"And while I’m away

Dust out the demons inside

And it won’t be long

Before you and me run

To the place in our hearts

Where we hide"

Shane was sat on his bed sorting out the things in the box he had asked his mum to bring. It was and old shoe box in which he had saved the things that meant the most to him in life. A lot of memories were associated with the things in there.

He was starting to feel a bit better now. They had lowered the medication a bit since he had trusted Kian a week back, so his head was starting to be a bit clearer now, making him a bit more aware of what was happening around him.

He still felt uneasy around anyone but Kian. Strange really how he felt panicked when his mum and dad were there but not when Kian was there. Well, not really. He couldn’t really panic with Kian around, because Kian just accepted him as he was. His mum and dad would fuss and worry, but Kian put everything into just being there. The past two weeks had been hell and Shane didn’t even know why Kian kept coming, but he did and he didn’t fuss.

He got to the bottom of the box and found a shell. He took it in his hand. He smiled vaguely as he remembered the day he had found it. Him and Kian. They had found two shells that were identical. Not just kinda look-a-like, but indentical. They looked exactly the same, there was even a little piece missing at the end of both, and the missing pieces were just as big.

He remembered how his and Kian’s life’s seemed to have circulated around those shells when they were young. They brought them everywhere. Believing some force connected them if they did. He knew it couldn’t be like that, but he still knew that he had found safety and comfort in that shell many times growing up. It was like a substitute for Kian when Kian wasn’t there.

He let his thoughts drift to Kian for a while. He realised that Aoife hadn’t been to visit yet. And he hadn’t even missed her. Maybe she had given up. He could understand that. He almost hoped she had. He knew he loved someone else, unregarding of if he let himself or not.

Kian. He clutched his hand around the shell. He loved him. He knew he did. He just… didn’t want to admit it. Admit what? It was so much more than love. They were soul mates, weren’t they? They must be, that’s why Kian seemed to be his only hope right now.

"Oh Kian, you gotta help me. I need you." Strange how he still found comfort in an old shell.

Chapter 8 >>