Chapter 7 – Best Friend One Could Ever Ask For

“Hello?”

Lewiht came back to his senses as he heard someone knocking on the door. He was sitting on the same spot, the blood seeping from his father’s body had already reached him and soaked his clothes in red. His father’s body had started to go pale like marble, and his mother was… Still lying there, motionless.

“Oh no,” he whispered. “No, no, no, no!”

He crawled on all fours in his father’s blood to reach his mom. He checked his mother’s pulse and let out a sigh of relief. She was still alive.

“Hello,” the guy on the door yelled again. “Is everything all right? I heard some noise.”

The voice was familiar. It was probably that soldier who helped Lewiht get home. He must’ve heard the noises before he could walk away.

Lewiht glanced at his mother and caressed her cheek and only now realized how bloody he was. Not only his hands but his whole body was covered in blood—his trousers especially had soaked all the blood.

The guy knocked on the door one more time and Lewiht realized he needed to go. He couldn’t be seen like this. He had to run. He looked at his father, who was still lying there with the same remorseful expression, with no trace of blood left in his body. The dagger was still stabbed in his throat.

He crawled towards his father and looked away as he tried to pull the dagger out of his throat, but failed. It was dug deep and Lewiht had to use his knees to hold his father’s head steady to pull the dagger, especially because it was hard to do it without looking at his face. As he heard one, much more violent knock, his adrenaline started to rush. His life couldn’t end here, he had to find a way to run away.

He jumped to his feet, adrenaline made him not care about his pains at all. He started walking towards the back door in the kitchen, which opened up to their backyard but realized he was dripping blood like crazy. Without waiting, he took off all of his clothes except for his underwear and picked a cloak from the coat hanger near the door. He picked up the sheath of the dagger and then looked at his mother for the one last time.

“I’m sorry mom. I will be back. I swear I will be back.”

Then he left his home.

***

Lewiht was sitting in an alley, fully focused on a house on the main street.

He could barely keep his eyes open. The depletion of his adrenaline came with heavy fatigue. His entire body was aching—his nose especially throbbed like a pounding heart.

Still, he was fully focused on the house. He couldn’t think of anything since he left his home, he was in full survival mode. He didn’t think about what he’s done, he didn’t think about his mother, he didn’t think about what will happen next. He spent all his remaining energy on surviving, and surviving right now meant that he had to stay awake.

He looked at the sky. It had been half an hour since the sun had started to show its first rays. Any minute now. The weather was somewhat chilly, especially since he was only wearing underwear, but he wrapped himself in his cloak and it was enough to warm him through this spring morning.

A blond boy opened the door Lewiht was watching, taking a step outside. He briefly talked about something with someone inside the house and left his home. He was carrying a backpack, his uniform was of the Lewiht’s academy.

“Psst,” Lewiht called the boy.

“Huh?” Ged turned and looked at him. “Holy fucking Azrodan is that you L-“

“Sssh!” Lewiht gestured for Ged to come.

“Holy fuck man,” Ged lowered his voice and crouched beside him. “Was it him again?”

“No, and… yes.” Lewiht looked at his feet, he couldn’t look Ged in the eyes. “He… He’s dead. I killed him.”

“Hey, hey,” Ged hold Lewiht’s, head, trying to make him turn his head so that he could look at his injuries. “Look at me man, please. Who’re you talking about?”

“Him. My father.” Lewiht’s arms were hanging at his side. Now that Ged was here, he didn’t have to stay strong. Ged would know what to do. He always did. “I killed him.”

Ged lifted Lewiht’s cloak, looking at his blood-covered body. “Holy shit, you’re not lying. That’s not your blood, is it?”

Lewiht shook his head.

“Oh, man.” He stood up and looked around, his hands on his hips. Lewiht still didn’t look him in the eye, but he could see Ged’s hands were trembling. He paced the small alley back and forth with uncertain steps.

“Wait here for a sec, okay?” Ged ran to the main street and checked his left and right. “Looks calm.”

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Ged came back and wrapped Lewiht’s arm around his neck and helped him get up. “Come on, bud. Let’s get you somewhere safe first. You’ll be fine.”

Ged helped him walk through the main street, which was almost empty due to the early hour. He brought Lewiht to the backyard of his house, which was full of overgrown grass and weed. A wooden shed stood in the yard, vines growing on its walls. Ged opened the door and helped Lewiht get inside.

This was a tool shed—shovels, trowels, and hatchets occupied the walls, all of them rusted. There were big wooden crates scattered around, and Ged made Lewiht sit near these crates. “There you go. It’s a bit dusty but this is all I have. We haven’t been taking care of the garden after my fath—“

He shut up. “Anyway.”

Lewiht leaned his head against the crate, pulling his knees up to his chest.

“My mom’s at home.” Ged fidgeted around the small shed. “She’ll go to work in an hour or so. Then I can bring you some food and… clothes and… and… and maybe a blanket.”

Ged let out a deep sigh and sat down beside Lewiht. “I’m sorry man, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

Lewiht didn’t say anything. Or rather, he had no energy to say anything.

“Oh shit,” Ged said, jumping to his feet. “School is about to start. Can you wait here for… uh, let’s say, thirty minutes? I’m going to go get Willard before he enters the Academy. Or they won’t let him leave.”

Lewiht nodded.

“Okay, just wait here. I’ll be here in no time.”

Lewiht nodded again, but he was already passing out. He closed his eyes and surrendered to sleep.

***

“He needs a doctor, man.”

“Yeah, but what if they hand him over to the enforcers?”

Lewiht heard two people arguing in his half-sleep-half-awake state. He rubbed his eyes and saw he was still in the same spot beside the crate. A blanket was wrapping him like a burrito, and there was a plate on the ground, a sandwich standing on top of it.

The door was open and he could see Ged and Willard having a conversation. He took the sandwich on the plate, which caught the attention of both boys.

“Oh, you’re finally awake!” said Ged, rushing inside with Willard. “We thought you might never be.”

“Do you have any water?” Lewiht asked. He felt like he chewed wood dust for the last few days.

“Yes, yes of course.” Ged picked up a jug and a glass on top of one of the crates, which Lewiht hadn’t seen before. He filled it and gave it to Lewiht. “There you go, man.”

Lewiht drank all of it in one sip and extended it again. Ged refilled the glass twice more until Lewiht’s thirst was satiated.

“Thank you,” said Lewiht and leaned his head against the crate again. It was only now that he started to realize the magnitude of what he did. He had killed a man. He was a murderer. He never once thought that his father didn’t deserve death, but seeing his lifeless body was something else entirely. Lying there with open yet lifeless eyes, his throat sliced open, a pool of blood around him… It was a sickening image that made Lewiht nauseous. He decided he didn’t want to eat the sandwich and put it back on the plate.

“I’m sorry Lew,” said Willard. “I never should’ve given you that book.”

Lewiht shook his head. “It wasn’t because of the book, don’t worry.”

“Still…”

“It’s fine. This was going to happen one day or another.”

Willard sighed. “How are you feeling, then?”

“Physically or mentally?” Lewiht still avoided eye contact.

“Both.”

“Physically I am… Fine.” He wasn’t lying. He got beaten really badly by the gang of the principal’s son, but they mostly beat him in the face. Sure, one of his eyes was swollen and he couldn’t see much. His nose was throbbing in pain (Lewiht checked it when he was on his way home and didn’t feel like it was broken) and he felt extremely dizzy, but otherwise, he was fine. There was also his broken rib still making breathing an agony for him, but he had already gotten used to that in the previous week, so it wasn’t bothering him too much.

“Mentally,” he continued. “I… I don’t know. I’m more worried about getting arrested.”

“About that,” said Willard. “You’ve been sleeping for about five hours. I went to check the school about two hours ago, and there were soldiers everywhere.”

Lewiht wasn’t surprised. It was as clear as day that he was the one who committed the crime. It was about time they were going to find him. “I’m putting all of you in danger.”

“No man, y-“

“Yes I do, Ged. You both are absent from school, and everybody in that damn school knows you two are my best friends. They will search for you. I’m going.” Lewiht stood up, his rib stabbing his chest and making him grunt.

“You need to rest man, just look at you.” Ged tried to make him sit, but Lewiht pushed his hand away.

“I’m really thankful for you both, but I don’t want to put you in more danger.”

“Then what’s your plan,” Ged asked, frowning. “Are you going to surrender?”

“No, I… I need to get out of this country.”

“No, what you need to do is…” said Ged, and picked up the sandwich, forcing it into Lewiht’s mouth. “…to eat. You are not even in the shape to get to the bazaar right now, let alone get out of the country. Just rest for today. We’ll think of something until tomorrow.”

As Lewiht chewed the sandwich, his eyes welled up and he looked at Ged’s eyes for the first time today. “You’re the best friend one could ever ask for, Ged. Thank you for everything.”

“What are you saying?” Ged put his hand on Lewiht’s shoulder. “Anybody would do the same.”

“No,” said Lewiht. “No, they wouldn’t. I just wanted you to know that I appreciate everything you’re doing.”

“Man, fuck you,” said Ged, turning his head. “I’m gonna go get some clothes for you, or you’re going to make me cry.”

Ged left the shed, leaving Willard and Lewiht alone.

“Lewiht I-“

“I want you to listen to me, Willard.” Lewiht locked eyes with Willard. “I need your help.”

***

The sun had already set, and Ged was pacing in his room anxiously. I forgot to give him a pillow!

It was already past midnight and he was waiting for his mom to sleep. He could still hear some noise coming out of his room around twenty minutes ago, but things were silent now. Even if she wasn’t asleep, she was probably in her bedroom and Ged could sneak out of the house.

He made up his mind and took his pillow with him. That fucking idiot, he thought as he silently made his way to the back door. Best friend one could ever ask for? Bullshit.

Ged’s eyes brimmed with tears. He always felt like he was the annoying one in the group. Growing up, he never had many friends, and his few friendships somehow always ended in a fight. They always blamed him: you’re too outspoken, you’re too frivolous, you’re too breezy… Even if they didn’t, even when he made friends, he was never the first choice of anyone. People would call him a friend, but in reality, they were no more than acquaintances. He never got invited to parties or gatherings because he was just… not a good friend. At least that’s what he always thought.

Lewiht was the first person Ged could proudly call his friend. Ged wasn’t someone from nobility, on the contrary, they were outright poor after his father passed away. If it wasn’t for Lewiht arranging a scholarship for him, he would’ve had to drop the Academy. Lewiht always hated to use his brother’s influence to achieve something, yet he had done it to arrange the scholarship. For Ged. For his friend.

You stupid, Ged thought, as he stepped outside and walked towards the shed. It is you who is the best friend one could ever ask for.

He put a smile on his face as he opened the door to the shed. “I forgot to give you a pillow…”

He dropped the pillow he was carrying. You fucking idiot.

The shed was empty.