These Stories Are Reasonable

Two Sides (Part Two)

Gray's Pov:

Two Weeks Ago:

The small boy sighed, leaning back in his bed. The comforter was soft and plush, allowing him to sink in and hide amongst its fabric. For a moment he just wanted to sleep more than anything in the entire world. He wished desperately for his eyes to close as sleep slowly crept in, vignetting his view.

I can't please, no. Don't make me sleep. I beg you. He cried wordlessly.

Lately, his dreams had been plagued with nightmares, not dissimilar to the terrifying night-terrors he'd experienced as a child. The bone chilling one's, where everything was real, where you really felt like you were staring death straight in the face. The nightmares where you would scream and thrash in bed over imaginary monsters, as someone would rush to your side with warm hands and love. 

A beam of light that shines through, to reveal a helping hand out of the pit.

Gray internally whimpered, Extinguished.

One of the only differences between the dreams then and now, was rather than it being imaginary monsters that haunted the empty halls of Gray's mind, the poltergeists were very much real. Imaginary situations, became real. Screaming, crying, sweating, thrashing, nothing would escape the memories that followed closely behind him.

If you'd ever ran, for sport that is, be it 5k, mile, or even a simple 800m you know the feeling. You're running, faster and faster, you're winning even. Though slowly but surely you feel them, behind you they creep steadily. One more step gained. One more step lost. You started strong and fast, but slowly they gain. One step at a time. Until, eventually, you've been overtaken; dusted; left chasing after a shadow of control. The mere idea of being faster, stronger, better.

It was a similar experience for the boy, a perpetual race of who could finish first, who would win, who would escape, who was better, who was stronger?

Where are they racing to?

Gray felt the beginnings of sleep sink in, he needed it more than anything. The poor boy had been damn near delirious and completely spaced out for three days. Though not once did his grades waver I must add. His health?

A dream began to make its appearance. Or perhaps it's more fitting to call it a flashback at this point, though even that is not accurate enough of a term. A movie written in second person? With the choices and decisions already written out for you. All that's left to do...

Is watch.

~~~

"Stephen!" Gray smiled, waving to the boy walking towards him on the street. Though, his eyes remained paused on his hand, specifically his ring finger. A red string was attached, looped around and tied with a perfect little bow. His smile threatened to crack when he subconsciously traced it back, quietly noting that it lead to somewhere behind where he stood. Somewhere he could not see, to someone he couldn't know. 

Suddenly, a hand took his, that had seemed to freeze mid-wave. "Are you alright Gray?" Stephen always had a sort of warm glow that surrounded him. A bright light that shined even brighter when he smiled, innocent and sweet. His hair was in his face again, the only thing on Gray's mind was how much he wanted to fix it.

"I'm good." A smile returned to his face, small and genuine. All thoughts of the string were discarded. Though, not thrown away I supposed. He'd taken all of the papers, lined them up perfectly and closed the manila folder; then forcing it to the farthest filing cabinet at the back of his brain. There it lingered, accumulating dust, but there nonetheless.

Stephen looked at him for a moment longer, pausing then turning still standing hand in hand with Gray "Then let's go!" He tugged gently, pulling Gray along and forcing the slightest blush to the smaller's cheeks.