Parade

An Overcast Sky

As Johnathan was walking, he heard the distant sound of thunder. He looked down at his shoes and started counting his steps.
"Now, Johnathan, when something makes you nervous or scared, try to displace it with something else. Distract yourself. Count your steps!" Johnathan recalled Dr. Brown saying, she was always so nice. He kind of missed having someone to talk to, even after what she did. "78...79...80" CRACK, lightning behind him and thunder close with it. He started over. It started raining. He reached the tracks and saw Sebastian there, umbrella in hand. Johnathan rushed over and grabbed Sebastian's hand.
"So, you've made up your mind?" Sebastian asked, "No, I haven't. I just wanted to know if you'd change yours." Johnathan replied. It was quiet for a moment. Just them, and the rain hitting the ground and the umbrella, then the thunder boomed. Johnathan jumped at the noise. Thunder always scared him. Especially when he was little. Johnathan started breathing quickly, too quick to take in much air, shaking in his boots having what appeared to be another panic attack. Sebastian quickly gripped Johnathan's shoulder and turned him towards his chest, closing him in a tight hug of protection. "I won't let anything hurt you ok? Just calm down, I'm here, deep breath in ok?" Johnathan did as he was asked, "Good! Now, deep exhale, I need you to calm down. Be calm for Eden's sake alright?" Johnathan exhaled in what sounded to be a laugh, she wasn't even here right now, what would it matter to her? "There's that laugh I like to hear! Now, let's get you home. You can count your steps on the way there if you need a distraction. My mom taught me that little trick! She used to be a therapist you know!" Sebastian laughed. "Wait, Sebby," Johnathan pushed himself away from Sebastian to look at him, look him in the eyes, heart beating out of his chest. "What's your last name?" Johnathan asked, "Weird question but it's Brown. Sebastian Brown. Why?" Sebastian pondered. Johnathan stepped back, mouth agape. "Did your mother work at "Happy Sunrise children's institution?" Johnathan asked, needing to be sure of his fears, "Yeah, Room A6...again, why?" Sebastian asked still very confused. "Did she get fired for...attacking a child?" Johnathan asked, anger rising in his voice. How could such a wicked woman give birth to this...? Sebastian sighed. "I guess you heard then huh?" "Heard?! That was ME!! YOUR MOTHER BROKE MY NOSE, AND THREE OF MY RIBS!" Johnathan screamed, he finally had someone to blame. Someone to yell out his pains, he knew Sebastian wasn't to blame but it was easy to blame him. After all, his mom wasn't there.
"I'm sorry for...yelling at you. You're not to blame for your mother's actions." Johnathan stepped away from Sebastian, out into the freezing rain. "I guess I'm just mad at myself for not asking if you're even doing ok. I mean, your mom was drunk when she beat the ever loving shit out of me, but you. You live with her. What does she do to you? Why doesn't your dad even TRY to step in-" "Shut up Johnathan. Just, just shut up! You don't know my life, you have no idea how much bullshit I have to put up with at home!" Sebastian starts to cry, and any emotional wall he's built up is now crumbling to the ground, and it won't build back up again. Not yet at least. "You wanna know why my dad never steps in?! He left us Johnny! He left mom for another woman!! He left US for another person! You have no idea what that feels like! To have your whole world ripped apart and then having to try and string it back together again! No, my mom doesn't hit me, she cries. She cries because, because she's scared for me..." Sebastian wiped a few tears away from his eyes, "Ever since I came out Johnny, she's been so scared. Never treated me different, but she's always afraid I'll get shot, or beaten, assaulted, hell even raped! So don't, even begin to talk about how cruel MY mother is when you've only had one bad experience. She cries over you too. She's always told me she wished she could take everything she did back. You assumed that she was a bad person, and I guess I misjudged you too." Sebastian hissed. Johnathan walked away, a burning pain in his chest and a feeling rising higher in his throat closer and closer to his eyes until he was merely at a street lamp when he collapsed, he cried too. Sebastian joined him, apologizing in between sobs, Johnathan apologized too. They cried there for a good minute until they were all dried out, and couldn't cry anymore. Trying to lift their spirits they left together, back to the hospital. Sebastian wanted to talk to Eden about what had happened. When they reached the hospital door, Thomas came flying out, small book in hand, and fear in his eyes.

"You guys have to see this!"