Keep Me Close

Endless Night

Erik POV
We sat in silence at the dinner table. Nobody had spoken a word to another, the tension in the air obvious. I sat at the head of the table and Ramin at the other. I looked at his plate, he hadn't touched his food at all.
"Ramin, eat your food" i said breaking the silence as I cut into my dinner.
"Im not hungry." He said softly. He needed to eat, I knew in his worried state he most likely hadn't eaten in days,
"Ramin, not eating will make none of this any better" I said.
"I said I'm not hungry!" He snapped raising his voice. I placed my utensils down and clenched my fist.
"You will not speak me in that manor in my own home young man" I said sternly slightly raising my voice to make a point,
"Father-"
"Fine!" Ramin yelled standing up abruptly from the table, throwing his napkin to the ground and storming out the front door.
"Ramin!" I heard Lily yell from her seat standing up. I grabbed her wrist as she attempted to chase after him, "Father, you can't let him leave in the state he is in!" She said frantically.
"He needs time. He will be just fine. I'll go talk to him in a bit. Sit, finish your dinner" i said as she returned to her seat reluctantly. She let a tear fall onto the table. I looked at her with all the love in my heart. She held all the kindness and compassion of her mother.
"Lily, trust me, my child, please" I said taking her hand in mine. She looked up at me tears eyed. I stroked her hand with my thumb. She continued to eat and settled down a bit more.
We finished our meal in peace, Lily sat on the couch reading her book as I cleaned up. It had been almost two hours since Ramin left the house. It was time to bring him home. I walked down to my study and grabbed a bottle of scotch. I made my way back upstairs to see Lily now passed out on the couch. I walked over to her and placed a soft kiss on her head. I brushed her thick hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. Her eyes fluttted open and she looked at me with curiosity.
"Where are you going?" She asked softly.
"Bringing Ramin home, I'll be back later. Go back to sleep my angel" I cooed softly. She closed her eyes and slipped back into a slumber.
I left the house quietly heading towards the place I knew I could find him. As I walked through the night I softly sang to myself,

God on high
Hear my prayer
In my need
You have always been there

He is young
He's afraid
Let him rest
Heaven blessed.
Bring him home
Bring him home
Bring him home.

I had watched this boy grow up, once a skinny, rather rambunctious child, now becoming a strong, wise young man. He was like a son to me, more now than ever. I was almost to the pier, and I saw a figure sitting at the end, leaning up against the rail staring off into the endless night. I stopped in my paces,

He's like the son I might have known
If God had granted me a son.
The summers die
One by one
How soon they fly
On and on
Bring him peace
Bring him joy
He is young
He is only a boy...

I stopped only to hear him singing as well, I never knew he could sing... I watched him in amusement as he sang at the top of his lungs thinking nobody else in the world would hear him.... But i did. His voice was full of pain and suffering.

Where has the starlight gone?
Dark is the day
How can I find my way home?

He was rather good. I knew he played a few instruments but never singing.

Home is an empty dream
Lost to the night
Father, I feel so alone
You promised you'd be there
Whenever I needed you
Whenever I call your name
You're not anywhere
I'm trying to hold on
Just waiting to hear your voice
One word, just a word will do
To end this nightmare

"You promised...." I heard him whisper. He dangled on of his legs over the edge and began to look off into the night once again.

"Wandering child, so lost, so helpless, yearning for my guidance" I softly sang as he swiftly tuned to face me. I placed my hands up defensively.
"How did you find me?" He asked coldly glaring at me.
"I used to come here to clear my mind when I first came here from France." I said sliding down to sit against the railing across from him. "I see a bit of myself in you, thats how I know I could find you here. Its quiet and dark, nobody will disturb you here. Its just you and your thoughts" I said looking at him. He still stared into the darkness. We sat in silence for a few moments,
"Im sorry I snapped at you earlier. I didnt mean it, I just-"
"I understand. Im sorry I scolded you. You have been through a lot today" He nodded and looked at me.
"Whats in the bottle?" He said,
"Oh, I almost forgot I brought it." I said picking it up and tossing it to him. He read the label,
"Scotch?" He asked curiously. "Your aware Im not twenty one right?" He said with a smirk.
"Im french, you start drinking wine when your about nine there, what the difference" I said with a grin playing coy. He opened the bottle and took a swig, his eyes widened at the strength of the alcohol, he coughed in response to the taste.
"That's terrible, why would you drink that?" He asked looking disgusted.
"It numbs the pain sometimes. I thought it may help a bit." I said softly. I knew this wasn't he most responsible thing to do as a parent, but he was old enough in my eyes. I saw him take another swig, not coughing this time but still making a face of disgust. We both sat admiring the darkness over the ocean.
"I never knew you could sing" i said breaking the silence.
"You heard that?" He asked looking mortified.
"Don't be ashamed, you are actually quite good." I said as a small smile appeared on his face. "A lot of emotion and power inside of your voice Ramin" i said. He rolled the bottle back to me and I took a sip. Then I noticed him staring at me,
"Why do you wear the mask?" He asked abruptly. " I've been wondering since the first time I met you Mr Destler"
"Because I am a monster my boy" I said softly admitting to the grotesque appearance under the mask.
"You don't act like a monster, it cannot be that bad" he said
"It is, you'll run in fear. You've had a traumatizing enough day already" I said looking at him.
"I don't fear whatever your hiding. I know the real you sir, your kind and humble. Whatever is under the mask has no meaning in my opinion of you" I processed everything he had just said. Maybe I really could trust him... If it really did effect his opinion of me he would spent the amount of time around me and my daughter that new does currently.
'Fine." I said bringing my hand to the edge of the mask. "Are you sure?" I asked once again, he nodded furiously. I sighed, my breaths shaking still. I pulled the mask off, feeling my deformed skin exposed to the air. I shut my sagging eye, expecting Ramin to scream and run and hide. I looked at him, he was still just sitting there looking at me. His expression never changing once.
"So thats why you created this place?" He said still studying me. I felt so vulnerable in this moment, but at the same time I felt good about showing him.
"What do you mean?" I asked, going to place the mask back on,
"No, stop, If you're more comfortable without it on, you dont need to wear it around me. I told you I don't fear whats under the mask, its still true Mr Destler" he said. I smirked at him.
"I meant by that question, you created this place for people who are different. The outcasts who felt that belonged nowhere in the world. All the people in need of a home, somewhere to feel safe, because thats what you wanted all your life..." he said stopping himself before he said anything wrong. I wished he hadn't stopped.
"Yes. It started out as a freak show and grew to something much larger." I said looking back towards the carnival.
"You're a good man Mr Destler. I think you just need to realize it a it more for yourself " He said softly. I could even mutter a word, still processing what this almost 17 year old boy had just said to me. He was wise beyond his years with a heart of gold. But i never remembered him looking at me strangely because of it.
"Sir where am I going to live now?" He asked taking another sip from the bottle but this time there was no look of disgust.
"You will live at your flat still, under one condition" i said and he looked at me curiously. "You will return to school. I promised your Father that I would mold you into a man, and I will not have you not attending school, you need an education. If you agree to go back to school, you can live your life there free of charge. After school you are free to work in the stable if you please, and I will pay you for your labor. Do we have a deal?" I said looking at him. He glanced back at me and nodded. He set the bottle down and laid his head Back and his eyes began to flutter shut. He slipped off into a deep slumber he so desperately needed. I watched him as his chest rose up and down with each deep breath. I stood up and walked over to him while placing my mask on, I picked him up, throwing him over my shoulder. The sight must've looked rather strange, a grown man holding a teenage boy like a child. I threw the bottle over the edge of the pier and walked the two of us home.