CREEPYPASTA

Hobo Heart - stiches

It was a winter afternoon. Like most winter afternoons it was overcast, cloudy with a bit of rain, the wind blew and the leaves rustled on the sidewalk as C.C. and her friend Elizabeth walked home from school.
"It was nice walking this way for a change." C.C. said as the two strode along.
Elizabeth smiled "Thanks for joining me this way. I can't believe Britany didn't show again today. She didn't call or anything."
C.C. rolled her eyes "She probably skipped and went to the lake with Glen."
Elizabeth laughed "You're probably right. Alright well I'll see you tomorrow."
The two parted ways and C.C. continued. She had just a few more blocks till she was home. 
As she walked along she saw a small scruffy dog pawing at something in the gutter.
"Hey little guy whatcha after?" she crouched down and saw a bone stuck in a crack.
C.C. pried it lose and the dog snatched it up and darted away, toward the alley.
The girl followed "Hey, don't I at least get to pet you?" 
When she turned the corner she saw the dog chewing on the bone at the feet of a boy sitting on a milk crate. He was wearing a grey hoodie and dirty jeans. He was tall and lanky with white hair, crystal blue eyes, and a skull that seemed to be painted on his face.
"Well hello." C.C. said a little surprised "Is he your dog?"
The boy looked at C.C. with a puzzled expression. "Yes."
C.C. smiled "Can I pet him?"
Still confused the boy looked a C.C. closely "Sure...  Are you not sad?" 
C.C. giggled as she pet the dog "Why would I be sad?"
"I don't know, everyone I meet is sad." Replied the boy. 
C.C. frowned "Well that's horrible. Maybe if you didn't have a skull on your face people would be in a better mood around you. Its a little late for Halloween ya know."  
The boy shrugged "I can't help it. It's a part of me. I've never met anyone that's been happy before." 
C.C. turned to look at the boy's face so she could inspect the skull. She reached out and placed a timid hand upon his cheek. She attempted to smear what she had thought to be paint, but realized that it was his skin.  She quickly dismissed the skull when her eyes met his . They were bright blue and appeared to illuminate at certain angles. She became disoriented and had to shake her head to clear her thoughts. 
She fumbled and stuttered for words "Yuu  your eyes... uhm name... yeah What's your name?" 
The boy smiled. "I don't think I have a name. I'm a Gemberling."
"A what?!" she replied.
"A Gemberling. I was created to serve a purpose." Replied the boy.
"What purpose?" C.C. inquired with a puzzled look.
"I don't think you'd want to know." He said as his eyes seemed to dim. 
"Uuhm Oookay. So what do people call you?" C.C. asked becoming more confused.
"The only person who has ever called me anything was my creator and he only calls me gemebrling." He said with hesitation.  
"That makes me sad. You need a name..." C.C. said before being interrupted by the boy.
"NO!" as he reached out and grabbed her arm. "Never be sad! My heart couldn't take it." 
C.C. was startled "Why couldn't your heart take it? You just met me."
"You're special. Your heart is special. My heart has no place to call home and you have made it feel something....it's never felt anything before." the boy said.
"Hobo Heart!" C.C. said with a smile.
"Huh?" the boy asked confused.
"That's your name! The boy who's heart has no home. Hobo Heart." C.C. explained. "And now that you have a name, you and I can be friends." 
The boy smiled "Yes. Yes I like it, my name. Hobo Heart."
"Okay, well I have to get home. You'll be here tomorrow so I can see you right?" asked C.C.
"Yes. Of course." said Hobo Heart with a smile. 
C.C. continued her walk home but not before looking over her shoulder one last time to inspect the mysterious boy. 

The next day C.C. came to the alley to see Hobo. When she rounded the corner he was sitting there on his milk crate. He looked up and saw her and his heartbeat began to quicken. 
"You  actually came back?" He asked with a smile.
"Well of course I did silly. Now lets go do something besides sit in this alley." C.C. said as she blushed.
"What could we do?" Asked Hobo.
"Well I don't know. Anything is better than sitting here." C.C. said pulling at Hobo's sleeve. "I know, lets go to the park ." 
Hobo followed "Will there be people there?"
"I'm sure." C.C. said laughing. 
Hobo followed reluctantly as he pulled his hood closer to his face. The scruffy dog picked up a bone and chased after them. When the two arrived at the park it was full of people running about playing football, throwing frisbees and playing on the equipment. The two walked over to the swings.
"So what's your story?" C.C. asked.
"I don't have a story. I have a purpose. It's all I know." Hobo answered.
"Well what is this purpose you keep mentioning?" C.C. pried.
Hobo looked at the ground and kicked a rock. "I have duties I take care of to prevent something bad from happening."
"What do you mean?"  C.C. asked. 
Hobo shook is head "I don't wanna talk about it."
As the two talked C.C. looked up and noticed most of the people had left the park and it was very quiet. The people that were still there were by themselves. 
Hobo looked around "I need to be going."
"Wait do I get to see you tomorrow?" C.C. asked.
"No "Hobo said "There's something I have to do."
"Okay, how about the next day?" She smiled as she asked. 
Hobo reached out and touched her blonde hair. "If that's what you'd like."
She took his hand and touched it to her face. "It is."
Two days passed and just as he had said he met with her. They decided to go for a walk to a nearby lake. The two spent several days like this, just talking, laughing and enjoying being in one another's company. Time seemed to slip away as the two grew closer together.
One day after school when she arrived at their usually meeting place Hobo relieved he had a surprise for her.  He held out his hand and she took it. 
"Hey wait before we go. I want to give this to you." C.C. said as she reached into her pocket. 
"Valentine's Day is coming up and I was wondering if you'd be my Valentine." She handed Hobo a small envelope.
"What is a Valentine?" Hobo asked as he opened the envelope.It was a hand drawn picture of two hearts intertwined with the words "Be Mine" above the drawing and  "If you value your heart, you'll give it to me." written below.
"A Valentine is someone you care for and would be willing to give your heart to, because you know they'll protect it and care for you." she explained.
"So on Valentine's Day... you want me to give you my heart?" Hobo asked.
C.C. smiled "Well... only if you want to... ya know."
"Deal." Hobo said as he hugged C.C. "Now let's get going. You're gonna love this." 
The two headed out towards the country, near the outskirts of town and the small dog followed, as always wagging his tail. After walking awhile in the woods, Hobo made C.C. close her eyes.  He took her hand and led the way for a few minutes then stopped.
"Okay look!" he said with joy.
When she opened her eyes, before her was a massive tree on a hill. It was very old and it's many branches twisted and curved in dozens of different directions. The leaves were lush and bright unlike all the trees surrounding it. The trunk was easily 15 feet in diameter it was unlike any tree she had ever seen. The roots where more exposed than normal trees, they seemed to come from different points in the ground. Almost like the tree was composed of several different trees who's roots had grown together and had become entangled and formed one massive tree.
"It's so beautiful, It seems very special, almost magical." C.C. said in wonderment as she gazed at the tree.
C.C. stepped closer to Hobo. She lifted his hood off his head and ran her fingers through his hair. His eyes widened as she moved in closer to kiss him. He pulled away. 
"What's wrong haven't you ever kissed a girl before?" C.C. asked as she smiled.
"No." Hobo replied.
"Can I be your first?" she asked.
Hobo shook his head yes. She moved closer. Hobo embraced her and she kissed him. After the kiss Hobo gathered himself and pointed to the tree.
"This is my purpose, to bring nourishment to the tree." As Hobo spoke the scruffy dog ran towards the tree and disappeared into the extravagant root system.
"Your purpose?" she asked with a puzzled look.
"Yes, I live here and take care of the tree." Hobo replied.
"Then why are you always in the alley?" C.C. asked.
"I wait there to gather what the tree requires." Hobo said sharply.
"So you actually live in the tree?" she inquired.
"Yes." He Answered.
"I want to see your home." She asked walking closer to the tree.
Hobo shook his head "No, not yet. You're not ready for that."
"Can I touch the tree?" C.C. asked with an inquisitive tone as she reached her hand out.
Hobo turned to her with a scowl and grabbed her hand away from the tree. "No, You must not touch it. You are not prepared for what it will show you."
C.C. became nervous "Well it's getting dark and I should be heading home soon." 
Hobo took her hand "Very well I'll walk you back to town." 
As the two approached the small town a group of people were walking on the edge of the woods with flash lights. The group neared the couple.
"C.C. is that you?" a voiced called out.
"Yes." C.C. replied.
"It's Elizabeth where the hell have you been?" C.C.'s friend asked frantically.
C.C. stumbled for words as Hobo backed out of the light and into the shadows. 
"I I.. I've been with my friend."
"You've been avoiding us at school and too preoccupied to speak to your friends.Do you realize that Britany has been missing for weeks! And now Glen's gone missing too!" Elizabeth shouted.
"What?! Are you serious? What do you mean they're missing?" she looked in the trees and shadows and couldn't see Hobo. Her head became heavy and could barely stand as she reached out for her friend to hold her up before she fell. 
"Come on you can stay at my house tonight." Elizabeth said. 
"Yeah okay." C.C. replied. 
The two spent the next day catching up and posting  fliers to help in the search for Britany and Glen. As they returned to Elizabeth's house in the afternoon C.C. became dizzy and ill again.
"I think I'm going to lie down for awhile, if that's okay..." C.C. said as her head spun.
"Yeah sure, crash in my room." Elizabeth said.
"Hey don't let me sleep too long I need to go into town and meet up with someone." C.C. said as she headed upstairs.
"Yeah yeah, lover boy I'm sure" Elizabeth said as she rolled her eyes.
Later C.C. woke up in a cold sweat. She frantically looked outside, it was night time. "Oh no. No no no." 
She got up and ran into Elizabeth's living room. Elizabeth was lying on the couch asleep.
C.C. shook Elizabeth. "Hey, wake up. What time is it?"
"Hey. Chill out. I don't know, look at my phone." Elizabeth said half asleep.
C.C. fumbled around in the dark to find her phone. It was 11:34.
"Oh no, I need to go find him." C.C. said starting to tremble.
"Hey look whoever this guy is, he's no good for you. You've been slacking at school, when you're there. Your parents are worried. Only God knows what's happened to Britany and Glen and you didn't even care. You've totally lost yourself because of some guy. Spend a little time away from him and see how you feel." Elizabeth scolded.
C.C. hung her head "Yeah I guess you're right. Guess I got a little carried away." 
As the days passed C.C. attended school and hung out with her friends. Elizabeth repeatedly bugged her about a boy named Jim that had a crush on her. C.C. finally gave in and said she would go on a date with Jim if Elizabeth and her boyfriend joined them.