Beneath The Blackwood Sky | ✓

Chapter Two: Black & White

THE SAME BEANIE FROM A MONTH AGO.

Will was worried by the muffled screams. He strode out of his room and made his way downstairs, fumbling with the doorknob. The door opened with a loud creak and he flinched, hoping his dad or Jessica didn't wake up.

Shay's room was somehow darker than the rest of the house, and it took time for his eyes to adjust. His hands were stretched out in front of him so that he wouldn't bump into anything.

He blinked rapidly to get rid of his sleepiness. Shay was sobbing violently, hugging her knees to her chest. She didn't seem to notice Will's sudden presence and continued rocking herself back and forth. She was no longer screaming into her pillow but her shoulders shook with silent sobs.

Will knelt down by the edge of her bed, careful not to startle her with sudden sounds. He gently put a hand on her shoulder and Shay winced, "Dad?" She called out.

Will's heart broke. He swallowed the uneasiness as he said quietly, "No, it's me. Will."

"Of course, I knew it. But still, I had to try, hadn't I? Dad is gone, and h-he won't be back. G-gone forever." Shay stammered, partly due to the cold and mostly because of her sadness.

"Hey," He whispered soothingly, knowing it wouldn't help her. But he had to try. Shay peeked from the gap in her knees, her lower lip trembling slightly.

"Will," Shay said after taking a deep breath, shaking her nightmares away. "Was I screaming too loudly? Did mom or Nick wake up?"

"No, you don't need to worry about that. Dad's room is beside mine and I didn't hear him waking up. If Jessica woke up, she would've been here. Don't worry about them. Are you alright?" Will asked her gently.

Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as she nodded slowly, gulping. "I'm so sorry about that. You rarely sleep. I woke you up when you did get some sleep. I'm s-so sorry about that."

Will couldn't believe the girl in front of him. She was having trouble with nightmares and here she was, apologizing to him for waking him up. He sat on the edge of Shay's bed, hugging her tightly. Will rubbed her back soothingly as he told her that she had nothing to apologize for.

"T-this one was p-pretty bad," Shay stuttered and Will shut his eyes, hugging her more tightly, her head under his chin. He let go of her as she wiped the tears off her face, "I'm alright now. I'm sorry for troubling you," She said, her voice hoarse.

"No, you aren't—" Will started, but his voice trailed away when Shay snatched his beanie from his head. "Can I have this for today?" She asked with a small smile. "Of course," Will replied with a smile.

"Thank you for staying up, Will. It means a lot to me. I know you have trouble sleeping, and you have to deal with your nightmares too. I'm really sorry for disturbing your sleep." Shay looked at him with sincere regret in her eyes. Will shook his head, "I know what exactly you are going through, Shay. You don't need to apologize, or thank me for anything."

"Hey?!?" Shay said fiercely, her voice snapping Will back to reality. Shay snapped into action when she realized someone took her beanie, her stance defensive. Self-defence was something everyone needed in the current situation. Shay blinked when she realized it was Will.

"Gonna hit me for taking my own beanie?" Will joked and Shay smiled sheepishly in response. She opened her mouth to respond, but her attention drifted to someone behind Will.

The young officer halted beside them, now staring at Will with reduced suspicion. "Do you know him, ma'am?"

Shay smiled politely at the cop, "Yes sir, he is a good friend of mine." The cop nodded, "Well then, you should hurry towards your houses before it gets too dark."

"Yes sir," Will said, nodding respectfully. The young officer turned around and started patrolling before giving them one last nod. Will felt his surroundings were both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

The extra security staff around the Island were totally alien to him. It was weird. Since his childhood, he knew everyone living in the Isle, knew the place like the back of his hand. Suddenly, horrible things start happening, people he knew his entire life started moving out of the Island, unfamiliar people were suspecting him with his own friends, and many places were forbidden to enter. Will found himself in the midst of things he loved, but they oppressed him in the strange atmosphere.

He caught sight of a family boarding a bus, the head of the family lugging luggage with them. A small crowd had gathered around them to say their final goodbyes. He remembered his own farewell to their neighbours, who left the city last week.

Their neighbours were concerned that the Island was no longer safe, and headed for their home town. They were a kind old couple, their children went abroad for their studies. They were the ones who taught Will and his friends to fight, saying that self-defence was the best skill one could learn.

Will observed the landscape in front of him, silently watching the snow fall. Tiny ice crystals drifted peacefully down from the sky, covering the world in white. It was a wintry paradise covered in snow. People left trails of footprints in the snow as they walked, oblivious to the beautiful surroundings. The white, cottony powder covered the branches of the trees. Snow crunched under their feet as they walked.

It was so beautiful. Will's hands itched for his pencils, wanting to capture it all on the paper. Everything was black, white and grey. Will stopped painting in colours for two years, as he no longer saw the world with the brilliance of the colours. He had switched to sketching instead. He felt numb to the colours he observed around him, seeing but not really seeing them.

For him, everything was black and white. The way he saw the world. But it was breathtaking. Will glanced sideways at Shay as they sauntered towards their house. Her eyes held a faraway look. Here is something too beautiful to belong properly in this world, he thought as he looked at Shay.

She was prettier than the world around him. The only source of colour in his world. Every time Will looked at her, he found himself wishing to write poetry about how her blue-grey eyes shone in the night like starlight... because 'night' and 'starlight' rhymed with each other.

But Will knew his poetic skills were bad, and that he wasn't cut out for poetry. Besides, he didn't want to scare Shay away. Shay looked up at Will, "Come on. Let's hurry up. I'll race you till home." She said, grinning. Will accepted the challenge, knowing he wouldn't win anyway.

Shay was a champion sprinter. She was really athletic, her body was flexible. Will was happy by the fact that even though she was no longer on the school's track team, she continued running with Will and his friends.

Will tossed his hair out of his eyes as Shay adjusted the beanie on her head, so it doesn't slide down. "On the count of three, Harrington," Shay said as she smiled challengingly at Will.

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