Tw: Internalized homophobia, murder, religious trauma,

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Song: I'm Still Cheering For The 1980 U.S Hockey Team - Oakwood

Relationships:

Mother - "Shannon". In her 60's. Grey hair in a bun. Blue polka-dot dress and white cardigan. Deeply religious and conservative. Spends her days with her friends, gardening and cooking. Sees a darkness in Cain, says she doesn't recognize her boy anymore

Father - "Dillain". In his 60's. Grey hair and a mustache. Works at the gun-store. Stoic and reserved. Doesn't talk unless it's necessary. Doesn't talk about his feelings or emotions. Still invites Cain to go hunting, despite knowing Cain will refuse.

Teddy - Cain's best friend. Tall, lean build, had messy brown hair and mustache. Was an upbeat, smart and funny guy. Spent his entire childhood with Cain and was the closest to him out of all of Cain's friends.

Andrew - Was Cain's close childhood friend. Tall, muscular and blonde. Was an aggressive, angry and sometimes reckless person. Bonded with Cain over their love of sports and combat.

David - Cain's childhood friend. Tall, slight tan, muscular, brown hair. Sarcastic, lively and charismatic person. Was in the army with Cain. After the altercation, David lay low for a while but eventually got into real-estate and business. David bought out most of the town stores and houses, sold and renovated them. Well-off people began to move in, making David rich and successful

Madison - Cain's first girlfriend and later his wife. 34 years old. Long brown curly hair and hazel eyes. Got pregnant with Cain's child when she was 16 and got married to him shortly after. Cain left her at 18 for the army. Raised Cain's child by herself until Cain returned. Divorced him at 28 and left town with Samuel

Samuel "Sammy" - Cain's and Madison's son. Currently 16 years old. Messy brown hair and hazel eyes. Athletic and muscular.

Cain still remembered everything about him, Teddy, down to the dirt under his fingernails. Greenish eyes. He would squint in the sun. Messy brown hair that was a little too long, the other guys teased him for it, He smelled like sweat and sweet cologne. His mouth tasted like cigarettes. And he understood Cain. Not like his other friends, Andrew and David. They were great friends, but Teddy was different, Cain could talk with him for hours. He would give anything to talk to him. Because he could see him. In the dark, driving through the woods, Cain kept his eyes straight because if he were to look into the blackness of the forest, he would be there. Or in the corner of his room, when Cain lay drunk on the bed. He didn't dare look at him, but he was there. He was always there.

He was always there. When they'd play soccer with the other kids from the block - Teddy wasn't the most athletic but he kept up. When the went to school - Cain was the golden-boy, pretty, tall, tan and drove a cherry-red mustang. That's why all the girls loved Cain, but Teddy wasn't far behind. When they'd drive out to the lake, sit on the hood and talk for hours. Teddy teased Cain for being oblivious to Madison's advanced. Cain was anything but oblivious. Teddy called him a for never having kissed a girl, so Cain kissed him. He still wasn't sure why. When Cain's childhood ended at 16 when he got Madison pregnant - Teddy and the guys drove him out to a casino. When they had that stupid wedding at the shitty church - Madison was crying, Cain drunkenly slurred the vows which Teddy had written him mere minutes before. When they joined the army together because Cain hated holding his newborn son. Though that was the last time Cain had truly been with Teddy. They were overseas, somewhere in the jungles and gunfire. It was fun - at least to Cain. During the day he shot enemies, faces with features so unlike his own. It was like hunting, more thrilling. And at night he held Teddy, sleeping and eating next to him. Teddy always looked sickly-pale, he had a haunted look in his eyes, but Andrew and David just called him sensitive.

No, Teddy didn't die in combat. None of their group did. No, Andrew, David and Cain returned back home at 27. Heroes. Cain's son, Samuel, hugged him and said he was happy he was finally back. Teddy was discharged earlier for desertion. Rumors in town spread that Teddy was discharged from the front lines cause he was a homosexual. Cain wanted to laugh, what fucking bullshit. Cain knew Teddy and Teddy was a good person, practically a saint, he wasn't one of those, wasn't a fucking queer. Andrew and David avoided Teddy. Cain wanted to beat their skulls in, how could they all be so stupid. They just needed to know the truth and then things would be back to normal. If Teddy got his story straight, explained he felt bad for killing civilians and was against war and stuff like that, he'd be teased for years but at least Andrew and David would understand. They met up in the woods. August night. Red mustang. The Lake. Beers and a campfire. Just like the old days. Cain was practically begging at this point. He yelled at Teddy to quit being a and just own up. The knew he was a hippie and they were fine with it, he was their friend after all. After a while Teddy spoke. He said he wasn't discharged because he was queer, he destroyed a part of the armies supplies and was communicating with the enemy so he was discharged for desertion. Cain sighed with relief but Teddy kept talking.

The rest of what Teddy said was a blur. All Cain heard was that he was leaving town tomorrow, with his boyfriend. Leaving. Boyfriend. It was as if everything was underwater, all Cain could hear was those two words. All he could see was red. He lunged at Teddy. He wanted to kill him, beat his face to a pulp. Teddy was never weak, he fought back, knocking Cain over. Everything was happening so quick. Andrew jumped in after Cain, but Teddy had already gotten to his bag. He pulled out a shotgun, so did Andrew while Cain fumbled with his bag. It happened in a flash. Teddy fired at Andrew. He missed. Andrew shot at Teddy, hit him in the side. Cain fired on instinct. He hit Andrew in the chest. The first lethal shot. He had killed him. David wasted no time. He took two shovels out the car and they began to dig, burying him. Cain dug, in a trance almost. He knew Teddy was lying mere feet away, bleeding out, watching them, but he didn't dare to turn around. They buried Andrew at the lake. The spot were Cain had once kissed Teddy. And Teddy. They dumped his body in a ditch.