[i]~A light gasp escapes his lips. The sight of the wounds spreading from beneath his fingers stabbing strait to his heart. The sun begins to fade as the boy speaks, a dark cloud passing across it's face. His hand draws back but a few seconds later the wounds vanish once more.

“I wish. . .”

His voice echoes lightly, a shiver running across his back. The wind has changed. The once warm flow becomes a cool trickle of air across the hill. 

“I wish. . .”

He can not find the words. Reaching up he gently pulls the hat from Zach's head, the strengthening breeze catching it and tossing it out over the rooftops. He moves in slowly before wrapping his arms around the smaller male. A hand come up to wrap around the back of Zach's head as he holds the boy close. All around then, storm is breaking.

“Sometimes, I wish, I could just make them all go away. All the ones who cause pain to others. It's so hard to forgive them every time. Sometimes. . .The pain feels almost too much.”

His hold tightens as a bolt of lightning strikes out over head. The ground beneath them shifts. The once soft grass is now cold stone. The world around them like a cheap apocalypse movie set, but somehow, far more realistic looking. The fires burn even under the torrential rains. And Still, he clings to the young man, trying to shield him.~[/i]