Cole: Mind of Madness: A Prelude (A Phoenix Club Serial Thriller)

Chapter 2

Ezra waited in the cover of the trees, watching for Henry. He pulled his jacket tightly around him as the bitter chill of the morning air worked its way through the thick denim fibers. Ezra sniffed. His face was practically numb, and his nose ran a little. He sniffed again and dragged the sleeve of his jacket across his face and waited.

Henry always met him at the barn after his dad went to work. But the funeral was yesterday, so maybe his dad didn't go to work today. Ezra didn't know if Daniel Pruett's car was parked in front of the house. He couldn't see around the barn, and even if he could, a heavy mist enveloped the property, nearly swallowing up the house and fields. Even the pigs were just hazy shapes in the pen next to the barn.

When he saw a figure coming through the mist around the barn, he almost rushed out from the trees, and then stopped himself when Mr. Pruett emerged. The man donned a thick jacket, gloves, and heavy boots. He walked to the rear of the barn and entered through the back door. Ezra wondered why he hadn't gone through the front entrance of the barn. He remembered last night and puzzled again why Henry's dad had driven out to the barn.

Ezra waited for Mr. Pruett to come out of the barn, but he didn't. At least, not out of the rear door. He didn't know how long he waited when he suddenly heard Daniel Pruett's car start up, pull away from the house, then drive away down the gravel road.

When the sound of the car faded, Ezra left the trees and ran around the barn into the mist. He was halfway to the house when Henry appeared before him, the two nearly colliding. They laughed and went back inside the house.

"I was hoping you were out there," Henry said. "My dad didn't go to work this morning, but he just left to go to town."

"I saw him." Ezra sat down at the kitchen table while Henry placed the breakfast dishes in the sink. "He came out to the barn."

"He was probably checking the hog feed. We were getting low."

"Yeah." Ezra chewed his thumbnail as he watched Henry clean up the small kitchen. "How... how was he this morning? Still acting weird?"

"No." Henry smiled. "He was back to normal. Better than normal."

"Better?"

Henry came over and sat down. "He apologized to me," he whispered. "He said he was all messed up yesterday because of the funeral, but it wasn't an excuse not to be there for me. He said things were going to be better from now on and..." Henry teared up. "... and that mom was in heaven and was always with us in our hearts."

"That's nice," Ezra murmured.

Henry fidgeted. "He... he talked about you, too."

"Me?"

"He..." Henry swallowed. "He knows... you're gay. I didn't tell him, he just knew. I asked him if that was why he didn't like you and he said he didn't dislike you, but he was just worried you might...confuse our friendship for something more and maybe... pressure me to feel things I don't really feel."

Ezra chewed his lower lip, anxiety gnawing his gut. "Did I do that?" he whispered uncertainly. "If I did, I-I didn't mean to. Just because I said I loved you, that didn't mean you had to say it—" Ezra gasped as Henry leaped from his chair and threw his arms around Ezra, kissing him on the mouth. He drew back and blinked at Henry, shocked.

"I said it because I meant it," Henry breathed hard, smiling. He kissed Ezra again. "I love you so much. I don't know what I would do without you."

Relief flooded Ezra and he hugged the other boy hard against him. "I love you so much, too," he whispered thickly. "I want us to be together forever."