Beautiful Oblivion

Chapter 4

Over the next few days, Noah didn't go to visit Glenn. It wasn't that he didn't want to because he did. He just wasn't sure if he should. Glenn hadn't mentioned wanting to do anything the next day, only that he had a doctor's appointment. So, Noah decided it was best if he stayed home.

But then the next day rolled around, and he still found himself unsure of what to do. Why hadn't someone written some sort of friend code for situations like this? Out of uncertainty the teenager even googled 'rules of friendship', but the first link he clicked on stated very clearly under rule number three 'They care about you but don't smother you.' Would him showing up uninvited qualify as smothering? In the end, Noah didn't make a trip to the hospital until his next appointment almost a week later.

The appointments seemed pointless to Noah. Each week they went in, and each week the doctor confirmed he was still dying. Big surprise there. It seemed no matter how many drugs they pumped into his body, or different diets they put him on the cancer was still progressing right on schedule. Lucky him.

After listening to the doctor drone on and on about some new experimental drug that showed promise, Noah couldn't wait to spend the day hanging out with Glenn. It wasn't until he reached the room that his stomach started churning with unease. What if Glenn thought he had blown him off? He should have just manned up and stopped by sooner. Before he could even work up the courage to knock, the door swung open, nearly knocking the young teen over.

"I am so sorry. Are you okay?" Noah looked up to see a middle-aged woman with bright green eyes looking horrified.

"I'm fine. I --I was just uh looking for Glenn," he rambled.

"Oh, you must be Noah. Glenn! Noah's here," she announced. "I'm Sasha by the way, Glenn's mother. Wish I could stay, but I really am quite late." Wow! Noah thought, now understanding where Glenn must have gotten all of his energy from.

"So that was your mom, huh?"

"She is," Glenn answered getting up from his bed. Noah noticed the tube resting just underneath the boy's nose. He was getting worse. "I wasn't sure if you would be coming back anytime soon."

"Yeah, well..." he trailed off not sure what to say. Glenn let out a light chuckle.

"Nah, it's cool. I just forget some people have lives outside these walls. So, I was thinking if you're feeling really adventurous we could head to Busse Woods and do a little light hiking through the forest."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" It definitely didn't sound very wise for two dying boys to go hiking alone in the woods.

"Well," Glenn drawled. "If you can't handle it." Was he actually goading him?

"I didn't say that. It's just that --." But Glenn cut him off before he could finish.

"No, no I get it. You just don't want to admit that a guy who's attached to an oxygen tank is in better shape than you. I completely understand." Glenn smirked. Yep, he was totally egging him on.

"Let's just get this over with, but I am not dragging your butt back to the bus stop if you run out of steam," Noah warned.

In no time at all, the boys were walking along old footpaths, weaving between the trees. It had to be the first time, since he was eight, that Noah had been there, and even then, he never dared stray from the designated walkways. He couldn't believe how many wild animals lived freely not even a mile from the busy roads.

"Are we here to take pictures of nature?" Noah asked excitedly. Just then he heard the distinct click of the camera going off. "Did you just take a picture of me?" Of all the amazing things there were in these woods why would Glenn photograph him?