Walking up the steps, Kevin's face set in a neutral glare, knowing through touch alone that his friend's face was blank, yet expressed the pain, fear, and self-doubt he was feeling. Some birthday. Kevin remembers his birthdays on Illusia; so warm and happy with family. Even the ones on Earth, though only consisting of himself and Ben(with messages from home), were by far greater memories than this day ever will be in comparison.
Things would be best if it were just the two of them. No harpies, no attention-seeking girls, no angry grown men and the cowardly women who keep them. And that would be his plan; just the two of them in a world of their choosing. No evil word(faggot)or pretty girls to stop Ben from being who he is: himself.
Moving down the hall he opened the door and led Ben towards his bed. With a gentle shove from Kevin, Ben landed-butt first-on the bed where he crawled into the fetal position, face emotionless yet body shaking.
"Relax," Kevin said, running a gentle hand from shoulder to abdomen and back again. "Relaxssss."
Ben's tense, quivering body quickly ceased and the boy let out a sigh, his eyes closing. Using his power of persuasion, Kevin got Ben to sleep. He placed his hand on his friend's head and concentrated.
Kevin found himself surrounded in thick fog. Looking around he found nothing but the vaporous substance before him, sighing, he prepared to go back when he heard crying. Not just anyone crying; Ben crying.
"Ben!" Kevin shouted, hoping his voice would carry. "Ben, where are you?"
Only crying was returned. Determined, Kevin concentrated on the crying and ran in that direction. As the crying came closer the scenery changed into a lush garden of immeasurable length and noticed a change in himself. Spartan Armor he wore with large black, bat wings. It reminded him of something; but what he could not remember.
Many people walked among the garden working heartily to it, their bodies exposed, unashamed, yet mercifully, they were blurry to his eyes. Walking along, seemingly unnoticed, until he came across a young boy, his crying the only other odd thing happening in paradise as well as his form of clothes-a pair of underwear made of weeds.
"Young one," Kevin spoke, voice like silk. "Why do you cry?"
"Paradise is lost to me." Ben wailed. "Though I be a part of it, I do not find happiness!"
"Why?"
"A heavenly voice called out to me and spoke that mistake hath brought me here and that of bliss the others share, I shall find not here. Though the folly be not mine, I am to be punished! Oh God, who gives Man paradise, why have you forsaken me so?"
Kevin took slight pity on him. How strange that he find amongst His chosen favorites a shunned lamb who had done nothing wrong. As with he and his unholy host, so too did this child lose all that was to be granted to him. His resolve solidifying. Was it not his mission to lead Man to his side, therefore taking his revenge on their Maker, upsetting Him beyond all remorse. It would be simple, lead the boy to his side and from there dissuade the others until neither sang hymns to Heaven's Monarch. But a sniffle escaped from the boy.
No, he would not partake in their campaign. Mammon and Belial were right. They should remain there, ruling as they dreamed, away from Heaven's King, working ease from the pain and to not anger their Creator by tricking Mankind, least worse things await him upon his return.
Placing out a pale hand. "Come with me then, young one. Come and we shall find our own paradise. A paradise made for those who are not meant for this one or any other."
"Where be such a place?" The boy asked, eyes red yet clearing away tears.
"In truth, it's not a pleasant place as this. But perhaps I was right before; that a place can be whatever a person chooses. Either way, it should be a place where you may find true happiness-for how much worse can it be than to have these blessings before you, yet denied-and from where the sins of others are not placed upon anyone but the sinner. Absolving you of any blemish that mars your beautiful form."
With shaky hand, Ben grasps onto Kevin's arm and realization floods their senses. He stares in awe at Kevin before turning to confusion-he asks: "Kevin, why do you have black wings and look like those pictures from that epic poem you read to me when I was nine and you went on that poetry kick?"
"Why are you wearing underwear made of weeds?" Came the deadpanned response. He did not wish to divulge that his thoughts before slipping into his friend's mind were mirrored in their shared dream.
Looking upon himself, Ben blushed and the scenery went back to being shrouded in fog, their attire reverting back to what they wore in the waking world.
"You're dreaming, Ben." Kevin said, smirking at Ben's wide-eyed stare. "And yeah, it's me. I'm developing early, it seems. But enough about that…Where would you like to go?"
"The carnival where we first met." Ben blurted out, blushing upon doing so.
Kevin smiled. "Okay then, Benji; one carnival it is."
Music filled the air along with screams from the roller coaster and the smell of sticky buns pervaded Ben's nose. Focusing his eyes, one was in his hands. Some cotton candy was waved in front of his face before being popped into Kevin's waiting mouth.
Smiling, the Illuscien ate more of the cottony treat; watching Ben take in all the sites that he gathered from their memories, sticky bun forgotten in his hand.
"What do you wanna do first?" Kevin asked.
Ben pointed towards the rollercoaster and with an exclamation of 'That!' both boys ran off towards the really short line. The sound of laughter covered up all else for a long time.
Kevin's smile diminished when he felt that he had little time left before Ben's alarm woke him up. Sighing, he took the boy to their fishing spot on his home world.
"What are we doing here?" Ben asked, noticing that they were standing on the water this time instead of in a boat with their fishing poles. Kevin looked at the expectant look in his friend's eyes, hoping to clear up the confusion.
Kevin sighed. Taking a deep breath, he spoke the hardest words he ever had to say: "I'm so sorry for all I've done to you, Ben."
Kevin waved a hand, signaling for Ben to stay quiet for now, his black eyes facing the water. "It's because of me that you're treated poorly at home, school, life in general. Because, to a world thriving in a little bubble, there needs to be a sense of normal in order for peace to be restored. I hate these rules that they placed upon me; maybe then it'd be okay."
"Kevin…"
"I'm leaving a year early, Ben." Kevin said staring at his friend. "When you wake up I'll be on my way to Illusia, where I will report back to my leaders about my particular findings and about you."
"You can't!" His cry echoing through the too quiet scenery.
"Ben, I must…"
"You can't!" Ben's eyes began to water. "You can't leave me! You're my only friend, Kevin. What am I to do when things get bad or I feel lonely? I'll be alone."
"I know Ben," Pain was evident in both their eyes. "But it was going to happen a year from now, anyway. At least this way you'll get a head start in trying to fix things on your own. I…"
"I'm going with you." Ben stated, crossing his arms.
"Ben, you…"
"I'm going with you!"
"Ben!" Kevin shouted. "If I take you they'll just order me to take you back!" His face softened. "I know you'll do fine on your own, Benji. You're a tough kid."
"Will you visit me at least?"
Kevin was taken aback. Sighing, he responded the only way he could. "I'll try, Ben."
"Promise me." Came the demand.
"I promise I'll try, Ben." Kevin said, tears falling down his eyes, too.
Ben didn't notice Kevin coming closer until the Illuscien had his arms wrapped around him. Gasping, Ben quickly held onto Kevin, hoping that by doing so, he could get Kevin to stay.
"I'll miss you, Benji." Kevin said into his brown locks. His voice so soft that only Ben could hear it.
The brunet did not respond vocally. He grasped onto Kevin tighter and sobbed into his black tank top. They stayed like that until the annoying sound of Ben's alarm clock penetrated their silence.
Shooting up, Ben cried out 'Kevin!', turning his head rapidly around the room. Finding only himself and noticing the alarm still blaring he picked it up and flung it against the farthest wall, barely satisfied when he saw it break into pieces.
As if the universe was against him, Ben's father burst through the door. His eyes finding the broken alarm clock and then his shivering son. Stomping into the room he grabbed Ben by the ear, pulling hard.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Carl screamed, veins bulging, ready to erupt. "Huh? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE THROWN AWAY BY DOING THAT?"
"Oww!" Ben cried. "I'm sorry, dad! I'm sorry!"
"Yeah, well if you're sorry you'll get rid of your imaginary friend! Apologize to that girl and date her!"
"Kevin left this morning!" Ben screamed in pain, tears coating his red cheeks in crystal streaks. "Never coming back!"
"About damn time, Ben." Carl snarled. "But you still have to be punished for breaking your alarm clock."
Horror flooded his mind as he was strewn across his father's lap. Smack! Rough hand meets tender bottom for umpteenth time. Smack! Again and again they are acquainted until Carl stops, pushes his son off him, and mumbles: "Hurry up or you'll be late."
'He wouldn't be late if you weren't such a jerk.' Kevin's voice rang through his mind. But Ben knew it wasn't Kevin actually talking, but himself. They knew each other so well.
And their separation hit him like a boulder. 'So this is how it feels…' He thought. 'To lose your best friend.' Horrible and scared and a plethora of other emotions-the norm-but they weren't going away like they normally do. 'Cause the one who chased all that away was gone.
Getting ready for school, Ben dreaded what he had to do. Julie, the only girl to ask him out, the only girl to talk to him besides Gwen, the girl he turned down a night ago…And he was gonna grovel to her. All in the name of an annoying machine that he needed in order to wake up; his parents not inclined to wake him up themselves.
Tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He lost Kevin(who promised to try to visit-which wasn't a definite answer), he got beaten, and was now being bribed into doing something deep in his gut he knew he did not want.
'A man never cries, Ben.' His father said, back when he started to get drunk. 'And he does certain things that, deep down, he knows he'll regret. That's what it's like being a man.'
Wiping his eyes and nose on his sleeve, Ben straightened up and a determined look spread on his eleven year old face. He could do this. He could be a man if it meant no more pain.
Even though what he really wanted was to be with his best friend.