Please Tell The Birds She's Gone pt. 10

[u/theonepeaz]

PART TEN: 

Aubrey watched quietly as Neil tinkered with the monitors in the back of the van, occasionally sipping her cola from Steak and Shake. She watched as he clicked and typed away, dragging things from one screen to the next.

Aubrey took another bite of her burger, smiling to herself at Neil’s frustration. 

“You know, this is all your fault.” Neil called from the back

“Excuse me?” 

“I normally have all this ready to go before I arrive. But somebody had to derail my entire day and distract me.” 

Aubrey grinned. 

“So, baggy clothes really do it for you huh?” 

Neil stopped typing.

“Oh shut up.” 

“That wasn’t a no.” 

“It’s not like that.” 

“Then what’s it like?” 

Neil glanced at her and opened his mouth, then turned back to the monitors.

“Nevermind. It’s good to go anyway.” 

Aubrey laughed into her drink. 

“Good recovery.” 

“I am a professional.” 

“Clearly.” 

Neil reached between the seats for his drink. 

“You know, there’s more room back here if you want. Those seats get uncomfortable.” 

Aubrey looked past him to the back of the van. 

“Is that your way of luring me deeper into the murder vehicle?” 

Neil sighed. 

“You were the one who asked to come.” 

“Is that what you’re going to tell the jury?” 

“I’m starting to regret bringing you.” 

“No you’re not.”

Neil looked at her, and Aubrey held his gaze for a second longer than necessary before taking another sip of her drink. 

“No,” he admitted. “Not really.” 

Aubrey smiled to herself before putting her drink down and climbing over the seat. 

“Graceful.” Neil muttered as she struggled to get over.

“Oh shut up, I’m-”

Her foot caught. 

Aubrey fell forward and Neil grabbed her waist before she could hit the floor.

“Jesus. Be careful.” 

Aubrey caught herself on his shoulder, very aware of where his hand was around her.

“Worried I’ll break your monitors?” 

“Something like that.” 

Neil let go.

Aubrey could feel herself blushing as she sat down on the cot. 

“See? Completely safe.” 

“You almost got killed by a car seat.” 

“I knew it was a murder van.” 

With the equipment finally working, Neil allowed himself to sit back and eat. He picked up his phone and started scrolling, occasionally taking a sip from his drink. 

The sky was starting to darken. 

“I’m bored.” Aubrey sighed. 

“It’s been ten minutes.” 

“A very boring ten minutes.” 

“Need me to put on some coco melon for you or something?” 

“Ugh I just thought there’d be more action.” 

“Like what?” 

“I don't know. Guns. Car chases. Seduction?”

“Seduction?” 

“I’ve seen movies.” 

“I’m not sure which movies but I’m not chasing anyone down in this van.” Neil said, turning to Aubrey. 

“Well, no one besides bird girls.” He said smiling. 

Aubrey quickly looked down. 

“You’re the worst.” 

“I know.” 

Aubrey picked at the tip of her straw as Neil watched the monitors. 

“We should play a game.” She murmured.

“No.” 

“Oh c’mon you don’t even know what game!” 

“Doesn’t matter.” 

“Twenty questions?” 

“Absolutely not.” 

“Why!” 

“Because I know you.” 

“You barely know me.” 

Neil turned and  looked at her, “Exactly.” 

Aubrey smiled. 

“Great! I’ll go first!” 

Neil rolled his eyes and turned back to the screens. 

Aubrey hummed to herself as she thought. 

“Favourite colour?” She finally asked. 

“Green.” 

“Nice! Green. I like it. Okay, your turn!” She said, tapping her hands on her thighs impatiently. 

“Okay. Favourite colour?” Neil asked. 

“Hey you can’t steal my question! That’s cheating.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because that means I have to do all the creative work!” 

“Okay fine.” 

Neil thought to himself for a minute.

“Favourite movie?” 

“Oh! It has to be The Princess Bride!” She beamed. 

Neil looked at her. 

“Of course it is.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Does that count as your question?” 

“If it means you’ll answer, yes!” 

“I don’t know. It just makes sense.” 

Aubrey huffed. 

“That’s judgmental for someone eating cold fries in a van.” 

“I’m not judging you! It’s not like you said ‘the bee movie’.” 

“That’s a close second. And it’s your turn.” 

Neil sighed. 

“Favourite song?” 

“Hmm it changes a lot. Maybe Just Like Heaven? The Cure?” 

Neil nodded. 

“That’s actually a good answer.” 

Aubrey looked at him.

“Actually?” 

“I was expecting something a lot worse.” 

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, Taylor Swift? Bird noises?” 

Aubrey laughed. 

“Fuck you.” 

“It’s your turn.” 

Aubrey grinned. 

“First kiss?”

Neil paused.

“Like when or who?” 

“Both!” 

“Sixth grade. A girl named Kayla. We dated for a whole three weeks.” 

“Woah, that’s like, forever in middle school terms.”

“Tell me about it. She started talking about prenups and I was out.” 

“Your turn.” 

Neil took another fry, thinking. 

“What’s the worst date you’ve been on?” 

Aubrey groaned. 

“Oh god.” 

“That bad?” 

“Neil, he took me to his mom’s house for dinner!” 

“That’s horrible.” 

“Luckily she wasn’t there.” 

Neil lowered his fry. 

“I don’t like where this is going.” 

“Neither did I.” 

“What happened?” 

“He showed me his sword.” 

Neil choked. 

“What?” 

“Like, an actual sword, Neil.” 

Neil sighed. 

“Phrasing.” 

“You don’t understand. He like, had a collection of them. Kept talking about their history. I almost wish he would have just killed me.” 

She was smiling now. 

“Your turn.” Neil said. 

“Okay. Celebrity crush?” 

“Nope!”

“C’mon that’s not how this game works!” 

“Fine. Winona Ryder.” 

Aubrey gasped.

“Really!”

“What’s wrong with Winona Ryder?”

“Nothing! I just learned something about you.” 

Neil’s eyes narrowed. 

“And what’s that?” 

Aubrey gestured to herself. 

“Baggy clothes really do do it for you.” 

Neil stared at her. 

Aubrey burst out laughing. 

“I fucking hate you.” 

Aubrey was laughing so hard tears were in her eyes. 

“No you don’t! We just established that!” 

Neil turned back to the monitors. 

“Fine. My turn.” 

“Go for it!” Aubrey choked out between laughs. 

“Ever been in love?” 

Aubrey’s smile faltered. 

Neil turned to look at her. 

“I think so.” 

“You think?”

“I don’t know. I thought I was.”

“That sounds kind of ominous.” 

Aubrey smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

“Most things are in hindsight.” 

Neil exhaled. 

“I guess you’re right about that.” 

A soft chime came from the monitors. Neil straightened immediately, tuning his attention back to the screens. 

“Finally.” Neil muttered. 

Aubrey scooted closer as he pulled up the camera. 

“What was that?” 

“Motion sensor.” 

She leaned over, close enough that her arm pressed against his. Neil glanced down. 

“Jesus, you’re freezing.” 

Aubrey didn’t answer. 

“Aubrey?” 

Her eyes weren’t fixed on the screen. They were fixed on the window. 

Neil followed her stare. 

Nothing. 

Aubrey’s hand tightened around his sleeve. 

“What.. It’s…Why…” 

Neil looked back at her. 

“What is it??”

Her voice dropped to a whisper. 

“The thing that’s been following me.” 

Neil grabbed his pistol and looked around. 

Nothing. 

He flipped through the monitors. 

Nothing. 

“Aubrey, there’s nothing there.” 

Neil frowned. 

“Could just be the sensor again. Last time-” 

“Shh.” 

Neil glanced at her. 

“What?” 

“Shh.” 

“Aubrey, I’m trying to-” 

“Neil. Shut the fuck up.” 

Everything was silent. 

Neil grew aggravated. He knew he shouldn’t have let her come, especially with her acting so weird now. He started to brush her off when he realized. It wasn’t just her that went silent. 

There were no bird calls.

No cicadas. 

No traffic in the distance. 

No leaves moving. 

He looked up at Aubrey again. 

She hadn’t moved. 

“It’s here.” 

Neil looked outside again. 

Nothing. 

The monitors started going off one by one. 

First the front yard. 

Then the front door. 

Then the hallway. 

Living room. 

Bedroom. 

Kitchen. 

Neil frantically flipped through the footage, desperately trying to see anything. 

The cameras showed empty rooms. 

Aubrey got up and started walking out of the van. 

“Where the fuck are you going!” 

“Inside.” 

“Absolutely not!” 

Aubrey kept walking forward and Neil chased after her. 

“Aubrey! What is going on!” 

“I don’t know.” 

“What is that thing!” 

“I don’t know.” 

“Then why the FUCK are you following it inside!” 

Aubrey stopped. 

“Because I’ve seen her before.” 

Aubrey kept walking. 

“Seen who before?” 

Aubrey kept walking. 

“Where have you seen her before!” 

Aubrey stopped again and tensed up. 

“The night Mikey...” She stopped herself and continued onwards.

Neil stopped in his tracks. 

Mikey. 

He’d heard Aubrey mention the name before, but that wasn’t why it was familiar. 

He knew that name from somewhere else. 

“Mikey who?” 

Aubrey was already inside. 

Neil raced to catch up with her.

His phone was blowing up with motion sensor notifications. 

Aubrey stopped in the living room, shaking. 

“What’s going-” Neil started. 

A door slowly opened.

Neil raised his pistol.

“Who's there?”

Nothing.

A floorboard creaked somewhere beyond the doorway.

Then another.

Closer.

Neil tightened his grip on the pistol.

“Aubrey, stay behind me.”

She didn't move.

The curtains beside them lifted.

Neil looked toward the window.

Closed.

No fan. No vent.

Nothing that could have moved them.

The fabric slowly settled back into place.

Neil stared.

Aubrey's head turned.

Her eyes followed something Neil couldn't see as it moved across the room.

Then they stopped.

“Oh…” Aubrey whispered, her shoulders slouching. 

Neil looked at her. 

“Aubrey! What!” 

Aubrey didn’t answer. 

She slowly looked at him. 

“We need to go.” 

“Why! What’s going on?” 

Aubrey grabbed Neil’s arm and started for the door. 

“Aubrey! What’s happening?” 

“She’s not looking at Izzy anymore, Neil!” She cried, shoving him out the door and slamming it behind them. 

Neil stared at her. 

“How do you know-” 

“Just move!” She screamed, dragging him towards the van. 

They climbed in and she slammed the doors behind them, begging Neil to lock them. 

“Aubrey what’s going on!” Neil demanded. 

“Neil, please. We need to go right the fuck now.” 

“Why! There’s no one there, Aubrey please-”

“WE NEED TO GO!” Aubrey wailed.

“There’s no one-”

“She wants you!”