[It’s funny, he thinks, as he wanders down this fleeting path of memory. As a child, Alec could not be more different than himself when he was those same ages. Henry was a quiet one, a solitary one, and it’s more likely he would have found himself in the unwanted crosshairs of a kid like Alec rather than seek his company.
But it’s still interesting to see. The fond memories here are laced with a heavy, cloying sense of guilt and gloom, and even Henry’s not sure he could prise them apart if ever given a reason to try.
…Could he say the same for himself? His parents would buy him an overlarge cake for his birthdays. His sister would drag him down the hall of their new house and laugh, trying to show him the new places she’d discovered after they’d moved in. Family outings in the summer. Bright faces in the sunlight. These are supposed be fond memories, warm ones, but they are so laden with discontent that he’s sure they died on the vine a long, long time ago.
He supposes it’s the same for Alec. He understands.
Eventually, the path ends. Once darkness is all that surrounds him, Henry is out of Alec’s head, and they’re back in “reality” again, sitting on his bed in the man’s room. He opens his eyes.]
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But it’s still interesting to see. The fond memories here are laced with a heavy, cloying sense of guilt and gloom, and even Henry’s not sure he could prise them apart if ever given a reason to try.
…Could he say the same for himself? His parents would buy him an overlarge cake for his birthdays. His sister would drag him down the hall of their new house and laugh, trying to show him the new places she’d discovered after they’d moved in. Family outings in the summer. Bright faces in the sunlight. These are supposed be fond memories, warm ones, but they are so laden with discontent that he’s sure they died on the vine a long, long time ago.
He supposes it’s the same for Alec. He understands.
Eventually, the path ends. Once darkness is all that surrounds him, Henry is out of Alec’s head, and they’re back in “reality” again, sitting on his bed in the man’s room. He opens his eyes.]
Alec?
[(Henry's nostril is bleeding red.)]
Welcome back. How do you feel?