Blood Brother

Billy ran through town carrying his tennis shoes in his hand. His bare feet hit the hard dirt road, stirring up dust. He could see the lake in the distance, the tall oaks forming a gate around it. As he got closer, he could see Josh's blazing red hair illuminated under the burning August sun. Chuckling, Billy realized that it looked like his friend's head was covered in flames.
"Hey Billy," Josh called out to him, "hurry up!" Billy smiled up at him and quickened his pace. Veering from the road, he was relieved when his feet hit the cool grass. He jogged up to where Josh sat, dangling his feet into the water. Plopping down next to him, Billy looked around. The weeping willows sat on the edge of the bank, weary and bent over, like ancient guardians of the water. since the beginning of time, the trees had watched as the two best friends spent all of their summer days at the lake. It was like a hide out, their place, were no one cold botherthem. Most of the time they swam or boated, trying to find some relief from the heat. Josh didn't have any siblings, and he lived for days spent with his best friend. On the other hand, Billy couldn't remember a time when he wasn't cooing at baby brothers and sisters--living through the mess of six kids--and he had never been lonely.
Billy had worn his swim trunks and a light white t-shirt, but Josh hadn't dressed for the water. Billy looked at his
jeans.
"So...watcha plannin' on doin' today?" he asked, a little confused. A smile leapt across Josh's face, and he patted his pocked and stood up. Billy's eybrows rose. He knew
what was in that pocket, it was always there. Josh carried it with him constantly--had ever since he got it on his eighth birthday. Watching Josh pull it out of his pocket, Billy decided they must not be swimming, and stood up as well. He watched his friend caress the wooden frame, then click out the blade.
"What's that thing for?" he asked cautiously. Josh's face turned solemn.
"I've known you all my life, right?" Billy nodded. "And we been best buds since forever."
"So..." Billy wasn't one for the emotional type stuff, and Josh seemed to be headed in that direction.
"Well, I feel like... like yer my brother or somethin'."
"So..."
"And, I'm pretty close to ya...real close."
"So..."
"I was thinkin'..."
"Are you gonna cut my throat," Billy goggled, the words falling out of his moth. Josh look up in suprise, laughed a moment, then continued.
"Remember that time we went to Mr. Sally's to get a
haircut, and he shaved the top off?" Billy touched the top of his head, cringing at the memory.
"Yeh," he murmered
"And I let you wear my best ball cap to cover it up 'cause your sister drew all over yours with a marker, and you lost it in this here lake?" Billy surveyed the knife nervously. "Ididn't yell at ya or nothin'. even though I was madder than a Tom cat inside. and that time I stayed with you all night when you had the flu? Yer mam wouldn't let me inside so I sat out by yer window and slept on th grass?"
"What are yo gettin' at" Billy aske, thoroughly confused.
"I would never cut yer throat or nothin'" he said, as if
that explained his ranting.
"Oh," Billy faked a laugh. "Then what's the knife for?" Josh looked out over the water; its glassy surface reflected his tanned face.
"I was just thinking, wouldn't it be great if we were brothers?"
"Yer going pretty emotional, bud," he smiled gently at his friend, knowing that he was thinking abo something but not quite sure what that something was.
"Let's become...blood brothers," Excitement suddenly seared his eyes, matching the flames of the smmer sun, and his bright hair stood on edge. Billy didn't get it.
"Blood brothers?"
"Don't it seem... thrillin'? It'll be like a adventure!" Billy looked down at his wrist.
"You mean..."
"Yeh!" Studying his arm, Billy gulped. The veins and arteries popped out I. Irregular spots making him think of blood. Red blood oozing out of his skin, thin and runny, his insides pouring onto the burnt grass.
"It ain't gonna be bad," Josh tried to persuade him, reading his face. "I'll go first if you want." Billy's head ached. He loved Josh, but his was a crazy idea. The hought of pain scared him, as weak as it made him seem. He looked into Josh's eyes and realized that he was pleading. He needed this for some reason; he needed a brother.
"It'll hurt," he whined, fighting against it.
"Only for a second."
"How big?"
"Not big." Billy didn't bite his fingernails, but they found their way to his mouth.
"Don't be nervous," Josh implored. Don't be nervous. Billy couldn't say no, he couldn't deny this to his friend. Slowly, very slowly, he held out his wrist.
"Do it."