Thanks for the wait. I've been working on my other fic [DFB] which is not going too well right now. :/ Tough luck.
Lip Balm
…
The wind lapped at the crimson and bleach checkered tablecloth, stirring up a few dead leaves onto the splintering picnic table. Gilbert stared out at the abandoned lawn, sliding an arm around Becky and hugging her thin body against his chest. Amy wrung her apron, gazing expectantly at the stretching road, waiting for the guests to come.
Gilbert, despite of his pained expression, felt a clamp unclench it's poisoned teeth around his heart. Perhaps they won't come. He hoped, immediately feeling a pang of guilt.
Arnie whooped excitedly, oblivious to the late company. "It's my birthday, everyone!" He cried cheerily, throwing his arms into the air. "My birthday. My birthday. I turn twenty."
They all smiled reassuringly, eyes stuck to the descending, dusty road a head of them. Amy hopped slightly as she spotted a car come steadily over their way, heat waves expelling from the grimy windows. Another car pulled up behind that one, and another, then another.
Slowly they hauled over on the grassy lawn and brought out large containers of potato salads and gifts wrapped in pied paper. Almost immediately, laughter sounded in high-pitched, shrieking tones as children spun around in a game of pin the tale on the donkey and as adults sipped their iced tea and caught up on good times.
Arnie pulled out a few marbles and proudly displayed them to his friends, as they all awed over the luster of the colorful, round toys. Gilbert smiled weakly and grabbed Becky's hand, pecking a soft kiss on her lips before Mr. Johnson, a local car salesman engrossed him into a rather interesting conversation of money and stocks.
Happy birthday, Arnie, Gilbert silently thought, while watching Mr. Johnson's lips move. Twenty. Twenty years old. …when are you going to grow up? Gilbert winced internally, quickly denying his own musings and immediately occupying himself with the wonders of the stock market.
Gilbert politely excused himself from their dull conversation and gazed at the cheery children, spinning each other and then attempting to tag one another, only to double over with great bouts of laughter. Amy, with a stretching smile, brought out a chocolate cake strewn with twenty one candles. The children cheered at the magnificent sight, and the adults glanced at each other, clearly impressed.
And from no where, the rain fell.
Sheets of hard, cold liquid pounded on the pavement, only abruptly stopped by the tapping of sneakers as children ran into the house, shielding themselves with weak arms. Amy glared down at the ruined cake and hesitated before bounding off into the house herself. It had come from no where. It was as if God himself had turned his back onto this celebration.
Gilbert stood in the rain, letting the water sop into his jacket, his clothes, his skin. Water ran down his face, dousing his auburn hair, blinding him and not allowing him to breathe. An arm clutched at his, and he turned around reflexively.
"Arnie's gone," Becky shouted, her voice almost inaudible in the screaming rain.
Gilbert, without speaking, ran to the truck, socks squelching in his flooded shoes. Silver clouds that had once hung feathery over his head split into two, pouring down great regurgitations of liquid, drenching him in all of his misery.
…
He found Arnie at the water tower, about halfway up the looming ladder, soaked and shivering. Gilbert could barely see Arnie up there, and had to squint before he spotted a splotch of clothing on the aging, rusty tower. Thunder rumbled loudly, rattling Gilbert's insides, lightning striking in large cracks into the gray sky.
"Get down from there!" Gilbert frantically shouted, cupping his hands together though it had no effect. "Arnie. Get down from there!" Gilbert clenched his hands together, his nails digging into the fleshy part of his palm. And as he watched Arnie, unmoving, on that ladder, he felt something inside of him spark to life and explode. "Get down from there. Get down from there. Get down from there."
A great eruption occurred from deep inside of him until an animal like sound ejected from his mouth, making no sound in the pounding rain. He grabbed at his hair and doubled over onto his knees, face blotching into a multitude of red shades, his eyes squeezed shut in agony and mouth widely open, spewing no words but pure anguish.
He felt a soft pat of a vibration at his side, and he looked up at Arnie, standing next to the water tower, completely saddened in cold water.
Gilbert let go of his head and stood up, approaching Arnie and clenching onto his frail shoulders, shaking him wildly. "Why?!" Gilbert shouted, letting the single syllable reverberate in his mouth. "Why?! Why! Why.. Why..Why.." He shook Arnie harder still, clamping onto his clothes before sinking into the mud once more. Gilbery meekly shook Arnie's thin shoulders again, "Why, Arnie? Why."
Arnie, with terrified eyes, whimpered and softly whispered a slow, "Why, Gilbert? YOU why." And then he was off, running in a frantic motion, tripping over the slippery, slick mud once or twice before scampering clumsily on the route back home.
Gilbert pressed his eyes shut, letting the rain fall down on him as he rested his back against the water tower's pole, sliding down until his knees folded in front of him. He wrapped his arms around his legs and asked, one last time.
"Why.." And though he asked the howling wind, the striking lightning, the beating rain and the deafening thunder, Gilbert didn't hear one answer.
…
Hoped you liked. :] Review.