The Struggle Of Healing

chapter 1: Found

Adam scanned the abandoned house as he walked slowly towards it, the roof was ripped apart and the hole place was completely tarnished, It's white paint tainted with black and reeked of decay. Cautiously, Adam creaked open the front door as it hung of it's hinches and took a hesitant step inside, the damp floor boards groaned as they got use to his weight. Adam had an urge to call out into the hollow house, but suppressed that urge afraid it was occupied by some unwelcoming residents. He stumbled into the first room to his left, it was obviously a dining room by the large table in the centre and the amount of antiques on the desks. everything was coated in a thick layer of dust, obviously the place had been either a village and they'd forgotten to renovate the house he was in or.... It was just abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. Adam was about to go into the next room, when he heard the distinctive sounds of chains rattling and shuffling of movement. The sounds had came from a door close to the end of the hall, it was the door that led down to the basement. A small bit of hope sparked inside of Adam as the thought of it being Mitch and Jerome was invited into his mind, the Canadian he used to love and cherish with all his dear heart. He desired the man ever since he and his best friend vanished and even though he and Mitch were no longer together, it broke his heart.

Adam opened the creaking door and peered down the staircase that vanished in the darkness, the basement was plagued with inky shadows and his hand searched the wall for a light switch. When he found it he flick it on and a dim light filled the room, Adam could make out a metal table in the centre of the basement as he crept down the stairs and noticed red stains. It reminded him of laboratory from a horror movie. Adam heard the rattling chains and movement again and continued to walk straight, he could make out a cage like cell and felt around for a gap. When he found a considerably large hole, he ducked under it and then remembered the flashlight in his satchel and dug it out. When he flicked it one, his breath got stuck in the back of his throat at what he saw. Mitch was chained up like an animal, patches of inky purples riddled his skin and he was caked in crimson blood. When the battered boy looked up at him, he noticed a band aid around his eyes. Adam dropped the flashlight to the cold concrete ground and crawled to Mitch and embraced him in a comforting hug, Mitch's arms barely wrapping around him because of the shackles on his wrists. Adam felt fear, shock and relief mix together as he relished the feeling of Mitch in his arms.

"A-Adam, get ou-"

Adam hushed Mitch's low raspy cracked voice and began to rub the Canadian's back trying to ease his heavy gasps. When Mitch had calmed down, Adam pulled back and held the quaking boy by his shoulders. Mitch was wearing a white shirt that was riddled with holes and bloody stains, his dog tags still hanging from his neck like a lucky charm.

"Mitch, where's Jerome?"

Mitch's body froze. His head looking at his left arm, Adam followed Mitch's blank stare to his arm noticing stitches just below his shoulder and saw the skin did not match his pail complexion. Tears rolled down Mitch's cheeks from underneath the band aid and Adam finally caught on, that was Jerome's arm. Adam, with the rush of fear and shock running through him stronger, ripped the band aid off of Mitch face and waited for Mitch to open his eyes. And when he did, he gasped. One eye was the beautiful amber gem Adam loved, but the other was a milky brown with streaks of ivy. Adam fell back onto his knees with breath if air and stared at his crying terrified friend, Mitch's bottom lips was trembling with his fragile thin body. Adam's instincts were screaming at him to get Mitch and himself out of there, but his mind had gone numb a few blank for he couldn't get what he'd see through his head.

"Adam? Adam please....."

"Where is he?"

"What?"

Adam swallowed the lump in his throat before he continued.

"Wheres the rest of Jerome?"

Adam could see anger and fear in the battered boys eyes and when he replied, it was in a scratchy shout and it echoed of the shadow shrouded walls.

"What for you think I ate down here Adam?! Do you really think the bastereds that did this to me had the decency to feed me!? They made me eat my goddamm best friend..... The made me-"

Mitch bursted into fits of tears and he screamed emotion, Adam did all he could do and pulled Mitch into his arms. Adam had to released a shaky breath just to suppress the tears in his eyes, he had to remain strong. Mitch was crying and coughing and was revealing his vunrable side, and he didn't feel bad about it because he had let Adam see his vunrable side many times during their relationship. Mitch began to once again calm himself down as for he wanted to get out of there and hug Adam somewhere less.... haunting. Adam gazed down to Mitch's chained wrist and lifted it up, Mitch taking in a sharp breath in pain, Adam could see cuts on his wrist probably from many attempts to escape and had also made the skin around it red and raw. Adam saw a lock on each shackle and rummaged in his pocket before he found a pin, Adam began twisting and turning inside the lock and Mitch stared down curiously.

"I can tel you've been breaking into places."

"For you...."

Adam looked up at the Canadian and smiled as he uncuffed Mitch's wrist free, raising it to his lips and kissed the fragile wrist not breaking eye contact.

"I'd break into anything."

Mitch giggled slightly, his red dusted cheeks pulled his lips into shy smile letting Adam continue with the other cuff.

"Still got your charm I see."

Adam chuckled.

"Never lost it, and you never lost your beauty."

"Have you seen me, covered in blood and bruises, my best friend's eye and arm."

"And you still look as beautiful as ever."

Mitch shakily sighed and the smile faded, Jerome was gone forever and no amount of charming from his former lover was gonna help. Jerome was his best friend, the first person that truly understood his messed up mind that usually drove people away if he expressed it. Jerome was the one that save his life, gave up so many good things for him and now his life was one of those precious things. Now Jerome was physically with him for ever, but everytime he'll look into a mirror he'll cry tears of grief and sorrow. Mitch's train of thought was interrupted by Adam calling out his name, Mitch looked up at the American who had his hand out to him.

"Come on Mitch, we're going home."

Mitch smiled at the thought of home and took Adam's hand in his, the American pulling him to his feet. After almost several months without proper walking, his legs felt like jello and Mitch almost fell flat on his face. Mitch stood himself up and wrapped his arm around Adam's shoulder and leaned most of his weight onto Adam, they both stumbled upstairs were Mitch was almost blinded by the mid day sun.

He was going home.