Shattered Horizon

28 Liam

Chapter twentyeight
Liam
Leaving the house felt more like entering a warzone than a simple journey. My only wish? A safe haven, a place where fear wasn't a constant companion. The lake monster had been a nightmare come true, and Bo's silence about why he ventured onto the ice was deafening. But Joe's incessant pleas were a different kind of torment. His constant chant of "Can I get a bike?" was like a pickaxe chipping away at my sanity. When Noah, with a heavy heart, would say no, Joe would erupt in a fresh wave of tears, seeking solace in either me or Iris.
I squeeze Bo's hand and return his smile. Joe's high-pitched voice drones on, the tale of Noah's battle with the mutant snake-thing filling the air. When the pain in my ankle flares, I stumble. Bo stays back, his steady presence a silent support, while Joe lingers – always close. A few moments of precious solitude would feel like heaven, but Joe's just a kid, too young to understand. Bo always reminds me of that.
"Annalina wasn't this... energetic," I whisper to Bo.
He shakes his head. "Maybe it's different. Annalina grew up with my sister, already in her twenties, and my parents to help guide her." Bo pauses, considering. "I don't know his story, but it seems like his parents are no longer in the picture."
"Yeah, I get it. I just crave those moments when it's just me and you, not me, you, and Joe," I confess. "Am I being selfish?"
"Of course not. Kids can be... a lot, sometimes."
He kisses me. "It will be okay. Just be glad he likes you."
We reached the Zalmart parking lot. Noah and Iris are ahead, their voices mingling as she laughs. The sound of her laughter washes over me, a balm for my weariness. It feels so good to see her smiling.
As we get to the doors, Iris tells me and Bo to watch Joey while she and Noah go inside to check the place out. "Iris," I say. She winks at Bo, who sighs. Noah heads inside. "You owe me one," Bo says with a smile.
I look at him. "Did I miss something?"
"Oh, Liam." He kisses me and takes my hand. "Think about it, without saying anything." He glances at Joey.
"What?" I say again, still not understanding.
"Yeah, Liam, think," Joey says, laughing.
I hurry to open my backpack, and the stuffed dog, the letter, and the condoms I grabbed tumble out. Bo helps me pick them up, eyeing the condoms and the letter.
"Joey, why don't you go play with Lightning for a little bit?"
"I don't have anything to throw for him," Joey replies.
"How about this?" Bo hands Joey the stuffed animal.
Bo grins, while my face turns bright red. "I... I'm not sure why...," I stammer.
"You know you could have talked to me," Bo says.
"I... well..." I search for words. He hands me back the condoms.
"You know those expired in 2025, right?" he says with a giggle.
I stare back. "So?"
"Oh my love," he says, then gets up and kisses me. He calls Joey to throw him the stuffed animal.
Confused, I remember my grandfather's constant reminders to always use protection.
"Bo," I say. He turns with a smirk. "I'm going to use the restroom."
"Don't go far," he replies.
An hour stretched into eternity. Iris and Noah remained inside the Zelmart, and my worry grew with each passing minute.
"Bo," I finally confessed, unable to bear the silence any longer. "They've been in there forever. Should we check on them?"
He looked up, concerned, furrowing his brow. "Worried about us, huh?" Iris emerged from the doorway, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
She smiled at Bo, a warmth radiating between them. I felt a pang of understanding, the memory of their shared moment inside suddenly clear. We found bikes – two for her, two for Noah.
"Where's mine?" Joey whined, eyeing the bikes with a frown.
"We talked about this, Joey," Noah said firmly.
"Come on, Noah," Bo interjected, a note of sympathy in his voice. "There's got to be a kid's bike around here. How else will we carry him?"
Noah's frown deepened. "Alright, alright, I'll go look for one," he grumbled, stepping off his bike and disappearing back into the store.
With Noah gone, Iris and Bo fell into quiet conversation. Their faces were full of warmth and unspoken understanding. It was clear something special had happened between them in the Zelmart.
"Oh!" I exclaimed, the realization hitting me as they talked.
"You okay, Liam?" Bo asked, his concern genuine.
"Yeah," I mumbled, blushing as he caught my knowing smile.
Noah emerged with a bike and a piece of paper, thankfully equipped with training wheels. Just then, Iris reappeared with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Zelmart security, hands up!" she announced playfully.
Noah grinned, holding up his hands in surrender. "Oh yeah?" he retorted.
"Yeah, that's right," she quipped, quickly capturing his lips with a kiss.
He then hands her the paper. She reads it and another smile crosses her face.
Bo looked at them, his expression a mix of joy and longing. Iris was laughing, happier than I'd ever seen her, and it warmed my heart. Maybe Noah wasn't her forever, but for now, she had someone who showed her love and compassion.
She hands Bo the piece of paper. Me and him look at it.
Suviors! Come to Atlanta, Georgia. Our settlement will help you.
We got food, a medical team and housing.
Keep an eye out for a military truck they can help and pick you up.
Liz Jackson leader of new America
"Will keep an eye out for the military truck." Iris says "But we have to get moving, that giant is on its way and we have to warn them."
We all nod at her. Then I looked, Joey and he frowns at his bike. "Why is it pink and has ribbons?"
"Only thing they had, buddy," Noah replied.
"Nothing wrong with pink," Iris countered. "Only REAL men wear pink." She winked at him.
She knelt down to Joey's level. "When we get to the new settlement, I'll make sure we get you a better bike," she promised.
Joey beamed, and soon he was zipping around, still slightly wobbly on his new wheels.
"Bo," I confessed, pulling him aside. "I don't know how to ride a bike. I never had one."
"It's okay," he reassured me. "I have to re-learn how to ride mine, too. We'll teach you." He planted a gentle kiss on my forehead.
"Okay," I said, a surge of determination replacing my fear.
We rode for hours, pushing for as much distance as possible. Finally, we stumbled upon a small settlement camp. Iris hopped off her bike and asked if we could rest there for a while. The settlers were hesitant at first, but eventually agreed. Joey found some kids to play with, and Bo disappeared into the spare cabin they offered us. He kissed my forehead and then spoke quietly to Iris. She said something back, and he shook his head.
I pulled out my notebook and began sketching, watching the other kids play in the flashes of distant lightning. Damein kissed Iris and held her close. I smirked, but a strange unease tugged at me.
Should I go to Bo? Everything had felt different since they fell out of my backpack. What if I'm not good enough? What if I mess this up? What if it's all too much, too fast?
A wave of overwhelm hit me. My sketch looked ruined, a reflection of my tangled emotions. With a sigh, I tore out the page and tossed it into my bag.
I put my notebook away, my mind a whirlwind I couldn't untangle. I stared at the flames, then felt Iris's hand on my back. I glanced up to see her smile.
"What's up, good lookin'?" she asked, settling beside me.
"Nothing," I mumbled.
"Okay," she said, her voice soft.
We sat in silence for a few long minutes. "Okay, you're quiet, but this is different. Something's up."
I heard her, sighed, and felt her big-sister stare.
"I don't know, Iris," I finally admitted.
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah," I lied.
Minutes ticked by. She kept bumping my arm gently until I cracked. "Do you think I'm stupid?"
Her surprise was clear. "No! Why would you ever think that?"
I shrugged. "I just... I don't know what you and Bo know."
"Liam, we love you. Things were rough for you growing up, but that doesn't mean you're stupid," she said firmly.
I reached into my bag, pulling out Joanna's letter and the expired condoms.
"Can't read cursive, can't read at all. Words just blur," I confessed.
"Oh. It's okay. Bo or I can read it to you," she offered.
I handed her the condoms. "Bo saw these fall out. Said to check with him next time, then just left."
She examined them, saw the date. "I... oh." I couldn't speak.
"It's okay, hon," she said, her face carefully blank.
"I... thought things might get there someday. I wanted to be prepared," I whispered.
"Liam, it's okay to feel unsure," she says, squeezing my hand. "You love him, and he loves you. Maybe he just wasn't expecting you to be ready, that's all."
"I...I don't know if I want us both to be," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Time has a way of sorting things out. Just take it slow, love each other," she says with a reassuring smile.
She tosses the expired condoms into the fire. Flames lick at the box, and we watch them burn in silence. A moment later, she reaches into her back pocket and pulls out something new.
"If you ever do decide, be safe. This one isn't expired," she says, a hint of mischief in her smile.
"Liam, seriously, I'm here for the serious talks and the silly ones. Whatever you need!" ...while giving my back a playful pat. "Now stop overthinking and go snuggle with Bo. He worries about you, you know." she says
I nod and get up, heading to the cabin where Bo is. A glance back shows Iris hugging and kissing Noah, her laughter echoing as he talks to her.
Opening the cabin door, I gently knock on Bo's room. "Come in," he calls.
He's reading 'Catching Fire', shirtless and relaxed. "There you are, my love," he murmurs, patting the bed beside him. He sets the book aside, his gaze lingering on me. "You okay?"
"Yeah, Bo, I'm okay," I say, sitting on the bed and starting to untie my boots. His hand trails along my back, each touch sending a shiver through me. He gets up, hugging me from behind. "Liam, look at me." Hesitantly, I try to finish with my shoes, but he gently turns my chin, his touch tender. He kisses me, and a tear slips down my cheek, surprising me. He steps back, lifting me off the bed into his arms. "I love you, forever and always," he whispers. I kiss him again, this time without words, as we fall back onto the bed together, his skin warm beneath my fingers.
His hands brush through my hair. I kiss him again, and he returns it, guiding my hand towards his body. "Bo," I whisper.
"Shhh," he murmurs, his voice husky.
The kisses deepen, my body alive with a thrill as I surrender to his touch. He welcomes my exploration, stoking a wildfire of need within me. The thought blazes through my mind: I am his, and he is mine.
We kiss, and his hand trails down, fingers finding the button of my jeans. He meets my gaze. "Okay?" he asks, voice low.
"Okay," I breathe.
He kisses my scar, then his lips find my neck. It's a long-awaited release, a world where monsters and giants fade, and there's only me and him. He sits up, and I follow, a smile playing on his lips. I pin him to the wall, my eyes roaming his body, seeking the places that bring him pleasure. Lifting him, I hear a soft moan escape his lips. I set him on the chair, the intensity of our kisses threatening to shatter it. And it does. Boards creak, then snap, and we tumble to the floor in a tangle of laughter and shared delight.
Finally, we reach the bed. This time, his fingers unbutton my pants, and I mirror the gesture, a shared eagerness between us.
He unzips my pants takes them off, he looks at me again "Okay" he whispers
"Okay" I say