Louder Than Words

Chapter 6

Warning: This chapter contains strong allusions to sex and murder.  Be on the lookout for the parallel plots.

That's how my life was lived for the next few days. I shared this too small house with too many occupants in the middle of these too empty woods with no technology or contact to the outside world. I slept a few mere feet away from a girl who wanted me gone and a guy I had locked lips with only moments from meeting. Lord.

I was positively thriving, and I knew it wouldn't last.

I knew this new life, this new exciting and brilliant life full of love and adventure, would soon spiral into one big, unrecognizable mess. There was no doubt in my mind that it would go up in bright, searing flames. All it needed was a catalyst. With my luck, this catalyst strolled into my life today with the aid of past mistakes fueled by my inability to recognize good things and not destroy them.

Thus, chapter six.

All semblance of self-control was escaping Lucas. He was falling deeper into his own personal, caving rabbit hole each time his fist connects with wood. Each splinter further revealed more from the boy who was forced to abandon emotion at the age of nine to avoid another suicide in the streets. Each drop of blood was another betraying, telltale sign of how difficult that was.

I'll start from the beginning: the day after, what I was deeming, The Game Night incident. The concept of suffocation which, I had quickly learned, came hand-in-hand with the Shack had begun settling uncomfortably in the stale air surrounding every waking moment I occupied. It had become startling apparent as to why Lucas spent so much time outdoors. So apparent, in fact, that I had begun to join him.

"Hey, stranger," I said, removing one hand from my pockets to offer a short wave.

Lucas responded with a pitiful groan, and the rocking of his hammock stopped in an instant. I took this as an invitation.

"That's what you get for drinking," I snorted, and shoved his feet to the side, "budge over."

He did as was asked, silently lifting his feet just long enough for me to slide in across him before letting his deadweight plop unceremoniously upon my crossed legs. He peeked out from under his hands and smiled. "The shock of drinking with Michael, of all people, was enough to make me forget about the consequences of my actions, so."

"Excuses," I dismissed, and took a look around. "It's actually pretty nice out here. Open."

"You're welcome to join me anytime," he said, despite the fact that I was already here, properly joined.

"Thanks," I said, despite the fact that I didn't need his permission. "So, tell me, what can a couple troublemaker like ourselves do around here?"

"Virtually nothing," he admitted, but after a brief pause gave me an odd look and added, "although, there's plenty to do a couple miles north. There's a touristy city by, and I've heard there's tons to do up there."

I cocked an eyebrow, "Heard from where? I doubt Michael spends all his time bragging about his exploits in the great big city."

He heaved one long, exasperated sigh, "I used to have a life outside of this shithole, love. Though it feels like some eternities ago. I used to go to school and everything," he cringed, and thought for a moment before adding, "I was failing, though."

"Actually?" I leaned forward in disbelief. I wondered how Lucas, who has proven to probably be the biggest dork ever, manage to flunk high school. I mean, even I was doing fairly well.

"Actually," he confirmed, and his smile turned halfway sad. "Michael still gives me a hard time over it, though, he was failing too. Then again, he was feeding three kids at the time with his night jobs and such. It's not like I had much on my plate. I guess it was a good thing he bailed me out when he did."