Euphoria

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Will You Believe Me

Sean leaned forward, shaking his head from side to side, eventually working the black, wool bag off his head and taking a deep breath. Where the fuck am I... He thought as his eyes scanning over the unfamiliar room. What's all this?

The area was cast in purple light, a nameless dark color of paint coated the walls in writing, slivers of the thick liquid dripping from the words. He could make out only a few because of how they overlapped. Things like 'Always watching.' stood out to him, it was as if they had done it on purpose, knowing he would find a way to take off his hood.

Another sharp stab in his mouth made him jolt, and he tilted to the ground, spitting out excess blood. They'd taken a knife and cut into his cheeks, and tongue. Every move was pain, pure, and hot, and the only thought in his mind was survival as his stomach rumbled with hunger. He was used to it by now. Although the dull ache that spread throughout, he would never get used to. They hadn't fed him in a week, but water was supplied.

His captures gave him just enough to survive, but not enough to stay comfortable or to stay awake for long periods of time.

In his constant state of delirium, Sean started to drift off again, falling into a spiral of memories he'd locked away long ago...

"Blow out your candles, Honey." His mother stood over him, her hands clasped onto his shoulders, a cheerful smile appearing to light up her face as she stared down at him.

Sean giggled, holding a deep breath before blowing out his candles in one exhale, which was a vast accomplishment for a ten-year-old as a feeling of pride swept over him. He puffed out his chest, lips pressed together. "I did it, Momma! I blew all my candles out! Did you see it?"

"I sure did!" She said, ruffling his hair. "Your father would be so proud of you if he were here."

"He would?"

"Definitely. Now, take your friends outside while I cut the cake, okay? Mommy will be out there in a second."

Sean nodded, promptly standing up and giving his mother a quick hug. "Okay!" He said, walking over to his small party of five and scurrying outside with them.

From inside, his mother watched them disappear from view before pulling out her cellphone, her bright smile gone, and replaced with a frown. "Damn your work schedule..." She mumbled, unable to understand why her husband took overtime when he wasn't getting paid much for his valuable time.

Meanwhile, Sean stood at the riverside with one of his friends. No, this wasn't just a friend; this was his best friend, Sky. They'd met at a school event when Sky was dragged to go with his younger sibling and mother. They immediately hit it off as Sky was just as excitable as he was, and it meant a lot to him that they were able to keep up with each other. "Sky!" He said, turning to look at the boy. "I bet you can't make it to the other side of the river without a life jacket!"

The boy waved his hand dismissively, five whole years older than Sean himself. "Please, I'd easily be able to make it over to the other side, bro. You, on the other hand, wouldn't be able to make it halfway across without crying for your momma to come and save you!" He said, giving his friend a challenging look, already standing at the shoreline.

"No fair!" Sean said, standing beside Sky now. "I could make it over just as well as you could! How about a race then, huh? Quickly before my mom comes out with the cake! I don't want to get caught."

"If you say so, bro. I'm going to win this, just you wait. And if I do, I get another slice of cake."

"Deal."

Sean clambered into the water; the wind knocked out of him from how frigid the water was, feet quickly sliding into the dirt. He glanced at Sky as he pushed his way forward, his eyebrows knitted together.

He was suddenly aware of just how much this plan was a bad idea, his heart pumping in his chest.

If his mother caught him, she would tan his hide for sure. "We should go back!" He said, yelling over the rapids and trying his hardest to keep his ground as his footing slipped, and he sank inches more into the mud, feeling a jolt within him as his eyes widened. "We won't make it!"

"No way, bro!" Sky said, his neck extended to keep himself from inhaling any of the water surging dangerously close to his mouth and nose. "I'm going to make this, you'll see! And you'll owe me that slice of cake! You can't distract me!"

The water seemed to rise, the salty liquid entering his nose and mouth for a split second before he lifted his head again. He was gasping now, his lungs wanting to seize at the risk of death, choking back a scream. "Sky! Please, I won't make it!"

The only thought in his mind had been survival, just like now. He would die on his tenth birthday and make his mother cry. The fact of the matter was, he couldn't swim. Sean had never learned, and it was a wonder that he had made it this far without being swept down the river.

Sky turned to look at him, suddenly realizing what was at stake, swimming his friends way immediately. "It's okay! I've got you! Just hold on! Keep your head above water, okay?! Don't move! Hold onto anything you can get your hands on!"

Sean's head was on a swivel as he looked for something to grab, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks. What usually would be hot, was ice cold. He felt it in his chest, his limbs and body were freezing, and his lips were turning blue. He was only a child, unable to withstand such chill.

Finally, he latched himself onto a rock jutting out of the hasty water, clutching it for dear life, his light brown hair clinging to his forehead. He was already gasping as more water rushed into his lungs. "Sky!" He said. "Please, I'm--" He shrieked as his hands slid. "I'm slipping!"

"I'm coming! Just keep holding on!"

Sky eventually made it over, grabbing Sean with both hands, tight enough to make his shoulders throb and ache. "I'm going to need you to try and swim for it, okay? I'll be right behind you. Just paddle to the rocks! You saw me do it!"

He whined, his eyes dilated as be shook. "But I can't! I'm going to be swept downstream! Sky!"

"Do it!"

Sean nodded, hesitantly reaching for a rock closer to shore, grabbing hold of it and pulling himself forward, his muscles burning. "I'm doing it, Sky!" He said, proud of himself as he attempted to haul himself further to safety, his heart still beating wildly. "I'm doing it!"

"You sure are!" Sky said, biting his lip harshly, and glancing down at the hue of red from underneath the bubbling water. He knew both of them couldn't make it, as Sean was too slow, and he was running out of energy to keep himself afloat, his leg severely injured. "Keep going, okay? I'm going to give you a small push, and you'll have to make it the rest of the way!"

"What?!"

Sean felt something slam against him, shoving him to the next stone. He was almost to shore now, holding on tightly to his life support as he glanced behind him. "Sky? Sky!" He watched as his best friend was swept further down the river, the back of his head hitting a jagged rock, leaving a nasty bloodstain where he once was.

"No." Sean gaped, hearing his mother's panicked voice calling him from above the muddy slope on the way back home. His tears had stopped, refusing to believe his friend was dead, forcing himself to continue forward and falling to the ground, his chest heaving, soaking wet.

"Well, haven't you caused problems."

Sean hummed, immediately sitting up to see an older man in his twenties standing above him. He was grinning, his hair spiked and dyed green, dressed in all black. "Who are you...?"

"Oh? You'll find out. In the meantime, you need to get back to mom. She's waiting for you. Tell her what you've done."

"I haven't done anything!"

"That's right. You didn't do anything." The man said, his eyes glowing a malicious green color as he sneered. "You killed your best friend, and you don't even care."

"Yes, I do!" Sean said, standing up and glaring at him with intense hatred. "I'm telling momma! She'll believe me!" And with that, he rushed up the muddy slope, disappearing into the forest.

The man watched silently, shaking his head. "Oh, but will you believe yourself?"