The Rules of Lost Boys

Chapter 11: The Cautious King

•Patrick Heaney•

I was a bit startled when I saw Alec walking up the shoreline with Asher and Avi slowly trailing him. The hesitation in their strides gave them away. If I approached to quickly or if they were surprised, they'd run. I watched them walk into camp, stopping just behind the front gate. Alec's eyes met mine, essentially calling me over without saying anything.

I looked the shorter boy over several times, making sure he wasn't harmed and then glared at the brothers. Asher had a nasty gash mark on his cheek that looked like it wasn't healing properly and his younger brother Avi was bruised up. I didn't want to make any bold assumptions, but my mind kept jumping to how violent William could be. "Why are they with you?" I asked Alec, pulling him away from them.

"Well I was checking my traps, when I found them. All I know is that Asher was banished from the crows by William for hurting Alex," Alec explained. I looked at Asher, his green eyes refusing to look at me. We didn't have the best relationship. Even before the shipwreck we hated each other. It was stupid boyish pride that caused us to dislike each other and nothing more.

"Is this true?" I asked the brotherly pair. Avi's fearful eyes looked at me, almost begging me to help them. It was almost impossible not to feel obligated to help. It was just who I was.I had figured that out the moment we wrecked here.

"William slashed his face. H-He wanted to make an example out of Asher," Avi explained. Asher hadn't said a word. It was merely out of pride. He couldn't bring himself to ask me for help. He couldn't bring himself to even apologize for the the things that got him banished from this side of the island in the first place.

"I'll help your brother, but only on one condition," I said, staring at Asher.

"Anything, we can't go back there. William will kill us," Avi replied.

"Asher has to apologize..."

"I'm not fucking apologizing to you! You don't deserve it!" He suddenly snapped, turning his head to face me. I raised my eyebrows, holding back a chuckle as I shook my head.

"Not to me Asher. I'm not the one who needs an apology, Zack is," I replied. Avi's face went pale at the mention of Zack. Zackery Arthur was once Avi's best friend and someone who had spilled his heart out to Avi, only to be rejected. Avi always acted like he was a ladies man. He lived for impressing all the girls on the camp grounds, but Zach seemed to be the only one who knew Avi on a personal level besides Asher. I didn't know if it was because Avi was straight, but part of me realized that Avi didn't want what happened to happen.

"What?! Why?! He...."

"Asher..." Avi spoke, his voice to serious to ignore. Asher looked at his younger brother, calming himself. The regret in Avi's eyes said it all.

"I made Zackary really upset that day. The things I said to him. They way I acted like his feelings didn't matter. I deserved every word he said to me. I know I'm your little brother and it's your job to protect me, but Zackary didn't deserve to get..." Avi paused, actual tears coming to the corners of his eyes. I'm sure that's the reason Avi never retuned when Asher was banished for what he did. He assumed Zack would never wake up. We thought the poor boy would die in a coma from the lack of hospital equipment we had.

"Avi, Zack's awake. He woke up a few weeks after the incident," Alec informed. The shock in Avi's eyes seemed to dwell deeply. He probably felt extremely guilty for what Asher did to his friend. I'm sure he never wanted Asher to do that.

"C-Can I see him?" Avi stuttered.

I didn't have a problem with it. It was just that I wasn't sure how Zack would feel about it. Ever since he woke up, the last thing he wanted to talk about was Avi. He spent weeks in silence, only coming out of his hut to eat. It wasn't until he met one of the boys from our hunting group that he began to speak.

"I think we should take things slow first. Zack went through a lot after waking up and seeing you now... I don't know how he'd react. Even Asher apologizing right this moment would seem to forced," Alec explained. He was right. It would look extremely suspicious for someone who wasn't even supposed to be on this side of the island to suddenly apologize to the boy that he had harmed just to return to camp.

"Just give it a few days. Let things happen naturally. Your welcome to go as you please Avi, but Asher...you'll constantly be watched until I know for sure you won't..."

"I want fucking hit anyone. I'm...I'm better now," he blurted out. Despite his obvious rage, he seemed less explosive. More tamed in fact. Maybe Joshua had actually gotten to him. If anyone on the island was able to calm someone's rage it would be Joshua.

...

The sound of crickets singing about seemed to shift my thoughts to Alec. The shorter boy was busy repairing some of his hole ridden clothes, to distracted to notice me staring. He was completely and utterly focused, sewing the holes back together with skill. I couldn't help but watch him. My heart was set on making him happy at the least. If I couldn't find us a way off the retched island, then I'd try my best to make sure that Alec was safe

"I love you Alec." I couldn't control my mind or heart. I felt it in my bones whenever he was near. Alec was so vulnerable by himself. It's not that I didn't think he couldn't protect himself. He was very much capable of fighting off one, maybe two people, but had Avi and Asher decided to attack him. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for not protecting him.

Alec looked at me with a small smile, his rosy cheeks exposing every single thought he had. "I-I love you too," he replied softly. I gently reached out, touching the skin of his soft face. He slowly placed his hand on the back of mine embracing the sentimental touch. It was hard to think at once point I was to afraid to even touch him. Afraid of what people would think despite how much I wanted him. Afraid of being judged by the same people who had accepted it so easily.

"I don't want you wondering outside of camp alone anymore," I spoke, bringing him closer. I could feel Alec's face drop. Had I upset him? Was I being to protective? Did he feel like I was suffocating him? So many questions ran though my head in the silence of our hut.

"I-I was terrified," Alec trembled, his fingers suddenly tensing up as his face fell against my chest. I hadn't realized how scared he must've been facing Asher and Avi alone. Not knowing if they'd attack. Not knowing if he'd make it back to camp, back to me. That was a side effect of the crows. They were all violent and driven by hatred. Hatred that plagued my mind for months now. Banishment let that hatred fester into something I couldn't comprehend. I never agreed with banishing people. It wasn't a rule that I wanted to implement, but it was decided amongst the majority. It was something that we should've used sparingly. In the case of William I agreed, but people like Asher. People who had issues or suffered trauma at the loss of our parents, they needed help. Banishing them wasn't the right way of handling them.

"I'm sorry Alec. I should've sent someone with you. It's just...you used to wonder off so much I never thought anything of it until now," I explained. Maybe it was Athena that was distracting me from realizing how Alec wondered around so care free. Or maybe it was the fact that Alec belonging to me now made him a valuable target. My distrust of William had made me paranoid. He'd stop at nothing to get the upper hand. Just to prove that he was better. Just to prove that he was right.

From now on I needed to lead with
caution. For the doves and crows safety. The last thing I wanted was a war.