Chapter 1: Blame It On The Rain
Thursday Afternoon
It had been five days since Arthur and Francis had first met in the orphanage. They were slowly getting used to each other's differences in personality and interest. All the other children went outside to play their silly games, while Arthur stood inside in the bedroom of Francis. On the stone window sill, was looking up at the sky and nearby trees. The sun and clear blue skies that would bring smiles to everyone's face was now reduced to colorless overcast. Not even a single patch of clear skies was to be seen anywhere else. The winds were picking up by the hour, the trees and branches danced within the breeze as birds struggle to fly. The peasants were doing their jobs as children played with one another or helped out their parents. Down on the dusty was Francis, once again trying to talk to every girl he sees. Some felt a sore from him while others exclude him from groups or not saying anything to him at all. He felt like he was an entertainer, Francis soon looked up at Arthur. Growing a big smile, he jumped up and down and waved his hands, shouting "Arthur! Arthur! Come down here and play with me!"
"..Fine." He said nonchalantly, closing the window shut before heading down. Francis waited for his new friend by the small shrubs that resided next to the big cottage, two girls came up to the French boy from behind. They had smirks on their pale faces, poor little Francis elided such premonition and was too caught up in his bubbly world of sunshine. "Now!" one of the girls shouted, Francis suddenly turned around to see what was happening behind him. But, he was suddenly splashed with a bucket of cold water. The contact of sudden chill made him shiver, he was now soak wet. He stood there in shock, watching the girls giggle and run away as all eyes began to turn onto him. Francis felt his face go warm and red, in an attempt to hold back his tears. Becoming a laughing stalk among the nearby children, it was no use and his waterfalls had went to work. Arthur walked in on the irritating and heartbroken wail of Francis. Despite his nature of isolation, he marched up to Francis and the laughing group of children. He was murderous.
"Oi! All of you wanks stop laughing at him! You think ruining his clothes and hair is funny?" Arthur's voice became elevated and stinging, as he began picking up dirt from the ground. He continued, lunging at one of the children. "Lets see how you like when I do it to you!" He threw a ball of dirt, when it hit the child's face it dissolved like snowball hitting one's arm. As the child began to cry, Arthur swiftly grabbed Francis' arm and ran to a hiding spot beyond the shrubs. A nearby nun ran over to the now dirt-covered weeping child.
"Good heavens, what happened? Who did such thing to you?" She cried.
After few moments of running from troubles, little Arthur and Francis found themselves in a small alleyway. Coming to a sudden stop, the little English boy looked around in site of the old nun. He looked down the road and saw her, frantically looking around and walking at such alerting pace. Nearby peasants and farmers looked at her and murmured about. Arthur, once again, grabbed Francis and quickly veered left into the trees and big bushes. Francis forcibly removed Arthur's hand off his wrist, taking a step back.
"Hey! Arthur, where are you taking me?! That hurts by the way!" He complained.
"Hush! Do you want her to find us? Now come on, we must be going before we are caught!"
The two of them now easing down. Before they could continue, Francis and Arthur look behind themselves. No sight of the old nun, only the tall pine trees and logs that blocked out the outside of the forested area. The two huddled up, holding each other close as they frantically study their new surroundings. It was quiet.. too quiet, a still atmosphere was among them. They soon parted once the realization of being safe came clear to them, being surrounded by endless pine-trees and leafy trails left Francis in a trance of such bewilderment and fright. "Now that's done, I'll be heading now." Arthur began walking down the trail, his bare feet making crunching sounds within every step taken. Out of his trance, Francis suddenly began following Arthur.
"Wait! Where are you going, Arthur?!" he called out. He went around the barks and the shrubs, soon Arthur was nowhere to be in sight. Francis continued to search for his new friend, still nowhere in sight. "Arthur, where did you go?" He called out again, "The lady is going to be really mad at us if we don't head back and tell her what we did!" There was no answer from the English boy, only Francis' own voice echoed among the wilderness. Suddenly, there was a small but distant rumble that was heard from above. Thunder, it seems that a storm was surely to roll in sometime soon. Francis began to worry, his hands were now sweaty and his legs began to tremble. Soon found to be lost, his thoughts began racing. All he could think about was the consequences of suddenly running from his troubles, and Arthur himself. He ran down the path without even thinking of what to do. He was suddenly halted when he looked over a nearby blueberry shrub and looked over, he has found Arthur at last.
"There are you are Arthur, stupid little boy!" He cried, "Haven't you seen what the weather's like? A big storm is approaching and you're out in the middle of the woods!" Francis scolded, crossing his arms while pouting. Arthur rolled his eyes as he turned his head back to see the angry French boy. "Quiet, you! And yes, I know what the weather's like." Marching up to him, he added, "And I meant to come here! I rather be outside than being surrounded by abandoned gits!"
"Such foul language for someone your age.. why would you come here on purpose?" There was a flash of lighting somewhere left of the woods, it was a dim flicker from the naked eye. Ignoring the warning signs of the incoming storm, the boys continued arguing.
"You should've stayed and told her what you did!"
"Why should I? That place is a dump!" Arthur screeched.
"How so?! We are out in the middle nowhere and it's going to rain any-" Francis screeched back, but was startled by the sudden loud boom of thunder. It echoed, followed by silence between the two and the world around them. Then, the rain came. It poured down to earth like a waterfall. "..second.." Francis mumbled, the two were now soaked with the sudden rain. The air grew cold, and sky was damp. They began their journey to wherever through this stormy hour, the trail was muddy and the leafs were drenched with them. Thunder continuously roared and silence was no more. Francis was too distracted by the trail and where they'd head to, but something about Arthur suddenly caught his eye..
"..Arthur, you're not even wearing anything on your feet."
Arthur looked up, "So?"
Francis groaned as the two stopped. He knelt down, "You're going to get yourself sick, are you sure you want to stay like this?"
"Listen here chicky, I can take of myself. Now stop babying me." He scowled and walked at a quite faster pace, wanting to get away from Francis. Getting up from the muddy floors, he followed the small English boy. He soon caught up, but neither of the two children bothered to talk. The rain begin to die down a bit, now it was steady drops falling from the heavens. The thunder and lightning seemed to have gone away, only the sound of rain and gentle wind can be heard all around them. Arthur, without giving a single look at Francis, teased saying "By the way.. I am a lot more mature than you think I am." A sly grin sprouted on his plump face. Francis scoffed, "Oh please, no you are not." A small, but faint, chuckle can be heard from him. There was a cold breeze among them, the two shivered as they came to a stop. A sudden fog came about, it was a thin mist parting by their ankles within every step. Out of the blue, something had caught Francis' eye. He nudged Arthur and pointed to a tall tree, the bottom was so deep and hallow that it formed a hiding spot just for the two of them.
"Voila! We can hide in there until this storm dies down a bit." He exclaimed.
"...There is absolutely no way I am getting there with you." Arthur rolled his eyes and sat against the tree, Francis crawled in the hidden try area that tree had to offer. Lying down on the grassy floor he called out, "Okay, then suit yourself. Just don't say I didn't offer." Arthur sat out there in the cold air and light drizzle, everything was now quiet and still. The rain itself was now light, it could only be felt when outside but no longer heard or seen. He missed the feeling of the wilderness, which may had seem why he wanted to get away.. but why with Francis? He would re-think about it over and over, and over again and find no answer. Arthur took one peek into the hole, Francis was watching him. Arthur quickly looked away, but only for a moment before slowly turning around only to find Francis still stare at him. "What are you looking at? I'll be fine, you twit!" Francis responded without saying a single word and turning the other way, facing the bark wall of the hallow pine tree that stood tall and grand before them.
45 minutes or so had passed, the rain still had lingered and it was just about night. It was pitch black darkness everywhere you had looked. Arthur had grown frightened and cold, he looked to see if Francis was still in the hole, but couldn't make it out because of the darkness of this evening. He crawled in, but not too far in. Arthur sat down and laid against the bark walls. He groaned, wanting to sleep yet wanting to stay awake. It was no use, his eyes began to grow heavy and his body began to relax. Yawning, Arthur found himself falling asleep and the world around him began to go silent.
