Stranger Nights

Chapter 18

Charlotte walked to her home silently. Henry had been left in the care of of Freddy and after she made sure Henry had truly stopped crying, she left. She might've stayed longer if her legs weren't so sore and her nose wasn't so red.

Roanoke was quiet, as you might expect it to be. People were all at work and children were all at school. The church bell tolled in the distance signaling that it was one in the afternoon. Charlotte might have been tired if she wasn't already used to not getting sleep because of the way her mind worked.

The living room light was on and she could see her father, Eddy Baker, sleeping on the couch from outside. Her father was a trader for the town. He traded crops, wood, and vegetables. In return, The town's gave him fruits, assorted stones, and other things you couldn't find in Roanoke.

Because of his job, Eddy Baker was almost never home. That fact only deepened the distance between him and Charlotte.

Charlotte was quick to notice a bright yellow paper taped on her door. It read:

Attention!

All teenagers between the ages of fourteen and nineteen

Must report to the church at exactly 4:30 tomorrow evening

Failing to comply will result in penalization of food rations

Charlotte rolled her eyes and crumpled up the piece of paper. She opened the door quietly careful to not wake her father up. Not bothering to take off her dirty skirt, she crawled into bed burying herself in blankets. She threw the notice on the floor. She was asleep by the time the church bell rung twice.

Henry was afraid to go to sleep, but he still tried. He told Freddy and Charlotte of his nightmare and he told them of how the burn on his finger happened in the dream. They looked at each other first then looked back at Henry. In that one action Henry knew they didn't know either

Charlotte left and Freddy stayed with him. Freddy walked and Freddy walked him home and Freddy his pajamas and Freddy was currently out in his living room making him something to eat. Henry needed sleep because he knew that Freddy needed him to. Freddy's eyes looked so desperately worried for Henry he looked he would have a panic attack too. Henry felt terrible. The only reason he hadn't told Freddy and Charlotte of his dream was to not worry them. It seemed he did the exact opposite of that. Henry bit his lip and rolled over on his bed facing his wall.

"Hey are you awake?" Freddy asked from behind him. Henry rolled over and sat up, facing Freddy.

"I can't sleep." Henry said sadly.

"Yeah, I figured as much." Freddy said sitting on his bed, "I brought you an orange."

Henry caught the fruit that was thrown at his chest.

"Thanks." he said starting to peel the orange, "But I thought you were going to make a salad."

"You were out of lettuce."

"Oh."

They sat there is silence while Henry fidgeted with his orange.

".....Hey can I ask you something." Freddy said abruptly. Henry tightened his grip on the his orange, which was half peeled. He was afraid of what Freddy was going to ask. He slowly nodded anyway.

"Why does Charlotte not work?"

A smile rose to Henry's face and he started to laugh.

"Why would you ask that?" He giggled.

"I'm just wondering. She doesn't really let you in on her personal life." Freddy shrugged and looked at Henry, "Well she doesn't let me in to it anyway."

"She turned invisible." Henry answered him.

"What does she have a cloak or something?" Freddy asked jokingly.

"No," Henry laughed,"When she graduated from school last year, she completely avoided everyone. I was the only one who saw her for five whole weeks."

"No way. So they just forgot about her?" Freddy laughing at how stupid it sounded.

"Basically and her dad isn't there to make her do it, so she just kind of skipped that part I guess."

"Wow." Freddy breathed. They sat there in silence again, but it was a better silence than before because Henry was smiling and eating and his rosy cheeks were back.

Freddy smiled faintly to himself.

"Are you okay.....for now." he asked. Henry smiled at him and it reached his eye's.

"For now." Henry confirmed.

"Good because I don't want that to happen again." Freddy ordered.

"You sound like Charlotte." Henry teased. Freddy glared at him, but couldn't keep it when Henry laughed. Freddy yawned.

"Are you tired?" Henry asked worry in his voice.

"Haven't been getting much sleep." Freddy admitted. 'Because of you' was what he thought, but didn't say it out loud.

"You can sleep here if you don't want go home." Henry told him laying back down on his bed. "You know because of your dad."

Freddy's face started to heat up at this sudden invitation. He would have to sleep in Henry's bed if he did stay and that could only cause trouble. Henry's bed was small and there would probably be accidental brushes involved. Not to mention this would only make Freddy's feelings for Henry for grow and become worse. So it was strange that Freddy felt himself moving beside Henry.

Henry pushed himself against the wall to make room for Freddy. He laid on his side facing Freddy with his eyes closed. Freddy's eye's were wide open and his cheeks were red. He wouldn't be falling asleep anytime soon. Which is probably for the better because Henry's parents could come in any second and he didn't want to be in the same bed with their son when they did. The smell of oranges filled his nose.

Henry's eye's fluttered open. They looked so tired just like Henry's smile. Before Freddy could do anything Henry reached his left hand out and swept his bangs from Freddy's eyes. Henry's touch burned and Freddy's stomach twisted into knots.

"Your so....pretty." Henry said softly taking his hand off of Freddy's forehead. His eye's closed again and soon his breathing calmed. Freddy's face was red from the touch and his mind kept screaming at him. Telling him to kiss the boy next to him or to hold his hand. Freddy squeezed his eye's shut. And the church bell rang three times.