Hey guys! Sorry that I haven't updated this in a while, school and life and such. But I've had a few requests for an update so ta-da! Hope you enjoy it :)
15th July, 1912
Feeling the wind in his hair relaxed him.
Speeding down the dirt lane that led to Jack's farmhouse oh his bike, almost made him feel as though he had no troubles in the world, that he was completely and utterly free.
Then he would turn a corner and the shackles of his betrayal would tighten, forcing him to remember just why he was visiting his friend.
Oliver was wracked with guilt. He had known that Rose belonged to Jack, and he had come so close to telling her that he was alive... then she had kissed him. Kissed him.
Jack would be in the barn, where he usually was. The old barn was near completion; Jack had proved quite the carpenter. He had replaced all the old and decayed beams, rebuilt many of the inner structures and the only thing left to do was paint the outside deep crimson.
Leaning his bike against the fence outside Jack's farmhouse, Oliver looked over at Lake Wissota and contemplated suggesting a walk before they started working. The day was beautiful; bright and warm, but without the usual humidity that made summer days often unbearable. He thought back to his walk with Rose last night; the blazes of sunset shining off her hair, face bright and eyes shining. Finally shining.
He shook the image of Rose from his mind as a fresh wave of guilt settled itself in his gut.
He made his way up the path to the barn, kicking a small rock towards the doorway. The ancient wooden doors, yet to be replaced, were chained and locked with a single lock.
Raising an eyebrow, Oliver knocked at the barn door and waited a few seconds before concluding that Jack wasn't in there. He turned away from the door, eyes scanning the front garden for any sign that Jack was in at all, and walked towards the farmhouse that stood beside the barn. He traced the familiar route from the barn to the farmhouse; shoving his hands down the pockets of his trousers as he felt them go warm and clammy at the thought of what he was about to do; the joy he would bring and the loss he would inevitably suffer.
To his surprise, the front door to the farmhouse was already open and he stepped cautiously in, adrenaline firing up in his chest. He stood just over the threshold and strained his ears for any sound; Jack would never be so careless to just leave the door wide open and his farm was away from the beaten-track enough for it to be dangerous if help was needed. Oliver looked around the entrance of the farmhouse and noticed all the doors leading off to the kitchen and living area were closed. Suddenly, there was a bang from upstairs and Oliver instinctively jumped before he heard a hushed curse come from the same place.
He ran up the stairs, palms slipping slightly on the banister as dread settled in his chest. Bravery was not something Oliver was known for but if Jack needed him, he owed him at least the help of a friend.
Jack's bedroom was the second door Oliver came to and on seeing that it was wide open, he hesitated before coming into view to whoever was on the other side.
Relief flooded through him when he saw Jack alone in the room, no intruder in sight.
"Hey Jac- Jack, what are you doing?"
Oliver approached his friend, who was on his hands and knees, furiously stuffing shirts into worn, grey sack. He jumped at Oliver's sudden appearance but promptly returned his attention back to the clothes on the floor.
"What does it look like I'm doin'? I'm leaving." He kept his head to the ground and continued throwing shirts into the sack.
"What? But, Jack why?" Oliver walked from the threshold into the room, stepping over a leather-bound sketchbook. He felt confused and somewhere in the back of his mind he could hear victory bells ringing; if he's out of here, Rose would never know…
"Look, I appreciate all you've done for me since I got back, but I can't live here again, the last month's proved that." Jack stoop abruptly and Oliver could see his pale complexion and dark rings under his uncharacteristically dull eyes.
"But this is your home," he replied lamely as Jack walked straight past him to get to the wardrobe on the other side of the room. When he flung it open, it was nearly empty.
"Not anymore and if you've got one reason why I should stay, I'd sure like to hear it." He stated into the wardrobe as he pulled out its few contents. Oliver's mouth went dry, as though filled with sand. I know one reason.
"I... because..." he stammered, conscious caught in a battle between head and heart. He knew what he had to do... so why couldn't he just say it?
He always got what he wanted. Why can't I have a taste of happiness for once? There's no way he could love Rose any more than I do.
Rose. Perfect, beautiful Rose. What would she think of this?
He pushed the thought quickly from his mind.
"All the work you've put into the house..." he stammered feebly. Jack turned, leaving the wardrobe door open and strode back towards Oliver, though he seemed distracted and intent on packing as quickly as possible, and didn't really stop and acknowledge his presence completely.
"Well, enjoy it. It's yours." He fumbled around his trouser pocket and pulled out a ring of keys, tossing them carelessly into Oliver's hand.
"Wait, what about 'I've seen enough of the world'? You said you didn't want to venture out again!" Jack paused and looked into Ollie's face, and Oliver felt his heart sink at the hopeless look he saw in his eyes.
Oliver felt the guilt again, it was soaring in his chest like a bird taking to flight, and he felt jealousy at the man who looked so broken, for it was he that Rose truly loved. When Jack spoke he was hoarse and quiet and Oliver bit back his tongue so not to spill the truth that enchained him.
"This isn't my home anymore, Ollie. God, I don't have a home at all." Jack swallowed several time as tears were indistinguishable in his eyes. Oliver recoiled at the defeated tone in Jack's voice when he spoke again, "I've only ever felt at home on the road and with-" he took several deep breaths and Oliver opened his mouth to speak.
"She's a-"
"-but that doesn't matter. I'm leaving." As though by the flick of a switch, he went back to rushing around the room, collecting items of clothing from the floor and a small stack of dollar bills from underneath the only pillow on the bed.
Jack hadn't acknowledges him at all. He'd practically told him that Rose was alive, so that was fine.
"I'm not gonna stop you." Oliver whispered before repeating it again louder, with more confidence "I'm not gonna stop you."
Missing the guilt underlying the statement, Jack nodded in appreciation and scanned the room for any missed items. Seeing nothing but destruction around the room, he fastened his carry sack with string and made for the door, where Oliver was stood lamely holding keys that burned his hands.
"If you wanna do me a favour though, I could sure use a cart to the station; I'd walk but I wanna be out of here as soon as possible."
"I'll take you myself. We can go the back way to avoid town; if mum sees you she won't let you go." Jack smiled genuinely at Oliver and they made their way out of the house.
They walked down the dirt lane towards town but turned off before reaching the gateway that led into the main area. They walked mainly in silence; Jack because he had nothing more to say, nothing that could offer any explanation or consolation for his leaving and Oliver because he couldn't bear what he was about to let happen.
They reached the station quickly without seeing one person once they got onto the cart, and they walked to the platform still in silence. There were only two other people on the platform and Oliver didn't recognise wither of them.
The train arrived after only a few minutes and before getting on the train, Jack turned to Oliver and offered him his hand.
"Thanks, Ollie… for everything." He accepted the handshake and only nodded, his mouth dry.
Oliver couldn't speak as Jack stepped onto the train and disappeared out of sight. He didn't once look back to Oliver's gladness as he felt that if he looked at Jack's defeated face again, he would run onto the train and drag him off. The whistle sounded from the front carriage and the train began to chug into motion before picking up speed.
Oliver watched the charcoal steam train race out of sight, until only the fragments of black steam remained, leaving him alone on the platform with the weight of his betrayal weighing heavy on his shoulders and leaking out through his eyes.
:D
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