Chapter Two: In the Field

The small blonde boy walked along the sidewalk of the town, simply reading his book and never looking up from it. He read it as he walked, passing the very limited number of people on the sidewalk because most of them had gone to the town parade, even his brothers had went and left him to wonder. The town was small, he had many places to roam though, so he did. He often went to the library and checked a new book, today that was closed though. The arcade was fun, but he was limited on money. He could only walk around aimlessly and sometimes get some snack at a cheap vending machine in front of the hotel, or even a cheap meal at the town's diner. Those were his summer days in this new town he just learned to know. He wanted school to come quickly so he had something to do everyday but he felt as if he would be mocked because of his accent or anything else about him.

He wanted to go back home in London.

But the sun shined here, he enjoyed that. He had days to spend here and there was no use complaining about it. He would simply remain quiet and continue reading, that's all. Until this day.

He walked home after finding that there was nothing to do. He walked along the dirt path of the field he had to cross through to get home, the grass as high as up to his hips. He walked through it though to his house, but he stopped when he heard rustling in the grass. He froze and looked around though he wasn't worried too much, animals were common of course. He looked around a bit and listened for the noise once again but nothing came about. He shook his head slightly and continued along the path until he heard the rustling once more, this time he reacted a bit more with worry. "Who's there?" He questioned but never revived an answer. He turned his back one more time to walk but the rustling stopped him once more. "Who's there! ?" He enforced an answer. "Tell me!"

The bushes rustled more as a young boy came crawling out off his dirty knees, he stood up and looked toward Arthur with big bright eyes and a smile. Arthur looked at him suspiciously, "who are you?..."

"My name is Alfie!" The little boy said happily

"Alright... Why are you here?... Why did you follow me?"

"You just moved in right? Well Alfie F. Jones checks out all the new people that just move in! And since you're new, I'm here to see if you're the right person to move here to this little town! Everyone knows everyone and I'm the first to know everyone!" He smiled "Now who are you and why do you talk like that?"

"Excuse me?..." Arthur said after staring at him for a moment in confusion. "What do you mean talk like that?"

"Your voice! It's strange!"

"Strange? !" He hissed a bit "My voice isn't strange, I simply have an accent!"

"What's an accent?" Alfie asked. Arthur looked at him thinking of a way to explain it.

"Um... Well... It's like a voice from where you come from?..." He said a bit confused still, he really couldn't explain it.

"Where are you from?" Alfie asked

"England."

"What's egg land?"

"Not egg land! England!"

"Ohhhh..." Alfie pouted a bit not knowing what it was, he really thought of an egg land... "Where's that?" Arthur stood in disbelief of this child, sure he was a bit younger than Arthur but really, could he be this naive?

"It's across the Atlantic Ocean." Arthur explained "Its an island off the cost of Europe."

"What's Europe?"

"How do you not know what Europe is! ?"

"Cause this is America dude!" The little boy cheered "That's all that matters, that's what my dad yells about with his friends!"

"Your father is a bloody moron..." Arthur scratched the side of his head "Never mind all that," he turned and started walking back toward his new home. "Go to the parade will you? I'm sure your parents are looking for you."

"They are, poor Mattie can't hold them off for too long!" Alfie jumped back into the bushes and headed toward town. "Go to the big tree tomorrow okay!" He called as Arthur looked back to see the small boy pointing toward the wooded area "It's by the lake! Meet me there at noon!" He called smiling still. Arthur looked at him strangely still, thinking of why this boy wanted him to go and if he would...

"Maybe," he mumbled to himself.

"I never got your name!" Alfred called further away from Arthur who continued to walk but turned again, walking backwards just as Alfie was.

Arthur hesitated but yelled "I'm Arthur!"

He looked at Alfie's smile widened "Nice to meet you!" He yelled before he ran into the small patch of woods that separated the field from the town. Arthur turned and walked back, curious of the boy he had just met.

The next morning, Arthur decided to go. He had some rye toast and a glass of orange juice they had then changed from his pjs into an old football (soccer) t-shirt he had, though he knew wearing it in front of his older brother wouldn't make him very happy so he quickly snuck out. After all, this was the lightest shirt he had for the ninety degrees weather; he wasn't used to it so bloody hot.

He wondered off into the field, just the short walk made him sweat. He wondered into the woods, almost being scared off by a dear that jumper out of no where. But he found a wide running river, looking down it the river seemed to go on for a while. He didn't even know where this lake was... He had a strange feeling though. Arthur carefully made his way down the edge of the river to the actual water, then jumped across the stones that seemed to make a small path. The last stone was a little off, he missed it and fell into the water just before it. At least the water here was lower than the rest of the deep river, he didn't like crossing this at all. He tried ringing out his clothes that became soaked when he fell. He walked on though through the woods until he found it.

A huge oak tree stood in the middle of a cleared area, another field but much smaller and much less tall grass. Flowers bloomed everywhere, even two rabbits seemed to be here, one ran away though once he saw Arthur. It was beautiful, even the light off the lake very close set a beautiful scene... Arthur loved it.

He sat against the tree and waited, looking around for the small boy he had met the day before... He looked at his watch, noon had struck. He sat there for the next hour... Then another... Then another...

He sat there until it was four or five o'clock, he lost count of the hours and his watch had stopped working at 3:43... Arthur was actually more upset about the watch breaking until he realized: Alfie isn't coming...

He stood up with his head down and dusted off the dirt off his butt. Then, "Hey! Hey British dude!" The child's voice called as Arthur looked up toward the soaking wet child running into the field, "Sorry I'm like really late!"

"Bloody hell! You're extremely late you idiot!" Arthur called to the younger child but Alfie only smiled once he stepped just before Arthur. "I could of been doing something much better than waiting!"

"But you didn't, you waited for me." Alfie smiled as Arthur simply looked away feeling a bit flustered with embarrassment.

Maybe this was the start of it all...

"I'll make it up to you, you wanna come to my place for dinner tonight! My parents wouldn't mind!" His smile grew more and more as Arthur only looked at him.

"Look Alfie that's nice," Arthur sighed "But I'm not very comfortable with that."

"But my parents usually have the new people over, so your family is invited." Alfie said, "So ask your parents!"

"T-they don't like social things..." Arthur frowned "None of them would come..."

"Well then you come~ come on Artie it will be fun~" Alfie grinned more.

"Artie? My name is Arthur not Artie."

"You said Artie so I'm calling you Artie!"

"I said Arthur!"

"I heard Alfie!" He pouted "just come on, you're probably hungry!" Arthur simply continued looking at him but finally nodded. It was... Interesting...

Arthur walked into Alfie's house for the first time and was greeted happily, politely. He met Alfie's younger twin brother, Mattie, and his parents who he only called Mr. And Mrs. Jones. That was the night Arthur felt as if he was in a family, and the night him and Alfie became good friends... Best friends...

They spent the entire summer together, running around town, playing in the field and by the big tree, going to Alfie's house or the arcade to play games. Sometimes Alfie offered up to take Arthur swimming, but he refused each time. His move to this small town suddenly became happy, he loved getting up each day just to spend the day with the younger child, everyday until it was dark. He woke up every morning, dealing with his brothers, was worth seeing that boy everyday and he couldn't understand why.

Just a few days before school started though, Arthur went to his house only to find everything and them gone…

OOOO

Alfred opened the blinds of the hospital room to let some sun in, he liked to light up the place when he came. He sat down in the chair close to Arthur's bed and got comfortable. He took a deep sigh out, "So I've been thinking about changing majors," He said like he was bringing up a conversation. "I don't really know though, I'm gonna talk to Mattie about it." He looked over then gently grabbed onto his hand and held it. "I really don't know though…" he sat there with nothing else to say or do, simply sitting there holding his hand… until the door opened.

He looked over to see the long haired figure stepping in somewhat nervously and awkwardly. Alfred slipped away from Arthur's side and stood to see the man as he closed the door and awkwardly stood there. They stood silently for a moment until he opened his mouth and simply said, "Hi…" Alfred stared at him angrily.

"Hi? That's all you can say huh?" Alfred said.

"I-I'm sorry…" He spoke with his heavy accent still covering it.

"That's a little better… but not nearly enough, at all!" Alfred yelled, anger seemed to come over him now. He couldn't help but feel anger when he looked at that man. "You realize what you did right! ? Look at him! He's dying! Because of you!" He yelled, "How was jail? Bail? Everything! ? God damn you!" The man stood there taking the yelling and looked away.

"I am truly sorry," He said a few moments after Alfred had calmed down. "I am… I didn't expect to… I wish I could go back and stop myself… I'm sorry…" Alfred looked away and back to Arthur.

"Get out please." He said. "I'll see you in court… now get out…"