Verisimilitude

Mark is away for a few days

Jack opened the door to Marks fathers cabin. The one they had once tested to when the cops were on their tail. He angrily slammed it behind him. He'd been irritated for days, with no clear explanation as to why.

The human held a plastic bag full of water and small snacks. Namely Doritos and chocolate. He locked the heavy wooden door behind him and whiled his wet shoes on the worn rung underneath his feet.

Jack glanced at Ethan, who was curled up on an old style single chair. With his knees to his chest and arms somehow wedged in between. The boy gazed through his glasses at the black and white Tv that ran with a quiet buzz. The low quality sounds of an old Midwest played from the small box.

" Isn't that stuff boring?" Jack asked casually, setting his things down on the living room table.

Ethan didn't look over to the man.
" It's better then letting my thoughts get to me".

" That's depressing" Jack sighed.

The green haired man then grabbed a bottle of water and a large candy bar from the white plastic bag. He strolled over to Ethan and offered them. The small boy unravelled himself from the chair and took the items with a small thanks.

Jack glanced back as he saw the boy chug water. It must have taken days to get from the few towns over to the cabin on foot. Especially for a human and he'd ran all the way here. God knows how long it's been since he has eaten.

Jack took out two more bottles of water and put them on the table. Following was some chips and chocolate with other miscellaneous items.

" I'm going to go back to my cabin. Keep the door locked and one light on. There's a landline with my number next to it on the wall if you need anything" Jack explained as he threw on a coat and headed for the exit.

" Thank you" Ethan blurred out.
" For everything".

" Don't thank me, thank Mark" The Irishmen said as he opens the door, then slammed it behind him.

Ethan was left with two shitty channels. A couple hours worth off food. No working toilets and his mind. Thoughts of Tyler and worry that would plague him for the hours he was left alone.

Jack sped walked the twenty minute journey to his cabin. His hands stayed as fists in his pockets as his converses truffles through the wet,muddy forest. He was angry and he didn't know why. The want to punch a tree was getting in the way of his clear judgement. It was so cold that breath came out in cold mists as he panted with anger.

The human didn't notice it as he approached his cabin, but there was a small boy waiting for him at the door. Jack was too busy looking at his shoes to notice that Ryland was standing there.

Jack stopped mere centimetres from the boy and seemed a little startled by the close encounter.

" Ryland" Jack breathed.

" Hi Jack" the small boy responded.

" What bring you here?" Jack asked as she side stepped to unlock the door.

The Irishmen cold hands fiddle with the metal keys as he tired to find the copy of the original key. He finally did and slid it into the lock and open the heavy metal door after he rammed it side on.

Jack stepped aside to let his unannounced guest in, Ryland uneasily walked in.

" I need your help" He boy admitted.

Jack raised as eyebrow and discreetly looked the metal door like he'd done to many others.

" With what?" Jack asked.

Ryland bit his lower lip with nerves.
" It's Shane, I don't understand his behaviour-".

"I can't help put him back together, it's not that he's too far gone. But most of it was from his underlying depression".
Jack waved the boy off as he walked over to kitchen. He leant down and picked two bottles of illegal alcohol from the small hidden fridge. He offered one to his guest, who turned it down, Jack then promptly took both of them for himself.

" I don't want you to put him together, I want you to help me put him back together" Ryland explained.

In response all Ryland got from Jack was a raised eyebrow as he drank.

" I want to understand what he went through. So I want to go through it myself" Ryland said.

Sean almost choked on his beer. He couch as he wiped the bitter substance from his mouth and chin.

" You don't know what you're asking Ryland" Jack warned as he threw the half full bottle in the sink. No caring as it poured out slowly.

" I do, I need to understand what he went through to help him. I can take it" The boy pressured on.

Jack crossed his arms and leant on his wooden and cheap marble bench.
" That's something like what Mark said, now I have to pretend not to see the fear in his eyes-".

" Please Jack! I'll do anything! I won't tell anyone. I'll do whatever you want! From what I know, don't you miss being downstairs?" Ryland pleases.

That last sentence gave Jack flashbacks of what went on down there. The adrenaline he felt when he lured Dan down, Felix, Shane. One of the best ones was Mark, that one had been consensual and sexual the best one yet.

At the thought Jack's hands clenched into fists where he held them. His toes curled in his shoes and his jaw clenched. The want to go down there was strong. It probably fueled his anger as of late.

Jack breathed out and in deeply.
" Fine, Mark is away for a few days anyway".

As Ryland expressed his thanks Jack felt dread but excitement in him. He knew he'd regret this like a drug addict did the day after a high. But much like a high Jack knew that he would love it in the moment.

For him right now.

It was worth it.