Sleight of Hand - Sanders Sides

Chapter Sixteen

"PATTON!" Roman yelled, causing the boy to look down. His eyes widened and face paled by how far up he was. Patton tore his eyes away from Roman and gazed back into Dillon's on the other end of the rope. His back was up against the beginning of the rope's stand, not wanting to move.

"Come on, Patton. Just make it over here, and I'll let you go!" Dillon teased him. A smirk was draped across his slimy skin. Patton gathered his might and spit in the direction of his ex.

"I'm gonna fall, Dillon!" Patton snapped back.

"With that attitude you will. Just make it over here and all will be okay." Dillon promised. Even though he could see Dillon's lying face, he didn't want to be on the tight rope any longer than he had to be. The boy took a hesitant step forward, trying to ground his foot before lifting the other one and moving across the rope slowly.

Meanwhile, Roman was anxiously chopping at the bit. There was hardly anything he could do without harming Patton in the process. The audience was mesmerized by the trick being presented before them. Roman couldn't take it much longer. He dashed backstage, trying to find the beginning of the ladder to the tight rope's platform.

While frantically looking, Anton and Logan caught up to him, catching him off guard. "Roman, you'll never believe where your techie went!" Anton breathed out worriedly.

"You think I don't see where my own BOYFRIEND is right now?! He's in danger and I have to help him!" Roman screeched. He tried to escape the two but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks.

"Roman, I know you want to help. But I've calculated almost every possible outcome with you helping Patton and they all end in him getting hurt. As much as it hurts to hear, you must stay down here!" Logan commanded him. Roman huffed out a sigh, knowing that Logan was more than likely correct.

"How about we spice things up!" Dillon's voice hissed out from the sky. Roman's head perked up. His feet moved quickly to side stage to get a glimpse of what Dillon was planning. In his hand was a lit match, slowly running down the wood. Patton's body stiffened in fear. He frantically shook his head but Dillon laughed at his sorry efforts to save himself.

Dillon flicked the match over Patton's head, it landing on the beginning of the rope and sparking aflame. Patton began to look faint, slightly swaying on the rope as he watched the burning rope travel closer to him.

"That's it!" Roman declared, marching over to the ladder and climbing it.

"Roman, please! Remember what I told you!" Logan pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Logan. But Dillon's taken this too far already!" Roman shouted back, continuing to climb. "I should've been up here sooner!" He mumbled to himself.

He reached the top and came face to face with Dillon's ankles. As he lifted himself onto the actual surface, he grabbed the snake man by the shoulders and turned him around so that they were eye to eye. "You've taken this too far!" Roman hollered at him.

"What? I thought you enjoyed a little tension." Dillon scoffed.

"ROMAN!" Patton yelled, getting his attention once again. Suddenly, his pant leg started to smoke. catching some of the flames in the fabric. The fatherly boy hastily shook his leg around, trying to put it out. The fire jumped from his leg to the top of the tent, setting the tent up in a fire.

The audience below the boys screamed in terror. Roman watched them run for the exit. He caught eyes with Anton and Logan's worried looks. "Go! Go! Get out of here!" Roman hollered, waving his hands out for them to leave. Unwillingly, two left to go help audience members.

Roman turned his attention back to the scene before him. It was painful to watch as Patton started hacking up his smoke-filled lungs. His eyes looked slightly glazed and were dropping. Now, Roman's heart was racing.

Dillon was starting to get panicky as well. He made his way towards the ladder, starting to climb down it when Roman grabbed him by the arm. His discolored eyes met his hard gaze. "You think you can just bale? After you caused all this? Have you no heart?"

"Maybe not, but I do have a brain. I suggest you leave before you become like him." Dillon hissed, jerking his head towards Patton who was having a hard time standing. Once again, Roman became flooded with panic. He let go of Dillon and rushed back towards the ropes.

"Don't worry, Patton! I'm coming!" Roman yelled to him. The magician put a small amount of weight onto the rope, trying to get balanced. With both feet now on the rope, he scooted closer and closer to Patton. As soon as the two were close enough, Patton leaned heavily into Roman's arms, weakly coughing. "I know it hurts baby. Just please, keep your eyes open." Roman pleaded.

Snap

Roman's head had never jerked up faster than it did when the rope snapped beneath them. As the two felt, Roman grabbed onto the one end up the rope, holding tightly to Patton with his other arm.

They were now swinging at a fast speed. There was nothing Roman could do to stop them and the rope guided them towards the stand holding the rope. The magician turned his back to protect Patton from getting hurt in a blind moment of panic.

When Roman opened his eyes again, his world had gone blurry and a dull pain stung the back of his head. He could feel a warm substance fall down through his hair. He couldn't recall what had happened, but all he cared about was that Patton was still safe in his arms.

But Roman couldn't hold on any longer.

The magician shut his tired eyes and let the rope slip from his fingertips. As the two boys collapsed with a sickening sound to the floor, Roman heard the faint sounds of sirens before slipping into a happier place.