Yay! I really love writing this, however short it may be. I think there's only gonna be two or three more chapters. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. I'll get back on top of my other projects soon, this is just something to occupy my mind with its latest serious, depression phase. I promise, EPT is still going to be released this week. In fact, it's nearly finished. I just need to add some finishing touches. Please be content with this though, for the moment! LUVS AND CUDDLES~

-Kat

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Chapter Three: Smile

"I've been watching you for quite a while now." Ralph admitted, "You are balancing you're priorities better…"

I continued to stare at the sky. We were at the beach again; I always knew Ralph would be there if I dreamt of the beach. Although, for some reason, it was never daytime here. In the forest, there was at least an illusion of sun; chirping birds and warm air told me that somewhere, somewhere deep in the jungle beyond those trees and their tangling branches, day existed. But here…it was always cold. Cold and dark, and night. Ralph says it's not his fault, he can't do anything to control it.

Only I can.

"Of course I'm better," I scoffed. It's only because I knew I'd be able to see him sooner if I listened. I'd never tell him that though. Then, he might not ever let me come back.

"So," Ralph sighed, "Time for the next lesson."

"Are you going to teach me?" I asked hopefully.

"No." He smiled, "It's someone else's turn. My turn is later."

I turned my head a bit and frowned, slowly blinking. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself overtaken with surprise.

"AAAH!" I screamed, scrambling backwards. Two large, grey eyes happily met mine.

"It's time to turn that frown upside-down!" His voice sang. The boy danced farther away from me, yet stayed within the confines of my new place. I was in the meadow again.

"Wha-What? Maurice?" I squeaked, "Ah-What the hell?"

Maurice wagged a finger at me and started to scale a nearby tree. He disappeared into the leaves and branches above. I stood up.

"Get out of there, you crazy bastard!" I shouted, standing up quickly and jumping, trying for the leaves above, "I just got here, you can't leave yet!" An angry growl worked its way out of my throat. Leaves rustled and branches bowed overhead, but still there was no sign of Maurice. I huffed and put my hands on my hips. "Fuck-ACK!"

Suddenly, something sharply jabbed my shoulder. I spun around and lashed out blindly at my assailant. As to be expected, it was Maurice, hanging by his knees on an overhanging limb, gently swinging back and forth, and grinning like a lunatic. His curly brown hair stuck up in all directions, donning some twigs from his expedition into the canopy. "Boo." He laughed. I scowled.

"That's not funny." I whined.

"Yeah, it kinda is." He flipped down, out of the tree. Without a pause, he continued, "Hey, you wanna hear a funny joke?"

"No."

"Knock knock." Maurice said anyway.

I groaned, "Who's there?"

"Maurice."

"Maurice who?"

"Maurice, that's who!" He rolled onto the ground and stopped mid-summersault, peering at me upside-down through his legs. He was still laughing and smiling. My lips pricked up just a bit.

"Did you know," He added, "That if you put your headphones into your nose and open your mouth, you can be a speaker?"

I fell down purposely and chuckled, "No way, really?!"

"Yes way!" He shot back, sitting upright beside me. "Try it for me sometime, Ok?"

"Definitely man!" He held out his fist and I returned the offer, giving him a fist-bump. We used to do this all the time. Actually, right before the hunt, before we set out that last day, he had done the same thing. It was my last memory of Maurice; the last thing we had done together. Fist-bump.

He closed his eyes and smiled even wider, getting a little shimmery at the edges. For those last few moments, those precious fleeting seconds, we sat there and talked. He told me about all the things I already knew.

"Remember that time in Faversham? Roger stole Robert's clothes right out of the kid's suitcase and poor Rob ran around the hotel completely naked!"

"Yeah." I answered solemnly, putting all my effort into my smile. If it really was Maurice…I wanted him to remember me with a smile. "That was hilarious."

"Oh! And that one concert, the one in London! I kept screaming my notes instead of singing them! The look on the queen's face…Priceless."

"I'd completely forgotten!" I laughed, "The school was so pissed!"

"'You sounded like banshees!'" Maurice mocked their choir teacher, Mrs. Moore, in a stuffy voice, "'I don't know what's worse! The fact that you sound like banshees, or the fact that Banshees are Scottish! Those filthy scots!'"

I couldn't stop laughing, but nor the crying. I briefly wished my body would decide which emotion to show. "She still hates the scots!" I exclaimed weakly. Already, I realized that the crazy bastard was leaving me. His job was done…

"She'll always hate the scots!" His voice seemed farther off somehow, more distant. He was fading.

"Maurice." I called.

"Jack, make sure to empty out my desk at school for me, would ya'?"

"Maurice."

"I think my lunch from last year is still in there! Haha!"

"Maurice."

"Oh, and tell me how that headphone thing goes-"

"Maurice?" I asked quietly. Only birds answered. I didn't even bother turning my head.

I already knew

Maurice was gone

His lesson…

…Smile.

It was my only memory of him.

Later, when I woke up, I unraveled my headphones quickly. I turned up the volume loud, my open mouth forming quickly into a grin. I was still laughing when my parents came in to shush me.

"Jack, Jack, it's three in the morning!" Mum whispered tiredly.

"Honey, he's gone off the edge!" Da said angrily. "Just leave him be, it'll wear off eventually."

"Ohh…" Mum fretted, "Jack, what's wrong?"

I clutched my sides. They hurt from laughing; it was a good hurt, one I hadn't felt in a while.

"Maurice…" I spluttered.

Mum and da were silent. How stupid I must of looked, in a laughter coma, headphones jammed up my nose, saying the names of dead children, and all so early in the morning…

"Maurice," I finally giggled, "Maurice, you crazy fucking bastard, you were right!"

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