Jack watched as Franklin's sleeping body writhed underneath the fingertips of the monster. Jack wanted to yell, but he couldn't, he didn't want to wake anyone else up. Jack reached a futile hand out towards Franklin, then he remembered that he could walk. How had that escaped my mind.
Jack stood up quickly and fast walked over to Franklin and placed a cool hand upon his shaking shoulder. Franklin woke abruptly at Jack's touch and swung out his hand in a fist. Moving too fast for Jack's reflexes, Franklin's clenched hand clocked Jack square in the jaw.
"Ah-ow!" Jack shouted, stirring the other residence almost out of their sleep. Jack turned back to Franklin and saw he looked scared and sorry. Jack put his hands on Franklin's shoulder's, "Franklin, its alright, I'm here."
The look on Franklin's face told Jack enough, it had a complex mixture of happiness and fear.
Franklin Jumped from his chair and wrapped his arm's around Jack's neck, "Jack! You're awake!" a laugh accompanied his words.
Jack laughed with Franklin, "I am!"
Jack spun Franklin around once and set him back on his feet. Jack glanced behind Franklin, and saw the beast still floating there inside the wall. Jack moved so he was closer to wall, putting himself between Franklin and the creature. Jack smiled, hoping to alleviate Franklin's curiosity of why he was moved, failing as he saw Franklin's eye's turn into shock as they noticeably stared past Jack.
Jack sighed, "You still see them?" guilt played across his face.
Franklin's eyes stayed trained beyond Jack, "Yes."
His answer was short, but the fear it held spoke volumes. Franklin hadn't seen them since Jack had left them. One doesn't forget something of that magnitude.
Jack led Franklin over to his bed, away from the distracting monstrosity waiting for either of them to get close enough.
They sat on the edge of the bed, both their eyes focusing on the beast with its arms out stretched reaching for them.
Jack was the first to speak, "You know…when I was growing up, before I met you guys, my friends could see them too."
Franklin hummed before responding, "Really? Why?"
Jack shrugged, "I'm not sure, but one day, they didn't anymore. They acted like they had forgotten all about them."
Franklin was silent for a moment, "Do you think one day they'll disappear for me too?"
Jack smiled at his slightly hopeful tone, "Hard to tell. They did mark you didn't they?"
Franklin shook his head, "No, don't you remember what happened?"
Jack's expression turned to confusion and he shifted uncomfortably, "No, when?"
"They day of the accident, a few days before you disappeared without telling us?" Franklin turned his attention away from the beast to Jack.
Jack hesitated, "…No…"
Franklin cleared his throat, "Well, I remember. I can't forget the day you saved my life."
*Approximately 5 Years Prior*
Jack had been told to go run errands for his mother, Tyler, Vivian and, Franklin volunteered to go with Jack. Jack had let Franklin sit the front seat since his mother wasn't going to be in the car to have objections.
Several minutes into the drive, Jack had lost control of the vehicle, not by his own doing though. Franklin had seen what had happened; one of the Black creatures that was always around Jack shoved itself through Jack's body, taking hold of the steering wheel. Jack's face had twisted into overwhelming pain as the car swerved into the opposing lane right as a speeding SUV was closing in.
Jack focused as best he could to regain control of the small car. His eyes met demonic pupils of an atrocity practically shoving the SUV as it controlled the driver.
Sudden clarity washed into Jack's head like waves of a hurricane crashing into a cliff side. He knew Franklin wasn't going to survive such an accident. Jack let go of the steering wheel, and to the best of his ability given the short time frame he had to work with, undid his seat belt and flung his torso in front of Franklin's, hugging his lithe frame just as the small car smashed into the SUV. Jack felt finger's stab into his back he was thrown into the shatter resistant windshield and saving Franklin from the powerful blow of the airbag and collision. Jack's light body looked twisted and broken as it rested into Franklin's lap. Franklin saw the finger's of an ethereal hand sticking out from Jack's back before he fell unconscious from shock.
*Present*
"And then I remember waking up in the hospital several days later, you were gone, and Tyler was dead." Franklin's tone had gotten sad.
"Hmmm…" Jack was silent for a bit, trying to remember, "I really don't remember that. I remember waking in a bed next to you several hours later. I stayed for Tyler's wake two days later while you were still in the hospital, then I left."
"Five years." Franklin muttered.
"What was?" Jack asked, genuinely curious.
"You left for five years. And we come all the way to this city, to find you in a hospital. They said you were in a coma." Franklin's tone kept getting more serious and sad.
"Oh." is all Jack said, unsure of how to respond knowing what the next thing Franklin was going to was.
"Why? Why did you leave us?!" Franklin was shouting at Jack now, tears started to pool in his eyes,
Jack sighed, "I couldn't risk your lives any longer. You've seen how hard those things," Jack pointed at the monster that was now sitting in a chair, listening to the conversation, "have tried to harm every last one of you. It succeeded once! I think that's way more than enough! I didn't want it to happen again!" Jack was shouting now also.
Both Jack and Franklin were unaware of their family members watching and listening to them yell at one another.
"You don't get to decide things like that! We needed you! And then you were gone! You left us!"
Jack was taken aback at Franklin's true words. He had no idea how to respond this time. He knew any words he tried to get out would be countered with words that rung true. Jack just sat there, staring at Franklin's hurt expression. Jack heard someone clear their throat. He looked around the room, his mouth slightly agape from seeing everyone awake.
Jack smiled weakly, "Hi, everybody." His voice was soft, but could be clearly heard throughout the room.
Suddenly the room door burst open like a tornado, a tall, handsome Australian was standing there surprised to see all the people, but happy Jack was okay enough to be awake. He stepped in awkwardly and closed the door. He looked around the room, almost all eyes were on him, save for the ones he wanted to be, Jack's.
Jack spoke nonchalantly and waved a hand lazily, "Everyone this is Aster." The room was silent so Jack spoke up again, "Well, everyone introduce yourselves to my boyfriend, Aster." Jack turned his back to Aster and curled up onto the bed. Why did he have to show up now of all times of days.
Hi! Hope you enjoy the update! I like this 'not telling when I'm gonna update' it makes life simple. and then it also makes me not a liar! OKay, well, PLEASE REVIEW. Think of it like a motivational bowl of sugar. Your reviews feed my motivation to write. THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAD REVIEW/FOLLOWED/FAVORITED. I appreciate your existence! that's right, your existence brings joy to my own..You should feel pretty damn great, cause I'm pretty damn great myself, so its like..awesome and stuff, cause we're both awesome..Okay, Its late and my mind isn't particularly working at its best to form super deep meaningful sentences..
Again! I hope You Enjoyed This Update! Have a Great Whatever time it is where You Are when You read This!