True Fiction

Chapter 9: Drew

Ashen looked up at the night sky. Stars shining brightly with fluffy clouds surrounding them, it was truly beautiful. The scenery was surprisingly clear on Kenneth's rooftop.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Kenneth said, voice filled with admiration for the flawless sight above.

"Yea..." Ashen replied, not really knowing what to say.

"I've always looked at the sky in wonder. As a kid, I wanted to soar above the clouds and dance in the beautiful sky. Cliche isn't it?" He said with a light chuckle.

Ashen shook his head. "I think that's a wonderful dream. To be so free and high up there."

It was a late night at Kenneth's house. Ryan couldn't make it that day and Wilfred had to run back to the orphanage early. Ashen decided he was going to stay over at Kenneth's house for a night. Kenneth had assured him no one was going to visit them and he was always welcome.

In all honesty, Ashen was elated to stay over with Kenneth, he found it as a great opportunity to find out more about the handsome blonde and be better friends with him. Hearing about his dreams and passions were just about everything Ashen wanted.

"So what do you dream of robot boy?" Kenneth asked Ashen. Ashen scratched his head and thought.

"Not really much." He said sheepishly, "I just want to have a normal life."

"Not very easy for you huh. Being a cyborg and all. You must be a big deal." Kenneth commented.

"Well yea.."

"Personally, I believe that living your life to the fullest is the most important value." Kenneth interrupted. The look in his eyes looked sad, almost longing. Ashen had caught this thanks to his amazing vision and analysis, deciding to keep quiet.

They quietly climbed down into the house itself. Both sitting down in awkward silence, this quickly turned into the nightmare Ashen had imagined. On one hand, he wanted to find out so much more about his friend. On the other hand, he was worried he would overstep his boundaries and end up hurting Kenneth. Face with this endless dilemma, Ashen unconsciously entered his blue state.

Kenneth noticed the blue light shining out of Ashen's eyes and figured out what was going on. When it came to people, Kenneth's intuition was legendary. Shaking the cyborg gently, he watched as he roused from his blue state.

"I must have looked pretty down right," Kenneth asked softly.

"Err...no you didn't. You look just as great as ever. I mean you looked pretty bad just now not in a and way as in a..." Ashen rambled on to cover his tracks.

"It's fine Ashen." Kenneth interrupted. "I guess you should know more about me seeing you've joined our little gang again."

Ashen eyes shone in wonder at Kenneth's offer. Of course, he would be willing to listen to his friend. Unfortunately, Ashen couldn't fathom a word to say in all of his excitement and just started a Kenneth in a gaping awe.

Kenneth waved his hand in front of his face, breaking him out of the spell. Ashen snapped back to reality.

"You're a pretty dazzling person," Ashen remarked bluntly.

"People tend to say that. Wonder why?" Kenneth asked aloud. "Anyways, as you can see, my financial conditions not the most favorable." He explained as he gestured around the house. "I lost both my parents."

The dead silence of the night made this moment worst for the both of them as the continued to stare awkwardly forward.

"I'm really sorry." Ashen whispered. "You don't have to share if you can't"

"It's okay" Kenneth replied softly. Taking a deep breath he continued. "Not only that, but I'm not even suppose to exist. My father told me my family living here was a huge cover-up and it was actually illegal." Kenneth continued. Ashen felt his heart turn at every new revelation of Kenneth's problems. He felt pretty bad to force him to have to recollect such memories.

"Because of that, I can't work or go to school. To survive, I've involved myself in this city's underworld to earn my keep and stay alive. Ryan and Wilfred try their best to keep me secret and let me eat." Kenneth said with a slight smile on his face.

"Not so much of a dazzling person any more right?" Kenneth asked weakly. He had only shared his story to a few people. He knew most would scoff or pretend to never have known him. It was only natural. He turned to look at Ashen's reaction.

Ashen was in tears completely. He looked terrible with his eyes puffy and nose stuffed. Cyborgs weren't supposed to look that human. Ashen turned to Kenneth and answered in tear, "That's really amazing Kenneth. I had no idea. I want to help too."

Kenneth, slightly shocked at the positive reaction, expanded his smile into a toothy grin. "Thanks, buddy. That means a lot to me." Despite all that had been said Kenneth looked like he wanted to say more. Ashen dried his tears and looked up intently at him. He didn't look too ready to share.

"One more is that.." Kenneth began. He never got to finish his sentence as he coughed violently. Ashen felt his saliva and phlegm spew onto the floor and instinctively moved away. Staring down at it, he could see a tint of color by the light of the moon and stars on the floor.

He almost screamed when he discovered Kenneth had just coughed up some blood.

"Do you need help? I mean..er...yes you do. I'll call an ambulance." Ashen frantically stuttered. His blue state activated almost immediately to request for help.

"DON'T," Kenneth shouted, clutching his chest in pain. Ashen snapped out of his blue state immediately.

"If anyone finds out I exist and reports on this, I'm screwed." Kenneth groaned as he lay down.

"What should I do?" Ashen asked fearfully, staring at his friend who was writhing in pain on the cheap mattress.

"Just let me rest. This happens all the time. Don't worry about it." Kenneth said forcing a smile on to his face. However, this probably wasn't the right thing to say because Ashen was freaking out.

"This happens all the time?" Ashen nearly whispered in an attempt to contain his shock.

Kenneth was too busy coughing to answer. Ashen just sat there in a tortured silence, watching his poor friend suffer.

"Can anyone help you?" Ashen asked after a while. Kenneth seemed to have recovered a little and was sitting up.

"That was pretty good considering all things," Kenneth muttered to himself.

Unfortunately for Ashen, his own advance hearing picked up little things like this and more fear lay on his metal heart. Kenneth turned to face the cyborg with a smile on his face.

"You still want to stay?"

Ashen nodded.

"Knowing that people are here for me helps a lot, so thanks Ashen," Kenneth said as he lay back down. Ashen could tell Kenneth was still in immense pain but was glad to hear that his presence was not a hindrance but instead a help to him. He was pretty worried about the blonde boy.

"Anything for a friend," Ashen said as Kenneth closed his eyes.