Boys in the Trees Page #4

Almost.

Forget something?

Hey, guess what we found at the cemetery.

- What?

- The little fag's mother.

Yeah.

And wait till you see

what we did to her tombstone.

We're gonna need photos of it.

So... grab your sh*t. Let's go.

Got everything?

- Slushy. Did you get me my slushy?

- Yeah, yeah. I got your slushy.

Thank you.

Nah.

What?

What's the problem, cozza?

Is he your boyfriend or something?

- I don't want to be like that.

- Like what?

Cruel.

Didn't know you batted for that team.

What if I did?

Would you still be my friend?

Or would you throw dead animals at my house?

Alright, what... what are you saying, man?

Maybe I'm not one of you anymore.

Hey.

You are one of us.

Or you're nobody.

I guess you're friends with nobody, then?

F*** you!

Fight! Fight!

Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight!

Mate.

Nah.

Corey!

F***.

Jonah!

Jonah? You in there?

Jonah?

Now he sits there, in front of the TV...

...late into the night,

with the volume turned way up.

Turn off the light.

Why'd you leave?

You're the one who left.

Come outside.

- Why?

- 'Cause I want to explain.

You can't.

Keep it.

You're breaking the rules, you know.

What rules?

Cocytus.

- Game doesn't stop till we get home.

- That's kids stuff.

So?

We're kids.

At least for tonight.

You can be such a dick sometimes.

Yeah.

Come on. Best way to keep the wolf

from your door is to go to his.

One thing's for sure.

Jango and I are no longer friends.

Thank you.

Got time for one more house call.

F***!

Motherf***er.

Are you trying to kill yourself? You'll fall.

People aren't really scared of falling.

- They're scared of jumping.

- I'm scared my dad will kill you.

What are you doing here?

- Is your face okay?

- Yeah, yeah.

I just thought you might want

some snow on Halloween.

- That stuff's toxic.

- So?

- It'll give you cancer.

- It's worth it.

- Romany, are you okay in there?

- I'm fine. Go back to bed.

- You should go.

- One more thing.

I owe you an apology.

I've been a real dick tonight.

Just tonight?

Maybe for a while.

But I did notice you.

And sometimes the boys just climb

the trees to get a better look at the view.

Happy Halloween.

You'll catch your death if you stay

in the snow for too long.

So, what happens now?

I think this is where you show me

one of your callisthenic routines.

I will punch you in the face.

I guess you go back

to the company of wolves...

...and I get to escape

to the wilds of Canada.

Unless...

Unless?

Well...

...I don't know for sure, but...

...I imagine there are some pretty

good photography courses in Canada.

There would be a lot of beautiful

things there to capture.

Do you really want me to come?

Sometimes it's just easier to live your dream

if you have someone to share it with.

And... maybe you don't come to Canada, but...

...we can make sure we both get out of here.

What, if... if I live my dream,

you'll live yours?

Yeah.

Want to swear?

- Sure, motherf***er.

- No, I mean it.

Let's do this.

If you go back on this, I will come at

you in the black of some terrible night.

And I will bring a pointy reckoning

that will shudder you.

I'm through with breaking promises.

- Don't fall.

- Too late.

- Shut up.

- Okay.

Jonah!

Rex?

Rex! Hey.

Oh, now feel it coming back again

Like a rolling thunder chasing the wind

Forces pulling from the center

of the Earth again

I can feel it

I can feel it

I can feel it

- Come on.

- I can feel it

Let's get out of here.

Jonah.

Jonah! Stop!

What was that place? Who is that man?

- I don't know him.

- He looked familiar.

We meet him twice.

First time, you don't remember.

The second time, you never forget.

What if I lied to you?

When I said I didn't want to grow up?

Run.

Run! Run!

Jonah!

We need more light.

Hey.

They can't hurt us if we stick together.

They won't let us go forward.

Then let's go back,

where the dreams are true.

The stories too.

Jonah. Jonah.

We need to go higher.

My best friend.

Why did we leave all this behind?

- We needed more.

- Did you?

Do you remember that day?

Like it was yesterday.

It kinda was, since we kept it so close.

It was Halloween then too.

We were all dressed up.

I still had my first camera.

Don't make it too real.

It was getting late. And it isn't midnight

when young boys turn into pumpkins.

It's when the street lights turn on.

It was a bad idea.

The boys knew that from the start, but...

...nobody wants to be the one left behind.

Even though tunnels

can be longer than they appear.

And there are things in this world

we don't read about in storybooks.

Wolves may lurk in any guise.

And only in the dark...

...do we learn how far we'll go to survive.

Even if it means running

as fast as you can...

...and leaving behind everything you value.

Corey.

And that was the last time

that they played Cocytus.

It'll be morning soon.

Is it getting cold?

Think so.

We have to go home eventually.

Then the game will be over.

What would happen if we change the ending?

What ending?

To the story in the drain.

What if I...

- ...what if he stayed?

- He left.

Maybe he didn't.

Maybe it just seemed like he did.

And as he was walking away, he turned back...

...'cause he realized

who his real friend was.

'Cause together, they could do anything.

They could cross the bridge to Cocytus.

They could outwit the darklings.

They could outrun the wolves.

Why couldn't they defeat two bullies?

And then?

And then they live their dreams

like they promised each other.

That's what should have happened.

I like that ending.

But that's not what happened.

I'm ready to show you now.

This is where we say goodbye.

This where you live now, homey?

Yeah, real mature, smart-arse.

Thought you were in a hurry to grow up.

Maybe I was a bit hasty on that one.

Good to hear it.

I'm sorry.

For leaving.

You know...

...tonight...

...kind of made up for the rest of it.

Turn around.

Jonah!

Hey, Jonah!

Oh, f***! F***! Jonah!

Dad!

Dad, are you there?

Dad, I need you.

Judging by the state of his...

...the... condition...

...he's in, they think he

must have been in the water...

...since late afternoon.

He must have...

...fallen while he was crossing and...

...hit his head.

We climbed trees together.

That was a long time ago.

Are we still going to the lake this weekend?

Only if you want to.

Yeah.

I do.

Are you ready to go?

I just want to stay here a little longer.

Your friends are here.

Forget something?

Hey, you there? Can you hear me?

You're cutting in and out a bit.

Yeah, this Wi-Fi's bullshit.

Dude, how are the performances going?

- Full houses so far.

- Really?

Hey, look. Can you see it?

- Is it snow?

- Yeah. Happy Halloween.

Where are you heading tonight?

The voice are paying me to get shots

of the parade in the village tonight.

What are you gonna be?

Romany?

Romany? Hello?

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