His Best Kept Secret | FACK [COMPLETED]

Chapter 19: The Death of Finn Wolfhard

It was a cold December in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was the type of winter that your grandparents would refer back to every year as the worst winter of their long aged lives. The kids, on the other hand, played in the streets, shuffling around in the two feet of snow that had covered the city like a white blanket. This was the best winter of their fervent young lives.

By the second week of having snow, which also happened to be the first week of winter vacation for kids in the area, mounds of brown-white mixed snow were piled up on the sides of streets. Snowmen now limp from the warmer days and refrozen on the cold ones since lay with a slight slant like an old man with a cane walking downstairs.

Jack and Finn were walking home on the coldest afternoon in those two weeks. It was a Tuesday. The snow was falling again, laying another fresh sheet of snow on the city. Jack was ahead of Finn investigating the thick white snowflakes that fell, swirling around from the cold swells of wind that whistled through the town.

"Babe why don't you come back here so you can keep me warm," Finn begged.

"I'm too cold to keep you warm," Jack yelled back. He continued searching for the right snowflake.

Finn didn't agree, but even if he did, it would be nice to be cold while holding his hand, he thought. He watched Jack ahead playing like a child. Jack held his hand out in front of him waddling around looking for the perfect snowflake. Finn loved moments like this, quiet moments where Jack could be himself and have a little fun. These thoughts warmed him, at least, while Jack wandered into the white winter haze of frozen falling snowflakes and tufts of warm air rising from rooftops. Finn looked through the window of a small apartment and saw a family as they got ready for dinner. They seem happy, Finn thought to himself. He wished he could have that one day with Jack.

"Babe look!" Jack said while waiting for Finn to catch up.

"What is it?" Finn replied, only half caring about what Jack had found.

When Finn caught up to Jack, he stretched out his hand to show Finn something. It was a small white crystallized flake of snow laying perfectly on the tip of his glove-covered finger. It was almost the most wonderful thing Finn had ever seen. It was nearly as perfect as Jack, he thought in one of those intimate moments of reflection.

"My dad said that no snowflake is alike," Jack said with a big smile that his face could barely hold.

"You act like this is your first time playing in the snow." Finn laughed, not knowing that he was completely right. Jack had grown up in L.A. so snow was almost non-existent in his childhood.

"I've never really played in snow before." Jack said pausing, "It's...it's more beautiful than I imagined."

"Then I'm glad you came down for the break," Finn said with a big smile. He kissed Jack and offered, "We should get home before it gets too dark and cold. We can have some cocoa and...and watch a movie or something in front of the fire–if that's what you'd like."

"That sounds perfect," Jack said. And Finn studied Jack's eyes for a moment, not knowing this would be the last time he'd see them. They fluttered like doves released after a wedding. They were so elegant, so perfect. Jack turned around, and they made way towards Finn's house. Finn was trailing behind again but now he was being pulled by Jack's arm like a train pulling a cart.

Finn lived only about a few miles outside of the city. They spent the morning walking through the frostbitten city to see Rogue One: A Star Wars story. Finn loved the movie while Jack loved the way Finn let him hold onto his arm. Jack enjoyed going to the movies because the darkness acted as a curtain protecting their secret. He always lifted the armrest between the two chairs to allow himself to cuddle up next to Finn.