SILENT OMEN Pt 3

Five or ten minutes passed before Chalice continued his tale. He had spent those minutes standing by the window and gazing out into the night. His thoughts had been devoted solely to Wednesday. He remembered the day they had met. Their paths had crossed by accident it seemed, but Chalice had always believed it was destiny. He remembered Wednesday's haunting words on the day they spent together, as the sun slowly sank into the distance, bathing them in a thousand shades of gold and red.

They had sat alone in Bromley Park, surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of everyday city life. However, the atmosphere in Bromley Park was different somehow – serene yet sad. Almost like the First Level of Hell – Limbo, where it is said that souls do not perish, but are left to wash away the sins with their own tears. Chalice felt uneasy that day. Bromley Park was normally crawling with life – children playing on the swings and in the sand-pit, mothers of almost all ages pushing prams and chatting to their friends, elderly people walking their pet dogs, teenage boys with skateboards – but not today. Today the park was void of life, except for Chalice and Wednesday. Not even a single bird swooped through the grey skies, not a single cat or dog wandered through the park's greenery, and above them, the white ghost-like sun hung, it's rays barely piercing the smog. He cast a glance at Wednesday and saw that the boy was still drowning in his own sorrow. His tears rolled down his pale cheeks and splashed onto the cold, hard concrete, like sparkling beads of glass shattering into millions of shards. Chalice had stared at the raven-haired beauty in awe – someone as fragile and delicate as Wednesday should not have to suffer like this. Slowly, he leaned over and placed a hand on the teenager's shoulder and gave him a comforting and reassuring squeeze before asking,

"So, are you going to tell me what happened?"

Wednesday sniffed and tried his best to wipe his eyes, but that only cleared the way for more tears.

"My mum was in a serious car crash last week. She was taken to hospital, and she was fighting for her life for 5 days, but last night…she lost the battle…"

"Oh my god Wednesday, I'm so sorry!"

"But there's something else too…"

"What?"

"Chalice, sniff, promise me you…won't tell…anyone what I'm about to, sniff, tell you."

The older boy nodded.

"I promise."

Wednesday leaned over and sank into Chalice's arms.

"Okay…sniff, I'll tell you…"

Chalice nodded.

"Don't worry Wednesday, you're secret is safe with me."

"I was, sniff, I was raped last night…"

Wednesday buried his face in Chalice's chest, and the older boy could tell he was crying a lot harder now due to how fast his shirt became soaking wet.

"Oh my god…" Was all Chalice could manage. He knew it was pathetic, but how could someone be so mean? No, mean wasn't the word…evil! He had only known Wednesday for a short three months, but in those months he had grown to love the youngster as his little brother, just as Wednesday had grown to respect and trust Chalice as his older brother. Whoever hurt Wednesday also hurt Chalice and vice-versa. They had told each other numerous little secrets, but this…this was too much. Chalice knew he had to tell someone else – he couldn't watch Wednesday suffer in silence.

"Wed…Wednesday…I have to tell someone else.."

Wednesday looked up at Chalice, his pupils shrinking in fear.

"No!" He screamed. "Please! Don't!"

Chalice shook his head.

"Wednesday, I have to – it's for your own good and-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the youngster interrupted.

"If you loved me, you wouldn't tell anyone else unless I asked you to…" Wednesday whispered darkly. Chalice froze. Unless he loved him?

"Wednesday…" Chalice thought hard for a moment. Had Wednesday took their close relationship the wrong way? Wednesday looked up at Chalice, his bright blue eyes glittering with tears and burning with a fire that was so intense that Chalice was forced to look away.

"Look Wednesday…I…"

"Don't say it." The teenager closed his eyes, causing several more tears to run down his cheeks. "I know you don't love me."

Chalice raised an eyebrow.

"That's not what I was going to say. You seem to totally misunderstand my love for you."

"What love?" Wednesday sniffed. "You never loved me. No one ever loved me. The only person that loved me was my mother, and she's dead now!"

Instantly, Chalice's eyes darted back to the raven-haired beauty lying in his arms.

Wednesday gazed deep into Chalice's eyes and Chalice saw himself reflected in those pools of blue. He had suffered the exact same pain – only his mother had loved him as a child, until he met Leathe, but then the Grim Reaper had taken Leathe away. Almost as though on cue, warm, salty tears began to pour from Chalice's eyes.

Wednesday looked up at the older Goth.

"Why are you crying?" He asked, his voice unusually quiet and soft.

Chalice took a deep breath before replying.

"B…because I feel every last ounce of your pain…"

Before he could do anything, Wednesday reached up and planted a soft affectionate kiss on Chalice's lips.