Brave Fear (boyxboy)

Chapter 11

Joseph stood. "Come on," he said, extending his hand toward Zane. Zane grasped it without hesitation. He felt the coldness of Joseph's silver ring against his shortened pinkie. The other boy pulled him to his feet, and he dusted off his pants. "I got a little surprise for you." Zane chuckled, knowing Daisy would have pounced on that phrase and made multiple dirty jokes at Zane's expense.

Joseph did not release his hand as he led him toward the weapon room. "Why are we going in there?" Zane asked, but was not gratified with an answer. He yawned and his jaw popped. Joseph tugged him through the door, closing it behind them.

The dark room made Zane even more tired. The lights were off, but there was a faint source of illumination coming from somewhere. It glinted off the weapons, throwing shards of artificial light across the walls. It was as if a thousand mirrors were reflecting the same light back and forth.

When Zane saw where the light was coming from, he laughed. "A blanket fort?" he asked Joseph incredulously.

Joseph had arranged weapon racks around a wrestling mat and thrown an enormous blanket overtop. It dipped slightly in the middle. Many other blankets had been draped over the racks, enclosing the space within. Inside the fort, beams of light protruded through the thinner blankets, bouncing off the exposed metal. Zane found himself foolishly grinning.

"Yes, a blanket fort." Joseph still grasped his hand.

"Why?" Zane asked, looking over at Joseph. A beam of brightness illuminated his face and his eyes seemed to glow a startling sapphire. His dark hair looked almost blond.

Joseph let go of his hand and walked forward. "My mother was more lenient than the governors," he said softly. "So I got more of a childhood than most kids. I get the feeling you didn't." Zane shook his head sadly. "So I decided to share a piece of mine with you."

Joseph swept a blanket aside, revealing the interior of the fort. Flashlights were situated around the perimeter, projecting vast swaths of light throughout the fort. Joseph had arranged blankets and pillows into two makeshift beds next to each other in the center. There was a deck of cards between the beds that looked the exact same as the deck in their old cell. Zane felt a wave of affection for Joseph.

"It's perfect," he murmured.

"I thought you'd like it," Joseph responded, gesturing Zane in.

He ducked underneath the blankets and entered the fort. He looked around in wonder. He had never done anything like this when he was younger. His childhood was so uneventful and forgettable, he hardly retained any memories of it. He felt a tear slide down his cheek. "Why would you do this for me?"

Joseph shrugged. "You've seemed awfully withdrawn and sad these past few days," he said, ducking in after Zane. "I couldn't bear to see you like that, so I took it upon myself to cheer you up." He smiled, and Zane returned it without hesitation.

"Thank you," he said.

Joseph collapsed on one of the temporary beds. "You are most welcome."

Zane dropped down on the opposite bed as Joseph twirled a card between his fingers. He propped himself up on one elbow, his hand resting on his jaw. He marvelled at how such a vicious room could be transformed into something so innocent and carefree. He suddenly felt relieved. If the nature of this room could be changed, he could decide for himself what he wanted to be. This room was told what to be, but Joseph was transforming it, showing it what it could truly be. Zane couldn't help but feel that maybe Joseph was doing the same to him.

He looked up. "What else did your mother let you have?" he asked, curious to learn what he may have missed out on.

"Well," Joseph started. "Despite repeated calls from the governors, my mom insisted on having her own garden in the backyard. She grew all kinds of vegetables and fruits I'd never heard of." He smiled wistfully. "She would make us every kind of pie imaginable, and they all tasted like heaven."