The Life and Death of William Grace

Blake Hart grinned and waved when William got on the bus, he was his best friend after all, Blake had his arm draped over Lucy King’s skinny shoulders, not like that was unusual but it seemed…Different today. Liam sighed and flopped onto the bus seat facing them and leaned his head against the window, “’Sup guys?” he asked shaking the water droplets out of his hair, it was raining and the sky was dark.

Blake grinned and glanced at Lucy, they had agreed on letting Will guess. Better not spoil it now, the green eyed boy thought and shrugged to his friend. “Nothing really,” he responded to the question and Lucy nodded in agreement.

William nodded taking in the answer and noting their odd behavior, “what should we do this afternoon? Go to the cave?” He asked, hoping they wouldn’t have to call it off because of the rain.

Everyday their foster parents let them spend the afternoon together doing whatever they wanted, because they had grown up in the foster home together. “Sure, hopefully it’s not flooded.” Lucy spoke before dinging the bell, they were almost at school.
***
Blake was slumped against his desk, it was the last lesson of the day and the teacher kept droning on and on. The rain hadn’t stopped, so the cave was probably flooded and his hand hurt from where he had cut it swapping blood with William and Lucy.

Lucy, he smiled as the thought of her entered his bored mind. He liked her, a lot, and hoped Will wouldn’t mind. The bell rang and Blake sprang out of his seat and was racing down the corridor before the teacher even said to pack up.

Out side the rain thundered down like icy stalactites, stinging the skin where it touched, Blake ran to the bus stop and tried to shelter from the rain and wind. A minute later Will and Lucy arrived-they had last class together- they debated about going to the cave but, finally, agreed to wait for the rain to lessen.

The three fifteen year olds walked down the sodden road fooling around and laughing, for some reason the rain did that to them. Made the m forget all their worries and just relax and act up. “Look, the sun!” Cried Lucy and the two boys turned and looked up at the sky.
Dark full clouds were drifting away and the sun shined bright and clear, “Rainbow!” William yelled pushing Blake.

“Double Rainbow!!” Blake yelled back and pushed Will into Lucy, he cackled and ran off ahead, the others running after and promising death wishes.

Later in the cave they sat huddled on some rocks talking quietly. The cave floor was sodden and damp and the cave itself was dark and smelled moldy, the mud from the floor stuck to Blake’s shoes and he knew his parents were going to throw a fit.

“Go on guess,” Blake smiled and shared a funny look with Lucy, Will should have been able to guess easily, but he hadn’t.

“Um…I don’t know!” Will sighed for the fifth time in 20 minutes, thinking back to what had started the whole conversation. They had arrived at the cave around 4 ‘o’ clock and Lucy had asked him to guess what had happened last night, with Blake adding “you’ll never get it!”
Thinking back to that morning, something in his brain clicked. “You’re going out?” He asked with a small smile. He had suspected Blake of liking Lucy for years now, he did too but never acknowledged it ‘till now.

“He got it!” Lucy squealed with delight and wrapped her arms around Will’s neck, he blushed. He shouldn’t of, but he did. “Isn’t that great B?” Lucy asked him with a smile before she kissed his cheek.

Blake blushed slightly at the kiss and waved her away, staring hard at Will, one hand on his chin and the other on his elbow.
He spoke, his voice low almost threatening, “You like Luce don’t you?”

Will blushed and shook his head vigorously, “Me? N…No I don’t like Lucy” He scoffed and looked away. “No offence Luce.”

“None taken,” she smiled at her long time friend.

“Hmm I didn’t think so, but it didn’t hurt to ask anyway,” Blake shrugged nonchalantly and glanced at his watch. It was getting close to six and the sun was already casting orange light around the dark, wet cave. “We should probably get go-“he stopped speaking and followed Will’s gaze, something was glinting at the back of the cave.

“Hello, what’s this?” Will said standing and approaching the object.

Blake took a couple of steps forward and Lucy stayed near the cave entrance, “The caves near the beach, maybe someone was hanging here like us? Maybe it’s just a can?” Lucy suggested, glancing behind her.

In the distance a siren sounded and the light dimmed, it was getting darker, the sky turning a blue- purple. “We should go,” Lucy said her voice rising slightly.

“Just a minute” came Will’s reply near the back of the cave, the light was no longer in the cave and his eyes strained searching the dark cave floor. The light had disappeared quick, Will knelt down and searched the floor with his hands, “Found it!”

Blake looked at his watch and pressed the EL light, it was 6:10 they all had to get home by 6:30, Blake opened his mouth to tell Will to hurry up but was cut off again. “I think it’s stuck, come help Blake!”

Blake shrugged at Lucy and walked towards the back of the cave, “where are ya?” He asked before stumbling and tripping over Will, who was crouched on the floor. “Oww,” he moaned grabbing Wills arm and trailing it down to the object.

It was smooth and flat, slightly rounded and hard, it felt familiar to Blake, but before he could guess why Will asked, “ready?”
He nodded but then realized Will couldn’t see, “yeah.”

“Pull!” Will shouted tugging hard, it came away easily with Blake’s added strength, so easily that they stumbled back and hit the wall. And suddenly, the wall wasn’t there.

“Aaaagh!” They screamed falling.

Lucy screamed.