36 35. Frozen Dragons

Julius' POV.

I sat on a bench at the park and lifted my head to stare at the setting sun, flicking a cigarette I almost forgot was between my fingers and rubbing the sides of my temples.

I'd woken up late that day, after ending up at the hotel, after Father kicked me out of the hospital.

I glanced at the burning cigarette's tip and the smoke twirling from it, as I tried explaining my actions. Why didn't you hesitate for a second?- I asked myself. Why didn't you hesitate when it came to helping Father when he fell? Was what he said true? Him being your 'brain'? Was that why you found yourself by his side? Because 'your brain' felt sick? Got a heart attack?

Did that even make sense?

I planted my head in my hands, squeezed my eyes shut, and shook my head. Everything was getting complicated.

And where the hell was Augustus?!

I reached for my phone and watched my finger hover over the call button. Father's approach unnerved me and worried me about him in ways I couldn't describe. If he didn't return home, where did he go?

Was he even still alive?

My breath hitched at the thought and I threw away the cigarette. I had to find him. Because it wasn't normal. This wasn't the Augustus I knew. He wouldn't just disappear. But maybe I didn't really know him and just needed someone who did.

Zig, his childhood friend. He should know where I'd find him or at least help me contact him and tell him lots of things. Like how sorry I was, for starters.

I got up from the park's bench, rolling my eyes at a kid whining about something, and speed-walked to get a cab to the hospital.

I placed my hand on the door's handle and turned it, nodding at a female nurse holding a clipboard. I stepped in and was hit by the familiarity of the room. The couch in the corner, Zig's centred bed, and the wooden chair next to it that Augustus sat on when we last visited. I could even almost imagine the blood droplets on the floor that I wiped with my shirt.

I walked to the bed where Zig laid with both his legs out of the cast, in a sweatshirt and shorts. His head was propped up on the pillow in anticipation and I raised my eyebrows with a heavy sigh.

He grinned. "Romeo," he said, showing his pointy canines.

"Hello, Zig," I muttered, smiling tightly as I grabbed the wooden chair next to his bed. "How are you?"

His hand ran through his chocolate-brown hair as he watched me closely. "I'm great." He sounded weary and I just nodded.

"When will you be leaving, mate? You've been here for a while," I asked curiously. The least I could do was inquire about how badly my father hurt him when he was innocent.

"I got a back injury. It's why I've been here for long. I think I'll leave in a week or two." He smiled brightly and I nodded again, not caring to know the details.

"So what brought you here? Alone?" Zig asked, cocking an eyebrow and wearing a playful smile.

I pursed my lips, ignored his tone and breathed deeply. "Augustus."

"Huh?" He blinked. "What about him?"

"When was the last time he visited?" I asked slowly, terrified of the answer.

Zig licked his lower lip and furrowed his eyebrows. "A week or so ago. Kinda weird. He used to visit almost every day. But I haven't-"

My breath hitched. "That's bad." I breathed and almost scolded myself at the emotion that laced my voice. Zig clenched his jaws, his dark eyes hardening. "And that's why I came."

"Should I be worried?" Zig said, using his arms as support to push himself up.

"Obviously." My voice was strained. "I-He was angry. Sad. And then he disappeared. Doesn't answer calls. Doesn't return home. Doesn't visit you-"

"Oh," Zig opened his mouth to add something but then stopped. "Oh." Zig looked away and sighed wearily. "He must be on one of his ′legendary′ nights."

"What?" My heart almost skipped a beat. Zig chuckled.

"You don't know really Augustus, do you?" He said smiling and I looked at him curiously. "Occasionally-" he paused. "-when he's super sad." Zig continued, sighing and locking my eyes. "-he'd disappear and go somewhere where he can be alone and cannot be found. Spend a couple of nights to deal with himself. And after a week or so, he always comes back like he's never known sadness. He's so pure. Augustus."

"He is," I said, feeling my chest constrict with emotion. I was surprised at how my body, voice even, reacted. It was like I actually cared. I did. "Do you have any idea where I would find him?"

"Mmm...well, that depends-" He drawled, his hazel eyes glistening under the room's bright lights.

"On what?" I said importantly, leaning in.

"On the severity of the situation, which he explained fell under three categories," he smirked. "Depressed. Confused. PMSing."

I suppressed a smile. That was so Augustus-like.

"So? What's your category, my friend?" He asked a bit too casually.

I looked back at Zig's curious face and sighed. "Depressed."

Well, shamefully, it was the truth.

"Depressed. Hmm. That's difficult." He said and I almost snapped at him to get to the bloody point.

"Yes."

"You'd find him either in the abandoned amusement park next to his place. Or on top of a mountain, which would be really unlucky for you, if you will look for him." He said, moving his hands for emphasis.

I raised my eyebrows and thought of what he said. "Is it often that he goes on those 'legendary' nights of his?"

Zig shook his head slowly. "Not at all. He usually finds me to talk. But I'm quite surprised. He must've been too sad to even share it with me. I mean, I thought he had gotten rid of this whole idea." Zig paused to study me. "Look, I'm not gonna ask what you did," he said, catching my drifting eyes. "But he better be fine. He's my only best friend." He sounded atrociously serious.

He's my only brother- was what I thought.

I nodded silently. "He'll be fine." I found myself saying, looking in my hands. Zig raised an eyebrow and I sighed. "I promise."

Zig nodded then looked away. "I'm glad you cared enough to stop by and ask. Makes me actually believe you."

"Thank you," I said solidly, preparing myself to leave.

"I'm helping him-" He said, blocking my train of thoughts. "Since I can't be there for him. I'd like it if there was someone else."

I nodded again, a 'brick' settling on my lungs. Guilt?

"Yes, thank you," I said with a heavy sigh as Zig shrugged it off.

"Just tell him to call when you find him," Zig said, shifting slightly in his bed.

"Sure thing," I replied carelessly, getting up and heading to the door.

"Bye, Romeo," Zig finally said and I nodded before leaving the room and the bloody hospital.

"Go back," I enunciated. "And maybe take a double right this time," I told the taxi driver as he exhaled with irritation.

"Are you sure you know where you're going, Sir?" He said for the hundredth time and I raised my eyebrows.

"Can you do what you're being told without your lovely commentary?" I snapped. "You're getting well-paid for this."

The taxi driver reversed for the fifth or seventh time and drove. Well, if Zig lied, I'd make sure those two legs of his got back in casts ASAP, because I couldn't find a bloody location on the bloody GPS for that 'haunted amusement park'. So my taxi driver -my pleasant company- and I had been roaming around randomly for almost two hours in the streets of London.

I peered out of the window with a grimace. I was wasting my time looking for a person who didn't want to be found. Yet, I couldn't stop looking for him.

"I've never heard of an amusement park over here-" The driver said again and I glared at him through the rearview mirror. He looked down and shut up.

The road we drove on was deadly quiet. All the cars it carried were either parked or looked damaged beyond repair. A couple of more buildings passed us before a huge, barren land showed up with a broken rollercoaster track. There were several lightless billboards, advertising a very old Mercedes model.

The taxi driver slowed down before coming to a complete stop in front of some old, rusty entrance gates.

I took out some pounds and handed them to the driver. "Keep the change," I muttered, climbing out of the car, mesmerized by the view in front of me.

I heard the taxi drive away, abandoning me with the owls' hoots as music to my ears. I approached the gates and snorted when I realized that they were locked. I peered through the gates for any sign of life to find none except for a pair of red converse, hanging with their laces on one of the rollercoaster track's bungs.

I scratched my head and smirked at the gates before climbing over them and jumping to the other side with a light thud.

I took in my surroundings as I tightened my leather jacket around myself. The rollercoaster that welcomed me from the outside had a single car that looked like a dragon's mouth on top of one low loop. There was a Ferris wheel that tipped dangerously as it hung on its remaining supports and so many other dilapidated rides with their seats stripped off and rats holing their way into and out of them.

Suddenly I heard a rustle that made me turn only to find an old newspaper, drifting to the filthy ground due to the cold breeze that infiltrated my hair. Which reminded me that I needed a haircut. Irrelevant.

I sighed, pushing back the hair that covered my eyes then glanced at the roller coaster's car with curiosity. There was a big chance that this was his 'home sweet home'.

I carefully made my way to the rollercoaster, then clambered over the rusty bungs with caution. I even imagined that a car would come from behind and crash into me. When I stood precariously over the car, I looked into it and was disappointed to find no one.

I sighed sadly.

"Boo!" Augustus' face came from the opposite end of the car, startling me terribly.

Was he hiding behind the car all that time?

Augustus' laughter broke my string of thoughts and disturbed the quietness that settled over us like a heavy blanket as I stared at him for a long time. His messy hair, twinkling, electric-blue eyes, cold-flushed skin, button nose, and dark-red lips that curled into a foolish grin. My jade-green scarf fluttered against his neck, hugging it. I stared at how odd he looked in a black tuxedo jacket, a redshirt, and yellow shorts.

"I scared you, didn't I? Didn't I? Didn't I?" He repeated as his long legs awkwardly climbed into the car.

"You know that you're a bloody dick, right?" was the first thing I managed to breathe as relief spilt over me.

"Come on in, mate." He said with a huge smile, ignoring my snide comment. "You're welcome in my modest home." He waved his hands exaggeratedly at the car.

I looked at him curiously before getting into the car. "Are you -uh- sure this thing will not collapse under our weights?"

It was a hollow, carved metal thing. No seats. But there was a box of granola bars.

Augustus caught me staring at it and smiled. "Want one?" He asked, reaching for the box and grabbing two bars.

"Oh no, thank you," I said, staring at the two street lights that dimly illuminated this whole place. The impact of a granola bar with my face snapped me out of my 'observation' mode to look at my brother who was still grinning.

"Rule one: don't deny anything I give you. I rarely have visitors and when I do, they have to be well served before they go." He said, his face looking serious for a second before it broke into a smile again.

"I'm not a visitor. I'm your-" I stopped to squint at his expectant face and bright eyes. "-your brother."

Augustus looked into my eyes, opened his granola bar, and took a huge bite.

"So? That shut you up?" I asked, clenching my jaws and he smirked.

"No. Not really. I'm still kinda thinking of what I should tell you." His voice was muffled as granola pieces flew from his mouth.

"Uh-huh," I said with a small smile before opening my granola bar. "It's completely messed up, don't you think?"

Augustus pursed his lips to suppress a smile. "It is. Yeah."

Silence then settled between us, only interrupted by the rustle of Augustus' granola bar's plastic package as he ate it. It was incredibly awkward.

"Uh-" I tried, catching my brother's attention. I cringed. "-those are really good bars. What are they called again?" I said awkwardly and Augustus chuckled.

"You suck at apologies, Julio," Augustus said with a soft sigh and a small smile. I pursed my lips. "I mean, who doesn't know what they are?"

I ignored his comment and smiled slightly. "So...that's your castle?"

After that sentence, I realized my urgent need to just shut up.

"Yeah-" He said, banging the metal car with his left fist. "And I sing 'Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?' every day. Except for, I don't have my Elsa, of course."

"What?" I said, not understanding what he said. "It didn't snow yet, mate."

Augustus looked at me with shock. "You didn't understand my reference? I mean, if I told you, you're the Elsa to my Anna, you won't understand?"

"I seriously cannot interpret what you're saying," I said with amusement.

"It's Frozen!" He almost bellowed as echoes of his voice surrounded us.

"What's frozen? Gustus, you're worrying me." I said, checking him out.

He then smiled, shaking his head. "You haven't watched the movie-" He trailed off and I raised my eyebrows.

"Oh," I smiled suddenly.

"Took you long enough! I mean, blimey, didn't know that Dad works with stupid people."

"Well, that's all he got." I shrugged, smiling weakly.

Awkward silence.

"You're -uh- wearing yellow shorts?" I broke the silence again and hoped I'd just die.

"Yeah, they're yellow." He said, looking down at his shorts awkwardly.

"Yes," I said. "You're not cold?" I added and he winced.

"Uh- not really-"

"I mean I can give you my jacket-" I started and Augustus laughed, shaking his head.

"Nah, mate. You know, I don't really feel...′cold'." He said slowly and I nodded.

"Just a thought-"

"I realized." He said, suppressing a smile. "And it's a really stupid thought. Really, Julio. I recommend trying to apologize silently," Augustus said with a grin.

"How can I do that?"

"You'll manage." He said with a wink.

I creased my eyebrows and gave it a thought as Augustus stared at me. Waiting.

He then got up and I followed suit. He raised his eyebrows at me and I sighed quietly. He was about to jump out of the car when I pulled him from my scarf, turned him to me, and hugged him.

For a -uh- considerably long time considering the fact that I don't 'hug' anyone.

"I'm sorry, brother-" I breathed before pulling back.

Augustus looked at me and I was surprised to find tears glistening in his eyes.

"You should be," he said.

"Yeah," I said, feeling a heavy burden get off my chest. "So why the -uh- tears?" My heart was taking off at the emotion his eyes carried.

He chuckled. "You know," he shrugged. "I'm the emotional one."

"Right. Almost forgot that." I said, pushing back some hair that fell over my eyes.

"So? What's next?" Augustus said with a genuine smile before blinking a couple of times.

"We evacuate this haunted, cold place," I replied immediately as I looked around.

"It's not that bad," Augustus said defensively.

I eyed the rats that scurried on the ground. "We should leave-"

"Right, lemme get my shoes-" He said and I gave him a look that translated to 'seriously, mate?'.

"Well." He held up an index finger. "Lemme explain myself, before you permanently judge me." I chuckled and he continued. "So, yesterday I was sleeping. Here, of course. And when I woke up. My God, Julio, I was disgusted out of my wits. A bird pooped on my shoes. My red converse. I mean, I get a headache when I imagine the white splotches that decorated it. And -my days- you don't know what I had to go through to scrub them clean. I didn't have latex gloves, so -bear me for one more second, Julio- I had to do it with my hands. But you know," he stopped to smile dazzlingly. "-when I was done, it was worth the effort!"

"Interesting."

"You might think that that's stupid, but I was raised with my appearance as my number one priority," he said with impossible pride.

"Right. That's why you're wearing a blazer on yellow shorts. I'm dressed more decently," I teased and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Well as it happens, I came here to mourn not to show off my unexceptionable fashion talents." He smirked and I chuckled as he left to get his shoes.

I stared at his back and felt my heart beat faster. I truly missed him. I then got out of the car and made my way to the bottom. After a few minutes, he was by my side with his undeniably clean, red shoes.

"So do we have to catch a taxi?" I asked and he shook his head.

"Nope. I have my Porsche parked in an invisible place." He whispered.

"Lead the way then," I smirked.

When we were finally in front of the car, Augustus threw me the keys. I caught them when the 'click' of a gun caught my attention. I quickly turned to find someone holding a gun to Augustus' head.

I stared at Augustus' shocked face and instinctively reached for my gun.

"Don't even try or he shoots." A voice said with a heavy accent and I turned to find a guy with dark, soft hair, moon-grey eyes, and bushy eyebrows walk toward me.

I was not expecting this.

"Let me guess," I said, glancing at the guy who wore a dark smile. "Leonard?"

"Wrong answer, mon amour*-" He replied and I raised my eyebrows.

"Well, if it isn't Tweedledum, it's obviously Tweedledee." I scowled with disgust. "Maxime."

He pursed his lips and smiled. "J'aime* a man with a good memory."

"You're French?" Augustus' shaky voice broke the silence that settled around us. "I mean. Ew?"

I turned to find the other guy -Leonard- push the gun harder to my brother's head, shutting him up. I clenched my teeth and glared sharply at Leonard before looking in front of me.

"D'accord*," Maxime said with a lopsided smile. "-let's start by saying-" He paused, glanced at Leonard, then scowled at me. "-you really pissed me off."

Mon amour: My love

J'aime: I love

D'accord: Okay