Fifth Avenue - The Replacements

“Hey gay boy come here” a voice echoes.

“You’re such a freak” another follows.

“Stupid fag” one spits.

“Dance for my fairy boy” the last chuckles.

The light brightens and Hartley finds herself standing behind a house, a young boy was sobbing to himself whilst four obviously older boys stood over him, continuously spitting horrendous remarks to him. “Stop it please” the boy sobs.

Hartley walks forward and steps through one of the boys seeing Whisper, he wore a blue button up shirt with brown cargo shorts, both of which were torn and stained with what looked to be fresh blood. “Go cry to your boyfriend fag boy” one snarls kicking him in the stomach, Whisper sobs gripping his stomach.

“Walter!” an elderly voice calls making all the boys look up with scared expressions “Walter come here now!” the voice screamed again, this time the annoyance was clear.

The boys all step back in unison, the tallest of them sneering “Don’t think this is over Freak” he calls before him and his friends start to run from Whisper who was pulling himself up from the wall of the building.

“Coming Nana!” he yells loudly letting Hartley know he was Australian.

Everything goes flashes white.

“I love you” a voice whispers.

“Maybe today you do, but when you wake up tomorrow you’ll find somebody else, somebody you can take home to your family” another voice replies, Hartley could hear it was Whisper.

“I love you Walter Adams, to the worlds end and back and if I have to scream it from the rooftops of Sydney Opera House I will” A chuckle fills the room and the room once again brightens, Walter sat on a bed his legs tangled with a handsome boy, they both stared into each others eyes lovingly.

Whisper leans in and kisses the boy deeply “I love you to Rickie” he says when they break apart.

The room fades back before changing to an outside park, Whisper walked hand in hand with Rickie, from earlier “Hey Fag Boy” someone says and Hartley turns to see the group of boys from earlier “this your boyfriend?” one of them chuckles pushing Whisper back.

Whisper steps in front of Rickie defensively “Don’t touch him” he growls and the group chuckle.

“And how are you going to stop us?” one spits before punching him in the face.

The group of boys pushed Rickie back and crowded around Whisper hitting, kicking and beating him up, ignoring the plea’s and screaming of Rickie who tried to break through.

When they finally walked away Hartley had to cover her mouth when she saw Whisper, his face was swollen and he was bleeding from almost every part of his body “Walter!” Rickie cried running to him and cradling him in his lap “Walter baby talk to me” he cries and Whisper coughs pushing away his hand.

“Just go away” Whisper says weakly.

“No you can’t just-” Whisper sits up pushing him away.

“Leave me alone!” he cries, Rickie tries to reach out for him but Whisper stands and walks away slowly.

“Please” Rickie sobs “Walter don’t do this” he pleads “please”

Whisper peers over to Rickie “Go away” he says angrily, all he could think was to get Rickie as far as he could from himself so he would never be hurt. “I-I don’t love you!” he screams “I wish you would just die” Whisper covers his mouth shocked, he felt as if he could feel the words echo from his mouth.

He looked to see Rickie, he thought he would see the look of heart break but instead he saw a dazed expression. Rickie walks straight ahead and straight passed Whisper “Rickie...” Whisper says quietly and he follows his now ex-boyfriend “Rickie what are you doing?” he asks again but Rickie says nothing as he continues to walk forward.

Whisper followed Rickie all the way into Rickie’s uncle’s shed where Rickie picked up the shotgun which was leant against a hay stack, Rickie looks to Whisper and a tear drops from his eye before he positions the gun under his chin “Rickie don’t!” Whisper screams as Rickie pulls the trigger.

Blood splattered across his face and clothes and Whisper stared at Rickie who was now lying dead on the ground, tears falling down his cheeks, slowly he steps back as he remembers what he had said to Rickie, the power he felt come from his mouth as those words left them and somehow he knew he had done this.

Closing his eyes he stormed from the shed and ran, he ran through bushes and houses until he reached a well known hangout for all the bad boys. He stepped inside the garage and all the boys look to him slightly shocked, Whisper was heaving and crying which made him look like a mad man when he cracked a smile.

“Die....” he whispers.

Everything flashes to Whisper standing in an alley way “Hello fag boy” an all to familiar voice croaks.

Hartley sits up and immediately jumps out of bed, running to Doc. “Doc!” she screams “Where is Whisper?” she says worriedly and he looks up to her confused.

“Whisper, I don’t know, why?” he asks and Hartley gulps.

“I had a vision of him” she says shakily making Doc shoot up from his desk and run out to where the group sat, Hartley following closely behind him “Where is Whisper?” she asks as she notices he isn’t in the room.

They look at her confused “He went out to get some food why?” Flicker asks and Hartley doesn’t reply, instead both her and Doc go tearing out of the room, Flicker, Flutter and Trix following them out.

“What’s happening?” Trix yells as she ran behind them.

“We have to find Whisper, everyone split up, press your buttons when if you find him” Hartley screams “Check the alley ways!” she says before running down a street, everyone split up.

Hartley ran passed many alley ways but found nothing, slowly her hope began to diminish, she was ready to call it a day when she saw something white in the alleyway to her right. “Whisper” she says hopefully running towards it, but her hope is soon lost when she sees Whisper lying almost dead still, his white hair and skin dyed red from his own blood.

“Whisper” she repeats leaning down to his side and pulling his head into her lap, at this height she could see his mangled body, chunks of it missing. She covers her mouth realising that Reaper had eaten chunks of Whisper before leaving him to die. “Whisper please” she says slapping his face lightly “wake up” when she says this to her delight Whisper’s eyes flutter open.

Hartley smiles “Hartley...” he says weakly “Hartley it hurts so bad” he groans, as he does this Hartley reaches into her pocket and grabs the button pressing it repeatedly.

“Don’t worry” she says attempting to soothe him “Doc is on his way now, he’ll help you get better” Whisper coughs and winces in pain.

“I’m going to die” he says sadly “I know I am” Hartley grabs his hand and squeezes it tightly.

“Come on Whisper you can’t think like that” she says quietly and he coughs again, his breathing sounding more and more distant as time went on.

He glances up to Hartley “I’m scared” he whispers “I-I don’t want to die” bloodied tears began to roll down his cheeks and Hartley tried to appear strong and okay, but inside she knew he wasn’t going to make it.

“There is nothing to be afraid of” she smiles slightly “trust me I’ve nearly died enough times to know, its peaceful, you’ll see Ricky again and everything will be okay”

Whisper sobs “I’m going to hell” he tells her “Hartley we are all going to hell” Whispers eyes flutter closed as his chest stops moving.

“No come back” she yells before she felt two strong arms pull her back, Flicker hugged her tightly as Doc ran to Whispers side and tried to save him, but he was too far gone.