In Every Lifetime

Chapter Fifteen

The first light of dawn peeked through the windows, shining itself on Arthit's face. He winced and groaned at being rudely awoken before realising that there was a weight on his chest. Kongpob must have been really not well if he had not risen before him. The boy had always been an early riser, waking up before him all the time.

"Kong?" He patted the younger's shoulder. That was cold.

Arthit froze. Why was Kongpob this cold? Feeling his hands all over Kongpob's body, he started to panic. It wasn't just the exposed shoulder that was cold. His body had lost the usual warmth it radiated.

"Kong? Kong? What's wrong?" Arthit struggled to sit up to check on his lover.

The younger boy remained motionless and all the warning signs blared in Arthit's mind. 'No, no, no,' he thought repeatedly to himself as he called Kongpob's name again and again. Placing a trembling hand over Kongpob's back, he prayed for a heart beat. Whether it was an erratic one, a normal one, he didn't care. He just needed to feel one.

But there was none.

"Kong?" Arthit whimpered as he tried to pry the cold hand that was grabbing his shirt away. "Kong, you can't do this to me. Please."

A cry of anguish broke through the silence of the house as the gang and a few of the helpers that were around came running into the room. Arthit was sobbing while clutching Kongpob tightly to his chest. The boys looked at each other before Prem daringly took a step forward to lay a hand on Kongpob. Looking back at the others, he shook his head. Tootah hid his head onto Bright's shoulder as he tried to muffle his cries while the other boy stood frozen, still trying to process what his friend had indicated.

Knott took a deep breath and stepped outside, heading straight for the phone. Kongpob's parents had to be informed and Arthit was most definitely not in the state of mind to do it right now. He had to do it, for his friend. A tear trickled down his cheek as he swiped it away, telling himself he could cry later.

Prem tried to take Arthit's hands away from Kongpob but Arthit wailed like a mad person, clutching the boy ever closer to him while screaming no. Prem blinked, sniffling a little as he stood up to reposition himself at Arthit's side of the bed.

"Arthit," Prem called quietly, "you have to let him go."

"No, Prem." Arthit looked at his friend, eyes wild like an injured animal. "Kong's cold. Could you grab us more blankets? We have to keep him warm. He's cold. He needs-"

"Arthit." Prem said louder. "He's gone, you have to let him go."

Arthit shook his head as he yelled back "No. No. Kong wouldn't do that. He promised." He buried his nose in the head of hair that still had the fragrance of the shampoo he had used yesterday. "He wouldn't do this to me. He wouldn't." He muttered nonstop, stroking Kongpob's hair.

Prem looked back at the rest of his friends for help but all he received were four shaking heads. Sighing, he stood up and patted Arthit's thigh before joining the rest on the other end of the room. The gang stepped out of the room and Tootah finally let his tears run freely as he held a tight grip on Bright and sobbed.

"Kongpob's parents and Uncle Jack are on their way," Knott informed them, as he too was red eyed from trying to hold his tears. "Let Arthit have his last moments with Kongpob. Uncle Jack would know what to do."

Two painful hours passed and Arthit had remained in his spot, holding Kongpob steadfastly to himself. He had yelled at everyone who had tried to remove the boy from his grasp, flailing his arm around to stop them. He had also still been calling his lover's name constantly, as if he would wake up at any point in time.