The Rules of Lost Boys

Chapter 4: The Architect's Happiness

•Dylan Kingwell•

* I stood atop the cliff staring down at the water crashing against the jagged rocks below. There was no point. I had lost everything. I didn't have a brother or a friend that I could confide in. I was extremely close to my parents and loosing them had sent my conscious into a place that seemed immutable.

One foot.

I placed one foot over the edge, knowing how quickly it would happen. Knowing that no one would probably even suspect that I was gone.

"What are you doing?" A gentle voice asked. I took a big step back, almost falling onto my butt. My eyes jumped to the speaker, quickly looking away when I saw his blue eyes staring at me with disbelief.

"I...I was..." I didn't know how to tell some stranger that I was going to kill myself. Why would they even care? I'd rather die then suffer alone and no one was going to stop me from ending that suffering.

"You were going to jump weren't you?" The boy asked, stepping closer to me. I quickly backed away towards the edge again, threatening to throw myself over if he got closer. However, the boy didn't care. He grabbed my arm and stepped closer to the edge with me. "If you jump, I'll jump to Dylan," he said. I couldn't believe what he was saying. No way was he willing to take his own life if it came to that.

"You know my name?" I questioned.

The boys eyes faltered as he nodded. "You don't remember do you? You told me your name when you saved me from drowning when we crashed," he informed. I searched within myself trying to remember that day. So much was hazy and all I could really remember was how cold the water was and how much I wanted to embrace my mom again.

"You helped me all the way to shore that night and built a campfire for me to warm up. After that day I searched the island for you, but it was like you disappeared. I thought that maybe I was imagining you, but here you are in the flesh. You do exist Dylan and I wanted to thank you for saving my life," he explained.

Saving his life? Had I really done that? I had blocked out so much, that it was hard to even remember. I looked back at the boy, his eyes lifting once more. Those deep blue, almost turquoise orbs didn't have a lie in sight. There was an attachment he had to me, that I didn't quite understand. If I jumped, he'd most likely come with me. He shared that same deep loneliness that I had.

"What's your name?" I asked.

There was a small smile that appeared on his quite pretty face. "Oscar...but my friends used to call me Ozzy," he said with an accent.*

...

There were things that annoyed me about Patrick. He was a great friend and leader, but he was such an idiot. I had suspected his relationship with Alec was a little more complicated a few weeks ago. His lingering eyes always stared a little to long at the shorter boy, or he'd always make some excuse to see him. It was only fate that I'd end up finding out.

"It stinks!" Oscar blurted out, bringing me out of my thoughts. The blue eyed boy pinched his nose and looked at me for a solution. I sighed heavily knowing whatever I came up with would be to much work.

"Well it's poop Ozzy. It would be weird if it didn't stink," I replied, holding in a laugh. I had to think of a way to create a stable drainage system with bamboo. Bamboo was strong and hallow enough to carry water and waste out without easily corroding. The only problem was that it didn't grow naturally on this side of the island.

"I've figured it out," I mumbled. Oscar looked at me with admiration and quickly walked away towards fresher air. I followed his lead all the way to the beach front were the sun blinded me momentarily. The thick forest was amazingly shaded during the day by large trees, so stepping right out into the sun was sensory overload.

When my eyes finally adjusted to the light, I felt soft lips push against my own. There was a small part of me that wondered if Oscar was happy that Patrick didn't tag along. It had been a while since we had time to just talk to one another.

"I missed you," he whispered when we broke apart. His hands rubbed up my chest exploring the tanned skin curiously I hadn't noticed it until now. I was always busy with building something or solving problems that sometimes I forgot Oscar was even there.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. I didn't deserve him. He had the patients of a trained monk. Sometimes I wondered why he felt the need to keep himself by my side, but every time I looked him in the eyes I remembered why.

I brought the handsome boys head closer so that our foreheads and noses were touching, and our eyes were glued together.

"Don't apologize. I know how hard you work," he whispered softly. I was so tempted to kiss him again. He was the only reason I was still alive. I know he claims that I saved him, but he saved me too.

"It's not fair to you," I replied. Oscar just smiled and mushed his nose against mine.

"Dylan, you overthink to much. I don't care if your not always focused on me. The fact that you allow me to watch you get consumed by creating things is enough. As long as you allow me to be there, I'm happy," he admitted. Oscar was always able to make me speechless. I was dubbed the smartest on the island, but Oscar was the only one who could make me feel like a dumbass.

"We should get back to camp and tell Patrick that you've found a way to fix the poop problem," Oscar giggled. I pecked him on the lips in agreement and grabbed his hand. I was somewhat tempted to take him somewhere private, but it wasn't the right time.

...

"So there's good news and bad news," I announced to Patrick. He looked sort of zoned out. I could tell his mind was still contemplating how he was going to break up with Athena.

"The bad news first," he replied with a sigh.

"We need bamboo from the crows side of the island," I informed. Patrick's one flaw was his bargaining skills. He was always to demanding and never wanted to give up anything valuable.

"Crows?"Patrick questioned.

"It's what there calling themselves now," I explained. I'm sure it was just a response to our camps name.

Patrick shook his head and sighed again. "So I assume the good news is that you know how to fix our plumbing issue," Patrick guessed, ignoring the new name for William's side of the island for now.

"Of course, Dylan's amazing," Oscar announced proudly. Patrick smiled at the hicky covered boy, but he still didn't seem happy. My guess was that he needed Alec. He was the only one who could negotiate any kind of trade with William.

"I'll find Alec if things are still awkward," I offered. Patrick shook his head and looked towards where Athena was teaching basic math skills to some of the younger children.

"I'll do it," he huffed.