Sin swayed as his own terror and guilt tried to drag him down. “I’ll…go search for him! I just landed, I came for him,” Sin disclosed in a shaky voice.
“Everyone is out lookin’ now. I knew ye would come for him, just thought it would besooner.”
“I wish more than anything that I had, my friend,” Sin croaked before hanging up to start his own search.
All he could do was drive around, but he struggled to think of places where the man would go. Cecil tended to stick to the house. Sin checked the hospital, and the hotel where they had first met. Others had even checked Cecil’s old house, but found it was no longer standing.
Each call that came in telling him where Cecil was not, broke more of the false calm he had erected around himself. Sin felt moments away from losing it.
In the end, he found himself back near the hotel, sitting on the bench that he’d been on when Cecil had approached him. Night had come.
Running his hands over the uncomfortable wooden slats, he let out a sob—where could Cecil be? Sin slid his fingers through his hair, pulling on the strands.
There was no way he could give up, so Sin stood and stared out into the expansive park across the street. It was almost a small forest. There was an entryway and a stone path, but trees and fauna hid where the path led.
As he continued to stare, Sin’s eyes slowly widened…
He was a moron! If Cecil was going to…if Cecil was going to do something, he wouldn’t do it where others could see.
Pulse speeding along, he walked briskly across the street and into the park. The path branched off so many times that Sin ended up letting his instincts guide him.
He came upon a scent that shouldn’t be there and stumbled to a halt. Both his fears and hopes grew. Trembling, Sin texted Roth to let him know where he was. Best for them to know where to find him if he needed to be put down.
Sin ran toward thescent.
His first sight of Cecil was followed by a crushing horror that almost brought him to his knees. Sin new that this moment would stay with him for the rest of his life. He would never be able to forget it.
Cecil was sitting on a metal bench, staring blankly ahead. The small lake in front of him glistened in the moonlight. Tall lampposts on both sides of the bench illuminated Cecil’s small figure. The spot would have been serene if you ignored all the blood.
His hands were lax, as blood seeped from an indistinguishable number of cuts on Cecil’s wrists, forming puddles beneath him. It filled the cracks in the stone walkway, spreading out like vines. Inches from the man’s feet laid a bloody knife.
The only thing that kept Sin standing was the fact that while Cecil was deathly pale, his eyes were open.
I can’t help Cecil if I fall apart now,Sin desperately told himself.
When he moved closer, Cecil slowly turned his head to look at him. His eyes seemed unfocused and confused—there were shadows underneath them.
Tilting his head, Cecil murmured softly, “What are you doing here?”
Sin stepped closer.
Cecil reached down, grabbed the knife, and stood. “Go away.” He moved surprisingly fast, despite the blood loss.
“Cecil, please.” Reaching out with his hands, he moved closer.
Scowling, Cecil took a swaying step back. “Stay away from me,” Cecil ordered, his voice fading. “You didn’t want me,” he whispered weakly, tears pooling in his eyes.
Sin’s heart shattered—he was responsible for thatbroken expression on Cecil's face. “I do want you! I’m here for you! I was a fool, I was wrong, I shouldn’t have let you go. Gods, please, Cecil. Please, put the knife down,” Sin begged.
Cecil looked down at the knife, his head tilting, as if he didn’t know how it had gotten there. “It’s mine,” Cecil mumbled. “I’m going to be free.”
“Not this way!” Sin cried.
Something big and red behind Cecil caught his eye—Roth! Not wanting to alert Cecil to his presence, Sin forced himself to not acknowledge him. He had to keep Cecil talking and distracted.
“It’s the only way,” Cecil countered, sounding fragile. His tears began to fall. “You never wanted me. It was all a lie,” Cecil accused, glaring at him.
“It wasn’t a lie, Cecil…I love you.”
