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Rolan’s entire life had been turned upside down. He thought coming to Galloway would be different. He would go to his parents funeral, play DND, and then go home back to Chicago.
Now here he is, at the tree where it all happened. Realizing that there was a reason he’s felt different his entire life. He was one of those things terrorizing the town.
In the back of his throat he felt clicks building. He tried his best to push them down but he’s sure a few slipped out.
He was never a human, or at least he hasn’t been for years. On top of his death of humanity, the girl he was died years ago. The girl he’d abandoned for a job and a happier life up in Chicago. She was hidden behind a locked door to most. The only two people whoever met her were Rand and Kian. The only two people she knew would accept her.
Rolan missed her sometimes. In the middle of the night as he struggled to sleep. Maybe in another world, she could’ve survived. Maybe society would have been nicer to her, to people like her. However, she was dead and buried. She was left at the tree back in Galloway.
Suddenly, he heard movement behind him. He forgot all about Rand being here as well. He was so caught up in his self-deprecating thoughts that he tuned everything else out.
His back was to him but he knew Rand probably looked disgusted. He was the same thing that they’d been fighting this entire time. The thing that took his sister. Rand had already been on edge this entire trip. Messing up and calling him by his old name.
He hated how good it felt to hear him call him Sarah. She was dead, yes, but some parts wished that was still him. Maybe deep down she was still there, but society couldn’t accept that.
He clenched his fist and turned around to face Rand. It took all his energy not to let the tears in his eyes fall. Slowly, he looked up to meet Rand’s gaze. To put it simply, Rand looked terrified. He couldn’t blame the guy, he looked exactly like the monsters they’ve seen in the past 2 days.
Rolan cleared his throat as he began to speak, “So there -click- you have it, Rand, I’m one -click- of them I suppose.”
Rand opened his mouth and closed it. He looked like a fish out of water as he tried to speak. Eventually, he seemed to compose himself the best he could.
“Did you fucking now about this, man?” Rand asked, terror clear in his tone.
“No I didn’t but… it makes a lot of sense.” Rolan replied, looking at the ground to avoid eye contact.
“What the hell does that mean??” Rand yelled.
“I’ve always -click- felt weird, and I finally know why,” Rolan paused for a second, not knowing if he wanted to say what he was about to say, “my humanity died years ago, and she died years ago.”
Rolan watched as Rand’s face fell. It made sense, that was his girlfriend years before. He wouldn’t be shocked if he still loved her. Not him, never him.
“Sara- Rolan, listen to me. I might be fucking terrified right now, but I’ve been waiting to say this to you the entire time you’ve been here.” Rand started before pausing and looking him dead in the eyes.
Rolan’s heart skipped a beat at that. He loathed how good it made him feel. He never really fell out of love with Rand. He just had to leave him, for both their sakes.
“Just because you had to be all high and mighty and leave to go to Chicago, that doesn’t mean you aren’t her. You were so fucking happy and there’s no possible way you changed over night,” again Rand took a pause before continuing, “no matter what you say about Sarah dying, she will forever be my beloved girlfriend and you are her.”
Tears finally fell down her face. Massive black inky tears ran down Sarah’s face. It was so stupid, that just one small speech from her ex-boyfriend (boyfriend?) was what she needed to hear. She knew it would fix everything, their town was still infested with bugs and she was one. Rand, in his passion, must have forgotten the whole bug thing as he walked over.
The next thing she knew she was getting passionately kissed by Rand. He basically threw himself at her, causing them both to tumble over and hit the floor. That didn’t stop Rand as he continued to kiss her. After a second of shock, Sarah began kissing back.
Her heart spiked as she knew how risky this was. To everybody on the outside this looked like two boys kissing, something highly wrong. Maybe to everybody else that’s exactly what it was even if they learnt the truth.
Despite that, she felt happy for once. Not that fake happiness she had put on for 10 years in Chicago, but true happiness. Sure her and Rand had kissed so many times when they were dating. Secret kisses shared behind the school or in Rand’s attic. This felt different, the kind of reunion kisses told of in old love stories Kian read in his free time.
It ended way too fast but nothing perfect could last forever she supposed. Soon she felt Rand's arms wrap around her as he placed his head on her shoulder. It felt so right.
“I missed you so much, babe.” Rand softly spoke.
Sarah’s click slowly became louder. Clicks of happiness and content. Rand was so winded and out of it from everything that’s happened he didn’t seem to notice. They would have to confront that at some point, just not right now.
Sarah, similarly to Rand, wrapped her arms around Rand. She felt at home, after years of fantasizing of the girl she could have been. With just one small speech that girl who died years ago was back.
She would have to hide again for everybody else. With Rand, however, she could be exactly who she was meant to be.
Maybe, just maybe, she was just crazy, or maybe it was just the 80’s