The Melody of Pip Winter

26: Songs Without Words

Pip had made his way to an abandoned park. The sky was dark and lit with a glum moon and a million speckles of light. A silent genre of eerie music played as the wind picked up speed. The grass was wet and dowsed in dew and the trees were statuesque figures that barely swayed despite the cool winds. Everything in sight was soaked with darkness and shadow. Everything around him made him come to a rather frightening conclusion, he was going to die.

A bush began to rattle and Pip was immediately clicked into alertness. His eyes scanned the premises and his hands prepared for combat after many years of being stagnant. It was true he was not a skilled fighter but he hoped his ability would increase and he would rise to the occasion, like in a super hero film, maybe he had some sort of hidden magical power. The scuffling sound emerged again and Pip's eyes shot to the bush Leo was crawling out of.

"Jesus, you scared the crap out of me." Pip huffed, the fear slowly subsided off his chest.

The boy giggled and made room for Annie to stand beside him. The pair shared the same light red scratches on their arms.

"Can I ask why you thought it was appropriate to climb through a bush?" Pip dropped his hand to his sides.

Leo shrugged and Pip wasn't all that surprised that the boy didn't have a reason to do something odd. Pip's eyes dropped to the plastic Sainsbury's bag Leo was holding.

"You ready to complete this task then?" Leo walked past him towards the brick wall that was next to the train tracks.

Annie gave him a warm grin.

"Just so you know murder and pyromania is where I draw the line." Pip announced.

The pair just chuckled and Pip followed after them, unaware of what he was getting himself into. The three of them stood before a plain brick wall. Leo's hand searched the bag and pulled out three cans of spray paint.

"Illegal to me is Jaywalking." Pip mumbled.

Leo snorted and snatched his small hand. Pip almost jumped when he felt a explosive sensation linger in the palm of his hand and his chest. The boy handed him the spray can. Pip turned to Annie who was taking sips from a bottle of vodka. He felt sick and oddly enough it wasn't from the illegal activity he was about to partake in.

"You don't have to Pip." Leo said easily.

Okay, Pip you need to think about this.

"I can't wait to be rid off this list." Pip said instead of pondering the idea.

What the hell had happened to him?

Leo gave him a soft look and he was drunk without even taking a sip of the burning liquid. He really needed to screw his head back on.

"Dam Pip you're corrupting our innocent Leo." Annie brayed.

They all held a spray can. Pip was nervous for all the wrong reasons as his belly still fluttered with an unknown and prickling tune.

"You ready?"

They all scattered the colours in their hands onto the wall. The differing shades did not take an invented shape but there was something startingly euphoric about creating something illicit. It was odd and random and strangely enjoyable.

"It sort of looks like you." Leo turned to Annie.

The girl scoffed and sprayed the boy with the paint. The scene erupted into a commotion of giggles. Pip stared in amusement until Leo grabbed his arms and shielded himself. Pip swore the tingles trailing every part of his body were shouting endless profanities at him.

"Poor Pip he probably wont want to hang out with us anymore now that you practically sacrificed him." Annie choked on the cackle still tickling her throat.

Pip smiled awkwardly.

"His sacrifice was very appreciated."

Leo's words tickled Pip's neck as the boy wrapped his arms around his waist. The action made him feel immediately queasy. Leo's head settled on his shoulder. Pip would be surprised if he made it through the night without a heart attack. The boy smelt like ash and tea leaves and he wished he could collect the scent and let it filter through his room. They both faced Annie who was clearly holding in snort. Pip felt like she knew something he didn't.

"Did you lose the wedding ring." Annie mumbled to herself; chuckling, thinking no one else could hear her.

Pip tried to suppress the ache possessing his whole body. Leo unlatched himself from his waist. His body felt like it was missing a warm set of arms. He felt something cold stroke his back. He turned and found the colour blue leaking into his clothes.

"You bugger." Pip feigned irritation.

"You were looking awfully clean." Leo sprayed him once more.

Pip sprayed the boy red and they both broke out in belly laughs. Pip focused on the reckless oceans swirling in Leo's eyes and yearned for something he hadn't discovered yet. Leo ruffled his hair and waltzed towards Annie. Something strange was definitely going down inside him because he had never felt so confused and giddy.

Pip watched as the boy lit a cigarette and admired their work. As Annie took a sip from the bottle she offered Pip a gulp. He should probably decline but the powerful waves of confusion were tripping him over the edge. He took the bottle in his hands.

"Is that really a good idea? It didn't look fun when you were throwing up into a toilet." Leo voiced.

Pip took another look at the bottle filled with reckless actions and sober thoughts, and he sculled half of it. The liquid charred his tongue and burned a whole in his throat. Annie laughed and Leo took the bottle away from him.

"We'll get pissed together." And Leo jumped into a pool of haze with him.

After a while of blurry moments Annie had left and it was just an almost delusional Pip and a overly cheery Leo. They were stretched out in the wet grass with there heads full of fantasy and their stomach tinged with fire.

"Dolphins are much cooler than whales what are you on about?" Leo hiccuped.

Pip rolled onto his side to observe the boy. His Adam's apple peaking through his skin and his focus stolen by the stars. Fuck, he looked like the most beautiful melody.

"Dolphins are murderers! And what animal is Moby Dick about? The Whale!" Pip slurred.

Leo's body vibrated with a batch of warm chuckles as a piece of the ocean fell from the sky. Leo stood up in an instant as the rain turned from a meek drizzle to a harsh downpour. The boy opened his mouth in attempt to catch the droplets. Eventually he walked back towards Pip and offered him a hand. As pip got his feet a bullet of dizziness shot him right in the head.

Water soaked his skin and danced on his damp hair. Leo started to hum the tune to a familiar song. The boy laced his fingers around Pip's. Leo smiled widely and blissfully and it was the most dazzling painting the boy had created.

They both twirled and danced in the rain and it was the most free Pip had ever felt. Nothing bound his wrists and there was nothing morbid on his mind. He was only filled with joy and curiosity. In that moment he had forgotten everything that had come before.

After a while Pip's chest hammered and his breath hitched on the sight of Leo's rain mussed hair. He stared uncontrollably and couldn't look away. His eyes were cemented to the gorgeous boy before him. Pip traced the boys soft features with his glare and fell into the other boys iris's.

They were like opposite sides of a magnet pulled together by extreme force. Pip had never had heartburn as extreme as this. Their eyes compelled each other to walk further into their souls as tears fell from the sky.

Pip's eyes fell to the other boys soft red lips. Never had ever wanted to explore something so badly. He was breathless and his chest weighed a million tons. His state couldn't be explained by any word on the tip of his tongue.

"Can I help you complete the last task?" Leo whispered.

And Pip nodded.