Labyrinth

Chapter Five

Cameron went inside the house to let Garrison know about Christian.

Garrison was sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper when he heard Cameron calling for him.

"Garrison, sir!" Cameron cried.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Garrison replied.

"Christian..."

"What about him?"

"He just walked off into the woods. W-we got into a small argument I-I guess, and he just left." Cameron stammered out.

"Oh, don't worry about him." Garrison said.

"What do you mean? He just took off." Cameron was puzzled.

"He went to his best friend Daryl's house, that's all. He lives just past the woods."

"He told me his best friend is a horse." Cameron mumbled to himself.

"Come sit" Garrison pulled out a chair for Cameron.

"I haven't seen Elise either... Is she okay?" Cameron asked.

"She is fine, she told me she is still at Chelsie's." Garrison replied.

"It's been rough..." Garrison sighed out.

"What do you mean"

"Christian and Elise, their mother, left us about ten years ago. Christian was only twelve. Elise was 9." Garrison said.

"Oh, I am sorry." Cameron said. "What happened, if you don't mind me asking."

"Some hot shot from Des Moines came into the area and I guess she was swept off her feet by him." Garrison laughed but it was an empty laugh.

Cameron was not expecting that. He thought maybe she had passed, or something happened but not that she would leave her family behind to be with another man.

"I don't know what to say." Cameron replied honestly.

"It's okay, son, I don't mean to lay this all out on you like this."

"No, it's okay, sir."

"Christian took it the worst. He was old enough to know his mother was leaving but not old enough to understand why. He cried every night, would get nightmares, I didn't know how to console him. Elise was still young; she didn't understand it." Garrison said.

Cameron nodded at the new information. He didn't know how to make out his feelings toward Christian. He felt bad for lashing out at him, but he never met someone like Christian before. He was confused.

"What did you and Christian argue about?" Garrison decided to change the subject.

"Huh?" Cameron replied as he was not really paying attention anymore.

"The argument?" Garrison repeated.

"Oh, it was nothing sir." Cameron replied.

Of course, Garrison didn't believe it, but he went along with it. He knew his son was a handful.

"Well, you can just sit in here while I make lunch. Christian should be back sometime tonight." Garrison said.

-Time Skip-

The time read 9:30 pm and Christian was still not back. Cameron felt guilty for his actions earlier. If anything happened to the boy, he would feel even worse.

Cameron couldn't fall asleep with these thoughts, so he got out of bed and walked to the front door. Elise was sneaking her way back into the house reeking of alcohol and the two made eye contact.

"Don't tell my dad, please." Elise pleaded.

"I won't, did you see Christian out there." Cameron asked.

"No, why what happened." Elise asked.

"He left earlier, and he hasn't been back yet. I made him upset." Cameron looked down.

"Whenever he's upset, he goes to Daryl, or he goes walking in the woods by the river. I'm assuming Daryl has kicked him out by now, so you can try the river." Elise informed Cameron.

Cameron was having a struggle in his mind. Did he want to go? What would he say? What would Christian say to him?

"I'll go just to make sure he's okay." Cameron said more to convince himself it seemed.

"Okay, be careful." Elise stumbled her way to her room.

Cameron heard the sound of crickets in the background while fireflies lit up his route to the river. Being on this farm for a whole 48 hours has messed with his mind. Why was he going to check on someone he supposedly doesn't care about. Cameron wanted these racing thoughts to go away, but luck was not on his side.

Before he knew it, Cameron arrived at the river. It looked eerie late at night as if any animal would jump out at any moment.

Cameron then noticed a little further down there was light coming from a small fire. This had to be Christian.

Cameron saw Christian sitting facing the river. He looked like he had been crying.

Cameron sat down next to Christian.

"God has his favorites. I'm not one of them. I always saw the wrong things. I lash out, I curse, and a majority of the time I don't realize what I say until after I say it." Cameron said.

"Is this your attempt to say sorry? Bringing God into the conversation with a gay man?" Christian laughed.

Cameron turned a little red and laughed too.

"I'm sorry, I am not good at these things or expressing feelings. Sometimes I feel like I have no feelings. I am as dry as a board." Cameron said.

"I wouldn't go that far, but then again, I barely know you. I don't even know why you're here." Christian said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, Dad never told me."

"I was caught drinking, and my dad sent me here to "straighten" me out. Those were his exact words."

"Can't imagine what your daddy would do if he came to know the things I've done." Christian laughed.

Cameron noticed Christian shivering.

"Are you cold?" Cameron asked.

"A little bit, I have been outside all day. My friend wasn't home." Christian answered.

Cameron took off his jacket and put it around Christian. Christian hastily removed the jacket and gave it back to Cameron. Cameron was bewildered.

"Whatever you do, Cameron, don't give a boy mixed signal." Christian smiled half-heartedly and walked toward the direction of the house.

Cameron was once again left stunned by Christian.