Things Are Easier

[Jared Lusner]

Jared kicked snow out of his way as he trudged on. He needed to cool off. Four days had passed already and so far so good. He hadn't burst into flames or exploded yet, so that would be an acomplishment, right? Probably not. Most people could go their whole lives without doing it.

Jared didn't care anyway. He was happy, or at least as happy as he'll probably ever be. Anything else that would have made him happier was either impossible to get or too painful.

He didn't really know what was going to happen next. Jared couldn't think of anything to look forward to, be it that he'd even make it that far. He certainly didn't think he'd get much more out of life besides pain and misery. He had literally reached a dead point in his life.

Or was that called a mid-life crisis?

Damien Grace came to interrupt his dull thoughts. Jared hadn't really thought of where he was going, but aparently he had walked passed a bench where Damien was sitting.

"Hey, Jared," he greeted politely. Jared smiled a little in response.

"What are you doing?" he wondered aloud. Damien shifted a little to look up at him.

"Just thinking," Damien replied. Jared nodded back.

"Me too."

"You okay?" said Damien, concern creeping in his voice. Jared could also tell by his eyes.

"Yeah. I'm... okay. Things are just getting... a little slow." Jared sighed and sat down beside him on the frozen bench.

"What, things aren't dangerous enough for you around here?" Damien joked. "I'll have you know that around two people each year die from slipping on ice."

"Not like that, Dey." He slumped over in defeat. "I have no purpose."

"Mid-Life Crisis, huh?"

"Yeah."

[Damien Grace]

After some minutes of silence, Damien said, “You should tell her.”

“What?” Jared didn’t even look at him. He appeared sad and tired. Damien thought his appearance was that of a lonely angel he had seen in a church at some fuzzy point in his life.

“You know what I’m talking about, Jared.”

Jared didn’t answer the subject. He changed it. “I kissed her once.” His voice was pained and broken. “And…”

He never finished his sentence. More silence fell. Damien couldn’t think of what to say. What could he? This man was obviously broken and exhausted with the pain of loving someone. Were there really any words that could help?

Jared broke the silence again. “I want to tell her, Damien. I do. But I don’t want to risk anything.” He sighed quietly. “Even if she feels the same way, I still don’t want to risk hurting her. It’s not worth it.”

Damien’s voice was small. “If there’s anything worth something, then it’s love.” Jared turned his head toward him now. His eyes were a deep blue, like the ocean on a cloudy day.

“Here,” Damien said to him. He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a plain silver ring. “It’ll take the pain away when you wear it. Most of the pain at least.” He dropped the ring into Jared’s hands.

“How…,” Jared began, but he stopped himself. He seemed to see nothing but the ring now. It wasn’t very interesting to Damien, but he supposed that magic wasn’t very interesting to him anyway.

“I made it a while back. Just keep it. You… need it more than I do.”

Jared was still staring at the ring. “Th-thanks, Dey.” Now he looked up from the trinket. “I really appreciate this.”

“I thought you might.” Maybe things would be better for Jared now.

[Jared Lusner]

The ring was simple, but it was also very nice. It gleamed in a silvery, flawless band. Jared figured it might come in handy someday, but now he wanted his attention turned to Damien. He owed him that much at least.

“I, uh, was talking to Jade a couple days ago,” Damien continued slowly, “the day you… passed out.” Silence again. “She told me that she was scared.”

“I wish she’d tell me what was going on with her,” he mumbled, but Damien heard.

“She’s scared for you, not herself, Jared. I don’t think she cares about anything but you.”

“I wish she wouldn’t.”

“Wishing won’t get you anything or anywhere. I want you to be happy, but I think she deserves to know.”

“What? That I’m in love with her?” The words tingled in his mouth, like they’d been waiting a long time to get out.

“Yes, but that wasn’t what I was referring to at the moment.”

“Then… what?” Now Jared hadn’t the slightest clue what he was thinking of. Did he have any other secrets?

“Jade already suspects that you know what’s up with your Swaying. I think so, too.” Oh. “I think that Melanie at least deserves to know.” Jared didn’t answer. It was because he knew that Damien was right, but he wouldn’t admit it. They deserved to know, sure, but they’d be sad. There’d be tears. He couldn’t put up with it. It hurt to see his loved ones cry.

“Is it… really that bad?” asked Damien quietly. “Is something truly awful going to happen?”

Jared thought about answering with something longer, but in the end he just said, “Yes.”

“Then I’m sorry,” whispered Damien. “I’m sorry for whatever will happen to you.” Jared only nodded in response. Maybe things would be easier from now on, but Jared couldn’t tell from where he was now.