just leave him alone. He was still on edge from last night. And he couldn't help but think, anyone who looked at him funny wouldn't be above trying the same stunt on him. And as he realized this thought, he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever be the same again.

||𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕||

"Phineas miraculously survived. He seemed fine," Mr. Clark drew a line through the skull on the projector as he spoke, I hung off his every word.

"And physically, yes, he was. But his injury resulted in a complete change to his personality."

My face fell as I couldn't help but see the similarities in Will. And I stole a few glances at Will, as Mr. Clarke kept talking. However, I suddenly got the sense I was being watched.

"So much so, that friends that knew him started referring to him as 'No Longer Gage'"

Confused, I twisted around in my seat to see Max, who quickly looked away.

Trying go shake it off, I turned back to the front, a confused look on my face.

"At the time this was known as the American Crowbar Case. Although it wasn't a--"

The door swung open, hitting the wall and making a loud noise and I jumped a bit in my seat.

Much to my surprise, and relief it was Dustin. And he was panting heavily.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Clark," He came in, and took his normal seat in front of Will. "Really, I'm so sorry. Please continue with the class. Don't mind me. Really, continue, please. Thanks."

Mr. Clarke had given him a stern look before continuing. "Although it wasn't a crowbar, it was a rod, as I said."

I kept glancing over at Dustin worriedly, having not known where'd he'd been since I saw him this morning.

I saw him lean in and whisper to the others. Something I barely overheard.

"We a have to meet. All of us. At lunch, AV club"

"Why?" I'm pretty sure it was Mike.

"I have something you won't believe,"

Just then, Dustin turned around, giving me a look as of making sure I got that. I nodded, then he turned and he looked past me and repeated?

I gave him a weird look and turned around to see Max again.

"Dustin!" Mr. Clarke caught him.

Well, not really any surprise there I guess, Dustin may as well have been shouting. He quickly turned around in his seat, looking up innocently at Mr. Clarke.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Would you care to join the class now?" He asked, in a tone we normally hear him using on a selection of other students.

"Please, yes." My brother said eagerly, reaching down into his backpack for his notebook and pencil.

"Case of Phineas Gage,"

"Phineas Gage," he repeated, in acknowledgment.

"Page 104,"

"104, 104."

"Focus,"

"Focusing, focusing,"

When Dustin had his backpack open, I happened to notice the large black coils poking out and I leaned forward slightly, trying to get a better look.

'Was that...? His ghost trap?'

He casted one last glance over to Max and whispered, much softer this time, "AV club."

And then I saw him give her a big grin and a thumbs up.

"And he began to curse," Mr. Clarke continued. "using terrible words, that I don't dare repeat here"

My mind started to wander.

Like, why was Max looking at us like that, like she knew something? Or why was she invited to the AV club meeting? Not that I don't want to hang out with her, but I got the feeling it had something to do with... everything that happened last year. Especially considering I was planning on telling them about my little incident this morning.

'Guess that'll have to wait.'