Author's Note: I hope that I can write a little more if I find free time, so I'm going to add a new chapter more recently than usual.
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Chapter Fifteen
Somewhere in Sage's dim flower shop, the clock was chiming. What time is it…? Ralph lifted his weary head from the counter, pressing the towel on his head harder. A steaming cup of tea had been waiting for him for however long he'd been there, but he just silently hid his exhausted face. As soon as he'd stepped through the door, the tall blonde man on the other side pulled him in quickly and barely spoke a word. Ralph hardly minded and simply tried to sleep off the rest of his fever, repeating Jack's words in his head.
The man who pulled him inside politely served Ralph the tea beside him and pulled out the blankets that were covering his wet body, but now he seemed out of his mind. One minute, he would be sitting on the stairway facing the dark upstairs, and the next moment, he'd be at the window, his eyes scanning the dripping blackness. When the clock began ringing, the older man retreated from the window and walked out of Ralph's vision. Still, no word had been spoken about Jack. He could have asked his host, but the familiar air that man carried made it impossible for Ralph to even look into his eyes.
The chiming stopped just as the familiar face reentered the room, sitting on the stool beside Ralph. "How are you feeling?" His gentle voice asked.
"Why do people keep asking me that? I'm fine," Ralph began, pulling the towel away so their eyes could finally meet. Behind sandy hair were two soft blue eyes just like the expanding sky above the island. Unconsciously, Ralph began searching them for the familiarity he sensed before. The eyes he saw appeared to be stolen from someone. Behind an aged wisdom, deep into those dreamy eyes, was a vulnerable loneliness. A scared child in a deep shell. Just one gaze into that face made it obvious to Ralph, because the images were embedded in his mind.
This man's calm face was a mirror image of Simon's. Looking at it was just another reminder of what could have been. The delicate and depressed look on Simon's face could have bloomed brightly instead of dying away. All Ralph saw in his dreams was the young face that never grew up. His vision began fogging, but he just sat there staring into blue.
Sage sat patiently until Ralph looked like he would burst into tears. "I'm surprised. Out of the two of you, I would have expected you to react much louder than Jack did. I can cover my face if you like." Putting his hands over his face, Sage peered through his fingers to see Ralph pull a towel over his face to hide his half smile.
"I can't believe I didn't recognize you. You're one of the only people I can remember before that mess," Ralph sighed, looking through the towel.
"Well, we've all grown from childhood. Even though it's been five years since we've last seen each other, it seems as though everyone has lived an entire lifetime all over again. Have you talked to anyone since then?"
Waiting for a moment, Ralph responded slowly. "I go to school with Sam and Eric, but…I haven't talked to anyone else. Half of them, we aren't even allowed to because of…well, you know."
Sage nodded, noticing Ralph's eyes watching the rest of the room. "I've heard a few things, but they all seem to be readjusting rather well for the most part. Maybe you'll run into more of them eventually."
He was still smiling his wide grin despite Ralph's obvious suspicion. Jack still wasn't there, and there was no indication that he ever had been. The only reason Ralph came to the shop was because of the small piece of paper that fell out of one of the books Jack had left him. The small suspicion was slowly growing. Pulling his eyes away, Ralph looked down into the cup of tea, his fingers on the rim. "Are you alright?" Before Sage could move, Ralph put his hand out. "Can I just have a minute?"
As soon as the tall man excused himself, Ralph clenched the cup tighter, his eyes bulging. "What am I doing here? After the last conversation we had, how could Jack even want to be with me?" His mind recalled the last time they'd met, and the heat of their discussion. This whole time, Jack was begging Ralph for something so deep, but at the same time, was that what Jack really wanted? "He was talking about redemption…and Roger."
Ralph drew his hands into his hair, groaning in frustration. "How could I have been so blind? He never proved to me that he wasn't with Roger. I should have asked him to give me his word. They were together in the hospital after all." The more Ralph spoke to himself, the less reassured he felt. "I haven't seen Sage in years. Who knows what he's been doing since then. After the trial, there was no one he would have forgiven. Not after what we…they did to Simon."
The familiar feeling of terror washed over him. Every player in the game between five years ago and now scattered across a vast board. Ralph was blindfolded to their true intentions. As kind and gentle as Sage was, he could be anyone. Just as Jack could be anyone and Roger could be anyone. Anyone…
Another thought piled onto the mounding suspicion. "That boy…" Ralph couldn't forget the shadowy figure with the icy eyes that had accompanied Jack when they broke into his room. He could recall the thickness of the boy's accent, as well as his powerful arms that gripped Ralph's legs. With such a brooding look, no one like that could have good intentions.
Old instincts were pushing Ralph to his feet. Once again, he was trapped. He had no idea who to trust. Why did I run here? Throwing the towel onto the floor, Ralph made a dash for the door. To his dismay, it flew open before he could even reach the other side of the room. Stepping from the rain was the mysterious boy from before. Even though it seemed that no inch of his body was dry, the tall figure stood confidently in the doorway, his shoes even muddier than Ralph's when he had entered.
A smile crawled onto the boy's face as his wet hair blocked eye contact. He dropped his hands, letting a large bag clutter to the floor. Ralph swallowed, trying to find the animalistic adrenaline he'd had a few moments ago. He waited for the boy to make another move, but after taking off his shoes and shutting the door, the boy stood still. "Hi," said the voice behind the wavy dark locks. Ralph couldn't find a word to say. I'm finished…
The boy began crossing the room, his feet shuffling along the floor. Ralph couldn't find the eyes behind all the hair, but the thick accented voice was directed at him. "I was waiting for you."
"What do you people want from me?" Ralph managed to ask, keeping still as the boy walked past him towards the refrigerator, pulling out a bag of ice. It felt like a wild animal taunting its prey, circling over and over before making a real move. After opening the bag, one of the boy's long arms extended out to Ralph, presenting an ice cube. "That's a nasty bruise there. Why not cool it off?"
Immediately, Ralph drew a hand to his neck. It's still there…Clenching his teeth, he took a step back. "I don't need anything from you. Just tell me where Jack is. I'd hoped I wouldn't have to see you again…"
His sudden bravery only excited the boy more. "I guess you didn't miss me much at all, huh Princess?"
"Don't call me that! Just tell me where Jack is!"
"You'll find out soon enough."
The boy began up the stairs, waving at Ralph to infuriate him further. Sure enough, before the boy had reached the top step, another pair of footsteps trailed right behind him. Ralph hung back at the top until the boy entered an open room and collapsed on the bed. An exhausted sigh followed and it was clear that he was not going to put up much more of a fight. Remaining cautious, Ralph inched towards the room, keeping his eyes forward. He only noticed Sage walking behind him when a hand touched his shoulder.
The only thing that kept Ralph from screaming was the amused look on the face of the boy in the room. "I'm sorry!" Sage apologized, immediately throwing his hands up. He continued to excuse himself as he walked around Ralph and helped lay the bag of ice across the boy's legs. They whispered to each other closely for a few moments before both of their attention turned to Ralph, who still had every body part clenched in preparation for an escape.
"I know this is all really sudden for you Ralph, but you're here for a reason," Sage began, looking for a seat for the young boy to sit in. "I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. You remember me, but I don't believe you and Nicol have been formally introduced…" Another mocking grin came from Nicol, and Ralph simply glanced over at him before turning back to Sage. "But what about Jack?"
Sage offered Ralph the empty chair by the edge of the bed, but he immediately declined. He couldn't drop his guard for a moment. These two had been making strange appearances ever since the hospital. Even though Ralph was apparently the center of the original conflict between Roger and Jack, these new faces seemed to know more than he did about the current situation. As soon as he mentioned Jack, Sage started speaking again.
"Jack is gone…well, he…he isn't here…I mean, he's…" The older man seemed to be thinking off of the top of his head and losing each word as he found another. Nicol stretched his arms across the headboard of the bed so he could eye Ralph.
"Jack went back to his friend. If he wouldn't have, you would probably be dying now." The nonchalant expression on the boy's face hadn't changed, but Ralph kept his gaze as Nicol continued.
"Because of your little meltdowns, Jack ended up running into us at the hospital. He told us the situation and how badly his friend Roger wanted you dead. Sage here seemed to be ready and willing to help, so we made a plan to keep you alive."
Sage regained his thought process and began speaking in a worried tone. "Jack was already willing to…throw his life away to make things better. He said that's what he'd been hoping to do for the past five years. I was afraid that if we didn't do something, he would have let Roger win…or…finish himself off…"
Ralph tried to ignore the nagging memory of Jack's constant desperation and the look of anguish deep within his eyes. He could almost feel the grip of Jack's pale hands kneading his skin and begging for forgiveness. The very thought of the hospital reminded Ralph of all the guilt he had tried to leave behind. "Come on, Jack's not like that. I know him. Yeah, he did some things in the past, but he wanted to live. He…was getting better."
Ralph lowered his head as Nicol clicked his tongue. "This is no time for you to rationalize your own mistake. You saw him at the hospital, didn't you? He didn't have time to bleed to death, so he let his own guilt and despair eat him from the inside out. The meeting in your apartment was no dream."
Seeing Ralph's anxiety growing, Sage attempted to interject. "It wasn't your fault! Nicol is just…exaggerating a bit. Either way, Jack's mental health was interfering with his physical health, but he refused any help other than my own…and I can only do so much. Even when he seemed to be growing a bit weaker, he was determined to at least halt Roger's plan."
Reaching into his pocket, Sage pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, extending it to Ralph. After waiting for him to reach for it, the older man noticed that Ralph couldn't even turn around.
"This is the last letter Jack received from Roger. By my advising, Jack cut off all other contact with Roger and stayed here once he began growing ill. He sent Roger letters using his old address and we used Nicol as an in between. He would mail Jack's letters and take Roger's letters from Jack's apartment. We always checked them for anything…dangerous, but Roger never sent anything more than words. To keep suspicion low, Jack pushed himself to destinations he'd written about in his letters…an alibi in case Roger actually contacted any of these places. Nicol often went in his place to make sure nothing went wrong."
"What about the letter?" Sage stopped immediately as Ralph questioned him in a grim tone. Hesitant to read the contents, Sage looked towards Nicol who jumped right into the discussion again.
"The letter was dated a few days before yesterday. Roger wanted to meet with Jack and find out what he wanted to do. Even if he didn't know exactly what was going on, that boy knew that Jack was reconsidering the idea of killing you. Today was the day they were supposed to meet and the day that was given to you on the piece of paper with this address. The only reason Jack came to see you once more was because he wanted to see you before he saw Roger and make sure he was doing the right thing."
"What did he say…?"
Nicol crossed his legs. "He chose you before he even walked through the door. To me, it's almost a shame, but that's what he wanted. By the time you'd finished your little discussion, he was barely able to walk and we knew our time was running out."
Jack could barely walk? How was that possible? Ralph knew he was sick, but Jack was able to lift him and hold him tightly against the wall in his apartment. All the information they were telling him felt like a whole different story.
"Jack left earlier to talk to Roger. He wanted us to wait up for you…in case you showed up," Sage added, biting his lip. He paused quickly and looked again to Nicol, who also seemed to be contemplating his word choice.
"W…Well, when is he coming back? Where is he?" Ralph didn't bother hiding his panic. Their hesitation added the final ounce of guilt and sunk him to his knees. He could feel his entire body quivering. "What happened to Jack?"
Pushing the ice off his feet, Nicol swung his legs around to the floor and stood, putting his arms around the chain at his neck. "See this?"
Ralph looked up to see Jack's golden cross hanging around Nicol's neck. "What does that mean? Is he..."
"Follow me and we'll see."
Holding the sides of his head, Ralph tried to keep himself composed. There were too many possibilities. Jack could be dead, he could be dying, or he could be wishing to see Ralph again. "Why couldn't I have come here earlier? I was unsure, but…I knew he was sick, I knew it."
"You're here now," Sage whispered, helping the shaking boy to his feet. As they reached the stairs, Nicol looked up from his shoes. His face remained blank, but the rest of his body was jumping with energy. Ralph could barely put on his jacket without leaning against Sage's shoulder.
"I should have answered him before. I never answered him!" Seeing the open door, Ralph noticed the pelting rain and thought of Jack trudging through it for him. "What can I do…What can I…?"
A swift slap interrupted Ralph as Nicol grabbed his arm tightly, staring straight into his face. "You can shut up, follow me, and apologize later." Before another word could even reach Ralph's lips, he was jerked out the door and into the foggy night. Sage stood in the doorway, looking to one side before shutting the door.
Lightning crashed against the clouds, giving Ralph a glimpse at the growing distance between himself and Nicol. The familiar sound of heavy footsteps and panicked breathing made his mind race. The streaks of light were just like the fire that rained down upon the island. Ralph could feel his body sinking deep into the mud as his mind began dragging him back. "Don't you dare!"
He felt the tight clench of Nicol's hand again and let himself be pulled farther. "This is no time for you to start losing your mind. I thought you had something more important to go after! Just hang on to me." The thick accented voice shouted against the storm.
The town felt blurred together like a dream. Only the gleam of yellow houses lit the way towards their destination. In utter desperation, Ralph was clinging to Nicol's free arm, feeling it move back and forth every few moments to keep them balanced. It was like being in the center of a tornado. If Ralph didn't hold on, he knew his mind would take him back to the island. He could just give up and collapse into a dream, but the arm coaxing him was too strong. "There."
Ralph tried to ignore his own heavy breathing and simply fall back against the first thing his back could find. He slid down onto the concrete, resting against a hard wall. Nicol's hand shot out to stop Ralph's head from slamming against it. "You really are delicate. What's the matter with you?" He asked as he bent his long legs down beside Ralph.
"I'm just really tired. You told me so much at once. I don't even know where I'm going…I don't even feel awake anymore." Turning his head, Ralph noticed Nicol loading a small hand gun and putting it in his shirt. "Remind me again why I trust you. You probably work for the mob."
Nicol's other hand pressed a gun into Ralph's chest. He fumbled with it, unable to even wrap his mind around firing it. "I knew it, you are a mobster! You've used a gun before!" He whispered in a panic. Lightning struck again, and for a moment, the grey eyes that focused on Ralph were completely alive. Nicol's entire body was tensed and ready to move. Standing, he leaned over the tired blonde, dripping water between their faces.
"If I recall, you've used a few bad methods in your glory days. You seem to be lapsing in and out of your consciousness enough to recognize what you're going up against. If you walk into a fight without a weapon, you won't walk out of the fight. Haven't you studied your own wars?"
Looking up at the dark face hovering over him, Ralph found no answer. All he saw was an enigma. That thick accent sounded just like that of a war veteran, but this boy was barely a year older than Jack. It was the look in his eyes, so relaxed yet so wild, which made Ralph stay still. He wanted to speak, but every time he thought of something to say, he mistakenly thought of Roger. The insanity wasn't there, but the desire for violence and pain was begging to break out. Who is this guy, really?
Just as Ralph began to find his footing, a piercing scream came from inside the warehouse. In no time, he recognized the bloodthirsty tone. There was a demon in there, and it was Roger. Holding his gun tightly, the young boy seemed to be prepared for the battle he'd never gotten to face on his own. He was so focused, he hadn't even realized his hands were shaking uncontrollably.
"Think about your island," the deep voice beside him said as a rough hand draped over Ralph's, "Think about the people you should have killed and the people you wanted to kill. Never put a gun in your hand without carrying the intention of shooting someone. The person in there is on a completely different level. All you need are bullets. Just go for the heart and the head. Easy, right?"
"How can you call killing someone easy?"
Nicol stood, groaning and walking in a small circle. "You and Jack really are alike. I've never met such naïve people in my lifetime."
Ralph was now standing straight, watching Nicol. "What do you know? You barely even know who we are! We went through hell on that island! Jack's still pulling himself off of his past! Why do you think I'm here right now?"
Ralph intended to point at the willowy boy, but forgot the gun was in his hand. Nicol stopped, turning to him. At that moment, Ralph felt right. The power was back in his hands. The cold metal of the gun was soothing to his worn fingers. He suddenly felt able to stand up to his companion.
"I don't know why you're here and I really don't care. I just want to get Jack and be on my way. I'm not here for your little mob mentality or your interest in Roger. Even if you liked Jack, I would never care enough about you to let you see it through. I should just let you walk in there right now."
"Keep your voice down…"
"No! I'm getting this out now so I don't have to see you again. For five years, I've had people blaming me for things I never did. I've been hounded by press and I've lost just about all of my friends. I came home with nothing! My mother was afraid of me and my father was gone. I suffered for five years to get back into this world! I'm even here after all that Jack has done to me! And out of all of this, you're surprised I can't put a goddamn bullet through someone else's head. I'm sorry I don't have that northern European bravery that you do. I've been through war and I've been through hell and I'm tired of all of this! Don't even put us on the same level of understanding. You don't seem to care about anything at all! You're barely even human!"
Before the next clap of thunder could follow a burst of lightning, Ralph's head slammed into the concrete wall and his mouth was forced open by a cold, wet metal. His light eyes peered into the darkness and several more bolts of light revealed the looming body of Nicol. The grey in his eyes seemed to be growing darker as they narrowed, looking directly into Ralph's. His body was trapping Ralph against the wall; one arm hung just above his blonde hair and the other held the gun that was propping open Ralph's mouth.
"Listen. While you and your little school friends were going through your emotional crises, I was fighting to defend your country and mine. Who the hell were you fighting for? I put a bullet through too many men to count, but it was because I wanted to see my brother survive. I wanted my people to pick themselves up. I wanted the world to wake up. I know what it feels like to lose a father, but I doubt you can comprehend the thought of seeing one dying. Or killing someone close to you. I haven't been to your hell, but I crawled out of the one you're hearing about in all the history books. I know fear and I know the feeling of life flowing away, one drop of blood at a time. You've been home for five years. I don't even know what home looks like. Mob mentalities…The people I fear are my own government. You want to die? I take you to Russia and introduce you to the KGB. You go try to find my father's grave and call him brave, see what happens. So when you say I'm barely human…"
Ralph's eyes dropped to the long fingers pulling back the end of the gun. The click echoed down into his stomach. Here we go…He's gonna kill me…I'm gonna die.
"When you say I'm barely human, you make me want to prove to you how human I am. This northern European bravery you claim I have…I'll show you what it can do."
The rain seemed to stop falling around them and the noises all stopped. Was this really the person Jack had entrusted Ralph to? Every flash of lightning made him look more and more like Roger again. He could see the demons crawling around the grey eyes that held his gaze. Ralph shut his eyes as Nicol spoke again.
"You and Jack deserve each other. Between the two of you, you must be holding enough social disorders and anxieties for all of your old friends. The difference is he's begging and grasping for the forgiveness you think you already have. That island of yours was a paradise compared to what was going on in the world. Maybe it's time you faced that reality again."
Before Nicol could finish, another painful scream escaped the building. It rang against the metal and shook harder than the battling thunder. Ralph suddenly became aware of the rain again, shutting his eyes as he caught his breath. Unfazed, Nicol simply finished his statement. "The real world starts in there. It's your choice and your war to finish. What happens now depends on this very moment. Okay?"
Ralph finally closed his mouth, not making a sound. He could almost picture the gun to his head after the end of the dramatic speech, just like in the movies. Oh god… "Okay," he responded, waiting for the blast. Nothing.
Opening his eyes, all that Ralph saw was the empty alley they were hiding in and the door to the building. The only possible help he had was gone. Ralph could barely tell if their conversation was real or not, but he knew the door he was reaching for was. "It's my choice," he said to himself quietly, holding onto the handle as another moan flew into the night. Now or never. Gripping his gun and saying one final prayer, Ralph pushed the door open and ran inside.
The room was a damp field of handguns that had been thrown every which way. Heavy lights overhead left no stop untouched, revealing a large trail of water that had drained from a bed in the middle of the room. Ralph scanned the water slowly, moving behind an empty crate as the sobs in the room got louder. Trying to recall the last spy movie he saw, Ralph nervously wrapped his hands around his gun and began moving towards another crate.
He lengthened his back along the heavy wood and peered around the side to get a better view. The trail of liquid he had followed before now had a visible end. Ralph's hands went limp as his eyes focused in on red locks glistening with drops of water. Although the body was being held tightly by another, Ralph immediately recognized the milky skin and long fingers that belonged to Jack. All the pink in his cheeks and lips had vanished, enough to make his freckles seem to disappear. His hair, which usually had a slight wave in it, was completely straight and made him look more delicate.
After a long look, Ralph began to recognize the thin figure that caressed Jack's limp body so tightly. Roger... They hadn't met once since the trial five years ago, but Ralph immediately recognized him. His skin was still tan, and his arms and legs seemed to have grown like tree limbs. His hair, like Jack's, was longer and wavier, but Roger's was wild like a monster torn straight from a book. Though he couldn't see his face, Ralph could feel the anguish in Roger's pleas.
The room was silent for a moment and Roger tilted Jack's head upward, speaking softly. "What did you want me to do? I just wanted to end it. You said you would help and you promised you wouldn't abandon me. I really was trying to help you…I only wanted Ralph gone because of how much you seemed to be hurt. He wasn't with us in the institution…he didn't have to cheat and lie and steal to survive these past five years. But you…you still chose him over me."
Ralph shut his eyes again, trying to keep himself from breathing too loudly. He supported himself on the box again, hiding from view.
"How could you forgive him for all those times he hurt you? He was the one who sealed our fate five years ago in court. I was the one who saved you! If you were so upset about what I did to you, you should have told me. You were always so uncomfortable with me, but you kissed Ralph for ten minutes straight. How could you be so cruel when I cared about you too?"
Roger hid his face in Jack's chest and began crying again. Ralph looked down at the gun between his legs and shook his head. How can I kill him if I feel sorry for him? Grabbing his cross, Ralph shut his eyes for a moment and remembered Nicol's words again. It's your choice. Why couldn't this be simpler? Roger was supposed to be the enemy and Ralph was supposed to become the hero, but now it seemed like Ralph had hurt more people than anyone.
Picking up his gun, he stood and walked towards Roger. Immediately, his presence was detected, as Roger looked up quickly. His eyes were burning red and barely visible under his dark hair. How am I supposed to say anything? Ralph stopped in the puddle and kneeled down in front of Roger, trying to remain calm as Jack's limp body was closer to his own. "Roger, what did you do?"
"Nothing! We were just talking and…he collapsed. I tried to save him, but there was no time. His pulse was gone in a few minutes." Ralph tried to reach out for them, but Roger held Jack tighter and prepared to move away. "What are you even doing here Ralph?" He asked in a weary voice.
"I'm here to help like I should have before. If I'd have known what you were going through, I would have from the very beginning. We haven't seen each other in over five years so there's no way either of us could have known anything about the other. I've heard things about you, but now I know they aren't true. So please, let me have Jack and we can go get you some help."
Roger must have been affected, as he gently laid Jack on the ground away from the puddle and looked back at Ralph who quietly reached out his hand and smiled. "Let's go get some help," Ralph said, sighing in relief. "Maybe you and Jack really do belong together," Roger whispered, squeezing Ralph's hand as they stood. He said something else in a lower voice, but Ralph couldn't make it out as they were carefully walking past the guns. "What Roger?"
The pressure on his hand was growing painful and Ralph turned back to look into two demonic eyes. "I said that I've never met such naïve people in my lifetime." Before he could react, Roger's long leg was in the air. It flew into Ralph's arm, crushing it against one of the metal poles in the room. There was barely enough time to feel the sharp pain surging through his arm before Roger had spun around and knocked Ralph into the sea of guns on the floor.
He dove for the nearest gun with his able arm, pointing it as Roger approached. "I'm not afraid to kill you!"
"The fact that you haven't already shot me shows that you are. Your right arm is basically useless and your only chance at winning a fight against me is a weapon." Roger smiled deviously as he continued walking slowly towards Ralph, his boots knocking other guns to the side.
Ralph attempted to pull the trigger, but his finger hesitated. He knew there was no way he could kill Roger, no matter how much he despised him.
"Come on Ralph, you've seen it done before," Roger spoke as he kneeled in front of him. "Do it just like that officer did on the island. Right here." Ralph shivered as Roger moved the arm with the gun to point at Roger's heart. "Right here."
For a moment, Ralph could only see the image of Roger's blood floating in mid air as his body hit the ground on the island. There was barely any time to react before the bullet knocked him out. Ralph had looked on in horror and even felt sympathy. Roger was a monster, but he was still a boy.
"You're right, I can't kill you," he murmured, dropping the gun. "But I know I can fight you."
"You fight me? You're serious?! Sure, you have boxing, but come on Ralph. Do you know how many countries I've traveled to and the number of bases I've been on? It wouldn't even be fair. You're willing to try thou…"
As soon as the invitation was accepted, Ralph connected a left hook to Roger's face. The skin was surprisingly soft, but freezing on contact. Already enjoying himself, Roger laughed and caught himself with his left hand, flipping backwards. No way. A few drops of blood hit the floor and Roger immediately charged forward, spinning around as he had before.
Remembering the attack, Ralph ducked slightly and brought his arm up to block the kick. The impact alone was enough to bruise the skin. "The same trick won't work on me twice Roger! You'll have to do better!" Ralph shouted with a new confidence. Roger's hair had flown over his face, but his sharp grin was still visible. "I know," he said slyly.
The next thing Ralph knew, Roger's other leg had flown into the air and locked around his arm. He momentarily let go as his body flipped forwards, and his long tree like limbs wrapped around Ralph's neck. Ralph got another brief glimpse of Roger's fangs before Roger rolled his body onto the ground and propelled Ralph forward with the sheer strength of his legs.
Ralph could hear a ringing in his ears as he landed cheek first against the concrete. The entire room seemed to shift and roll his body around. The idea of such an easy defeat was embarrassing even now, but Ralph had always relied on just the force of his arms while Roger seemed capable of using his entire body as one functioning weapon. The pair of heavy boots was closing in and Ralph could see his own blood decorating their ends.
"Honestly," Roger began as he pulled Ralph to his feet, "I thought you would put up much more of a fight."
"I never said I was finished."
Ralph broke the grasp of Roger's hands and quickly began analyzing anything he knew about Roger's body. He was tall and thin, but seemed to have amazing muscle strength and flexibility. No good there. His teeth looked extremely sharp and his eyes were equally dangerous. Still nothing.
He put his arms up just before another swift kick would have connected with his face. Come on…think. Ralph ducked as Roger doubled his step and swung his other foot around. His fists began lunging forward, slowly attempting to weaken the left arm and completely destroy the right. Ignoring the constant pain, an idea came to Ralph. The same chilling image he'd recalled before played into his head, this time purposefully.
Roger had been shot through the chest, right into his heart! Even if the wound had healed, the area must still have some sort of weakness. Interrupting Roger's barrage, Ralph pushed out his arms and weaved in a few punches. He ignored the agony in his right arm and continued to watch Roger as he aimed for his body. The tall boy had a lot of body to cover, but his arms always remained close to the left side of his body, especially near the chest. I knew it!
Quickly devising a plan, Ralph pretended to be thrown off by a push. Roger used the space between them to gain enough momentum to lift both feet in the air and kick towards Ralph. I've got you now Roger. Leaning his body back, Ralph waited until Roger's legs were above his body. He then gripped them with his arms as tightly as he could and used their weight to push in the opposite direction and slam Roger onto his back.
He immediately ground his knees into the tan arms that had spread out on the floor. Before Roger could pull his body in, Ralph brought his hands together and hammered them down on the spot above Roger's heart. Letting out a cry, Roger's back arched and then collapsed into the ground. "T…Thank god," Ralph found himself saying aloud, dragging his fists up and jumping back from the stunned body. Knowing he only had a small amount of time, Ralph began limping towards Jack's body.
After walking a few meters away from Roger, Ralph could hear a hissing sound. He stopped, rubbing his stinging face. "My ears are still ringing?" Suddenly, Roger's body was sliding between Ralph's legs. As soon as he stopped, Roger bent his elbows and lifted his strong body into the air. The last thing Ralph saw before he hit the ground was the curving design on Roger's boot.
Once his prey was on his back again, Roger lunged forward and landed on his hands and knees, bringing his face close enough so Ralph could feel the spiraling curls above him. "When you play a dangerous game, you should always be at least one hundred steps in front of your enemy. You think my old bullet wound is my weak spot? Ridiculous!"
One of Roger's hands moved back as he leaned even closer, looking into the pool of light within Ralph's eyes. "When I play with toys, I run them around first and see just how much damage they can take. What's the point of killing someone without torturing them first, right?"
Ralph refused to answer and attempted to lift his chin, but Roger's other hand wrapped around it. "Don't look away. I want to see the fear and pain in your eyes when I kill you. I want to watch you search for God as your life drains away."
Suddenly, Ralph heard his clothes tearing and a strange movement began near his chest. He looked at Roger in confusion as the lean figure stood up, revealing a triangular shaped knife dripping with red. "Wh…what?"
Ralph moved his strong hand towards the outside of his jacket. As he lifted it towards the light, he realized the same color was on his hand. "I know, I could have shot you," Roger began as he threw the knife aside and grinned at Ralph, "but I think this is much more fitting for someone like you."
At the sight of blood, Ralph's body immediately began panicking. He couldn't even feel the wound, but his entire body was trembling at the thought of death. As Roger waited, Ralph tilted his head up, trying to hold back tears. I don't…understand…Numbness seemed to be setting in and Ralph almost hoped for pain. At least then he would know he was dying.
A rope hanging from the ceiling had caught his eye and he watched it in an attempt to ignore Roger. It swayed back and forth like a dancing snake. Maybe it was from God, calling Ralph to escape the cruel world he lay in. I failed…Suddenly, a black figure began shifting down the rope. There was a silver shine that inched closer and closer. His eyes were watering, but it seemed too clear to be a vision. The figure moved down faster, but was silent. Roger hadn't seemed to notice it, but Ralph soon discovered his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. N…Nicol?!
Ralph though Nicol had abandoned him after their argument, but the mysterious boy was sliding down the rope cradling a gun. It was hard not to stare, but Ralph knew Roger would discover him soon. As soon as their eyes seemed to meet, Nicol signaled Ralph. He pointed towards Roger and then motioned with his hand. Although he was unsure, Ralph tried to use the only part of his body that still functioned, his mouth.
"Roger, can I ask you one thing…before I go?"
Still proud of his victory, Roger nodded and smiled.
"Did Jack ever tell you he loved you?"
Ralph shut his dreary eyes for a second, but knew the reaction. He may not have been able to physically harm his heart, but Roger's emotions were as vulnerable as anyone's.
"Of course not," Roger responded, trying to sound unbothered, "Our relationship didn't call for such stupid things. I'm surprised you'd be thinking about this considering you're just about dead."
Ralph glanced back to Nicol, whose legs were close to touching the ground.
"Yeah, sorry. I guess I was just asking because I keep thinking about all the things he said to me before he left. It seemed like every time we spoke, he would say something like that. I never even asked for it, he just did it."
Roger's attention was fixated on Ralph as he continued. "Even the way he touched me seemed to say it. He reassured me that even if no one else in this world cared for me, he did. Honestly…"
Nicol's right foot was touching the ground. "What?" Roger demanded as Ralph trailed off for a moment.
"Honestly, I wonder how you'll move on. You got your revenge on me, but Jack's not even here to see it. Once we're gone, who in this world will care that you exist? I know people will be crying for me and that Jack's waiting for me in a better place, but what are you left with?"
Both of Nicol's feet were on planted on the floor. Ralph put his hands against his bloody jacket and sighed contently. He couldn't tell if he was acting or being serious, but he'd never felt more willing to express himself.
"We're not on the island anymore, but we're still fighting for something. Jack fought to be with me and I fought to free him from you. But you Roger, you don't even know what you're fighting for. One day, you'll wake up and find yourself completely alone and misunderstood."
Roger's eyes were hidden in his hair, but his nails dug so deep into his hands that blood began dripping down. Pausing, Ralph noticed that Nicol was leaning on the rope, listening with a solemn expression. Ralph widened his eyes, begging for him to hurry. Nodding, Nicol silently shifted towards Roger as Ralph finished his statement.
"You won the battle, but we won the war. I pray to God that you never find happiness."
Just before Nicol's arm came down, Ralph got a glimpse of the first hurt expression Roger had ever shown to him. The red in his eyes disappeared. They were simply black and soulless. Bye.
The beast fell as soon as Nicol's gun struck the back of his head. Ralph let out a breath, smiling gratefully as Nicol approached.
"You made it just in time."
"I always do," Nicol responded, unbuttoning Ralph's coat.
"Don't bother. I can't feel anything anyway. I think it's over. Jack's gone anyway, so what's the point…?"
To Ralph's surprise, Nicol laughed and pulled open the jacket. Reaching into one of the pockets, he pulled out the two books that Ralph had received from Jack.
"What are you doing?"
Nicol turned them towards Ralph, revealing a hole that the knife had made.
"You're a great actor Ralph. If I hadn't have known, I would have thought you'd be dead for real."
Stunned, Ralph watched as Nicol opened the hardcover of the small bible. Pulling back a thick covering, he revealed a bag of red substance. "It may not be able to block a bullet, but a thick little book like this could definitely absorb a knife wound. It barely even reached your other book, but you still get a friction that your little friend over here may have believed was your muscle tearing apart. Luckily, he used a wider blade that wasn't as long, and he cut right through the bag so the knife looked like it was covered in your blood."
"Then how come I can't feel anything?"
"This place is freezing, what do you expect? You're rolling around on a wet floor and getting thrown into concrete. Your body was probably already in shock from that arm of yours, but it just made you all the more believable."
Nicol pulled Ralph to his feet and helped him put his coat back on, looking down at Roger. "He'll be out for awhile, but I'd rather not wait for him to wake up."
They both looked a little farther to the other body that still lay motionless. "Is he really…?"
Following Nicol to the body, Ralph anxiously watched as the boy put his hand on Jack's wrist.
"There's nothing."
Nicol stepped back as Ralph kneeled and tightly embraced Jack's body. He was still so handsome, but seemed like nothing more than a shell. "I'm so sorry I didn't make it in time. Please Jack…" Even though wishing and praying was pointless, Ralph still pleaded with the rest of his strength for more time.
"We have to go," Nicol reminded softly, bending down to lift up Jack. Ralph put a hand out, struggling to his feet. "I…I'll carry him."
Sighing, Nicol moved out of the way as Ralph stumbled towards the door, gently holding Jack's long body in his arms. He still felt numb and barely noticed the rush of wind and water that welcomed him outside. "We only have a block to go. Sage will meet us and get us back from there," Nicol said, walking behind Ralph to make sure he didn't fall. Hang on. I promise it's not over yet…
All he did was walk. He didn't count the steps he took or look anywhere else but the pale face resting against his chest. The only reason Ralph stopped to get into the car was because Nicol's hand gently guided him there. Sage and Nicol spoke to each other quietly as the car moved, but everything was drowned out. The rest of the way, Ralph nestled Jack in his arms, silently repeating to himself. I care…I love you…so please…come back…
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Author's Note: This chapter turned out a lot longer than I thought it would. It almost sounds like an ending, but I assure you, it's not! This chapter kind of puts everything into perspective for the future. I think I used Ralph a little better in this chapter, and I'm always happy to write using Roger and Nicol. Hopefully you'll await the next chapter that opens up to the actual plans and in depth relationships and hopefully I'll find the time to write more!