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[cell][color=2e2c2c]______________________________________[/color]
[right][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/10751ab6c5d16ee305f3eec8238a9a58/b374e51c7003699f-0c/s540x810/961b31c922546509f7107d4afc85e786b6e0b46b.gif[/img][/right][/cell][cell][img]https://i.imgur.com/KdvuOVs.png[/img]

[color=DEA2FF][sup][b]______________________________________________________________________________________[/b][/sup][/color]
[color=919191][sup][b]Location:[/b]Home -> School -> Carnival.[/sup]
[sup][b]Interacting With:[/b] Marco Costello, Maria Costello [@LostDestiny][/sup][/color]

[color=DEA2FF][sup][b]______________________________________________________________________________________[/b][/sup][/color]
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The house was on fire, barely seen through the smog but on fire nonetheless. Screams could be heard from all around, some Landon knew but many were just unknown. He stood in the hallway of his old house in England surrounded by police, his mother, his father, and his brothers. Even Marco was here standing beside him, the boy who currently owned Landon's heart. Women and men ran through the entrance, panic from all around, some being chased by figures shrouded in darkness. None of these people's features could be made out and Landon felt terror in his heart, but also determination. He needed to protect his family! He rushed forward and shouted an order to get out of the house, with himself forming the wedge point towards the floor. It was hard to move but the group crashed into the opening. But the doorway was locked and wouldn't open. Terrible cries of [color=red]"Help! We're trapped! LANDON!”[/color] Landon did what he could, pounding at the doorway and kicking at it, but it refused to give in. Giving it up as futile, Landon maneuvered his family and friends behind himself, facing the incoming flames alone. Boiling temperatures assaulted his skin, and he let out a yell before unconsciously moving backward. He turned to expect to see everyone else still trying to get out but all he saw was a single mask-clad man holding a pistol. With a deep voice filled with malice and hate the man spoke. [color=red]” You failed Landon, everyone is dead because of you. You couldn't save your parents. You won't be able to save anyone. You. Are. Pathetic."[/color] A loud gunshot rings out followed by screaming, the same that Landon had heard all those years ago. The screams of his parents.

Landon awoke with a start, chest heaving and eyes wild. He glanced around his room and jumped up as if he had just been scalded. The walls, filled with various posters, didn’t seem to have any answers, and other than his breathing, all was quiet. Instantly, Landon controlled his breathing so he didn't end up having a panic attack and used the techniques his therapist has taught him to calm himself down. He gave an exhausted sigh and slumped back onto his bed, sprawling across it and staring up at the ceiling. His eyes closed and his breathing slowly settled down before he shook his head and groaned, wishing he knew the time. It didn’t really matter, but he was trying to get a number on how much sleep he has gotten over the weekend. With the start of school came the nightmares. Doctor Winslow, his therapist, had told him that it was the stress of a new year mingling with his fears of someone else he cared about getting hurt. This of course made sense, but Landon wished that said nightmares would be more considerate and at least let him get a [i]few[/i] hours of sleep in. Now functioning normally, for the most part, Landon clicked his phone and groaned when he saw how early it was. It couldn't be helped though, and Landon knew that he would be unable to get back to sleep even if he tried. So, instead, the soon-to-be Senior stood and dressed in some workout clothes and silently made his way through his home. It had taken Landon some time to actually be able to call it that, his Aunt and Uncle's house had been seen as nothing more than a cheap replacement, a sick joke that the world had played on him. Even more so when his mother's belongings were shipped there and his Uncle placed some of them around. But Landon had come far, and now as he tiptoed into the kitchen and spotted the cookie jar from his early childhood he just gave a soft smile. He patted the top of the jar and then left through the kitchen door, which was the most silent exit. He locked it back behind him and then turned and quickly sighed. 

It was morning, that time when you can just tell that night is ending and yet the darkness clung to the existence, trying to remain for as long as possible before the sun eradicated it. But, inevitably the light would come and the birds knew it as they began to softly chirp and wake up in preparation for another long day. Landon began to stretch, yawning as he did so. A morning run was exactly what he needed. He started off in a jog around the house and then after that circle, he entered the sidewalks properly. The world was slowly coming to life, and Landon let a smile across his face. It was his favorite time of day, the time when the world became aware once again and the animals started getting restless after a long night of quiet and relative stillness. Cars lazily drifted by him, a far cry from the constant roar that would come in a few short hours. Early birds, or perhaps some people like him struggled to get sleep sometimes and needed a morning drive. All in all, the morning was a time of serenity and peace, life just going about things as normal and if Landon was forced to pick a time out of the day to last forever it would be now. He passed by the spires of the local cathedral and headed for his now usual running spot. It was a road consisting of two different hills with a flat spot in between. 

Before he knew it he had run five ‘laps’, consisting of going down and back up the hill and his breathing was becoming heavier and heavier. He could keep going, but for a simple exercise, he didn’t need to exhaust himself as he knew the rest of the day was going to be quite long. He started walking to pace himself and replayed the last decisions of the day to re-plan themselves out. Homeroom, assembly, and then festival with football meeting after school and then interview for the lifeguard position. All in all, it was a full day and by the end, he would -definitely- need a soak in the bath to relax. He shook his head and finished his walking lap, grabbing his discarded shirt and wiping off his face and neck. He placed the now-soaked shirt around his neck and made his way back towards his house, the exercise working well to make his morning better.

It was still early but Landon must have been out for longer than he thought as the kitchen door was unlocked and standing in the middle of the room was his Aunt Claire who was moving about getting things ready to start breakfast. She turned as she heard the door open and gave a wide smile. [color=gray]"Well, good morning. Scrambled ok?"[/color] She didn't comment further, no 'why were you up so early', or 'are you ok?' And Landon loved her for it.

[color=DEA2FF]"Scrambled is fine. Thanks, Aunt Claire."[/color] He gave her a quick hug and a return smile and then chuckled as she pretended to hold her nose and point at his sweaty shirt. [color=DEA2FF]"Yeah, yeah I'm gonna shower. Gotta get in there before the terrible two wake up."[/color] Claire chuckled again and continued her work. Landon moved past her and took the stairs back up to his room, making sure not like to make too much noise. His little brothers could be and usually were a handful and Landon had no desire to hear them incessantly knocking upon the door and yelling to be let in. He entered his room, put together a quick outfit, jumped into the bathroom, and started the usual morning routine. Shower, teeth, hair, moisturize, the works. 

The timing was perfect, as the second Landon exited the now steamy bathroom he could see Astor leaving his room. [color=DEA2FF]"Morning Astor, want scrambled eggs? Aunt Claire is making them."[/color] Landon got a single bleary nod in return which Landon smirked at and couldn't resist tousling the already tousled bedhead. [color=DEA2FF]"Cya downstairs, and no fighting with Korbin."[/color] Landon then entered his room again, threw his workout clothes in the hamper, and grabbed his backpack, along with his other school items. Once he was content he wasn't going to forget anything, Landon closed his door and headed back downstairs where the smells of food were now prominent. At the table in the kitchen sat his Uncle already munching on some toast and bacon while opposite him, Claire was finishing up Landon's own plate. [color=DEA2FF]"Morning Uncle Wyatt, and thank you, Aunt Claire. Er, Astor said he wanted his eggs scrambled as well. I didn't see Korbin but I would assume the same."[/color] He smiled as he sat down and took a deep smell of his breakfast. Claire was a great cook and knew exactly how he liked his food. Astor came in some ten minutes later, Korbin following some fifteen after that. Landon was glad he would get to see both brothers before he left. Usually, he didn't mind, but since it was the first day it was different. [color=DEA2FF]"Morning Kor, got everything good to go for the new year?"[/color] The boy looked over at him and rolled his eyes but nodded.

[color=gray]"Yes Landon, and yes I brushed my teeth before you ask."[/color] He was sitting down when Claire called behind her.

[color=gray]"And did you and Astor pick up your dirty towels from the bathroom floor, and actually replace your toothbrush in the cup?"[/color] Her voice was amused, not nagging and Korbin instantly looked like a cat who swallowed a canary. 

[color=gray]"Oh. Absolutely Aunt Claire. Though I think I did forget... Something, I'll be right back!"[/color] Landon simply chuckled and stood with his plate, moving past his Aunt and hugging her side as he placed his plate in the dishwasher.

[color=DEA2FF]"Alright, I'm off for school. Going to get there a bit early and see if any of the team is hanging out before the carnival. I'll see you all later. Oh, I probably will be later than usual. I'm going to go down to the beach and see about doing some Lifeguarding there. Marco is also going to see if he can transfer there. Anyway, love ya."[/color] He gave a quick wave and then ran out of the same kitchen door he left out earlier, but this time he made his way to his car. The mustang fastback was Landon's pride and joy, a car he worked on with his Uncle when he was a Freshman. Placing his backpack in the seat behind him, and then hopping in the driver's seat, Landon started the car up, found a decent station, and then smiling, pulled out and drove the memorized route to school. 

It didn't take long. Traffic had yet to truly pick up to usual levels and after three years, Landon knew all the various shortcuts and detours. Sooner than he expected Landon was pulling into the School senior lot and claimed, as a perk of bringing early, a nice close parking spot. 

The rest of the Morning went by fast. Homeroom was simple, and Landon made sure to note down important information. The assembly was well... An assembly, and while Landon respected the staff of the school he figured that some of them could benefit from some public speaking seminars or at least some about keeping teens engaged. Regardless, after the assembly, Landon was torn on where to go next. The carnival certainly, but as the captain of the football team, he figured he should stop by their booth briefly and at least check in. Nodding, Landon headed to the Lacrosse field. As he went he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Marco. [b][color=DEA2FF]"Morning! I'm going to stop by the football team's booth and then find you. Don't start overeating without me!"[/b][/color] Smirking as the text was sent, Landon spent some time finding the team's booth and waved at the coach who was placing out some papers.

[color=DEA2FF]"Morning coach, did you want me to man the booth? Or did we get some underclassmen to hold the reigns?"[/color] The coach looked up and smiled a bit as he saw Landon and shook his head. 

[color=gray]"You're fine to enjoy the carnival, Landon. But thanks for checking in. I and the other coaches are going to man it this year. Going to talk business as we do and make it a meeting at the same time. Just stop by my office later today, I want to discuss the offense. Anyway, enjoy yourself, Miland. I still hate this will be your last year, but I can tell you that plenty of scouts have told me they plan to be at our games for you. I know it's some pressure added, but you can handle it. You're a great player Miland and a great student."[/color] Landon was silent for a moment, processing everything his coach told him, and then just forced a smile. 

[color=DEA2FF]"Thanks, coach, I'll continue doing my best. I'll see you later."[/color] He rushed off quickly, wanting to be out of that situation as fast as possible. This year was going to be interesting... He made his way back into the mass of seniors and started looking around for red hair. He briefly saw a flash of red near a corn dog vendor. But it was just Jeremiah. Landon glanced down at his phone and then felt someone run into him. He barely managed to hold onto his phone, and he turned to see who had collided with him. [color=DEA2FF]"Oh, er. Are you alright?"[/color] It was a smaller boy, one that could in no way be a Senior. 

[color=gray]"Yeah, sorry. I'm supposed to be at the band booth, but I wasn't paying attention, and I'm late since my first-period teacher didn't believe me."[/color] The boy looked up at who he had hit and his face grew scarlet. [color=gray]"Oh, you're Landon Miland. The captain of the football team, oh please don't have your team members stick me in a tuba case again."[/color] 

Landon raised his eyebrows and shook his head. [color=DEA2FF]"Er, I am Landon yeah, but why would I- wait? Again?"[/color] The boy nodded and shrugged. 

[color=gray]"Yeah, last year, the seniors."[/color] He trailed off. 

With a sigh, and shake of his head, Landon just pointed. [color=DEA2FF]"We're not that team anymore. If you have any issues with anyone on the team bullying you, you come straight to me. I'll handle it. Now you better head off."[/color] Landon shook his head again in disbelief, not believing his previous teammates could do something like that. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was now in the carnival, and smirked widely as he saw Marco and Maria standing near a pretzel vendor. Landon maneuvered his way over and tried to sneak up on them. [color=DEA2FF]"Aha! Found you!"[/color]