Thunder And Lilacs

Flashes of lightening lit up the sky, almost as if someone were throwing a fireworks show. The cracks they made were deafening, sounding so real, so close, yet, they felt so far away, as if they had come out of a dream.

Adrian had always liked the sound of thunder. The deep growling booms it made whenever the friction became too much in the sky. Adrian had always loved going to the treehouse in his backyard, when it thundered. He liked to have a nice view of the electric purple sky.

Sometimes, Mikey, the boy from down the street, would ride his bike over and hang out with him. It was certain to happen, when it was thundering. Mikey enjoyed thunder almost as much as his younger friend did. They'd sit up in the treehouse for hours, whispering to each other as they watched their own little light show. They'd talk about school, most of the time. What they liked about it, what they didn't like, who they had crushes on, who they hated most in the big world.

The treehouse held all of their secrets.

From the day that they had met, when Adrian's older brother Frank had Mikey's older brother Gerard over to play videogames, to when Mikey had first been bullied, to when Adrian had been suspended for beating up said-bully. Even the day that they had both come out to each other, as pans and bi, the treehouse had heard it all.

It kept their secrets hidden away from the big world, in their own little one.

Over the the next eleven years, from the time that Adrian was six and Mikey eight, to when Mikey had been graduated for a year, and Adrian was a junior in high school, the two boys remained treehouse friends. They never stopped being friends, no matter what. They had made it through it all; bad days, good days, broken limbs, broken hearts, bad breakups with bad people, and even the rough patches of depression both boys suffered from. Their friendship lived on, just like the little shack in the branches.

And it would always remain that way.

The day was October 23, 2017, Adrian's seventeenth birthday. A Monday. Though the worst day of the week, Adrian had stomped through the day in his beat-up sneakers, making sure that his birthday was a good one. He sat with Frank at lunch, the two brothers being the only ones in their friend group that were still in school.

They talked about what they'd be doing when they graduated. Frank rambled on about staying local, so that he can stay close to home, if anything happened. Adrian had rolled his eyes, knowing that Frank was only staying so that he could see Gerard. In return, the younger brother talked about going to culinary school, having had a lifelong dream of becoming a chef. Frank beamed at his baby brother, knowing that he'd make a damn good cook.

Leaving lunch, the rest of Adrian's day went by in a blur. He couldn't wait to get home and hang out with Mikey. The awkward boy, no, adult, had told his junior to go to the treehouse for his birthday present. Adrian never liked surprises, and Mikey knew that, so Adrian was anxious to get back.

Once at his house, Adrian pulled his rusted purple bike over to the shed, chaining it up, so that it wouldn't fall and become scuffed. He noticed that Frank wasn't home, knowing that the boy had gone over to Gerard's to spend the night. Pulling his helmet off, the teen raced over to their tree, excited to see what Mikey had gotten him.

Climbing up the old rope ladder, one that desperately needed to be replaced, Adrian looked for his friend, not noticing the man behind the small wall they had put up. Pulling himself up into the house, the boy looked around, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. He turned to look out the small window, when his sides were harshly jabbed.

Letting out a small shriek, Adrian turned to find the older man behind him, stifling a laugh.

"You shoulda seen your face, Addie, it was fucking great!"

Adrian smacked Mikey on the shoulder, his heart still beating up against his ribcage.

"Dammit Mikey, you scared the living shit outta me. Next time, breathe, why don't ya?"

Mikey stopped laughing, after a few moments. Clearing his throat, he turned to grab something off of the treehouse box/table. Turning back towards his lifelong friend, Mikey held out the box.

"Well, I went out and got something for you, but seeing as you didn't like my other gift, I guess I have to take this one back."

Mikey frowned at his junior, holding a cold stare for a few moments, but breaking into a small smile when Adrian rolled his eyes, and took the box out of his larger hands.

"I hope you like it. I spent a few weeks looking at stuff, but this seemed more your style."

Adrian glanced at the tall boy's nervous stance, having seen it many times before. Turning back to the box, Adrian opened it.

It was a ring.

Pulling it out, Adrian looked closer at the intricate designs seared into the ring. The design was that of a lightening bolt, stretching and cracking across the ring. There were a few small stones that littered the bolt, they were a mix of pink and purple, Adrian's favorite colors for lightening. Turning to Mikey, still holding the box in his other hand, he gestured to the ring.

"You aren't proposing to me, are ya? 'Cause, I gotta tell ya, I ain't exactly the best choice for a hubby."

Mikey visibly calmed down, shaking his head, a small smile on his lips.

"Nah, it's just....I thought you'd like it."

Adrian nodded, turning the ring over in his hand, staring more into the details of the ring.

Putting the box down onto the table, Adrian slid the ring onto his middle finger, finding that it fit snugly.

"Thanks, Mikey. I really love it."

Mikey nodded. "I'm glad," he said, "because I have one other gift for you."

Adrian gave the man a puzzled looked. Mikey reached behind him, and pulled out a messy bouquet of lilacs and daisies.

"I, uh, I was wondering if you'd maybe go on a date with me?"

Adrian's jaw dropped slightly in shock. Looking down to the flowers, then his ring, then Mikey's face. Seeing the hope in the man's eyes, he had one question.

"Why?"

Mikey shifted his weight. "I, well, I always sorta had feelings for you. You're the dumbass kid who beat up my bullies in school, you were one of the only people, besides Gee, who hung out with me, and we both enjoy watching horror films, while drinking coffee and yelling at the characters. You're funny, cool, a downright asshole, at your worst times, and my greatest friend, at your best."

Stepping forward, Mikey held out the flowers.

"I don't really want this to end up like one of those fanfics you read, so here."

Adrian reached for the flowers in shock, then thought twice about it. Mikey looked visibly hurt at Addie's actions, and was about to turn and toss the flowers in the bin, when he felt slightly muscled arms hug around his waist. Looking down, Mikey saw only the lilac-covered top of Adrian's hair, and the shaved sides of his head. He didn't know what to do, so he just hugged him back. They stood in silence for what seemed like hours, before Mikey heard Addie speak up.

"I'd love to, you big fuck-nugget."

Mikey just laughed.

~~~~Three Hours Later~~~~

Mikey and Adrian were sitting in their treehouse, holding hands this time, while watching the thunder roll in. The sky was a dull grey, and they could feel the wind of the trees bring in the moist rain from outside.

Adrian turned to look at his best friend, now boyfriend, noticing the small smile was still on his face. He was radiating sunshine in the murky weather. Turning back to their light show, Adrian placed his head upon Mikey's shoulder, and listened to the start of the chorus of thunder.

All was well.

CRACK!

One hour later, after the worst thunderstorm of the decade, the smell of dampened and charred wood still lingers. An ambulance is parked on the side of the street, next to two police vehicles, and Frank's motorcycle. Two officers are sitting with the older brothers of the victims, and their close friends, as the other officers help the firefighters lift the last of the treehouse from the ground. The bodies of two boys lie in the ash and mud. Their faces are burnt, not too badly, but their lifeless eyes stare up at nothing, like marbles in a jar. The sounds of pained wailing break through the shrill horns and sirens, the sounds of sadness ripping throughout the air.

The bodies are put into bags and onto stretchers, their hands breaking apart, no longer intertwined. One with a lightening bolt ring, the other covered with ash and burns. They're driven away, as news travels around of the deaths.

The autopsies show that Adrian Colt and Michael Way had both perished from smoke inhalation, and not electrocution. They had been able to survive the initial shock from the storm, but had not been able to get past the terrorizing flames, and had spent their last moments holding each other.

Their funerals were held a few days later. More family and close friends showed up, as well as the school. Mikey's bullies, Adrian's enemies, their old friends, they'd all come to pay their respects to them. It was a quiet service, the sounds of Frank and Gerard crying with Ray and Bob, their two closest friends.

The parents of the young teens sit by themselves, blank stares and mascara-stained faces looking towards the two filled coffins. The priest sounded dismal and broken, having baptised both boys as infants.

Closing his bible, the priest allowed the service attendees say their last goodbyes, letting Gerard and Frank go first, then last, so they could say goodbye privately. Gerard says his goodbyes to Adrian, then steps over to his brother, moving a stray hair from his face, and adjusting his glasses, the way Mikey would like them.

Frank manages to hold in his tears with Mikey, but when he sees the body of his lifeless brother, he breaks down, sobbing out how sorry he is for not saving him. Bob and Ray escort the two brothers out, so that they can have time to calm down before the lowering.

They carried out Adrian first. Frank up front with Gerard, then Bob and Ray, and finally their friends Joe and Andy. They bring the coffin into the back of the first hearse, dark and dismal as the day of the fire.

They go back for Mikey's coffin. This time, Joe and Andy are replaced with a tearful Pete and a blank Patrick. They take more time for Mikey, knowing that Gerard would like to carry his baby brother, one last time. After they shut the hearse doors, the attendees gather into the funeral cars and follow the hearses to the cemetery.

The priest gives another speech, letting the people grieve and mourn their losses, and they finish the funeral with silence, the only noise coming from the rain in the sky.

With a few hundred lilacs, and a few more goodbyes, Adrian Colt and Michael Way were lowered into the ground, the smell of thunder still lingering on their breaths.

Notes

I am so sorry for this.

I had writer's block, and this popped into my head, and it hurt me, so I wrote it.

I hate myself for this.

Anyways, all tears aside, (mine included),

Question of the Day/Night:
What should I write about next?

As always, feel free to leave your comments, questions, insults, and compliments in the section below.

Until We Meet Again,
Sweet Horrors And Terrible Nightmares,
XOXO,
Screaming Tears,
<4