Complete silence.

And complete sound. All around, you could only hear white noise, and it could be silent if you wanted. A clock could be silent, a thumb tap could be the loudest thing in the room. And that was true. I was alone in my house at 2 o'clock in the morning, and the only thing hearable was my fingers drumming against an small black box next to me. It had been raining, but that was normal; it always rained here. Thunder Island, island of perpetual rain, grey skies, and no sun. The island rarely got tourists, most just visiting family from other countries. I rose from my chair, sticking the box in my jacket pocket and going to the window. Rain spattered against it, lightning ripping across the sky and illuminating the island; the storms are more intense at night. The lightning made no sound because of the room's build, however. I stood there and watched, another flash lighting up the sky. A sight I saw startled me to my core. On the beach was a man, washed up with pieces of boat and other things around him. And even though it was pouring, the ground was several shades darker than it should have been.

I stared for a second before I grabbed my raincoat and ran out to the beach. The wildlife drew away as I ran through, jumping over bushes, around mud holes, and over a fence that prevents people from going to the beach. I hurried to the man, who was face first into the ground and several shards of wood around him. I gathered them into a pile and rolled the man over, leaning over his head and yelling, "Hey!" My voice managed to get across the thunder. I shook him, and eventually sat him up, "Hey! Dude are you alright!? Wake up and say something!" I yelled. His eyes opened slightly, shutting after seeing me. My glasses were becoming spotted with water, so I quickly picked the man up and got him to my home with as little issue as possible. I hurried to my office, the area I had been in, and set him down in my chair. I ran out for a moment, grabbing a few towels and a blanket before coming back. I laid the towels around him tightly, putting the blanket on last. I took out the box and put it on my desk. I pulled up a stool and sat until he woke.

The man was about my size, maybe taller. He had short brown hair and reflective sunglasses, but one lens was broken down the middle. His clothes weren't visible because of the towels and blankets, but something was poking out near his leg. I moved the blanket to find a large piece of wood right through his leg. I cringed and left it alone.

I must have fallen asleep, because when I moved next there was no man in the chair, only a pile of towels and a blanket. I stood up, grabbing my box and walking around to find the man. I found my bathroom door wide open, and after peering in saw the man sitting on the edge of the tub staring at his leg. I knocked on the door, "Hello?" The man jumped and looked at me, scared, "Hey, dont worry."

He stared at me, "Who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Nate, yours?" I responded.

He watched me, "Hunter, some call me Dookie or Dookieshed." I nodded, "What're you doing here?" I inquired.

"Where is here?"

"Thunder Island, the island of perpetual-" A loud crash of shotgun thunder cut off my words.

Hunter looked away from me, "I see… I have no idea why I'm here."

I walked closer to him, sitting down next to him, "Well, I found you last night, in the forbidden part of the beach surrounded in blood. You seem well enough to get here by yourself so what happened?"

He laughed, "Its funny now that I think of it," He began, "I got in a fight with a burly man, a fist fight, and eventually it got to a harbour. Long story short, I woke up in a boat with myself and that's it." He said.

I gave a small smile, "Why'd you fight the guy?" I asked.

"I was standing up for a girl named Mackenzie, damn was she beautiful."

"Well you need some help there, Hunter," I told him, gesturing to his leg. He looked and his small grin faded.

"Oh, yeah, that. Yeah, I might need help," Hunter said, lifting up his leg and bracing it against the wall. His face twisted in pain.

He turned to me to say something, but I caught him off guard. I leaned over as close as I could to his leg and tore the large chunk of wood out. He made a noise between a scream and a shout of anger and fell backwards onto the floor, his legs still in the tub.

"Th-Thanks…" He muttered. I nodded and stood, opening the medicine cabinet and grabbing a roll of bandages and some hydrogen peroxide. I opened the bottle and put some on the bandage,

then put it back. I pulled Hunter back up onto the tub's edge then wrapped the wound on his leg.

He cringed, but seemed to put up with it.

I finished and put everything away, "There, you'll be fine, minus the giant hole in your leg," I told him.

"Thanks a lot man," He said and slowly stood, leaning on the wall.

I nodded and put my hands in my pockets, "Lets go back to my office, its much nicer in there and we can talk." With a nod, the both of us walked back.

Hunter flopped down into my chair and I returned to my stool, hands in my pockets. "So Hunter…"

I started. "Where're you from?"

Hunter thought for a moment before answering, "Florida I think."

I nodded and sat back. I closed my eyes for a moment. I could feel Hunter staring at me, "You know… I'm surprised you're still alive. We are almost exactly in the middle of the Atlantic ocean."

Hunter's voice shook as he responded to those words, "Come again?"

"Well I assume you came from Florida, were washed into the ocean in a little boat, and crashed here. And here is a long way away. You should be dead," I said, finally looking at him. Hunter took off his sunglasses and looked down, leaning on his knees. I scooted my chair closer, being a small distance away from him. "Hunter?"

"Sorry… that's just something I have to take in for a moment…" He mumbled after a while. I nodded and stood up, "Where're you going?"

I turned to him and said, "I'm going to go get you something to eat, so you just stay right there and I'll be back." Without getting a response, I left and hurried to the kitchen, leaning against the counter and banging my head into it a few times. I stood up straight and ran my fingers through my hair, "Okay, so I have a man in my office who should be dead who I have to feed and also should get him different clothes, but should also bring him to administration so he can get home somehow but I don't want to bring him there 'cause I could get in trouble and I why do I feel tight and hot and tense over one person!?" I shouted, my head colliding with the counter and giving me the realization that I had been hitting my head against it the entire time. I groaned and held my head in my hands, rubbing my forehead. I sat down on the floor and continued to hold my head, the originally dim pain increasing with each beat of my heart.

I sat there a while, eventually getting up as footsteps came from down the hall. Hunter looked in,

"Hey man, you alright? I heard shouting, thought I'd check…"

"I'm fine, just a bit… Flustered is all." I answered, standing back up, "Just give me like, five more minutes alright?" Hunter looked at me for a while before nodding and limping back to my office. I sighed and moved hair out of my eyes, turning around to find something for the other man. Before I could move, cold ran up my spine and I collapsed forward onto the counter, falling to the floor and presumably blacking out.

I awoke to find myself in a chair, seated at a dark table with a red cloth covering everything in it. I gave a groan and closed my eyes again, shaking my head to try to clear it. I blinked a few times before I could see, now noticing a figure sitting across from me. I looked around and immediately recognized my surroundings. It wasn't my home, but I'd seen it enough to know. I rubbed my eyes, my hands unchained like usual, and looked at the figure. "Mr. S.," I mumbled.

"Oh, Nathan, what a pleasant surprise! I was not expecting you until next week. You must be in need of assistance," The red haired man muttered, his voice clearer than mine.

"I guess so sir, though I don't know why I would."

He laughed, "The deal says you appear here and don't leave until the problem is solved, Mr.

Smith."

I sighed and nodded, closing my eyes and thinking. "Well, there is something…"

"Is it that man named Hunter who mysteriously washed up on the beach?" He asked, leaning on his elbows with his head in his hands.

My head bolted up, "How did you-?"

"Ah, ah! Part of the contract, remember?" I looked down and nodded. Mr. S. continued, "He seems like a decent man. Your type, that is, if you were intere-"

"Mr. S, I believe I expressed THAT matter to you already. That's not my interest," I barked.

He laughed, "Your brain tells me otherwise, Nathan. As well do your flushed cheeks. Quit touching your face and listen! I will help you. First, you will have to get him registered as being on the island. But he cannot leave, do you understand?" I nodded and he continued, "Next, you will not panic, and you will let him house with you. He has no memory of friends or family, so you will be nice to him Nathan. If he screams in the night, do not worry. And you must not show him the inside of the box. MUST NOT. Do you understand?" "Yes sir…" I mumbled.

"Good, arise and you may leave." Mr. S. responded, waving his hand in dismissal. I stood, blacking out once again and faintly remembering asking about something, but don't remember what.

I woke up in the kitchen again, standing and finding a plate of food and a paper. I didn't bother with the paper and grabbed the plate, its strange and sudden appearance not bothering me. I walked into my office to find Hunter asleep in the chair, snoring lightly. I smiled and set the plate near him, my hands in my pockets gripping the box tightly, "Hunter, wake up," I said loudly.

Hunter groaned and looked up tiredly, "Huh? … Oh, Nate."

"Hungry? I got food for you. And we gotta go to the main building soon, to register that you're here and such," I mumbled.

He nodded, poked at the food, and then looked at my arm, "What's in your pocket that's so important?"

I paled slightly, "What do you mean?"

"You're pale, I can see how hot you are from here, and you're veins are popping out of your arm." I looked down, "Oh… Right… I can't show you…" I murmured. He gave a small nod and stood.

"Where's this main building you're speaking of, we should go?"

"Huh? Oh the administration? Centre of the island. If we go now, we'll get there before noon," I told him.

He nodded and leaned on the desk. "We'd better get going then, lead the way."

It was an awkward and quiet walk, no words really exchanged between us. We got to the main building long before noon. I held the door open for him, earning a nod from him and we walked in. The room was large and made entirely of wood. The desk was made of dark wood, and behind it sat a woman with black and blue hair, dressed up in a light green dress. Her hair was pulled back and she was typing at a computer, an odd smelling candle burning next to her. She looked at us, light shining off of the tag on her chest, "May I help you?" She asked. I nodded and helped Hunter to the desk, "He needs to be registered in."

"Why was this not done last night?"

"He got in late and didn't have time before he collapsed of exhaustion," I lied, gripping the box in my pocket.

She looked at us then nodded, "Name sir." "Hunter Hughes," Hunter responded.

"Date of birth, year not necessary."

"August 23rd."

"Reason for staying with us on this island?" She asked finally, glancing at the both of us. "Staying with my friend Nate," Hunter said, clearly lying and gave me a fake smile. The woman nodded and hit a few buttons on the computer. A slip of paper popped up out of the wooden desk.

"That is your guest pass, good for one month and two weeks. Lets hope you don't need another, yes?"

He nodded and we left. I sighed, "I hate going in there," I moved some hair out of my eyes and looked at Hunter, "What?"

"What the hell is going on?" He demanded, standing in front of me. Even without standing at his full height, he was pretty intimidating.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I told him, gritting my teeth and marching off towards my house.

He turned towards me, "Then take your hand out of your pocket."

I stopped, standing in the middle of the walkway. I huffed and ran, leaving him behind to find his own way back. As soon as I walked into my home, however, the cold chill ran up my back and I collapsed. My vision went black, but I went nowhere. An angry voice rattled in mt head, "Sit up boy and listen! Do not be rude to your guest! You do as he asks but do NOT show him the inside of the box! Understood!?"

I snapped back into reality, sitting on my couch in the living room and hearing the door open.

Hunter walked in and looked around, seeing me and walking over. "Hey, Nate-"

"I'm sorry I was rude. I'm just a little upset," I interrupted, gesturing for him to come over. He limped over, sitting in a recliner and looking at me still. I sighed and took my hands out of my pockets, holding the box tightly in my hands. I felt him staring at me, his eyes drilling holes into my head. "What you got there?" He asked.

I sighed heavily, "A box. Its proof of my debt to… Someone. If I lose it… That would be bad…"

"And let me guess, I can't see what's in it?" He inquired, earning a nod from me. "Thought so." I yawned, checking the time and groaning. It was only 12:37, way to early to sleep. Hunter got up and sat next to me, looking at me with concern in his dark eyes. I glanced away, gripping the box tighter. "Lets get your mind off of whatever you're thinking about shall we?" He said with a grin.

I laughed quietly and shrugged, "Guess it couldn't hurt."

"Great!" He said and then was quiet. I turned to him and he was looking down, thinking. He spoke suddenly, "You like video games?" He asked.

"Dude, who doesn't?"

"I have an idea then," Hunter laughed.

After several hours, there were only profanities coming from our mouths, "Son of a bitch stop Red-shelling me!" I shouted, losing the thirteenth race in a row. Hunter laughed and set the controller down, sinking back into the couch and smiling.

"Man, you suck at this game!" He joked.

I grunted, "No I don't…" I set my controller next to his. I checked the time and saw it was nearing 10:30. I glanced over to Hunter and saw that in the span of a few seconds he had fallen asleep. I smiled and got up, getting a spare blanket and draping it over him. I smiled and ran off to my room for the night.

I woke up in the middle of the night to screaming. Horrific screeching that made me bolt up from my bed and nearly rip out of my skin. Another scream ensued and I got up, running towards it. I was in the living room, behind Hunter and he was twitching on the couch. I know the 'Man Downstairs' told me to think nothing of it, but I just can't. I made sure I sat him up and grabbed hold of his shoulders tightly. I shook him hard, "Hunter! HUNTER!"

He shrieked and shoved me, pushing me into the small coffee table and making me trip, smashing my head into the corner of the table and then the wood floor not covered by my rug. I

didn't move. I couldn't even if I wanted to. I just laid there, staring at the wall. I heard Hunter move normally, coming over to me.

"Nate? Nate… Are you alright?" He asked and sat me up against the table. He cringed when he looked at the side of my head, getting up and running to the bathroom. I moved a little, slowly regaining movement in my body. He ran back, sitting in front of me after cringing. Hunter had grabbed the med kit and was opening it. He looked at me, "Nate?" He asked quietly.

I made a small noise and he nodded in some understanding way. He began to dig through the kit, looking at my head and then looking back. He pulled out a role of bandages and a few other things. I squinted a little, was it really that bad? He looked at me and began wrapping up my head, trying to be careful. I gave a small smile and watched his hands as they moved around my head. He seemed to be concentrating, taking good care to watch me. He finished wrapping my head after a while, moving back and wincing a little as his leg moved. "Nate are you alright?"

I sat up a little, more feeling returning to my body, "I'll be alright, give me a few minutes. And you can stop repeating my name…"

Hunter nodded and closed the med kit up, pushing it off to the side and standing up carefully. He held his hand out to me, which I took and he carefully pulled me up. I stumbled a little because of the sudden blood rush, but I was fine. I looked up at him, "Thanks."

Hunter nodded and walked over to the couch, sitting down and pulling the blanket I gave him around him. There was a sudden clap of thunder and rain started pouring out of the sky. I sighed and sat myself down next to him. He looked at me and then away. "Hey, Nate? Question." "Yeah?" I said, looking at him.

"Look, I don't think that you know this, but I have no idea why I'm here. I… lied earlier. I never fought some guy about a girl, I… don't remember any of it. And yet…" He stopped, his hand in is pocket. I swore a little, I forgot to get him new clothes. But from his pocket he pulled out a small band, with red gems imbedded into it. I looked confused for a moment, "The inside of your box is empty. If you show it to anyone who doesn't have the second part, they die. Who ever has the second part is the answer to the object doesn't. The box is a ring box, and I'm pretty sure this is the ring." I saw him look at me, and I'm sure I was pale as a ghost. A crash of thunder broke the brief silence.

"Hunter, why did you give up yours?" I asked.

With a smile, he said "I needed a friend."

I laughed quietly, "So did I."

He laughed and leaned back into the couch, "So Nate. Got any thing to drink?" He asked with a cheeky grin.

I nodded and got up, "To the kitchen?" I asked. He grinned and got up, walking next to me. I opened a drawer when we got there and frowned, then looking through other drawers, "I swore I had… Ugh where is it?"

Hunter stepped back and I heard the fridge open, "You have have two beers in here."

I looked at him, "That'll do I guess. Gimme," I said and took one. We opened them and I leaned against the counter, taking a drink and wrinkling my nose. "Is this that shit beer I bought…? I think is is."

"It works for the intended purpose," Hunter said, "Now shut up and drink."

I looked at him and shrugged, pouring all of the contents of the bottle down my throat. I choked for a moment and nearly coughed up half of what I drank but managed to get it down. I set the empty bottle down and looked at Hunter.

"Dude you have an issue… I think you should loosen up a little bit," He said, setting his nearly full drink down.

"It just tastes bad… Okay?" I said in response

Hunter grabbed his beer and my wrist and dragged me out to the living room. I sat down next to him and looked at the wall. "Nate, look, can I do something? I'm not completely drunk I promise, I've only drank two sips." I didn't move. I'm not sure why, but I didn't.

"Hunter…" I sighed and looked at him. Before I could move, he hugged me tightly. It was weird, it wasn't a normal hug, it was much more happy and nice, something I needed and didn't at the same time. Hunter leaned really close to me, inches from my face and smiled. I must've looked confused because he pulled me closer to further my confusion.

"I didn't just give up my soul for a normal friend, Nate. Neither did you," Hunter muttered. I sighed and Hunter made me look at him. I went to say something but he silenced me with a surprise. His hands placed firmly on my back, he pulled me to him and our faces were so close, I could hear him breathing. Tension built up in my chest as he came closer, kissing me. Something in me screamed Push him away, fajit! But something stronger told me Stay and play! I didn't even notice that Hunter had pulled me closer and still had his lips pressed to mine. My eyes fluttered shut and I grabbed the back of his shirt, gripping tighter as he continued through the motion. My mouth opened slightly, Hunter taking the opportunity to shove his tongue in my mouth. I could faintly taste the terrible beer, but that didn't concern me. He continued, his hands moving to my front and down my stomach. I pulled back to breathe, leaning on him as he reached the top of my pants. I looked at him and he smiled. I gave him a smile and a small nod back and he began to undo the top of my pants. His hand slipped down further and I jumped a little, which earned a small laugh from Hunter. I looked at him and he kissed me once again.

0-o-0

My phone began to go off, blasting the Legend of Zelda theme. It was Hunter calling, and I answered, "Hey dude what's up?"

"Hey man, so I just read the weirdest thing about us today. You should read it." His voice said on the other end, "It gets pretty gay!"

0-o-0

~ViraLayton