The Trees Are Watching ~ Frerard

12. Deals You Shouldn't Make

In small towns with little to do for entertainment, libraries were a surprisingly populated place. The shelves were high and brimmed with books of ancient tales and literature. Their towering boards cast high shadows that stretched over multiple cushioned seats. It wasn't a comfortable scene, more intimidating than it was cozy. The other people roaming inside the library didn't seem to mind though, instead of floating around to find what they need. Gerard and Frank weren't as fortunate in their findings though, the looming darkness of the building leaving them unsure of where to start on their mission. Too many paperbacks surrounded the pair and left them drowning in confusion and uncertainty.

"Where do we even start?" The younger boy questioned, scanning the vast arrangement of books. Beside him, Gerard shrugged his shoulders, silently saying he was equally lost. Frank huffed and took his boyfriend's hand, dragging him towards a random bookcase that was near him. "Maybe we should look for something in the mystery section. You know, cause that whole cave thing is a mystery." Frank chuckled awkwardly, forcing a toothy-grin.

"No, I don't think that's where to start. We should look at either the town's history or the woods' history. Which would be... uh... this direction." He pulled on Frank's arm to direct them towards the city history section but stumbled when Frank didn't move. "This direction." He repeated.

"Umm... maybe you should go look by yourself. We could cover more ground if we both looked in different sections." Frank trailed off, gesturing towards the mystery shelves. Gerard simply shrugged and nodded, planting a peck on Frank's cheek before wandering off.

There were absolutely hundreds of books and he hadn't the slightest close where to start. Gerard hadn't been to a library since he was much younger and desired entertainment beyond his action figures. It hadn't taken much time back then for him to realize the only literature that truly held his attention was comics, and then they'd become his passion in his small world. Somehow, Gerard felt exposed and vulnerable inside the many aisles stacked full of books. The assortment of knowledge was intimidating when he'd closed him to a strict section of information. He knew he had to start somewhere though, so he scanned for the nearest book and plucked it from its shelf.

It was many hours later of the same process; briefly reading pages upon pages of books and absorbing information as quick as possible. There were little breaks where Gerard and Frank would rendezvous in the middle of the library and discuss their findings, or rather lack thereof. The younger at some point had left the building to retrieve them lunch and together they sat on the outside cement stairs and ate. After they'd been recharged of energy, the two went back inside and continued searching for an answer to their questions.

Gerard was exhausted and had begun to consider leaving for the night when Frank ran up to him with a wild and excited look in his bright hazel eyes, holding a deep red leather book in his hands.

"Gee, baby, I think I found something," he exclaimed. "Look at this." Frank shiver the book in his boyfriend's hands and eagerly watched.

"'The current date is November the third, 1918. There is an aching in my chest that I fail to live with any longer. For months now, I've watched my secret love, Claudia, whore herself out to repulsive men for the sake of myself. Money has been in a shortage for a long while since I developed a skin disease, and no man would hire me for work. Alas, paying for my bills was near impossible until the beauty herself, dear Claudia swore to me she'd help pay for them. The humiliation I felt was surely a great number, but I had little choice in the matter. Unknowingly to myself, the abnegation woman took upon the second job of prostitution to support me. It had only been a short while, but I can no longer bear the idea of her suffering for me. Tonight, I have decided to take her small hand in mine and pull her away from this dastardly town. The act will require a definite amount of courage, but I am sure I hold enough in my soul to at the very least save her. Should we find ourselves in a new and safer land, then perhaps I can gather the strength to confess my love for her.''" Gerard read aloud. He pulled a confused face. "What does that have to do with our situation?"

Frank's smile widened. "Because I found another writing that follows this story. There was a guy who witnessed what happened when the two tried to run away from their town." He pulled another book from behind his back, this one grey. The younger flipped through the pages until he stopped about halfway through. "Here."

"'It is upon my criminal charging of involuntary manslaughter that I write this. A short time ago I was hunting in the Forbidden Forest. A young couple had also been traveling through, and their dark shadows deceived my eyes. I shot my gun, thinking they were deers, but my bullets found a human body. The woman fell in pain and the man crouched beside her. When realizing my mistake I approached them but hesitated upon further inspection. The man cried out and began speaking a foul language. The words I did not know, but I sensed they were of evil origin. Then, out of the shadows approached a horrendous, dark, and malevolent figure. It was tall and thin, with a featureless face and black bat-like wings. The beast spoke, and I swear upon every bone I should never forget the voice, for it shook me to my very core. It spoke the following words. "Should you wish to save this woman, surrender the secrets in your soul, or you both should become my slaves." What happened next I wish not to remember but should repeat for any unfortunate peoples to suffer the same happenings. The man rose to his feet with the woman's blood on his hands and yelled fiercely at the figure.

"I refuse! Your circumstances are cruel and unfair! Another deal but this I shall make!" The ghastly creature picked up the dying woman is its hands and held her above its head.

"Since you have wasted my time and power you shall be severely punished. I shall steal her soul and send it to my home in Hell. You will suffer far worse than she, as you have failed to fulfill my wishes. A curse shall remain on this land to any who enter this forest, and death will follow their involuntary foolishness to obey."

It was after a mere moment the woman and the figure disappeared, and the man screamed as though he were on fire. I but hardly blinked and in his place stood a magnificent tree that loomed higher than the rest. It a burst of fire surrounded its bottom and formed a large cave. With trembling limbs, I approached it and found letter clutched in the hands of a skeleton adorned in the same dress that had clothed the woman before she disappeared. When I opened it, I was so horrified I immediately placed it back and ran home. The writing said, "Should declarations remain unsold, the moon shall shift and rock shall fold. Collagen melts into Earth, and souls are lost above the dirt. The trees are watching, listen to them speak. One's deepest desire makes them weak."

"Don't you get it?" Frank exclaimed. "This guy never told the woman that he loved her, so as punishment, the Devil turned him into a tree and let the woman die. He placed a curse on the woods so that you can only escape when you tell your soulmate you're in love with them. That's why so many people don't make it out. That's why the cave broke when I said I love you back."

Gerard let Frank's words to connect and fizzle in his mind. Slowly, everything had started to make sense. It was vague and wobbly but was certain just enough that he knew deep down what had happened. In the darkness of the dimly lit library, Gerard pulled Frank into his chest and kissed him hard, with as much passion as he'd poured out in their very first. Gerard wasn't afraid anymore. He knew no one would be coming after them, and because he had found the bravery to admit to Frank how he felt, something that apparently the other man couldn't do.

"I'm so happy you did," Gerard admitted into the tangle of romance that lingered between their mouths. "I can't imagine not having you now that I know what your love tastes like."

"You'll never have to know again." It wasn't a statement, but rather a promise. They entangled their fingers and left the library together.