Children of the Elements: Sweet Ruins

Prologue

Prologue

Cody stared forwards at the plaque on the wall in front of him, leaning heavily on the bar's surface. He swirled his half-finished beer methodically, enjoying the therapeutic feeling of its miniscule force on the outskirts of his glass.

The bar had pretty much emptied by now. It had been busy for hours, peaking around midnight as young couples kissed in the corners and loud twenty-something year olds jumping, screaming and celebrating would come up and ask if he was single or not before retreating back to their friendship group with another round of shots. But now it was silent. They'd all gone off to find comfort in the arms of a man, or in the breasts of another woman, burying their pains and worries in the drowsiness of alcohol. Cody wished he could do the same.

His phone buzzed for the sixtieth time in front of him. He hazily glanced at the screen. 'Missed call from Aa Dad (17)'; 'Missed call from Aa Catlyn (8)'; 'Missed call from Aa Jess (3)'. He flicked at the screen, scrolling down his notifications. 'Come home, Cody' and 'Where are you?' seemed to dominate his text messages. He didn't want to go home. Didn't they get that? If he wanted to be at home, he would be there. Cody closed his eyes and rested his forehead on the cold surface, finally putting his glass on the bar and relishing the silence.

The funeral had killed him. All those people crying around his mother's coffin. They didn't know her; why were they crying? His Dad had told him as he fixed his tie that he wasn't allowed to cry at the funeral. He had to be strong for Catlyn and Jess. So he had stayed stoical the entire way through, being a shoulder for his sisters to cry on whilst his Dad had tried to explain to their littlest brother Zach that Mummy wouldn't be coming home.

"I wouldn't fall asleep there, if I were you."

Cody's brain slammed in his head as he looked up instantly. A figure stood on the other side of the bar, only becoming clearer as his head rush cleared slowly.

His phone buzzed again, making both of them look at the glowing screen. The other guy glanced at him. "Perhaps you should get that."

Cody shook his head, sliding his phone across the bar and into his pocket, denying his Dad's phone call. "Sorry, do I know you?"

"I doubt it." There was a silence for a minute as the boy turned, grabbing two shot glasses before fishing for a bottle of vodka from behind the bar.

"Aren't you going to pay for that?" Cody asked as he filled up the first glass.

The boy smirked. "I won't tell if you won't." He pushed the glass towards Cody, only making eye contact when Cody didn't move. He rolled his eyes. "Dan won't care. He doesn't check the alcohol levels anyway, and I already turned off the cameras for the night."

Cody still felt unsure as the boy threw back the shot, placing the glass on the bar surface surprisingly carefully. He was attractive, and young, Cody considered. He was probably approached by all the girls who came here.

"So," the boy started, leaning on the surface casually as he studied Cody's face. "Why would someone like you still be here at quarter to five in the morning?"

Cody clenched his jaw. "Last time I checked, there was no rule against me being here."

"No, but the longer you stay here, the longer I have to stay here."

"Fine," Cody snapped. "Then go."

The boy stayed quiet for a minute, but Cody could still feel his eyes raking over his expression, trying to figure him out. Cody felt his pocket buzzing again. He pulled it out. Aa Catlyn. In a rage, he stood up, turned, and threw his phone across the spacious floor until it whacked the wall on the opposite side of the bar. He stood staring at it lying carelessly on the wooden dance floor for a second or two, trying desperately to remain emotionally intact, before he fell crashing to the floor, suddenly bursting into tears. There was an intense pain in his chest, like someone was actually ripping into his heart with a dagger as images of his mother flashed in front of his eyes, only making him feel worse. Why did he just storm out of the house that morning without saying goodbye to her? Without telling him that he loved her? If only he'd stayed after the argument rather than leaving her all alone in the house, then she wouldn't be dead now.