The Prince and the Pauper

Attis couldn’t keep a straight look on his face no matter how hard he tried. Leslie was great with jokes. Even though he couldn’t laugh, Attis showed his amusement through the look on his face. Leslie was a very kind boy; he wanted to walk Attis home to make sure he got there safely.

“So I was talking to this Jr. High kid a few days ago. We were talking about siblings and such when suddenly said, ‘I let my brother touch my squishy…’ and he trailed off there,” Leslie said. He smiled at Attis’s dropped jaw and disgusted expression. “Then he said, ‘…my squishy eraser’ and I was like, ‘Oh… I thought you were going to say something else…’.”

Attis would have giggled, but he was so used to not using his voice. As they walked out of the parking lot, Leslie started on another funny memory. Attis heard a car pump its music extra loud. He looked back at the parking lot and spotted the car instantly. A heavily tattooed woman was driving it.

But then he saw him. His jaw dropped.

He stopped walking and stared at two boys walking to a Hummer. One of the boys caught his eyes, and that was the one that looked just like him.

“What’s wrong?” Leslie asked. Attis gripped his arm and pointed at the boy who had also noticed him. So had his friend. Leslie gasped, “He looks just like you.”

Attis couldn’t nod his head. How many people in the world looked exactly like him? Probably only a few. But to come across one of them in the same place… Attis was shocked.

His look-a-like pointed at him and said a few words to his friend who nodded.

Attis took a few steps forward towards the Hummer, but Leslie grabbed the grocery bag from his arms and took Attis’s wrist tightly. Attis looked up at him, pleading to let go, but Leslie just shook his head.

“They’re strangers. It’s not safe,” Leslie said. He pulled Attis away. “Let’s go to my place,” he said. He pulled Attis to a white Mercedes and made sure Attis buckled in the passenger seat. Attis felt like he was getting kidnapped. He didn’t even have a say, not like he could.

Leslie put the grocery bag in the trunk of the car as Attis stared longingly at the boy and his friend. They were starting to walk towards him. He smiled. He opened his door, only to have Leslie slam it shut.

He looked up at Leslie with wide eyes.

Leslie shook his head then climbed into the driver’s seat. He watched as the boys started to run at him, screaming for Leslie to wait. Leslie started the car and sped away, a mad look on his face.

Attis looked back at the boys. He could see the look-alike better. For an unknown reason, Attis felt his heart pound.

“I don’t like the looks of them,” Leslie said. Then he looked at Attis and quickly added, “I mean what they look like they wanted to do. I mean…you’re a great looking guy, and so was the dude who looked like you – not that I would go out with him instead. I mean, it’s not like I’m going out with you. I’d like to but it’s not my choice… I’m going to shut up now.”

Attis couldn’t help but shake lightly. He smiled at Leslie’s fumble with words. Even if he didn’t feel comfortable with this guy, he still couldn’t help but giggle mutely.

Leslie’s house wasn’t a house, but was actually an apartment that was a room larger than Attis’s. Overall, the apartment had a frightening look to it. Even with the sunlight streaming down on it, it still looked dark and scary.

“Come on,” Leslie said. He unlocked the door and Attis bolted out. He fell on the parkway, then got to his feet and tried to runaway. He had a horrible feeling in his gut now that wouldn’t go away. “I didn’t say runaway,” Leslie snapped.

Attis’s arms were held behind his back. He knew that feeling in his gut rung true. He whimpered when Leslie marched him into the apartment.

“Such a beautiful boy,” Leslie said. His voice was layered with evil. Attis cried out when he was shoved on his chest.

Poor Attis never saw it coming.