Chapter 1
They rode in silence for awhile on the country road connecting Ellis' home to Savannah, Georgia. There wasn't much to talk about. After all, Keith just killed Ellis' Mom, albeit to save Ellis but, still. So, they sat there somewhat awkwardly, Keith occasionally glancing over at his friend who sat staring out the passenger side window.
"El, do you remember that time we was going hunting? I accidentally stepped in that bear trap, and you had to try and get my foot out of it without getting stuck yourself." Ellis turned to stare at Keith through somber blue eyes, a small smile curling up the edges of his lips.
"Took me like two hours, and then when we got ya to the doctor, they almost couldn't save your foot! Then, the best part was they put you in a pink cast because it was all they had left and you had broken the two bones in yer calf!" Ellis chuckled at the memory of his friend complaining that he looked like a girl. "I think that was why Jed and the others started wearin' pink for awhile when we'd hang out."
Keith grinned over at Ellis real quick before continuing to focus his eyes on the road. "Sure was."
And thus, the silence returned. But not quite as awkward before. It was a simple, nostalgic silence as the two remembered the good old times where they couldn't hang out without Keith getting hurt. A few snickers slipped from the two at certain memories, while they would both wince at others.
"Hey, Keith?" Ellis chose to speak this time, turning to look at his friend once more. The other looked up at him out the corner of his eye. "C-could we stop for a little while? I'm not sure I can to leave just yet."
Keith began to pull over next to a small patch of woods, smiling over at his friend. "'Course, El. We'll stop as long as ya need." He gently slipped a hand out to encase one of Ellis', giving it a gentle squeeze. "Just tell me when you're ready to leave; I'm gonna take a-"
"Would you mind staying up with me?" Ellis whimpered, looking rather pitifully at the other male.
"Gosh darn it, El! Don't make that face! I can never say no to that face!" Keith joked as he sat up straighter. He didn't mind as Ellis inched over so there was no space between them. His friend had just been attacked by his mom. "Hey, Ellis. Did ya ever fix up your wounds?"
Ellis simply nodded as he leaned his head on Keith's shoulder, fighting back tears. It startled Keith; he had only seen Ellis cry once before, when his Dad had died in that terrible car accident. They were only 13 and 15 then- Keith being two years older than his friend, and he had never wanted to see his friend like that again. The tears that flowed freely from those sad blue eyes as he grimaced and clung to Keith for what felt like an eternity were never supposed to return.
"It's okay, El. I'm here, and Liz and Jed got out alright. Everything'll be okay!" His voice was so falsely chipper it made him sick, so he could only imagine how Ellis felt about it.
"I know... It's just..." Ellis paused to try and calm himself for a moment. "Well-"
"It doesn't matter, 'Kay? We are together, and alive, ya hear? That's all dat matters right now. We'll worry about the rest latter." Keith paused before an idea dawned on him. "Do ya still have those fireworks in your ole' tool box in the bed?"
Ellis' eyes widened before he nodded and watched as his friend scampered out the old truck eagerly and snagged his toolbox from the back. He quickly realize where this was headed and laughed, all sadness forgotten. "Keith, now di'n't ya learn from last time that you and fireworks just don't mix?" He asked teasingly as he exited his old blue ford to stand on the grass a few feet from his excited friend.
"Ah, but El," Keith whined, a roman candle already clenched in his rough, scar littered hands. "Ya know I di'n't mean ta get blown up like that. It just sorta happened." He shrugged, shifting vigorously through the contents of the toolbox for something to light his possession off with. Ellis only chuckled as he entered the truck once more, opening the dash and pulling out a matchbook for his friend.
"If ya blow yerself up this time, I ain't helpin' ya." He chastised prematurely, smirking as he tossed the matches to a rather grateful looking Keith.
"What makes ya think I'll blow myself up again?" Keith asked, the statement making him sound slightly offended though he honestly did not care. He was too focused on lighting off the roman candle in his hands to take notice to much else. "Hey, El!" Keith called as an idea struck him. "Come light this off with me!" He smiled pleadingly at his younger friend, who couldn't help but smile back.
"Ya ready to let me show you how to really light off a firework?" Ellis questioned as he limped over to where Keith kneeled beside his toolbox in the grass.
"Nah, I just felt like sharin'." He grinned at the other hick, holding out a match and the selected firework. Keith could only pray that this really did help get Ellis' mind off of what all was going on. He hated to see a distraught, let alone sobbing, Ellis. It just wasn't right. Especially not when someone was as optimistic as the younger male typically was.
Ellis flicked the match across the strip on the matchbook, and wasted no time lighting the firework's fuse. He swiftly set it down and tugged Keith away to keep them both from getting injured once more. The two got about five feet away before it went off in a brilliant explosion of light and sound. The two laughed, a bright sound for such turbulent times that had come upon them in one fell swoop.
"Ha! Knew I wouldn't get blown up this time! Let's do that again!" Keith scrambled for the tool box after the explosion was finished, a child-like eagerness not only returning to him, but to Ellis as well as he followed his friend. "My turn!" Keith proclaimed aloud as he flicked his own match across the black strip. He marveled at the flame for a moment before connecting it to another fuse and heading for cover with Ellis.
"Keith!" Ellis squealed as he was tackled forcefully to the ground by the truck, laughing as his friend yelled, "Bomb!" jokingly as the firework went off. The two continued to laugh as the explosion continued, only stopping after a few explosion free moments.
Keith continued to just lie there on top of Ellis, even after a moment of awkward silence. Ellis thought for a while that Keith may have fallen asleep. But, he was quickly proven wrong as Keith spoke.
"Do ya think they're all in Heaven, waitin' for us?"
The question left Ellis dumbstruck. Could this be the end of the world he always heard about in church? But, then why would he still be here? He hadn't-
Oh God, he had sinned. Him and Keith had both sinned.
Ellis let out a weak sob, startling Keith slightly, "We can only hope so." He gently sat up, Keith getting off of him to sit beside him against the truck. The two lapsed back into silence, neither feeling the urge to break the other from their regretfullness. Slowly, Ellis' hand reached out for Keith's, fingers intertwining as the light slipped behind the horizon.
"I love yew, Ellis," Keith whispered, glancing over at his long time friend and awaiting a reply anxiously.
Ellis looked down at their hands, blushing. It wasn't the first time Keith had said that, but it felt different when not accompanied by the throws of ecstasy. "I-I love yew, too, Keith." He finally replied, looking up to find the other's face mere inches from his.
Keith smiled, leaning forward even more so that their noses touched, a blush coloring his young friend's cheeks a deep shade of crimson. He licked his lips tantalizingly, enjoying the anxious glint in the blue eyes he stared deeply into. He leaned forward more, and finally pressed their lips together, fighting off the urge to claim his friend then and there. It was simply not the time for sex.
But, making out was another topic entirely.