Impossible

5

Joshua sighed at himself in front of the mirror. Another Sunday. They seemed all the same. He titled his head and looked at his reflection.

"Hey..." Samuel whispered, walking over to him and hugging him from behind again, "Do it, skip church today."

Joshua considered it again. He had blown him off so many times, and repeatedly said no, and it made him feel guilty. He always put him off. He took a deep breath, a lump rising in his throat.

"Ok." He mumbled.

"Ok?"

"Yeah, ok. I always say I'll do it one day, why not today?" He said shakily, nervous. He had never skipped church, not once in his life.

Samuel smiled, happy his friend finally said yes. "Thank you," He whispered, leaning in, and kissing his neck.

*****

Joshua giggled, peering out of the house. "It's so quiet," He murmured, "It's like a ghost town!" Samuel looked over at his friend and smiled at how happy he was.

The church bells rang, and he looked up, suddenly stricken. Samuel reached forward and held his hand, "It's ok."

Joshua took a deep breath and smiled over at him.

Then Samuel ran forward, not letting go of his hand, and he ran with him, laughing. They giggled quietly as they walked past the church, trying desperately not to make enough noise to be noticed, and occasionally erupting into spontaneous giggles.

They laughed and ran faster. It was if they were becoming young children again.

They ran all the way till the back fields, the edge of town, fields, and farmland. Joshua held tight to Samuel's hand. He never wanted to let go.

It was everything he'd finally wanted, everything he'd dreamed of. No one can tell him anything now.

They hadn't felt free like this in years, and there was this soft sense of understanding, that this would be one of the only times that they would truly have this freedom, away from prying eyes, that they had never had before, not even when they were children.

They found themselves resorting slowly back to small games they used to play in the church yard, all those many years ago, when they were so young and free.

*****

Joshua crept up behiend him, and watched as he looked around, seemingly trying to find him. He smirked, and leapt up, tapping him swiftly on the back. "You're it! He yelled, before running in the opposite direction, nearly tripping on the wheat.

Samuel let out a gasp, and grinned back, chasing him, laughing.

"You'll never catch me!" Joshua taunted him, giggling as he ran, towards the barn.

"Oh yes I will!" He retorted, stumbling, and nearly tripping. Joshua, laughing at his clumsiness, found himself at the barn, and swiftly jumped up onto one of the bales of hay on the outside, swaying gently as he collected his balance, and clambered quickly onto the next one, climbing up the side of the barn in a staircase.

Samuel watched in slight awe. He had no idea how agile his friend was. He was not in most of his classes, and therefore not in his Physical Education one. Occasionally he would glance out the window, and it just so happened to be his class, and he could watch him for a few minutes more before he was called back to attention by the professor.

He smirked to himself before following, though not nearly half as smoothly, watching him closely as he disappeared behiend the wall and round the corner.

He crept around slowly and cautiously, and seeing the open window and no Joshua, decided that's where he must have been too. Climbing through it (and nearly tripping onto the floor the other side), he peered around.

He couldn't see him. He seemed to be on ledge on a second floor, and he peered down below. There was just a bunch of hay.

He turned around, and saw Joshua creep out of the shadows, and laugh, before pushing him off. He let out a small yell, but quickly reached forward and grabbed his arm, and Joshua yelped before falling down with him.

They fell clumsily on the hay below, it acting as padding, and laughed, Joshua on Samuels chest.

"Bastard," He hissed playfully, and Samuel laughed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Ooh, I've never heard you use such foul language, sinner." He teased him, and Joshua mumbled incomprehensively into his chest.

They didn't move, they didn't have to move, for once, they could do whatever they liked without having to worry. For once they felt free. No one had to say anything, there was a comfortable knowing in the air.

But then they heard the church bells ring in the distance.

Joshua sat up suddenly, sitting on his lap, as Samuel propped himself up on his elbows. "Shit!" He hissed, as they scrambled to their feet. Running out of the barn and through the fields, they joined hands, panting. They had been too confident, and now were racing back against the clock.

They raced past the back of the houses, dodging out of sight, and desperately trying not to be seen.

They eventually reached the back of his house, and they looked panicked as how to get in. To be caught actively not going to church would shun them both, people would only get more suspicious.

Joshua bared his teeth and sucked in air harshly, before putting his feet on the window ledge and pulling himself up to the second-floor window, tumbling inside and laughing, Samuel helping him up.

"Sam..." He whispered, and like two longing lovers, they smiled at each other, and Samuel reached up his hand, and Joshua reached his hand down, and Samuel pressed a kiss on the back of his hand.

But then they heard talking, and they laughed, and Samuel whispered, "I'll see you later. Thank you." Before running off.