………………………………………………………………………… Chapter Four: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. They hold each other’s hand and walk out to the dim streets. It’s a very small alley between two high houses. It’s dark, but there are dim patches of scattered light and yells coming from the street intrigue them. They walk towards the agitations and see hundreds of man, if not more, all marching and protesting on the street. They’re all holding fire or weapons in their hands, their faces look dead, and their skins are grayish. Gale and Randy stand still on the sidewalk but somehow they’re pushed into the crowd and some of the bodies keep on pushing them slightly to walk with them. They stay as close as possible to each other. But one man roughly grabs Gale’s arm, and then another. Men take hold of Randy and pull him. They’re both being pulled and grabbed by bodies surrounding them. Gale holds on to Randy’s hand with all his strength, but then the men try to separate them. As they pull them away from each other, Gale and Randy try to keep their hands tightly holding together. Trying not to let go, and reaching out for each other, but they’re too far apart, they loosen their grips. Men take them both and separate them far away from each other. Gale tries to break free but they’re too strong and Randy disappears from his sight. They pull him far away, lost in the crowd. When finally they let him go of him, Gale panics and tries to find his lover but there are too many people. He pushes people aside and tries to find his Randy. He screams the name at the top of his lungs. When he distinguishes a pure blond boy out of the obscure and lifeless forms of the others, he runs to him. But Randy’s acting strange and his head is tilted down. Gale reaches him and he seizes him. “They’ve cut me.” Randy says holding his wrist tightly. Gale’s expression changes when Randy looks up to him with a frown. Gale looks down and grabs Randy’s arm gently. It’s bleeding badly. A large vertical line is bleeding along his arm. “Keep the pressure on it.” Gale whispers against his ear and wraps both his arms around his smaller body. They walk through the people as they march. Gale tries to push them out of their way as much as possible, but suddenly, they start turning their attention towards the couple in awe. It’s like they’re attracted to blood and they all look half worried and half in some sort of trance towards the blond. Gale wraps his arms protectively around Randy and they head towards an alley. But then the crowd starts to reach out for them; they try to touch Randy. “Get your hands off him, can’t you see that he belongs to me,” Gale yells to them and pushes them hard, till they are both safe in an alley between two large buildings. Gale brings him to a door and opens it wide. They step inside a room and walk up a large staircase. They enter another room, it’s a hotel room, rather abandoned and antique looking. Gale sits Randy on the bed. He rips a piece of material from the curtains and sits beside him. He carefully wraps the soft fabric around his wrist. …………………………………………………………………………