Why does it hurt to love you?

Chapter 1 - Too much mustard

This was definitely a core memory for William. They were camping, a special (every) weekend treat for the whole family. Jack was allowed to accompany them; it gave his Gran a little bit of time to relax and let him experience 'family fun' opportunities his Gran couldn't provide.

Charlie and Will were clad in their usual matching 'CAMP PINE KNOT' T-shirts. They wore them together every time they went camping. Will's had three small holes burnt through the sleeves at the wrist from various marshmallow accidents. Charlie's had a funny ketchup stain on the neckline - it was shaped like Australia.

William's tummy was warm and fuzzy. He was happy.

The bonfire was crackling and blazing, the orangey glow warming his skin. The night sky was inky black leaving them all coated in a blanket of darkness.

Charlie's mum Lily was idly strumming her guitar with a large smile stretching across her face, watching in content as Will's best friend and his dad (Jack) threw a baseball back and forth.

Will himself was quiet, watching as the tip of his sugary treat burnt and bubbled. The corners of his mouth etching into a grin as he listened to Charlie's giggles overflow from his stomach.

'Whoosh, smack'. "Ahh too much mustard. I thought we were friends!" Jack exclaimed in faux hurt, doubling over, and shaking his hand excessively to exaggerate his pain.

William looked up at this - smile obvious as ever - gleaming and giggling at the sight before him. It seemed as though Charlie had thrown the baseball a little too hard at his dad.

"We are friends!" Charlie replied, laughter forcing his small baby curls to bounce up and down on his dirty blond head.

Lily laughed at their interaction, stilling her hands on her guitar. Will slowly began to nibble on his half-melted-half-burnt marshmallow. One side was sticky and dripping, the other crispy leaving a disgusting taste on his tongue.

"What are you doing?" Jack jokingly argued with Charlie.

"I hit him with a little too much mustard" came the reply.

"Yeah, ya think?" Jack accusatorially pointed a finger at Charlie, smile breaking through his pain-stricken façade.

"I wish I could make him laugh like that." Lily commented, breaking the prolonged, happy eye contact between the father/son due. The comment held too much emotional value for either Will or Charlie to comprehend. However, Jack understood the want, the need, and replied with humour as to not make the conversation sway to the 'too serious' side;

"What can I say? He's a Daddy's boy." Jack glanced between all of them and focused his line of sight back to Lily. "The key to his heart is fake pain."

Just as Jack finished his sentence, a loud 'WHOOSH, RUMBLE, BOOM' erupted through the sky. A bright flash raced across their vision, blue and yellow flames hurtling themselves into the woods. A nasty feeling was curling and whirling inside of William's gut. Shivers broke out down his spine, goosebumps forming along his arms.

They all watched as the magical colours exploded in the near distance. "Come here Charlie, come on" pleaded Lily outstretching her arm to reach his small body.

Will had forgotten all about his dessert delicacy (which had fallen to the dirt during the stary phenomenon). Will's eyes were now trained on Charlie's, whose stared right back at him. Charlie had lifted his palm out to William whilst clinging to his mother. Walking over, William let Charlie's similarly small hand encase his own.

Lily had now wrapped her arms around both children, almost chanting "It's okay honey, it's okay, it's okay." Jack approached the three, now only talking directly to Lily;

"Here, stay with Charlie and William. Call 911." William watched as Jack handed the baseball to Lily, worried looks carved into both of the adults' faces.

Charlie's head was buried into his friend's shoulder, he was swinging their connected hands back and forth to distract himself.

"Jack, come on stop" pleaded Lily. The desperation was evident in her voice. "What are you doing?"

"The nearest town's an hour away. If I don't try to help, who will?" Jack pledged his case, and seemingly won as Lily's frown had softened at his words. "It's okay, I'll be right back."

"Okay okay, go go" Lily patted him away.

With a swift 'I'm gonna be fine, I'm coming back' parting kiss Jack ran off to the van, starting the engine and heading down the road to the forest. Turning back to the two boys, Lily voiced "Yeah, it's probably just fireworks."

Will and Charlie shared a look, they both knew that it definitely wasn't fireworks. The sudden fluorescent, luminous blue glow shimmering out the woods only fifteen minutes into their wait assured them of this.