Midnight

Forrest stood in the doorway, staring into the dark room and watching the lone figure inside in complete silence.

Tetheus sat at his usual seat in front of the large windows that overlooked the city that was nestled around the house; one leg pulled up tightly to his chest and the other spread out over the velvety material of the window seat. He was nothing but a still, black silhouette and the sight troubled Forrest so thoroughly that he shivered hard.

“Tetheus? What are you doing just sitting there? We’re leaving; don’t you remember? I’m finally getting us out of this wretched city,” Forrest softly called to him, his hand clenching tightly onto the doorframe and one foot sliding across the carpet and further into the black room, seemingly moving on its own will.

Tetheus looked back at his companion, the full moon catching his eyes and making them flash white as he turned. “What time is it, Forrest?” he whispered and that’s when the other man noticed Tetheus’s breathing was ragged and his face was gleaming with beads of sweat that looked like a crystal crown enthroning his black hair covered head.

“It’s eleven forty-five. Why? Is something wrong?”

“Midnight…” he murmured and faced the window once again.

Forrest walked to him and sat by his side, waiting for more of an explanation, but when he Tetheus didn’t say anything more and didn’t even move, he tried again. “What about midnight?” Tetheus opened his mouth and puffed air out onto the cold glass window. The two of them watched as the edges of the telltale breath crawled inward, folding in on itself. Forrest repeated his question, losing patience and taking on an angry hysteria.

“That’s the time. When the clock strikes twelve. Oh, gods…please…”

Forrest’s hands shook as he placed one on Tetheus’s trembling shoulder. “What do you mean? Midnight…? It has never bothered you before.”

Tetheus stared at Forrest and Forrest winced at his hard glare. He didn’t blink and he didn’t open his mouth for a few minutes before finally answering, “When midnight arrives, I turn eighteen.”

“That’s a good thing right? Birthday’s are good, Teth.”

“No, Forrest. No. It’s like Cinderella, only I lose something else…oh, something so different,” he whispered and let himself lean forward to rest his forehead on the window.

“What do you lose? Tell me, love.”

“I lose…” he mumbled something inaudible and moaned pitifully.

“What?”

“I lose my life, damn it!”

Forrest’s eyes grew wide. “What? What are you saying? You’re lying. That’s a lie, you’re crazy!” He held on hard and tight to Tetheus’s shoulder. Tetheus cried out and pushed the other man away.

“Don’t! It’s true! Why would I lie about my life? I wouldn’t! I don’t want to do this; I don’t want to lose you!” he screamed, tears rolling from his securely clenched eyes.

Forrest looked down at his hands. “I can’t…I don’t want you gone either…” He couldn’t stop the tears from falling down his cheeks and into his open, waiting palms where they rested, miniature oceans, salty and bitter.

He looked up and met Tetheus’s eyes, then kissed him, something he’d been holding back for hears, ever since they met through Forrest’s brother. And now he never wanted to let go. Tetheus returned his housemate’s love and then it was heard.

The slow echoing chimes of the grandfather clock slowly reverberated up to their ears. Tetheus let out a strangled scream into the mouth of he who held him tightly. Those arms did not let go, though. The urge to be the last thing Tetheus saw, felt, and loved forced Forrest to hug and hold him. They sobbed and shuddered together, aware that this was it. But why? Perhaps Tetheus was wrong…? How could someone just die when he turned eighteen?

But the clock stopped its vile noise and Tetheus went limp in his best friend’s arms. Forrest lowered him down into his lap and brushed the sweat damp black hair back from his forehead as he stared down into Tetheus’s eyes that stared straight up into nothingness. Forrest lightly pushed the eyelids down over those blank eyes and observed Tetheus’s blue lips.

Could Forrest have stopped it? Yes, he decided. He could’ve found out it would’ve happened had he ever talked to Tetheus and showed his love. But he hadn’t. He never could bring himself to try. He was just too afraid of those around them, of rejection, of his own feelings, and the thought of love itself.

He kissed those freezing lips one last time, shoved open the window Tetheus had always loved to stare so longingly out of, and held his lifeless body as he plunged to his own death, knowing they’d meet on the other side where no more midnights could reach them.