Love Of My Life

Say It's Not True - July 11, 2019

Photo of campfire on the West Coast Trail

Recommended song - Say It's Not True by Roger Taylor and Jeff Beck. A/N Hauntingly beautiful.

Tyler's POV

They finished their dinner and Tyler got up to put the foil containers in the bag to be carried out the next day. He settled back down, sitting in between Benjamin's legs and the older man simply wrapped his arms around him, kissing the back of his head.

"Are you ok? You are very quiet". Benjamin asked softly. Tyler didn't answer for a few moments, he just stared into the fire, until he took a deep breath.

"When we used to go camping we couldn't have a campfire". Tyler began slowly. Benjamin didn't know if he should respond or wait for him to continue. He waited.

"I would have a panic attack. Just the smell of it would make me cry. They didn't have a campfire again, after the first time, until just a couple years ago." Tyler shifted. He didn't say anything for a long time and Benjamin remained quiet.

"I had a brother. He was 3 years younger than me. He was quiet and sweet. He had brown hair and brown eyes and looked a lot like Karen. He loved his toy cars and Legos. We were really close and I tried my best to protect him. I put a lock on his closet door so he could lock himself in when the fighting began."

"He was four and I was seven when it happened. They had been fighting. It started at supper because Dave didn't like the meal or something. I don't remember a lot of it. I just remember sitting at the table with Cole and is watching them fight. We tried to eat quickly and hoped that they wouldn't pay attention to us. Cole accidently spilled his milk and Karen yelled at him and started hitting him really hard. I jumped up to block him and then she started hitting me. Dave just stood there and laughed as we were crying and trying not to get hit." Tyler started crying. He hadn't spoken of the night to anyone.

"I pushed Cole and told him to go to his room. I knew he would lock himself in his closet. She hit me a couple more times until I finally got away and ran to my room. They were hitting each other, I could hear it. Even from under my bed, with my hands covering my ears I could hear it. I fell asleep under the bed. I did that a lot". Tyler took a long pause. His voice shaking he continued.

"The only thing I remember about the fire is someone lifting my bed and someone else picking me up. I remember the firefighter held me so tight and I felt safe for the first time in a long time. When we got outside I told him to get my brother. He had locked himself in his closet in his room and pointed to the window that was his room".

"Karen and Dave were outside. They didn't even try to comfort me. They just stood there. I remember an older boy. A teenager. He had a bike. I remember him jumping off his bike and running to me. He hugged me and kept saying everything was going to be ok. I just stood there and cried and waited for my brother to be rescued. As soon as I saw the fireman with Cole in his arms I ran over. It was too late.

He had died of smoke inhalation. They had to break down the closet door but he had already died. I found that out later.

Dave and Karen tried talking to me but I refused. I wouldn't go with them and a social worker was called. It was Sharon. They let me stay with the firefighter for the night. The boy on the bike was his son who happened to be riding by when he saw me. I ended up staying with them for a few nights before Sharon found me a placement. I never spoke to Karen or Dave again. I refuse to call them mom and dad.

I don't know who started the fire. It was a cigarette and they fell asleep. I don't care which one of them started it, it's irrelevant. The point is they left us to die. They didn't even try to save us or try to comfort me". He looked up at Benjamin, wrapping his arms around his neck and resting his head on the older mans chest, exhausted from talking, waiting for Benjamin to speak.

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Benjamin's POV

Tyler stopped talking and just broke down. Benjamin held him close and they clutched onto each other. He had never heard such sorrow and it broke his heart to hear what he had gone through.

He tried to grasp everything that Tyler said to him but it was so horrific that he was having difficulty processing it. He was abused. He was left for dead. His brother died. He was saved by a fireman. Comforted by a teenager on a bike....he put the pieces together and shook his head at the realization.

"Do you know the fireman?" Benjamin asked cautiously.

"No. They were nice to me. The boy too. I remember he talked really soft to me and telling me it was going to be ok. I had stopped talking and didn't answer him. I remember always wanting to sit beside him at the table though because he was nice."

"That was Mike. He never forgot you. You are the reason he became a fireman. His parents still talk about you. They lost track of you after a few years but they never forgot about you and Cole".

Tyler looked up at him shocked. "Mike?" Was all he said.

"Yeah. This is just surreal". Benjamin shook his head. "He talked about you. He worried about you. He wanted to know how you were doing." Benjamin turned to Tyler, grasping his face slightly and looking into his eyes. "He would be so proud of you. I am so proud of you. You inspired him then and inspire me now."

"Can I meet Mike's parents?" Tyler asked wiping his tears.

"Absolutely. We will drive to Kamloops after our hike, spend the night and head home the next day". Bob and Sheila, that's Mike's parents will be so happy.