Mike stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. It was Friday night and he was getting ready for his date with Alex.
He toweled off quickly before pulling on some jeans and a long sleeve, V-neck t-shirt. He brushed his hair back and looked at himself in the mirror.
He didn't think he looked half bad with emerald green eyes and his light brown hair. He was more muscular from playing football then most guys.
He was tall enough so that when he and Alex stood next to each other the top of Alex's head reached Mikes chin.
He heard the doorbell ring and ran downstairs hoping he would get to it before his parents did.
"Hello." He heard his mom say.
'Damn.' He thought to himself.
"Hi, I'm Alex. Is Mike ready?" He heard Alex's softer voice.
"Yes, Mi-"
"Right here mom." Mike interrupted his mother calling for him. She gave him a look and he figured it was about Alex being infected. He hadn't told either of his parents yet.
"Gotta go, we're gonna be late." He said before grabbing his jacket and giving his mom a kiss on the cheek and heading out the door.
"I hope you don't mind walking." Mike said. " My dad had to take the car out."
"It's no problem. It's beautiful out tonight." Alex smiled as they walked down the sidewalk.
"So tell me about yourself. Whats your mom like?" Mike figured Alex lived with his mom since his dad had died in the camps.
"I don't know, I never met her. It was just me and my dad before we got infected." Alex shrugged.
"Whoa, I'm so sorry." Mike felt bad for bringing it up.
"It's Ok. Can't miss what you never had, right?" Alex smiled. He didn't seem to be effected by Mikes question.
"I guess. So where do you stay now?" Mike asking.
"A foster home." Alex said.
"I'm sorry. I really should just stop talking." Mike wanted to kick himself.
"Really its fine. I don't mind at all. My dad died when I was 6, I got over it." He smiled at Mike to show it was ok to talk about it.
"I just don't want to bring up any painful memory's." Mike admitted.
"You wont. I'll let you know if a subject is to touchy for me OK?" Alex promised.
"Alright. So, if you don't mind me asking, what were the camps like? I read an article in my Ethics class two years ago. And I've seen news reports and shows about em and stuff but I've never actually gotten to talk to someone who was there." Mike asked.
Alex swallowed.
"The camps were bad. But I honestly don't know what's worse. The camps or the public. At least in the camps all you had to worry about were the guards. " Alex said.
"What do you mean?" Mike was confused. Weren't the guards supposed to protect them? Mike thought to himself.
"Well, the government had to hire people who would be around us, who would get a new job there, who were cheap to pay, and who were strong enough to be guards. Most people hate us, have decent jobs already, and aren't strong enough to be a guard. So that leaves very few decent people, don't get me wrong they weren't all bad. Some were nice and I even had a few friends that were guards. But for the most part they were all..." Alex looked for the word
"Assholes?" Mike threw in.
"Yeah." Alex agreed. " And the food was awful. If you didn't like it then you didn't eat. And then there was always the scientists." Alex sighed.
"What about them?" Mike asked.
"All scientists want to do is study. They don't care if they cause you pain or what your opinion is. Our rights were completely forgotten when we went into the camps. They got to do what ever the hell they wanted to us, when they wanted to do it. No matter how horrible it was." Alex finished. He was gazing ahead of him but it was like he wasn't really with Mike anymore, like he was back in the camps.
"I'm sorry." Mike said.
"I told you, its fine to talk about this stuff." Alex laughed.
"No, I meant I'm sorry for what ever happened to you." Mike said and turned to face Alex.
"Thank you, no one has ever apologized for that before.... Not that its your fault but.... It's still appreciated." Alex said.
Mike grabbed his hand and squeezed it trying to comfort him.
"Hey, how about we skip the movie. There's something I want to show you." Mike said.
"Uhm... Ok...." Alex said unsure.
"Come on." Mike said before turning back towards his house.
They reached Mike's house and went through a gate, into his backyard. His house's backyard opened into a wooded area. They soon disappeared into the tree-line.
"Where are we going?" Alex asked, tripping over a rock. "Ow." He muttered.
"Clumsy?" Mike giggled.
"I'm not used to seeing in the dark. Hawk eyes and all I try to stay inside at night." Alex grumbled.
"We're almost there." Mike said leading Alex through the trees with their hands still firmly locked together.
"Where is there?" Alex asked.
"Be patient!" Mike laughed.
He thought he heard Alex grumble something but the smaller boy was quiet. The woods suddenly opened to a large field. Over a hill, Alex could make out something that looked like a shed. Mike pulled him through the field towards the building.
When they reached the building Alex realized it was an old barn.
"Do you take all your dates out here?" Alex laughed.
"No, your the first. I come here a lot. Its beautiful." Mike said stepping inside the doorway. The door had been open already.
"Beautiful isnt really a word I would use for this place..." Alex laughed.
"You haven't seen it all yet." Mike said.
They stepped inside and Alex could smell hay and dust. Mike stepped towards an old wooden ladder leading up to the loft. He finally released Alex's hand before starting to climb.
"Is this really safe?" Alex said testing his weight on the first rung of the shaky ladder.
"I've been here tons of times. And you have to weight half of what I do. Just come on." Mike said as he reached the top.
Alex hesitated a moment longer before following him. When he reached the top Mike held out a hand and when Alex took it he pulled him up the rest of the way.
Alex looked around the loft and saw it was mostly bare except for a few bales of hay and a blanket.
The hay was scattered over most of the loft, but there was a window that looked out over the field and there were several piles of loose hay with the blanket over them that made a make-shift bed/couch facing the window.
Mike moved around until he was sitting on the 'furniture'. He turned and looked towards Alex and patted the empty spot next to him.
Alex thought for a moment before sitting next to him. Mike turned and looked out the window and that's when Alex noticed the moon.
The moon had risen and was hanging low and full in the sky. Far enough away from the towns lights, the stars illuminated the sky.
The light from the moon shone down on the grass of the field. The wind made it sway back and forth lightly and up here all Alex could smell was lilies. The sight was breath taking.
"Mike, this is beautiful." Alex said, mesmerized by the sight.
