ᏚᎪNᏩᏚᏌᎬ

Chapter 2

Edmund was a gambler. Not all that shocking considering his scrappy looks and shit eating grin. The last time Leonard saw him, he was completely naked due to loosing all his clothes on a bet. Leonard never took an interest in gambling, but before he knew it Edmund was dragging him off to a horse race the next day. "It will be fun Leo! Real fun!" He grinned practically dragging him.
"I can walk fine by myself thank you." Leonard huffed pulling his hand away. "Why do you want to go so bad?" His voice lowered in irritation "Your not betting are you?"
Edmund paused, and fiddled with his fingers biting his lip.
Yes. He was.
"Edmund!" He snapped in anger "You're broke! Are you mad?!" He strictly wagged his finger at him. He felt like his damn father.
Edmund nervously shrugged and smiled shyly, "Soooo maybe I placed a couple bucks on a stallion.. But hey he is incredible! They don't call him Wild Willy for nothing Leo!" His face lit up again as he spoke of the stallion, his crazed look of greed and lust for money made Leonard roll his eyes. It was like grade school all over again.
"You're sickening. We are not going." He objected...

They went.

           It was quite the event, beautiful women accompanied by their husbands, some with cheering excited children, all there to watch the race. Then there were people like Edmund. Betting on who would win the first round as they snickered and boasted about their last winnings, and how their horse was going to win. Edmund was watching them, and was practically whining like a dog, but Leonard would not let him join into the trouble making. He remembered what his father told him, "Gambling is a sin young man, and you will have no part in it." So with that, he and Edmund would NOT take part in such things. "Leo... Come on.. I can't back down from a challenge!" Edmund pleaded as they walked into the stands. "No." Leonard said sternly pulling him along, "We came to watch a bloody horse race. Not to gamble." He grumbled lowly. Edmund was the only person who managed to get Leonard to show his irritation and anger. And that further irritated him.
        loud cheers erupted from the crowd as the gun fire was set off, and the loud bang of the stables opening followed by the horses running out. Edmund was gnawing on his nails feverishly, looking at the the men placing bets. God Edmund had issues. Leonard grumbled to himself and turned back to watching the race. The black horse with white and blue colors seemed to be inching forward, he smiled and decided to enjoy himself a bit. He rarely went out for things like this, and leaned back in his seat. After the race Edmund and Leonard went back inside their carriage,
"Damn it!!! We should have bet!!! I KNEW Wild Willy would win!!" Edmund exclaimed as they rode home in a carriage.  Leonard stared out the window unamused "He would have lost if you bet for him."
"W-What?"
Leonard looked back at his wild haired friend, and sighed. "You have terrible luck. Why gamble? Besides. Gambling is a sin." He stated sternly. Edmund stared at Leonard and laughed lightly "You sound just like your father..." He smiled weakly. Leonard responded with a cold glance. His friend's smile slowly faded, and he slumped back in his seat sighing. "You know what's funny Leo? Everything appears to be a sin." He laughed but it quickly faded, and he frowned.
    "I have a problem.. An obsession with gambling." He looked up at Leonard, who appeared to be ignoring him, "And I know one day the lord will punish me for it." He said softly, as if no longer talking to Leonard, but to the lord himself. His friend had been listening the whole time. He stared at his reflection in the window silently, and a perfect painting that formed in front of him.
     Edmund's ghostly reflection, his eyes which were filled with regret. His emotions appeared so genuine and real, Leonard had to look away. He'd been living alone for so long, his only company were books and bored looking servants. Then Edmund arrived, full of emotion. He found every emotional imperfection of Edmund beautiful. He was so.... Human.
"Im sorry Edmund. I-" he was cut off by a blood hurling scream, that caused the two men to jump.
Only the sound of the wheels and hooves clicking against the bricks could be heard, as the two men sat wide eyed in silence. "What was that?" Edmund asked, far more afraid then Leonard. "Probably something we shouldn't get involved in." He muttered.
     "I think we are almost home any ways." He quickly pushed away any dark frightening thoughts. Edmund however was staring out the window in fear, and seemed to grow closer to Leonard- irritating him a bit. "Must you breathe on me?" He muttered. Edmund blinked "Sorry I-I'm just scared." He trembled like a small child. "It s-sounded so close by.. What if they try to-"
THUD.
A nice wet oozing red blob hit the window, right in Leonard's face, and trickled down the slick surface. His jaw dropped, and the carriage came to a halt. "Dear god is that-?!" Edmund covered his mouth stopping himself from finishing.
      "Something was... Thrown at the window..." Leonard whispered "It looked like... A small animal.. A squirrel maybe..." He slowly opened the carriage door. "Where are you going?!" Edmund snapped. "I'm checking to see why the carriage stopped..." Leonard answered looking back at Edmunds fear filled brown eyes. "Are you mad-"
"Listen. Calm down. We can't just sit here and shiver like two hopeless women... We are men. Now, I'm going to see whats going on. Okay?" Leonard stated. Edmund hesitated but nodded.
      Leonard stepped out "Stay here Edmund." He demanded, then walked to the front of the carriage "Harrison why did you-" he choked on the words. There sat Harrison, his butler. A long jagged branch caught in his neck. He was still alive, making strained choking sounds, and blood spilled from his mouth. He was drowning in his own blood.
      Leonard felt a crawling up his spine, his mouth went dry, his heart began to drum loudly in his chest and skull, and the crawling pinch of fear even reached his testicles. Every inch of his body felt the adrenaline and fear. Then his thoughts finally caught up to him.
GET OUT OF HERE.
     He began to wheeze, he didn't realize his breathing had spiked till now, and beads of sweat dripped down his fore head. He stepped back, watching the man brutally stabbed slowly die before him, and he walked right into what could only be a person.