Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2012 21:53:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: rtbrno65@yahoo.com
Subject: Quincy and that unusual friend of his chapter 14

All the usual caveats apply. Story, characters, locations, are all
completely fictional.


		  "Quincy And That Unusual Friend Of His"

				Chapter 14


Quincy rode his bike to school the next morning after comforting a
disappointed Erik, who had just found out that he would be going over to
Timothy's after school. Erik seemed to finally accept Timothy, although he
still obviously disliked even hearing the name.

Timothy's mom picked them up after school in their SUV, so Quincy was able
to put his bike into the back. Quincy, Timothy, and several other kids had
gotten a pretty harsh lecture from Mrs. Robbins at the beginning of class
that day for "disrupting" the class the previous day. Quincy assured her
that no such incident would occur again. Mrs. Robbins said she would let it
go this time but that she wouldn't be so lenient next time. Quincy was
relieved that the incident didn't get to his parents, although the other
kids seemed resentful that they had gotten into any trouble at all. Quincy
was starting to feel a definite crush on his teacher developing.

Timothy and Quincy spent two hours playing Parcheesi before Quincy was
driven home by Timothy's mom. When he got into his room, he saw Erik
patiently waiting for him on the edge of the bed, as he almost always
had. Quincy loved to see Erik's face light up when he would enter the room.

"Hey Erik!"

"Hi Quincy!"

Quincy sat down next to Erik and put his arms around him in a hug. Erik
hugged him back and they stayed that way for a few seconds, until Quincy
suggested that they go to the creek.  As they were leaving, Quincy's mom
stopped him and said that dinner was ready, and that he was expected to do
his homework right afterwords. Quincy moaned in disappointment and Erik
disappeared from the room with a sad look on his face. It was very obvious
at this point that summer vacation was over.

Quincy went back up to his room and did his homework. This time, Erik
helped him. Erik turned out to be a math whiz, and he gave Quincy pointers
that were far more valuable than anything he had gotten from any teacher so
far. Quincy felt a sad little tug in his chest as he thought about what
Erik might have accomplished had he survived into adulthood, and about the
potential that was wasted with his death at an early age. After he finished
his homework, he had his mom come up and check it for him. He then changed
into his pajamas, said his prayers, and started preparing for bed.

"Erik, come sit next to me." Quincy said as he sat on the edge of the bed.

Erik gave a big grin, as he knew what was coming. Erik sat next to Quincy
and Quincy began rubbing his fingertips up and down Erik's back.

"That's so nice." Erik said as he leaned his head onto Quincy's
shoulder. "I love it when you touch me."

"You're so cool." Quincy said as he stroked Erik. "I can't believe I met
you."

"Can I kiss you, Quincy?"

Quincy hesitated a little. He was still a little bit uncomfortable with
Erik's extreme affection. "Sure, I guess." Quincy finally said.

Erik turned and first kissed Quincy on his cheek, and then on the tip of
his ear, and then on his cheek again. He then turned Quincy's face towards
him and kissed him twice on his lips, then on the tip of his nose, then on
each of his eyes, and then on his lips again. Quincy smiled and began
rubbing his fingertips slowly through Erik's hair, down his forehead, over
his eyes and face, and down his neck. Erik leaned over and kissed Quincy on
his lips again. They then hugged and Erik kissed Quincy on the
cheek. Quincy smiled and then hopped up on the bed and slipped under the
covers. Erik got up and sat on the desk so that he could watch over the
best friend that he had ever had while he slept. Quincy turned off the
light and soon slipped into a peaceful, tranquil sleep.

The next day was Wednesday, August 31. Quincy awoke and didn't see Erik
around anywhere. He got dressed, ate his breakfast, and hopped on his bike
to ride to school. The school day came and went. Mrs. Robbins was impressed
at how well Quincy had done on his math homework, and he couldn't wait to
tell Erik about it.

Once the school day was finished, Quincy hopped on his bike and quickly
rode back to his house. When he arrived, he saw his mom in the kitchen
watching one of her talk shows. Quincy waved to her as he bounded
upstairs. He entered his room excitedly, and then froze in horror at the
sight that met him.

Erik was lying on his right side on the bed and shivering, as though he
were in freezing cold weather. His skin looked pale, and his lips were
blue. He had dark circles under his eyes, which looked yellow and
sickly. He was curled up in a fetal position, and he was covered in
goosebumps.

"Erik!" Quincy said alarmed as he shut the door, threw down his backpack,
and sat on the bed next to Erik."What's wrong?" Quincy put his hand on
Erik's shoulder and it felt cool and clammy, like a thawed raw turkey.

"I'm...so...cold..." Erik said through chattering teeth.

"Here, get under the covers!" Quincy said as he started pulling the covers
back under Erik

"Won't...help..." Erik said. Quincy then realized what the date was. It was
August 31, the day that Erik was killed. Quincy pulled back the covers and
then put them over Erik.

"Erik, I'm going to go get a heating pad for you right now!" Quincy said.

"Help me...Quincy...please..." Erik moaned.

Quincy rushed out to the hall closet and grabbed the heating pad. He
brought it into the room, plugged it in, and put it under Erik's head.

"I hurt so much..." Erik whined.

"Shh...shh..." Quincy said.

"My head...my head hurts..."

"Try not to think about it..." Quincy said as he stroked Erik's head,
trying not to cry.

"Black...all there is is black...black everywhere. I don't want to go into
the black, Quincy..." Erik then burst into tears.

"You won't " Quincy said. "You won't because I'm here."

"Please Quincy..." Erik sobbed.

"You have to stay, Erik. You have to stay because I'm here. If you go into
the black I can't go with you. Please stay... for me... Erik."

"Oh Quincy...!" Erik sobbed.

"Shh..."

"I'm so scared!"

"Don't be. I'm here, I'm here. You don't ever have to be scared again
because I'll always be with you." Quincy then took Erik's cold hands into
his. "See? I'm holding your hands so you can't go away. If you try to
leave, I'll just pull you right back to me. I'm not going to let you leave
because you're my best friend. I'll never let you leave me."

He then heard his mom outside his door. "Quincy, I just made popcorn if you
want to come downstairs!"

"Please! Don't leave me!" Erik cried out.

"I have a lot of homework to do, Mom! I'll be down in a little bit!"

"I'm proud to see you applying yourself, Son! Call me if you need any
help!"

"Quincy...!" Erik moaned.

"OK, Mom!" Quincy said. He then got some spare blankets out of the closet
and put them down on the bed on top of Erik. He started rubbing Erik's
hair.

"Erik, you have to stay with me! You can't leave! I...I... I love you
Erik!"

Erik continued to shiver under the covers. Quincy eventually tried to do
some homework, but he was continuously distracted by Erik's moaning and
wailing. At one point Erik started babbling in Danish. Quincy felt like he
was being stabbed by a knife every time Erik cried out. Eventually Quincy
was called down to dinner. He devoured the meal as quickly as he could, and
then returned to Erik's side. After Quincy finished his homework, he lay
down on the bed and spooned up behind Erik and put his arms around him.

'Shh...don't worry, I'm here, Quincy is here...I won't ever let you go...I
won't ever let you go..." Quincy said as Erik shivered and groaned.

Quincy stayed with Erik all night like that. He eventually fell asleep, and
when he woke up in the very early morning light, he realized that he was in
the bed alone. He quickly turned around and saw Erik sitting on the desk.

"Hi Quincy!" Erik said with a wave.

"Erik! You're all right!" Quincy said with delight.

"Of course I'm all right!" Erik grinned.

Quincy then realized that he was still wearing the same clothes from the
day before. He got undressed, took a shower, got dressed again, and quickly
finished the homework he didn't get to the night before, and with Erik's
help. He then ate his breakfast, and rode his bike to school.

That afternoon after school, Quincy rode back to the house. He and Erik
then went to the creek. They went to the spot where the beavers were,
although they were nowhere to be seen. They then played "Star Trek". Quincy
was a big fan of the original series, so he and Erik were Captain Kirk and
the Gorn, respectively. After they had played this for a while, they sat on
the big tree branch and threw pebbles into the creek.

"It sure is hot." Quincy said.

"It's not too bad." Erik replied.

"So what do you do in the house all day while I'm at school?"

"I wait for you."

"That's all?"

"Pretty much. Sometimes I'll read your Harry Potter books, or try to avoid
your mom."

"I hope you don't get bored."

Erik tossed a pebble into the gurgling stream. "No. I don't get bored. It's
not going to matter anyway once I start going to school."

"You keep saying you're going to school. What school do you mean?"

"Madera School! I've told you that! I start on my birthday! I can't wait!"

"Isn't your birthday on September 2?" Quincy asked. September 2 was the
next day.

"Yep! On my birthday! I can't wait! I've never had the first day of school
on my birthday before! I can't wait! I've been looking forward to this for
so long!" Erik grinned.

It then hit Quincy like a brick, like a laser beam to his forehead. All of
a sudden everything had become clear. He now realized what he needed to
do. He now knew exactly what he needed to do to help Erik, and it would be
the biggest sacrifice that he had ever made, and would ever make, in his
entire life.

			     End of chapter 14