Tim had no idea what he meant. He took another step closer. “What do you mean? Why are you here?”

Avery touched his face, wiping the water off his eyes. It could’ve been rain, though Tim imagined them to be tears. Judging by Avery’s voice and frown stamped on his face, he was in deep pain. His hand grabbed the skin on his face.

“Why aren’t you sleeping? Why did you wake up and follow me here? Why did you have to make my situation worse than it already is?!” He was on the verge of breaking. Tim had never heard this amount of rage within his friend.

“Wha—What do you mean?” He tried getting close, but Avery kept backing away. “Can you please tell me what’s going on? Did you really murder someone?”

“I—I didn’t want… I didn't want to…”

He didn’t want to? Did he not have a choice?

A wave of emotions smacked his head. Tim was so lost to the point he didn’t know what to feel or how to act. But he had to do something. He couldn’t just watch Avery’s face melt with sorrow.

Tim extended his arm like he was talking to a friend, not a murderer. “It’s ok. Let me help you.”

He knocked it away with the object in his hand. Tim screeched, holding onto the back of his hand. He double-checked his hand, making sure his bones were not crushed. He tested it by slowly opening and closing it. It strained a bit, but his hand should be fine. He looked back at Avery, his weapon by his mouth, covering his regret.

His face said it all. He honestly didn’t want to hurt Tim.

Their eyes were attached, not letting go. Tim extended his arm again, begging, “I can help you. Please, tell me what’s going on. Say something.”

He glanced down at the same hand he’d stuck him with. He shook his head, speaking in a voice one would use at the theaters. He said it clear enough for Tim to hear, but if he were a few steps away, he would only see the mouth’s movement.

“You wouldn’t understand.”

A part of Tim wished Avery would hit him again so he would have a reason to knock some sense into him.

“Well, I can’t understand if you don’t tell me anything.”

“Then what do you want me to say!” He cried louder than the rain itself, and both hands hugged the back of his head.

Tim had no idea what Avery meant or what he went through. By his voice, Tim sniffed out the pouring bitterness and regret. Whatever scars he had, it was best to be left alone unless you had someone who stuck by your side, healing those wounds. Tim would be the one to do so. He wanted to know what made Avery murder someone. It might be a lot to ask and for him to blurt out, but Tim decided to be by his side.

“What’s with you? I’m not asking for much here. Just tell me what happened!”

“I can’t!” He cried again, his voice cracked like a delicate vase hitting the floor. “If I told you the truth, you would never consider me the same! I don’t want that! Just leave me be for the sake of the two of us!”

But Tim didn’t want to leave Avery be. We desired the truth. He won’t leave Avery like this until he gets what he wants. Tim would have to persistently crack the shell open for the juice to spill.

“Listen, whatever it is, we’ll figure it out. So let’s back—”

“No! There’s no point. The damage is already done. Whatever I say won’t make a difference. So please, leave me be. I don’t want to hurt you more than I already have.”

“But you haven’t hurt me! Four years ago, you were gone, but it wasn’t your fault. I didn’t put enough effort into finding you. I’m the one to blame for that—not you, me! If only I had looked for you rather than cried like the baby I was, maybe I would’ve found you.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Avery’s entire body slumped into a look he’d never seen before. The frown stayed, refusing to leave, just like the rain.

“Tim,” said Avery, relatively calmly, “you really don’t know anything. And that’s okay. Your ignorance isn’t your fault, so don’t carry the blame yourself.”

Something jumped into Tim’s brain. These were the words Avery had said not too long ago.

“Tim, whatever happens, I just pray we’ll be friends forever.”

He sobbed after saying those words as if they weren’t going to see each other again. Tim didn’t think of anything back then, but those words have become heavier than planets. Was he implying back then that he was going to leave?

Tim crept towards Avery as if he were a frightened, lost animal. This time, Avery didn’t back away. He allowed Tim to embrace him.

Avery released a pair of sniffles. The enormous patches of the night sky slowly reappeared as the gray blankets moved on. Drops of water struck them, but it wasn’t the same force as it once was. The rain finally showed some mercy.

Avery signed heavily, his head facing the sky. He took a moment to look at the darkness the sky cursed them with. The sniffles were followed by a soft wail he was trying to cover up.

“You're so adamant about this. Couldn’t you leave me be?”

Tim could sense the cracked shell. The juice was still bottled up, but at any second, it was about to ooze out. He was so close to grasping the truth.

Avery stomped to the ground, letting out a roaring groan, overwhelmed by frustration. “I don’t even know where to start! My brain is such a mess. I never wanted to do any of this to you. Everything’s a fucking lie!”

Tim patted his head, trying to show a little comfort. “What is?”

Another rumbling groan erupted from him, but it was more like a furious yell. “What do you want me to say? Everything’s a lie! When I first met you, we claimed it must’ve been the divine’s doing, but that was a lie. It was all planned. My disappearance, along with your father’s death, that too was planned. Where I was for four years, it’s all a lie. Everything that happened to you, our encounter, your father’s death, my absence, it was all planned.”

Avery’s words caused an earthquake in Tim’s head. Everything was a lie? What? It didn't make sense. The only way for it to make sense was to know the truth.

“Then what… what is… the truth…?”

He pushed Tim away from his body. “I have to go. If you aren’t willing to back away”, he nervously gulped, “then I’ll have to use force.” He turned away, increasing the distance between Tim.

Tim couldn’t let him go. He had so many questions, and so many needed to be answered. He wanted to know the truth about Avery and himself but couldn’t if Avery left.

But his legs wouldn’t move—frozen in ice. His muscles told him not to and that he should let him go. His eyes fixed on his friend walking away, head down in remorse. Tim’s chest spiked with pain and a hint of loneliness. This was bad. He didn’t want to feel this. Avery was moving further away. Move. Tim had to move. He had to get him to know the truth. Move. Move. Move. Move!

“Avery!!” Tim’s legs broke free. Avery stopped and turned around, pointing the weapon. What could he do from that distance? Nothing.

Tim could see Avery’s arm trembling. He was that close—just a little more.

He then said something that boggled Tim. “Sorry, mom.” With his eyes clamped, he pulled the trigger.

Holding onto his thigh, he collapsed onto the ground. He felt a pinch. Wait, what did Avery say? Why did he apologize to his mother?

What…?

His hands reached out, trying to grab the man walking away. The small pinch transformed into burning heat. His leg felt as if someone was repeatedly beating it with a molten metal rod. Blood soaked through his pants. Feeling a little lightheaded, on his side, he applied pressure to the wound.

The wound burned more than it hurt. Gasping for air, he focussed his vision, trying to see where Avery was heading. His leg was too distracting. He’d never experienced this type of sensation. It killed.

How did Avery strike him? His arm never moved. Would he die from this? Was it poison? Just like all the other questions, he didn’t know. He knew nothing. He was just someone who wanted the truth and wanted his friend back.

Tim let out a scream loud enough for Walisburg to hear. Right, he was alone. No one would be awake at this hour. Would anyone know he’s there? How would they, though?

He smashed his head against the grass. Cutting off his leg sounded tempting. He didn’t want to be there anymore. There was a torch inside his thigh, burning the sun’s flames.

He didn’t want death. It was so cold, yet it burned. He hopelessly curled into a ball, erupting another scream in hopes someone heard him.

Who was he kidding? No one was awake. What an idiot. His entire body felt so weak. So weak, he thought today would be the day when he drew his final breath.