Birch and Lawrence **OLD**

The Punishment

The Klansmen tied Birch and Lawrence to a tree while they decided what to do with them. Their mouths were gagged, and they were tied back to back so they couldn't look at each other. However, their fingertips just barely touched, so they struggled to cling to each other.

By now, Lawrence had accepted the fact that he was going to die. He didn't cry, and he wasn't even that afraid. In fact, he was happy for his mother because she would never have to deal with him anymore. He was happy that he was going to leave the world in a way similar to his father's. He was happy that he would never have to worry about anything ever again.

Birch however, was petrified. He felt like he was going to puke, and his heart raced at a million miles an hour. He trembled furiously and tears streamed down his cheeks. Were the klansmen going to kill him? How was his father handling this whole situation?

They heard the klansmen talking to each other in the distance. "I know him," one said. "We put that nigger in a cage yesterday and he got out. We've been lookin' all over for 'im!"

"And Birch took 'im to my house?"Mr Kelton exclaimed. "That nigger was livin' in my house?" He growled angrily. "That's it. I'm done with Birch. I can't stand him anymore!"

"Pa, please!" Mary pleaded. "Don't hurt 'im! He's my brother, and I love 'im"

"Why?" Mr Kelton demanded. "He's a faggot, he's a nigger lover, and you have the nerve to love 'im? He's the greatest disgrace to our family!"

Hearing his father speak so lowly of him made Birch feel as if his heart had been ripped out of his chest and stomped on.

They couldn't clearly make out anymore of the klansmen's conversation. They just held hands and wondered what fate awaited them. At last, they saw the men approach them. Lawrence was untied first. After being freed, the men threw him to the ground and kicked him in the side. They roughly picked him up and dragged him in front of Birch. "Take a nice long look at your lil' nigger friend," they said. "D'you know what we're gonna do to 'im?"

Birch didn't nod or shake his head. He just stared at his lover and cried harder than before.

"We're gonna kill'im!" the klansmen exclaimed happily. "And you're gonna watch!"

Mr Kelton held his son's head so he couldn't look away as Lawrence was executed. A man freed the gag from Lawrence's mouth. "Alrighty nigger, got any last words for your fag lover 'ere?"

Lawrence nodded and swallowed nervously. "Birch, I just wanted to say I'm sorry I fell in love with you. If I hadn't, then all of this would never have happened. You're pa would probably still love you, and you wouldn't 've had to die like this. I think you're the most beautiful man that I've ever seen, and I love you more than anything else. Thank you for the pears in your garden, and the books you gave me, and the songs on your violin, and the food, and your cuddles and kisses, and your love in general." A tear streamed down his cheek. "Goodbye, Birch."

Birch sobbed. He heard the passion and grief in Lawrence's voice, and whimpered as he watched a rope being tied around his neck. The men threw the rope over the branch of a tree, and pulled on the opposite end of it. Birch was overcome with guilt and helplessness as Lawrence was unmercifully lynched. He saw his face turn purple and heard his gurgled cries as the oxygen drained from him. He was crying so hard he was nearly screaming.

Through the physical pain of being lynched, Lawrence's heart shattered as he watched Birch cry through his blurry, grainy vision. He didn't want to leave Birch with a broken heart. He didn't deserve that. But there was no going back now.

Just then, he saw a white light, brighter than ever before, but it didn't hurt his eyes. The light faded, and he was greeted by the face of death. The face was that of a black man. A tall thin, bearded man with a big smile and an even bigger heart. "There you are, honey," he said. "I've been waiting so long for you..."

The pain faded from Lawrence's body and heart. He was so happy that he couldn't think of anything else. "Papa," he sobbed, and fell into his gentle, fatherly embrace.