Ray went out behind the bleachers Wednesday. He found no one.
Thursday, Patrick went with him. Just like Mikey had said, Gerard had noticed that Ray left the cafeteria every day, so he wasn't really surprised when the older brother and his boyfriend appeared behind the bleachers with them.
"The fuck are you doin' back here?" Frank asked.
"I come out here every day," Ray said. "Y'know, for fresh air."
Frank glared at him. "Whatever. This ain't your turf. Fuck off. Back inside, cum chuggers."
Ray sighed. He and Patrick stood up, walking back into the school. The announcement had come Tuesday that they'd be going back to IPH after the winter break, and Ray was starting to think it was for the best.
"Are you worried, Ray?" Patrick asked quietly.
Ray nodded. "But there's nothing I can do about it."
"D-Do you think he's trying to tell you something?"
"Like w-Oh."
"I'm sorry. Really."
Ray sighed, rubbing his face. "I've still got tomorrow."
"And if he doesn't show?"
"I'm not coming back. I promised I never would. He made me promise that I'd make a life without him. Like, forget he ever existed. But... I don't want to. I don't wanna have a life where someone that isn't my Mikey is standing beside me."
Patrick patted his friend's back. "You know I didn't support you at first. But then I met him. And I saw why you loved him so much. And I saw how you two looked at each other. And I don't even want you to lose that. I mean, he was even my friend in the end. He's a great guy. I'm sorry this is happening."
Ray rubbed his face again.
"I've still got tomorrow."
~
Ray sat down on the grass. He didn't care if Gerard and Frank came around, he wasn't going anywhere. He just wanted to be alone.
Being alone, he thought. How funny. It isn't that hard.
Twenty minutes passed. As the class bell rung, Ray felt his nose start to burn. He sniffed violently, covering his face.
No. There is no fucking way I'm crying. I won't do it. Not here. Not now.
He stood up and started to walk home.
~
-Eight Days Later-
"Ray?"
"Yes?" Ray leaned over the staircase railing to look at his mother.
"Can you go out and get some rock salt for the driveway? I know it's not going to stop snowing for a while, but I'd like to be able to leave for work without worrying."
Ray nodded. He pulled on his coat and jumped into the car. He drove downtown to the hardware store, running inside for the warm refuge of the building.
He quickly made his way down to where the salt was, but found nothing. Swearing, he walked back up to the customer service desk.
A girl who reminded him of Lindsey was running the desk. She looked up and smiled at him. "Hey, how can I help you?"
"Uh, do you guys sell salt?"
"We did, but we ran out about an hour ago. Sorry, hun."
Ray swore under his breath. "Okay, thanks." He started to walk away, but she stopped him.
"I'm not supposed to do this, but... There's this place, down on Desolation Row. It's called Harvey's, and it's down by the docks over there. They're where we get our salt from, and they still have loads. But you didn't hear it from me."
Ray nodded. He thanked her. He knew he promised Mikey, but it was only to buy something. Besides, he was driving a car with tinted windows. No one would see him if he tucked his hair back into his hood.
He headed down by the docks, just like the girl had told him to. He could just barely see the gazebo. He felt his chest sink into itself.
Harvey's wasn't too hard to find. It was a bit like Lucky's; a basic brick building with an apartment.
Ray dashed inside. There was a guy reading a Playboy behind the counter. "What do you want?" he asked gruffly.
"Salt. Got any of that?" Ray snapped.
"Feelin' tough today, ah?" He leaned back, putting the magazine down. "I gotchu. In the back, over there."
Ray nodded at the guy. He walked back, searching the shelves.
"I know who ya are, y'know," Playboy said. "Everybody around here does. They know ya name, ya face. It's dangerous for you to be out here."
"I'm aware."
"Hey, I'm just tellin' ya, kid."
"Why do you care who I am, anyway?"
"'Cause I claim that boy as my own."
Ray froze. "You're Gerard's dad, aren't you?"
"Damn straight. And Gee ain't never wanna do that to his little brother, but because of you, he had to."
Ray grabbed a bag, then threw it down on the counter. "How much?" he asked.
"Twenty-five."
Ray knew it was ridiculous for a fifty pound bag, but he remembered what Mikey had said about how tight money here was.
He pulled a fifty out of his wallet. Ray smiled, seeing Playboy's face light up.
"Keep the change," Ray said. He grabbed the bag. "Merry Christmas, plughole."
"Ditto, fuck-ass. Ditto. Damn..."
Ray walked out of the store, the Gerard's father still admiring his money. He decided to take the long way home, past RDH. He figured that he was already in Desolation Row, so an extra minute or two in a car wouldn't hut him.
As he passed the school's football field, he could see a figure wrapped in a blanket sitting on the bleachers. As he got closer, he recognized it as the one he had given Mikey.
Ray skidded under the bleachers. He jumped out of the car, running sloppily up the bleachers.
"Mikey! Mikey, please!" He grabbed the boy, holding him tight. "Oh my God, I thought you had somewhere to go!"
"I-I d-di-did," Mikey said. He was almost shaking too violently to speak. "B-b-b-but th-th-they k-k-kick-ed m-me o-o-out."
"Mikey, oh my God. You're so fucking cold, oh God... Let's get you to my house!"
Mikey reached out and touched Ray's arm. He shook his head slightly. Ray could see the pain in Mikey's eyes.
Snow began to fall. A few flakes settled on Mikey's eyelashes, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it.
"I'm going to die, Ray," Mikey said softly. "I can feel it. I-I talked to my Grandma Elena, and she said she'd be waiting for me."
"Mikey, no," Ray whispered. "Please, no. I'm begging you, don't leave me. Don't leave me here by myself!"
"I can't stay. I loved you too much. I still love you more than anything..."
"Don't-"
"Shut up and let me talk. I love you. Now kiss me."
Ray did as he was told. He wondered if his tears would do anything to warm Mikey's frigid skin.
"I love you, Mikey," Ray whispered.
"I love you, too. Remember what you promised me."
"I will. Oh, God, please don't go. Please, stay. Mikey, I'm begging you. Mikey... Mikey! Mikey! Oh, God..."
His eyes were glazed over, in the cold stare of death.
Ray took care in wrapping Mikey's cold body in the blanket. He walked down the streets of Desolation Row, knowing people were watching him. He knew people were going to Gerard to tell him the news before they even knew the news themselves.
Ray carefully knocked on Gerard's door. Gee answered with Frank behind him.
Gerard stared at his brother. "Wha..."
"I found him like this," Ray said, his voice shaking. "U-under the home bleachers."
Gerard took Mikey from Ray's arms. "Get out of here," he hissed. "And if I ever see your fucking face again, I'll kill you before you even know what's happening."
Ray nodded. He turned and started back home, tears running down his cheeks like waterfalls.
~
-Two Weeks Later-
Gerard shoved his foot into the heavy leather boot. Frank handed him a knife, then took one for himself. Pete and Bob forced guns into their pockets and ammo into their boots.
"Ready?" Frank asked quietly.
"Are you kidding me?" Gee said. "That bastard... Let's go. All of you, out!"
Gerard led the remaining three boys outside. They walked confidently and somberly down the streets. People watched from windows. They wondered what the boys would do, but deep down they knew.
Gerard walked up to Ray's front door. He held out his hand, and Bob placed a gun in it. Gee fired a precise hole through the door.
"Open the fuck up!" he screamed. He kicked the door, then the others started helping. The door eventually couldn't hold any longer, and they burst inside.
"Check the level!" Gee directed. The boys all went around the house. Pete and Bob grabbed Ray's brothers, and Gerard and Frank had their mother. Gerard was about to shoot her, but something weird told him not to.
He threw the woman forward into Bob's tight grip. "Take her with those guys, lock them in a room. One of you guard it, the other, wreck the place," Gerard instructed. "Frank, with me."
Frank and Gerard ran up the stairs. They burst into Ray's bedroom, tackling and restraining him.
Gerard held the boy in a headlock. "You," he growled into Ray's ear. "You're the reason he's fucking dead! I'll kill you. An eye for an eye, motherfucker."
Gerard dropped his gun, sliding it across the floor. "That'd be too quick," he said. "I want you to die a slow and painful death, just like my brother did."
Gerard took his knife from his pocket and rammed it into Ray's back. He twisted the blade before pulling it diagonally, then repeating the motion to create an 'X' in Ray's back.
Gee dropped Ray to the floor. Gerard knew he'd be dead in minutes, he just couldn't resist adding a little art to the mix.
"He never loved you," he snarled. And with that, he and Frank left Ray to die.
I'm here.
Ray looked up. No one else was in his room.
No, it's me. It's Mikey. I'm behind you, silly.
Ray turned. Sure enough, Mikey was sitting there on his bed.
"I had someone to be there for me," he said. "So now I'm going to be there for you. I'm sorry you have to go through this. At least I can see you again."
"Will you ever have to leave my side?" Ray asked.
"Not if you don't want me too."
Ray stood up from his physical being. "Never leave me again."
Mikey smiled. "I won't. I promise."
He leaned forward to kiss Ray.
And then the house was silent.