“Thomas… You doin’ okay, bud?” Eli coughed weakly, a dumb grin somehow on his bloodied face.
Shaking away any thoughts of leaving, Thomas brought his attention back to the present and his injured friend.
“Look who's asking, Eli, old buddy. You took quite a few hits back there,” Thomas couldn’t help but smile back, voice cracking slightly.
“Ahh, it wasn’t anything,” Eli spoke, trying for a one-shoulder shrug. “They hit like a couple of sissies anyways.”
Thomas shot him a half-hearted shrug and stared up at the sky. With a grunt, he pulled the both up them up into a standing position. Should I stay here…? If I leave, what would happened to my dear old ma…? Who would provide for her? Who would help ma when she got old and sick? What’ll they do if I’m gone? But if I stay… They’ll kill me… I wonder when my ‘trial’ is going to be. Thomas heaved a loud sigh. Never had he felt so divided.
“Whatcha thinkin’ about, Thomas, my man?” Eli sang cheerfully as they limped down the Tremè.
“Oh you know… just all the trouble I’m about to be in, thanks to you,” Thomas snorted, shooting Eli a sideways glare.
“We could always leave--!”
“No!” Thomas shouted abruptly, surprising the both of them. He stopped in his stride. “If this were any other situation and my ma and sister were well taken care of, I would high tail it out of here. But… I can’t… I can’t leave my ma and baby sister alone here. They need me.” Adjusting Eli’s arm around his shoulders, they began to walk again.
“Besides, Ol Man Ed’s been trying to woo my ma. Who’ll scare him off if I’m not here?” They chuckled, maintaining the awkward limp that carried them away.
“I’ll do it, you know. Your ma’s a hoot so I can’t guarantee that she won’t find another thirsty boy.”
“Ew, gross man. You don’t just casually talk about my ma that way.”
“You know she loves it!” Eli sugared the line with a wink that gave Thomas a laugh and a gag.
“Knowing how you feel about my mom, maybe I should stay!”
“Glad I could change your mind, I’m sure we can figure something out. Trust me.”
“Oh you… are so good at manipulation, but I do trust you. With my life even.”
“You, my friend, are too easy. Anyways let’s go home.”
The way home took longer than necessary, but Thomas was glad that the crowd of people ran ahead before him. They must have told Thomas’ mother since a quick fuss from her got the two grown men into beds with full stomachs and ears ringing from hours of scolding. They didn’t leave the room without a big wet kiss on the cheek from the teary mom and a cheeky comment from Eli to Thomas’ little sister, Betty. Settling down, the bed was warm and Thomas’ worries were little, thoughts of leaving and just running away escaped him and dreams welcomed him in the night of the moon. I trust Eli…
BANG BANG
“OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!” Thomas woke with a start upon hearing the enraged voice through the wood of his door. His mind flashed with thoughts of his family and Eli in trouble, but the logical side told him that his mother was at the early morning shift and his little sister was off at school. But where was Eli? Thomas panicked, the banging on his door fleeting his mind, as a note beside his pillow caught his attention.
He picked it up, just about to read it when the hinges of his door were knocked off the wood of his door frame. Two white men burst into his room dressed in police uniforms. One pointed directly at Thomas and scowled unpleasantly.
“You! You’re under arrest!”
Thomas froze. Oh god. That was all it took for the police to rush forward and grab him as if he were a dangerous convict.
“Wh-w-what for?” He hated the way his voice shook, portraying the fear that had paralyzed him.
“Does it matter?” One man sneered. “Your skin color is crime enough. Those white people you assaulted--”
“Assaulted? Sir, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I swear on my mother’s life that that I didn’t touch them, they assaulted my friend, Eli Goodwin!”
“Shut it, you beast,” the other officer spat as they dragged him outside. His legs trembled as they tightened their grip on him. Out of nowhere, a small voice called out, "...Thomas?”
It was Eli, Thomas knew that voice anywhere. He turned around, hoping, praying that Eli would help him. Their eyes met, both shocked senseless and unmoving.
“Move, dumb oaf!” A slap rang out as one of the officers smacked Thomas across the face.
Thomas waited for the sound of quickened footsteps and a cheesy one-liner but it didn’t come. His heart shattered, fear riddling his form as they carried him off. Any figment of resistance left his body as Thomas stared desperately at Eli, who was still immobilized with fear. As quietly as Eli had uttered his name the first time, Thomas was dragged past Eli whispering words that left Eli’s empty conscious reverberating with guilt.