The Truth Behind The Mask

I am grateful for the overwhelming amount of people reading this story.





Chapter 2



The tears flowed for a full minute or two, when there was a sudden smell that filled the room.

A smell so familar, he jerked his head up as a jolt of recognition ran down his spine. A shiver of longing. It was a unique smell. A combination of the open sea and of strawberries. The smells entwined to reminded him starkly of Michael.

His ocean body wash and his strawberry shampoo. It wrapped itself around Henry as if it meant to calm his inner turmoil. It was like a lover's caress, easing his pain. Brief seconds only, then it vanished as suddenly as it has arrived.



"Michael..." Henry whispered.



He shook his head. His mind was playing tricks on him.



The hallicunations must be due to him missing his beloved too much. He had been seeing Michael in his dream, even day dreams.



Whatever it was, it gave him a grim sense of purpose and determination. A no nonsense approach to his dilema.



"We might as well start from the beginning, when you caught me with that curious look." he mumbled with a gentle smirk.



He picked up the pen, with a new sense of excitment





        The day was the fourth of October, 2007. The weatherman was forecasting blue skies and heat. And as often as not, he got it totally incorrect. It was starting to work up a storm. Heavy rain fall, thunder and lightening, the whole works. I was out on the streets with a sweat suit on. I had just had my stress relief run. It was 4.15pm and I had one of the crappiest day of my life. Writer's block and catching your boyfriend having sex with your best friend in your bed. Double whammy. Like I said, it was a bad day. So it was appropriate somehow, that the skies was as dark as my mood, and Mother Nature cries her tears of sympathy.



    As I always do when it rains. I stood in the middle of the street with both hands raised to the heavens and face upturned, as the rain cascaded around my body.



That why I love the rain. I could pretend it washes away all my worries, sorrows and sins. Things that are ever so heavy on my heart and soul. I didn't know where the raindrops ended and my teardrops began. A fine illusion. Love had always been my weakness. My heart ruled and my head doth follow.

    

    For what might seem an eternity, but really was only a few minutes, I began to feel a prickly feeling at the back of my head. A sure sign of instinct. And that instinct was telling I was being watched. Slowly, I turned my upper body around. Sure enough, a angel was watching me with a bemused look. He had wet black hair, and beautiful piercing green eyes. He was about 170cm to my 165cm. He had thin rimmed glasses that made him more sophiscated then geeky. He had a dark navy blue trench coat on and a red scarf. He was definitely some important personel, as his suit looks mighty expensive. And oh, he too was standing in the rain. But he looked dejected. His shoulders slumped. He had tired eyes as if he had seen all the pain in the world with them. What I notice most was his hand hanging limp with a what seem to be a letter.



    When I look back up into those sad eyes, I felt like he was reaching out as he sank to the bottom of despair. Of course as optimistic, I could not let the poor soul drowned. Little did I know, fate has played a hand in our "chance meeting". Two broken man at the pit of despair. When we thought we had come to the end of the road and have lost everything, we find each other. Funny how life could be.



    He was soaked, like a drowned rat, but with a tilt of the head and a curious smirk, he took my breath away. As well as my heart. At that moment, I believed the myth of love at first sight. Maybe it was like calling to like, two jaded souls destined to meet. Like two halves of a whole. Twin flames, soul mates...whatever you want to call it. That was how I met mine. The man that would, in the next four years, be my whole world and much much more.



Henry's hand was shaking, his eyes moisted, yet he marched on. He could remembered the day they met, pictured it like it was yesturday. Crystal clear. Like every other memory of Michael he had. He could still remembered his impulsive action....he smiled evilly as it came back to him.....



    I fully turned around, stunned to the core. Unsure and feeling foolish, I squeaked out a "Hello, I'm Henry McCloud" Nice, smooth. Not. I knew quite well I painted a very comical picture. My curls was sticking out every where, my eyes was red and my own brown thick glasses was askewed. Okay, I admit, I am a big geek.



Apparent with the brown baggy t-shirt hanging loose behind a old ten year old green sweat suit. Worse, I had a yellow bandana. I basically had "Nerd" written invisibly



across my head. Well could you blame me? I was in a steady and happy (so I thought) relationship: I didn't give a shit what the world thinks of me? I still thought I was in a relationship - how foolish of me?



    It might have been the day, or I might just had enough of the world picking on me, because I quickly got onto the defensive.





        "What the hell are you looking at?" I snapped at the innocent bystander.





    He shrugged his shoulders helplessly, not sure how he offended someone just by staring.



        "I just wondering what you are doing?" He asked in almost a child like manner.



    Do you know there was seven words that could make a person fall for you? Head over heels? Well there are, Michael Hampton had just said them to me.



Henry had to stop for a minute as his heart gave a painful squeeze. He reach over to his shirt pocket and pressed hard the letter against his skin. He squeezed his



eyes shut as the image return to his third eye. He gasped in memory's grief yet again. Still he continued...





    Caught by surprise, I did what I always do. Gave a huge smile (half-faked) and replied:





        "I'm letting the rain cleanse me. I'm going to be a white canvas after this! All the pain and stress of the day will be washed away. Down the sewage



system and into the sea, never to return. I would start the new day afresh and do the best I can. I promised to on Mother Nature's tears to live day by day. Be as happy as I can!" I said with all the gusto I could muster, while firmly planning my hands on my hips.



    There was silence for awhile, that the air vibrated with a booming laugh. A strong, sensual timbre of a sound. It wormed itself through my skin and warmed my



aching heart. I could see he has clutched his left side, doubled over with pure smirth. He was laughing at me. At that time, I was not impressed by it. I felt my



cheeks burn and I hated myself for sounding so naive. What was I doing telling a stranger my inner most thoughts?



    The laughter eventually stopped, and he said in a somewhat thoughtful voice.



        "Do you think you mind sharing the rain? I have some grief and sorrows that I would like to send packing to the sea."



    I noticed the bunching of the letter and the touch of saddness in his voice. I could read in between the lines. Even if we are two strangers, we have much in common. Our hearts was aching and seem to beat the same rhythm of pain.



Henry gave out a sharp bark of laughter. It was quite funny when he thought of it. Michael had always seem to infuriate him as much as binded him with love. That was what made him endearing. Clueless and yet so wise.



He glanced at the time, it was well past midnight. He was worn out and those memories was good as any to end on for tonight.



As he slowly pushed the chair back, and walked towards his bedroom, he missed the concerned look on the face of Eric Hampton, the twenty year old heir of the Hampton's fortune.



Eric sighed. He felt .... he doesn't know what to feel. Maybe jealousy towards the man he called "father" for finding a love so true that death could not fade it away.



Maybe love towards a faithful man. Maybe just saddness because he knows he could never have what he wanted. He couldn't even be a replacement let alone a stand alone

lover.