Dreamers- A Merome, Pooflan, Wroetostar and Minizerk Story

⋖Chapter 15⋗

Preston's P.O.V.

I honestly felt bad for the shock that the book gave Mitch, the information that Jerome had kept from him for so long was suddenly out in the open and it completely destroyed his view on the world. It took a few days for Jerome to fully explain everything to him and for Mitch to get over his shock.

But as well as stirring up the other two, Mitch's realization and shock began some sort of realization inside me as well. My religion, which had been my parents religion and their parents religion before them, had been incredibly important for my entire life and now it seemed obsolete, useless and irrelevant- maybe even trivial.

I hated questioning something I had known for so long but finally I decided that this was as good a time as any to just give up on it because the longer I waited, the more I dragged it out, the harder it would be.

As well as my struggle, Mitch and Jerome were having a bit of a tiff. Once Mitch got over his shock he got very cold towards his boyfriend, quite clearly betrayed and angry that he hadn't told him about... well, everything. I understood both sides of the situation and Jerome was clearly quite distressed, they had probably never had an argument like this, unsure what to do. I tried to ignore it though, returning to think about my own difficulties.

Religion had been a rock in my life for so long that now I was questioning it... any sense of stability I might have had went out the window.

"Rob?" I called, said boy looking over at me. He was beginning to pack his things to go out into the forest with Lachlan for the day, distracting the younger boy from what was going on between Mitch and Jerome. Lachlan was actually already out there, just in my side, flitting between the trees.

"What's up?" He asked curiously, giving me a raised eyebrow as I paused and sighed.

"Just... everything. Religion is bullshit, this whole situations bullshit. I'm worried about Lachy, what if he doesn't trust us anymore? We didn't necessarily hide it but we never talked to him about it..."

Rob sighed too. "I know." He mumbled. "I'll try and talk to him while we're out about it but I think he's avoiding us."

I only nodded, I knew he was. But right then I didn't want to think about that because I knew Rob would be able to talk to the younger boy, get some explanation and possibly even apologize. I knew I would have to apologize later too but for then, I could think about myself.

Later that afternoon, after Lachlan and Rob were gone, Mitch came over to me and curled up against me, silent. He didn't utter a word, no explanation as to why he was lying beside me but I pretty quickly figured it was because he was still mad at Jerome but wanted company. He didn't want to be alone.

With one arm wrapped tight around the younger boys waist I lay back onto the ground, my mind elsewhere. He didn't believe in a god, in religion, he had- well, had had- faith elsewhere, in the old humanity and seeing a better life. Mitch didn't believe in some all powerful being in the sky who created the earth. If he didn't and Jerome didn't and Rob didn't and Lachlan didn't, then why did I?

Lachlan's P.O.V.

To get away from all the drama going on with Preston and his battles with religion, Mitch and his struggle to realize that the world wasn't what he thought and Jerome, unsure whether or not Mitch trusted him anymore for keeping that information from him, Rob and I left. Not for very long of course, just for the day, but we wandered deep into the forest.

Rob was normally very quiet, similar to Jerome in being a man of few words. I supposed he just didn't have much to say. He was the expert when it came to everything nature wise, knowing which plants were edible and which ones weren't, which ones could be used for medical purposes, and now he was trying to teach me that knowledge. I loved being out in the woods, learning new things, but I was distracted.

I would understand if Mitch held some sort of resentment against Jerome for not telling him about the bomb and climate change, thinking he couldn't handle it. I also understood why Jerome hadn't told him, keeping the sense of childish hope that was a quality of Mitch's character alive, but it just hadn't lasted.

But while Rob and I wandered, I couldn't help but feel deceived, let down. I already knew about the bomb and climate change but only vaguely, not as something with enough information to ever really confirm or deny it. I just hated that Rob and Preston didn't think I couldn't handle it even though I already knew.

I could handle it! I kicked at a stone on the ground, silently fuming, Rob turning around to look at me curiously. I didn't give him an answer. I wasn't a child, I understood the world. I knew humanity wasn't perfect, I knew it was partially their fault so many of them died. I had never had that childish sense of hope about the world that Mitch had.

I had calmed down enough to focus on what Rob was saying by the time we reached a river and he began to point out different plants in the water, which finally distracted me enough to stop feeling angry and annoyed. I always loved this sort of thing, even if I didn't tell him. I think he knew though.

"See this stuff?" Rob took a handful of red weed from the water which looked vaguely like small seaweed. "Red river weed, take it out where ever you can. It takes over and kills everything that's actually useful. It's like algae."

I nodded and my eyes scanned the rest of the river bank. It was mostly river weed and algae but occasionally there was something I knew was useful, shelters for fresh water fish, edible plants and plants that could be used medically.

Following him again I was conflicted, half angry and half calm. I didn't really know how to feel about the situation, whether to be mad or not and if I should bring it up to them to talk about it. I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment- I could bring it up later if I wanted.