The rain pelted down onto Kieran’s bare; goose bump filled skin like bullets as the ice-cold wind blew against his face, causing his whole body to shiver and his teeth to chatter.
Coming to a halt, on the side of a dirt road, he inhaled a deep breath, letting the damp earthly smell that he loved so much linger towards his nostrils. Looking up at the large empty sky, Kieran couldn’t help but feel empty himself.
Darkness was blanketed over the earth and not a single star twinkled against or through any of the clouds which has taken over the night sky, giving the world a mysterious feel to it. Tiny, bitter cold rain droplets hit against his pale face, refreshing and cleansing himself and his thoughts which were also clouded, he didn’t care that tomorrow he would wake up with a cold.
He liked long walks in the rain; he found them peaceful as each droplet made a different sound as it hit different objects and materials, giving off their own little melody.
A car roared in the distance, gradually getting closer, and the driver was hurting inside, trying to change himself but knowing he couldn’t, knowing nothing could change the guy he really was and needed to admit to himself.
Normally Kieran would have been scared walking around alone at night, as he was weak and unable to stand up for himself but tonight he felt numb, like nothing mattered anymore, similar to how the driver was feeling also.
“Are you crazy?” Kieran heard the engine of the car stop beside him, he no longer did smell his favourite smell, now all that surround his nostrils was petrol fumes. He didn’t bother looking at who the stranger may be; they could be a murder for all he cared.
The voice in his head spoke up ‘may be they will put you out of your misery.’ A small, sad half smile rested on his face. “I wish.” He muttered to himself.
“It’s freezing outside, almost hale stoning.” The driver sounded familiar however Kieran couldn’t put a face to the voice, he also sounded concerned but Kieran knew in reality they wouldn’t be, nobody cared about little, skinny, geeky Kieran and he had learnt to accept that.
“I’m fine.” Kieran tried to sound confident and in control but his voice cracked in more places than one, showing the stranger that he was not even close to feeling fine but he still didn’t move, Kieran was unable, fixed in position, in time. He was frozen.
“Kieran?” Max finally recognized the voice; he ran his slight tanned hand through his dirty, blonde hair, wondering why the shy, geek from his school was wondering down the long, dirt road alone at night. Didn’t he know it wasn’t safe in these parts?
Kieran’s eyes widened as he recognized the voice but he was still unable to move for a moment, he closed his eyes and prayed that Max would just leave him alone but Max never did, so why would that change now.
Kieran’s heart began to race as he heard the door of Max’s car open and close, he heard his heavy footed feet crunch against the gravel; he heard his loud, tired sigh.
“Go away.” He spat out, abruptly he started to walk forward, no longer frozen. He was moving as fast as he could away from Max, all the while his heart slammed against his chest so hard that it began to hurt.
Kieran’s air way began to close and he struggled to breathe as he felt the food he had only consumed hours before crawl up his throat. He desperately wanted to know why he could never be free of Max.
“Get in the car.” Max almost shouted, causing Kieran to flinch and fear to run through his veins as thick as the blood also inside of them. He couldn’t take a beating from Max today, any day but today.
