Terminally Abstract

Chapter 5

"All this time, you've been by my side."

I auscultated the heavy pants, felt the itch of grass, inhaled the cool air and tasted a copper like flavor.

"No matter how the stars ceased to shine bright".

"Michael! Michael, are you okay?" I raised my head enough to meet ocean eyes once more. I started to get up, my head seemed to have calmed down. I felt mellow and heavy. I wiped my nose and found the source of the taste. Arthur's expression showed unfinished business when he sat near me. "What the hell were you doing back there?" I rubbed my nose and flinched at the pain.

"Excuse me? What was I doing? You were the one who started this in the first place!" Arthur remained silent. "Well? I told you not to talk about things like this in public! You've known this!" He fidgeted. "Well, say something!" I don't want to break down. Please. Not this time.

"Yeah. I knew all of that."

"Then why would you do something so..selfish?!" I scanned his clothing, covered in filth and recognizable stains of red.

"Take a guess."

"Arthur this isn't one of your stupid games!"

"I ain't treating you like a game."

His eyes were unmoved by my words.

"Can't anyone just explain to me why? Just why, Arthur?! Why are you like this? Why do you have to be like this? Why do I-....why am I like this?" I felt the steady stream of water running down my face. "Why am I the mess up? The screw up?" I clutched the sides of my head. I couldn't speak fluently anymore. My voice came out as screams, hiccups, and large inhales. I felt the smooth touch of Arthur's hands on my own as he lifted my view to his eyes.

"This is why." he answered.

"We took over."

"How vague." I sniffed. He opened his arms and I accepted his embrace. I feel embarrassed. Regretful. But this was better than nothing at all.

"Try not to get so much snot on my sweater, yeah? It's dirty enough already."

"That's your own fault." I teased and mopped my tears onto his sweater even more.

"Dude, that's so gross! But yeah, it was." He flashed me his dimpled grin. How can it seem so sinister and pure at once? My muscles relaxed and I admired the scenery beyond his shoulder. The tree. Our tree. A little part of the school, not cared by the so called Environment Club. By the beginning of high school, we had taken it upon ourselves to at least restore some vegetation. The clouds were fading. My storm was clearing. "So, how is your mother?"

"She's doing fine. I think so anyways."

"Well, you think too much, maybe that's why you're always slouching; because of all those heavy thoughts in your head. Anyways, continue."

"She yelled at me again."

"Usual?"

"Usual."

"I'm glad you're talking."

"Or else what, I'd get another bloody nose?"

"Well, there's a funny story about that actually. When I sprinted towards jock dude, Tracy yelped and hurled her camera..."

"I got beaten up by a camera."

"An expensive one though." We snorted. Then, Arthur took my hands and began to knead them. "I know this is tough. It's one of the worse things anyone could go through. But, I'm here for you."

"We were the light"

"Have you ever had a thought, a feeling, that you'd be important one day?" he asked.

"You're asking the wrong person."

"Perhaps. However. I don't want to be some stereotypical hacker in a basement. I'd actually would like to be a public speaker." Public speaking, like my father. I don't want Arthur to become like him. Would he leave me too?

"That sounds different."

"But different is good sometimes."

"Sometimes."

"Hey." He held my hands with a firmer grip. "It's going to be fine. I don't exactly know what I'll be speaking about yet. Besides, it seems as if you'd only know if you're making a difference if you're killed."

"When the whole world seemed wrong, you were always in sight."

"That's not funny." Lunch break would be ending soon.

"Are you planning on going to tennis today?"

"No, I've got work to do."

"Okay, but try not to overwork yourself again." I shrugged. His eyes never tried to break eye contact, but deciphering his face was another story. You wouldn't be able to make out one's race nowadays, as our generation was filled with mutts. "I'll walk you home." Arthur took off his sweater and compressed it into his shrinking bag. Having this, he could fit all of his junk into his pocket. I watched as plastic wrappings fell out of the bag.

"Okay." I smiled.

"So, please, be my light."