Final Chapter

Harsh coughs rang in each frozen bell. They created a horrid echo, reminding him that he was sick with whatever he happened to catch. No doubt from the cold weather, he dreadfully noted. He sneered as he watched snow fall around the pillars, grateful that a solid roof protected him. It didn't keep him from the cold, though. And when the wind picked up the white crystals would rush in, covering the boy with a blanket of snow.

He didn't want to be here. He never wanted to be here; not at all. He remembered first coming to this place, needing it for shelter. He climbed the stairs clutching his head and stomach. He was in screaming pain, but he didn't make a sound. He was determined to get to the top. He crossed the thin boards where he had to stretch out his arms to fall from it. He climbed every damn ladder with his sore body. He finally made it: the bell tower. His sanctuary. He had gone there every so often. It would be the perfect place to sit and think. He sometimes wished that the school still used the old bells. But now they couldn't. They had been dropped to the wooden floor boards below.

He looked at the floor they now rested on. The wood is splintered and sticking up every which way. If he was to trip and fall on them, he would most likely not get back up. It was tempting. Sleeping forever in an endless dream. Maybe a beautiful dream, like a heaven of sorts. No, he didn't belong in such a place. He didn't deserve it. He could only be given a harsh punishment, a type of hell. He'd find a way to get out, maybe to purgatory. He shook his ridicules thoughts out of his head.

He snuggled deeper into his damp wool blanket, his only source of heat. The lamp that was lit gave little to no warmth. All it really did was light up the night. He still desperately tried to get some heat from it. He did feel some kind of heat; he felt it in his eyes. Tears welled up and began to fall, chilling as they fell. He hated crying but that's all he could do lately. Weakness was running through his body, and it almost felt like death was approaching. He'd never admit it, the fear that shackled his body to this place. If he stayed he'd die, if he left he would die. No where to go. No where to live.

He sniffled as he wiped the tears off his face. No reason to cry. There was nothing he could do. He was stuck, and he had to get used to it. If he didn't he would be miserable for the rest of his time here.

He heard foot steps behind him, but he wasn't surprised. He started getting company after a certain boy had found him. "Petey… did you bring anything dry and warm for me?" he wheezed.

"Yeah, I covered the blankets with a plastic bag, and I have some food. Sorry, I don't think it's warm anymore…" Petey smiled. He wore thick snow pants and coat with gloved and a hat so he felt fine up in the bell tower. For his friend, not so much. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Of course not, you dim wit. I've been frickin' freezing my ass up here. Why didn't you get here sooner?!" he screamed with cracks coming and going.

"I'm sorry! I had to make up stuff for biology!"

He grunted, "Oh, so biology is more important then my life. Thanks a whole lot, Femme-boy."

"Shut up, Gary…" Petey mumbled.

"Whatever, get over here and give me the stuff."

"Alright, alright."

Gary was grateful for his friends help, but he would never tell him that. He'd only act cold to him, and he liked it that way. A basterd 'til the end.

"Give me that blanket; I'll put it in the drier tonight so I can give it to you tomorrow. You'll have a lot of blankets then. I'm still working on a shelter for you. It's really hard to secretly make something in shop. Greasers seriously hang out there all the stinking time…" Petey laughed quietly.

Gary shrugged, "I believe it."

As the pink shirted boy untied the plastic bag handles Gary looked out once more. The snow had slowed down and seemed like it would stop soon. He secretly prayed that it would. "Hey, did you watch the weather channel? Is it going to clear up tonight?"

Pete grimaced, "No… It's going to on and off all night. I'm so sorry, Gary."

Gary hmpfed, "Don't flatter yourself, femmey. It's not your fault."

Petey smiled to him as he handed the four blankets to him. The brunette tugged the worthless blanket off of him and welcomed the many dry ones. Once they were wrapped around him, he could feel the chill rush out of him, and the thoughts of death along with it. He sighed with deep content and closed his eyes.

"You want to eat right now, or should I put it in your cooler?" Petey asked as he put more fuel in the lantern.

"Just put it in the cooler, I'll eat later. I really need to get some sleep." Gary grumbled.

"Alright, remember if you need me use the walkie talkie. I'll keep it on all night, and don't hesitate to wake me."

"I don't care if I disturb your sleep. I f I need, I need you."

"Okay. Goodnight Gary. Try to stay warm." Pete yelled as he briskly walked away.

He was being overcome by sleep, his eyelids felt like they were glued together. His mind drifted as dreams over come his swimming mind. He saw images of Petey and Jimmy. One he liked the other he despised. Then his parents came to him. They yelled and screamed at each other, about him of course. His unstable mind was the hot topic between them. That's why they kicked him in the worthless school. They didn't want to deal with him anymore. He didn't care. To Hell with them. They never even tried to understand. They just wanted to have a normal life, with a normal son. Well, he thought, to fucking bad.

He slept like a rock that night. The best he had slept in months. A little too good. He didn't wake from that sleep. Death had taken him away. When Petey found him in the morning, he didn't cry. He didn't mourn; he didn't feel like he had to. Gary was free now. He could escape this prison that he made for himself. He didn't have to stay here, but he felt that he had no where else to go. He could have gotten help, but he supposed that it never entered his mind. Gary felt that he was perfect and right minded.

Petey took the others body and laid him down. He pulled the sheet over his head and left there. He took all the supplies, extra blankets, and other objects and painstakingly brought them down one by one, each time sneaking past the prefects. Once he was done, he took one last look at his late friend. His chin quivered as he began to cry. He walked away not looking back. He felt it would only hurt him more if he did.

Gary was gone, but not inside of Petey, or Jimmy for that matter. Even the school would never forget him. He may have only bad memories for them, but it was enough. At least his memory would live. He would breath with each rumor, and thought of him. He would live forever, like he initially intended to do. His final chapter was his greatest, and he died knowing all to well of it.

"It's sink or swim. When you know how to swim, you've got to let the others drown." Unfortunately, he was the one who ended up lost at sea and left to drown. And he did.