Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There are A/B/O dynamics, but not as the main topic. The entire story will most likely remain SFW. I’m not sure if I’ll include a romance and if I do, between who. The story isn’t finished yet, so feel free to make suggestions, maybe I’ll include them. Don’t expect regular updates, but I’ll try my best. Also, this is my first story I ever wrote and English isn’t my first language, so please keep that in mind and please don’t judge too hard.

Possible triggers (may be more depending on the development, but I’ll try to keep them at a minimum and give a note on the chapter if they appear in it):

Minor character death

Characters

Frank was the perfect example of an Omega; petite, short, submissive and quiet. He had a soft, boyish face with a sharp jawline and beautiful hazel eyes.

Mr. Way (Gerard), an Alpha who was a very popular and respected teacher, was handsome as hell. Tall, with a slim yet muscular body and messy dark hair.

Ray is a protective Beta and Frank’s best friend.

Mikey is a soft Alpha and the brother of Mr. Way

Chapter Text

Frank was in Mr. Way’s English class right now and his gaze was fixed on the floor. He was nervous and a bit uncomfortable. His best friend, a Beta named Ray, had noticed that. “Frankie, are you alright?”

Frank jumped, snapping out of his thoughts. “Yeah… yea, m’fine”, he whispered back, forcing a small smile. Ray raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying the lie. He leaned closer, keeping his voice low. “C’mon, you know I can tell when you’re lying. What’s wrong? You’ve been acting strange all day.”

Frank bit his lip, his gaze dropping back to the floor. “It’s… it’s stupid”, he muttered. Ray gently nudged his shoulder. “If it’s bothering you, it’ not stupid. Spill it.” Frank hesitated, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his backpack. “I don’t know…” he mumbled “just… something weird happened last night.”

Ray furrowed his brow, concern etched on his face. “weird how?” he asked, his voice gentle. Frank shrugged, still avoiding eye contact. “It… it was just weird… I had some weird silver threads on my skin and no matter how much I tried to wash them away, they didn’t come off. They only went away this morning” he mumbled, his voice growing quieter with each word. Ray’s eyes widened, his expression turning to surprise. “Silver threads…?” he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

Just then, Mr. Way’s attention was drawn to them, “Gentlemen, is there something you’d like to share with the class?” he asked, his voice deep and smooth. Both Ray and Frank shook their heads rapidly, their faces turning red “Sorry, Mr. Way” Ray replied, his voice cracking slightly. Mr. Way smirked, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Then perhaps you should focus on the lesson instead of gossiping.”

Ray and Frank nodded in agreement, their embarrassment growing. As the class continued, Frank found it hard to concentrate on the lesson. His mind kept wandering back to the strange occurrence with the silver threads on his skin.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the class, Ray and Frank quickly gathered their things. As they were about to leave Mr. Way called out to Frank and Ray “Ray, Frank, could you stay back for a moment? I’d like to talk to you”

Both boys exchanged glances, a mixture of curiosity and anxiety in their eyes. They nodded and made their way to the desk where Mr. Way was standing. “What is it, sir?” Ray asked, his voice betraying his nervousness. Mr. Way studied them for a moment, his expression inscrutable “I couldn’t help but notice that you two were distracted during class” he began, his gaze flickering between them.

Ray and Frank nodded, their hearts pounding in their chests. They knew Mr. Way was not one to tolerate any kind of disruption in class.

“And it’s not the first time,” Mr. Way continued, his tone stern, but not aggressive “What exactly was so important that it kept you from paying attention?”

Frank and Ray exchanged another nervous glance. They knew they couldn’t tell him about the silver threads. “We… we were just talking about-“ Mr. Way cut Ray off, his gaze narrowing “Spare me the excuses. I know when you’re lying.”
Frank and Ray fell silent, their bodies tense with unease. Mr. Way leaned against his desk, his eyes fixed on them. “I don’t know what you’re hiding, but I suggest you stop the distractions. It’s affecting your performance.” His voice tinged with suspicion.

They nodded, their heads hung low in shame. “Yes, Sir” they muttered in unison. Mr. Way’s gaze lingered on them for a moment longer before he nodded. “You may go now” he said, his voice softening just slightly. “And no more distractions in my class.” Ray and Frank nodded frantically, grabbing their backpacks and hurrying out of the classroom.

Outside the classroom, Ray turned to Frank, his face pale. “Jesus, that was intense,” he breathed, leaning against the wall. “I nearly peed myself.” Frank managed a smile. “You and me both, Ray” he replied, his body still tense from the encounter. “We gotta be more careful next time.”
“Definitely” Ray agreed, running a hand through his hair “But man, those silver threads you told me about… that’s weird” Frank sighed, his gaze dropping to the floor. “Yea, I know. I still don’t understand why they appeared suddenly.”

“You think it’s like… some kind of sign or something?” Ray asked, his expression growing thoughtful. Frank shrugged running his fingers along his arm nervously. “I don’t know”

“Maybe we can look it up” Ray suggested, taking out his phone. He began searching for any information related to the strange phenomenon. Frank nodded, hoping that maybe there was an explanation for what happened. But deep down, a sense of unease settled in his stomach, as if he knew that there was more to it than just a random occurrence.

After a few minutes, Ray frowned, lowering his phone. “I can’t find anything. It’s all just random stuff about silver thread and sewing.” He said. Frank’s heart sank “that’s not helpful” he muttered, his fingers still fiddling with the strap of his backpack.

“No, it isn’t.” Ray sighed, stuffing his phone back into his pocket. “Do you think we should talk to someone about it?” Frank considered the question for a moment. “Like who?” he asked “Who’s gonna believe us? And what if they think we’re completely nuts?”

“True” Ray admitted, scratching his head. “But just ignoring it doesn’t seem like a good idea either. What id it happens again?” Frank bit his lip, the worry and confusion warring inside him. “I don’t know…” he mumbled “It’s not like they hurt or anything. They were just there.”

But still, it’s creepy as hell” Ray replied, shuddering. “And you said they were gone this morning, right?” Frank nodded “Yea, they were gone when I woke up. Just vanished”

“Maybe it’s like… a one-time thing then” Ray suggested, trying to find a positive take on the situation. Frank nodded, clinging onto that hope. “Yeah, maybe it was just some weird, one-off occurrence. It won’t happen again.”
“Exactly” Ray patted Frank’s shoulder, attempting to reassure him. “Don’t worry, man. We’ll just keep an eye on it, and if it happens again, then we’ll figure something out, alright?” Frank took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering unease. “Yeah, alright.” He murmured. “You’re right. It’s probably nothing. Just a freaky glitch in the universe”

Ray laughed softly, giving Frank a comforting smile. “That’s the spirit. Not let’s try to forget about it and enjoy the rest of the day, okay?” Frank nodded, a small smile appearing on his face. “Yeah. You’re right. I need to stop overthinking everything.”
Ray playfully ruffled Frank’s hair, grinning. “That’s my man. Now come on, let’s go grab lunch before the good food is all gone.

Frank chuckled, his spirits lifted slightly by his friend’s optimism. “Alright, lead the way. I’m starving.”

Chapter Text

As they made their way to the cafeteria, Frank forced himself to push the thoughts of the silver threads out of his mind. Frank and Ray sat down at their usual table, surrounded by the noise of clattering trays and chatter.

Frank mindlessly picked at his food, only half listening to Ray’s rambling about a new guitar he got, which was honestly unusual for Frank. His gaze traveled over the people in the cafeteria.

The rugby guys shoveling food into their mouths. The mean girls chattering about the newest trend. The endless row for the food. And Mr. Way standing in the corner, watching over the students. As their gazes met, Frank quickly looked back on his food.

“Earth to Frank?” Ray said. “You alright?” This snapped Frank out of his thoughts “What- uh, yeah… yeah, I’m alright. Just lost in thought” Ray studied him for a moment longer, then shrugged and smiled. “Alright”

“Anyway.” Ray said, already moving on, poking at his food “You should really test out my new guitar. She’s a real beauty and sounds just amazing. She’s in a Les Paul style, of course not an original one, ‘cuz they’re fucking expensive, but-“ In that moment, his plastic fork snapped. Ray hissed, jerking his hand back as he felt the sting of the cut.

Frank’s attention was immediately focused on the injury, instinctively reaching out and took Ray’s finger in his. “Let me see” Frank said automatically. “It’s nothing,” Ray muttered, but Frank already stood up. “I’ll grab a band aid and a new fork.”  Ray didn’t answer, his gaze fixed on his finger.

Frank started to walk away, but Ray grabbed his arm, still not looking away from the finger. “Frank… look” Ray said, pulling him closer. Frank followed his gaze, a bit confused. His eyes widened as he saw that the cut was healed, leaving behind flawless skin.

“What the…” Frank whispered, his breath hitching. He couldn’t believe what he was witnessing. Ray stared at his finger with wide eyes, disbelief written all over his face. “That… that can’t be real,” he muttered. “Cuts don’t just… heal instantly like that.”

Frank’s mind raced, trying to find some logical explanation for this bizarre occurrence. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t think of anything that made sense. “This… this is impossible,” he mumbled, still staring at Ray’s healed finger.

“I know, right?” Ray replied, still in shock. Frank didn’t answer. He couldn’t. His heart was pounding too hard.

This couldn’t be happening. Cuts don’t just heal in a few seconds. Not even in a few hours… Did Ray just have an absolutely insane body like Wolverine’s? Did they both just imagine this? Are they going crazy?

Frank just managed to coax out “I… I’m gonna go to the bathroom” because fuck, he needed to calm down. Without waiting for an answer from Ray, he turned around, but froze as he saw Mr. Way standing there, just silently staring at Ray’s finger.

Frank and Ray exchanged a glace, a silent conversation passing between them. They were screwed. They looked back at Mr. Way, his expression now guarded and unreadable. “Gentlemen,” he said, his voice cool and measured. “May I speak to you both for a moment?”

Frank and Ray nervously looked at each other, both of them unsure of what to expect. They nodded slowly. Mr. Way motioned for them to follow him towards his empty classroom nearby. Once they were out of earshot from other students, he turned to face them.

He looked between the two of them, his expression still guarded. “Could you please explain what is going on here? First you two were distracted during my class and now that” He said, motioning to Ray’s now healed finger.

Frank and Ray exchanged another frantic look, uncertain how to explain their bizarre discovery. The truth seemed too far-fetched, too outlandish to believe. “it’s… well…” Frank began, stumbling over his words. Mr. Way waited patiently his gaze fixed on them. “Go on,” he prompted.

Ray took a deep breath and said with a slight tremble in his voice “We don’t know what’s going on. We don’t know why or how the cut healed like I’m fuckin Wolverine.”

Mr. Way sighed, a look of understanding passing his face. “How about you start at the beginning? Just tell me what happened. Start at your conversation during my lesson.”

Frank looked down. “Well, we’ve talked about something strange that happened last night,” he started. Ray continued “Frank told me about some silver threads that appeared on his skin last night. We did some research but couldn’t find anything relevant.” Mr. Way raised an eyebrow, “Silver threads you say?” Frank nodded quietly. “Tell me more about them”

“Well, I tried scrubbing them off, but they didn’t wash off. They started to glow faintly as well. They didn’t hurt, but were tingling a little bit.” Frank said quietly. Mr. Way’s eyes widened with surprise and disbelieve. “Glowing and tingling? That is quite unusual. And how is it related with the cut healing?”

Both Ray and Frank shrugged. “We don’t know, Sir. I just cut myself by accident, Frank got up to get a band aid, but before he could go the cut was healed,” Ray said.

“That is… quite unusual, but fascinating. Really fascinating” Mr. Way muttered, his mind already going over all the possibilities and then a thought occurred to him “Did Frank touch the cut?” Both of them exchanged a puzzled glance and Ray said “Yeah, he did.”

Mr. Way nodded and said “I think I know someone who can help us figure this out”

Chapter Text

Frank’s breath hitched as he heard the news. “Who? Who can help us to figure this out?” he asked, a slight tremble in his voice. Mr. Way replied “My brother.” Ray and Frank exchanged a confused look and Ray asked questioningly “Your brother?”

“Yes. He is specialized in researching unusual occurrences like this.” Mr. Way said with a small smile. “He might know a thing or two about this.” “And you’re sure he can help? We can trust him?” Ray asked, a skeptic look on his face, automatically taking a step closer to Frank as if to protect him. Mr. Way nodded, noticing the protective behavior “Yes, he’s trustworthy and I’m sure he can help us to figure out more about this situation.”

Ray shot a glance at Frank, a silent question in his eyes. Frank gave a small nod, indicating that he’s fine with it. “Alright,” Ray said reluctantly “Tell your brother.” Mr. Way gave a small smile “I’m gonna call him now, if that’s alright with you.” Both Ray and Frank nodded.

Frank’s stomach twisted as he watched Mr. Way pulling out his phone, dialing the number and putting it on speaker. He was nervous and didn’t know what to expect. After a few rings, they heard a voice. “Hey Gee, what’s up?”
“Hello Mikey, I need your help with something. It’s important” Mr. Way said, his voice steady, yet he seemed nervous. “Of course, what is it?” Mikey answered with a curious tone. Mr. Way shot a glance at Ray and Frank, a silent question in his eyes, giving them a last chance to back out. Both of them gave him a small nod, allowing him to continue.

“Well, you see… I’m here with two of my students and something strange happened. I’d like to hear your opinion and maybe you could help us doing some research” He started, now the nervousness and curiosity are also showing in his voice.

“Of course. What’s going on?” Mikey asked curiously and they could hear shuffling in the background. “Alright, here’s the thing. One of my students experienced an unusual phenomenon. Silver threads appeared on his skin last night. He said they were glowing softly and were kind of tingly. They vanished in the morning.” Mr. Way continued, his gaze fixed on Ray and Frank, who were standing there, looking a bit nervous and full of anticipation.

“Do you have any proof?” He questioned cautiously. Both Frank and Ray shook their head, indicating they had no proof. Mr. Way sighed “No, we do not. But the silver threads aren’t the whole story”

Mikey sighed as well “Alright, try to get proof. Maybe take a picture if it happens again. But what’s more to the story?” He inquired.

“This student, Frank, and his best friend Ray, were in the cafeteria and Ray accidentally cut himself in the finger. Frank touched the finger and in a matter of seconds, it was healed, leaving behind flawless skin. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”

There was a moment of silence on the other side of the phone. Then Mikey spoke up again “Silver threads and healing abilities you say?” Mr. Way nodded, before remembering Mikey couldn’t see him and then said “Yes. Do you have an idea what’s causing this?”

“Right now? Not really. But I’m gonna do some research. You’ve got me curious. I’ll call you when I know more, alright?” They heard Mikey say on the other side of the phone. “Alright. And thank you Mikey.” “You’re welcome. I’ll call you later. Bye Gee” Before Mr. Way could reply, the call ended.

Ray, Frank and Mr. Way stood in silence a moment longer, no one daring to break it. The only sound to be heard was the faint humming of the lights and the ticking of the clock.

Frank felt like a heavy weight settle on his shoulders. Realization of what he’s able to do slowly dawning on him. He can heal people’s wounds. It was weird, unusual and strange. No living being should be able to do it, but here he is, having that ability.

Ray and Mr. Way noticed Frank’s inner turmoil and Ray gently wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a gentle, comforting embrace. Frank let himself being held and wrapped his arms around Ray as well, as if his touch was the only thing that keeps him grounded right now. Mr. Way couldn’t do anything else than to stand there and watch them, knowing it would be inappropriate if he’d hug them as well, given the teacher/student dynamic.

The bell for the next lesson rang, breaking the tense silence and signaling their lunch break was over. Ray and Frank hesitantly let go of each other. Mr. Way cleared his throat “You should go back to your lessons and I’ve got a class to teach. Maybe try to not tell people about it as long as we don’t know what’s causing it. I’ll inform you as soon as I’ve got news from Mikey, alright?”

Frank and Ray nodded silently and started to walk out of the classroom to their next lesson. But before they were out of the door, Frank said quietly “Thank you, Mr. Way. We appreciate your help,” and gave him a small, weak smile. Ray nodded in agreement “Yea, thank you.”

Mr. Way gave them a small smile and said “Take care of yourself.” And then the classroom door closed, leaving Mr. Way alone in the silence of the room.

Ray and Frank didn’t talk on their way to their next lesson. Both of them couldn’t concentrate on the lesson and decided to ditch the rest of the day. They sneaked out of school and went to their favorite spot in the park. A bench next to a small pond under an old willow, the sun shining through the leaves.

Ray had slung an arm around Frank’s shoulder and Frank rested his head on Ray, both of them sitting in silence, processing their thoughts and events of the day. They’ve forgot the time and sat there until the sun began to set.

“You should probably crash in my room tonight. You won’t make it home before it’s dark” Ray finally said, crashing the silence that fell over them. Frank just nodded slightly, sitting up straight “I’ll just text my dad. Don’t want him to worry ‘bout me” he mumbled out, pulling out his phone.

After Frank texted his dad, they made their way to Ray’s house. Ray gave Frank one of his spare clothes for the night. Ray settled down on his bed and Frank on the couch next to the window. Frank quickly fell asleep, exhausted from the day’s events. Ray stayed up a bit longer, lost in thought. His gaze wandered over to Frank, noticing the way the moonlight fell over Frank’s face and faint traces of the silver threads starting to appear again.

Chapter Text

A surge of awe tightened Ray’s chest. The Silver Threads were very much in front of him right now. He imagined them to be beautiful and everything, but he definitely was way off. The threads that adorned his skin were divine. Like someone had woven the glowing threads into Frank’s skin with precision, but the threads were alive. The faint glow was running through the threads, from the center of Frank’s body to his extremities. He was stunned. What he was witnessing right now may have been the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

He remembered that Mikey told them to take a photo if the threads appear again. Ray took his phone from the nightstand and slowly got up from the bed, taking a few steps closer, careful to not disturb Frank’s sleep. He was tempted to reach out and touch the threads, his hand already hovering in the air, wanting to know if they felt like they were alive as well, but he withdrew them, unsure if he should touch them. After he made a few photos with the phone, he settled back in his bed. Eventually, he fell in a deep slumber, but the Silver Threads not out of his mind.

***

Frank was the first to wake up. He groaned, slowly sitting up, careful not to wake up Ray. The first rays of the sun falling through the window, illuminating the room in a soft light. The events from yesterday still not fully processed, but slightly more at ease. He sat there for a moment longer, just watching the sun rise, relishing the soft beauty of the early hours. The threads were gone again, not a trace being visible anymore.

After a few more minutes Ray woke up as well, mumbling a groggy “Mornin’ Frank”. Frank replied, a bit more awake “Morning Ray.” Ray sat up in bed, running a hand through his messy hair, trying to tame it, but only making it worse. “Breakfast,” Ray mumbled, eying Frank’s skin, a little bit disappointed the threads were gone. Frank hummed in agreement, getting up and going into the kitchen, Ray following him.

They took out two bowls, filling them with cereal and milk. Both of them ate their breakfast in silence, Ray checking his phone, occasionally stealing glances at Frank, silently hoping he would witness the Threads again. Then he saw a message from Mr. Way from their school’s communication platform. “Frank?” “Hm?” “Mr. Way sent us a message at freakin 3 AM. He wants us to meet him and Mikey. Apparently, they found some stuff”
That immediately got Frank’s attention. “What did they find?” Ray just shrugged “He didn’t mention anything about that.” Eyes on his cereal, Frank asked “Did he say when we should meet them?”

He read the message again “Around 9:30 AM. It’s 8:15 right now” Frank hummed in agreement. “Should get ready soon.”

***

They left the apartment shortly after, Ray making sure he got his phone with the pictures. The walk there was quiet at first, both of them thinking about what they could have found out. Ray kept glancing at Frank’s arms, as if willing the threads to return. Frank kept his gaze forward, trying to not think too much about them.

When they reached the address Mr. Way had sent them, they stopped on the side walk. It was just an ordinary apartment building. Plain brick, faded red, a few mailboxes beside the entrance. Someone’s bike leaning on the wall.

Ray blinked. “This is it?”

Frank just shrugged. He hadn’t known what to expect exactly. Maybe something more epic or mysterious, but a simple apartment building wasn’t on the list. He wasn’t disappointed tho, more surprised “Yeah, seems like it.”

They reached the entrance and rang the bell next to a tag that read ‘G. & M. Way’. After a few seconds the door opener began to buzz and they stepped inside the building. Mr. Way was standing in the doorframe to an apartment in the second floor, a cup of coffee in his hands and bags under his eyes. As they arrived at the door he gave them a small smile and said “Come in. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Frank and Ray stepped inside, taking off their shoes and jackets. The hallway wasn’t decorated much. A few pictures and a clock on the wall, a keyholder and a dry (and probably dead) plant in a corner. Mr. Way led them into the living room that was quite a mess. Open books laying everywhere, coffee mugs in piles on the table, scribbled notes beside them, the coffee machine on the ground, probably moved from the kitchen and two pizza cartons next to it. There were two armchairs and a couch as well. And on the couch sat another person, a book in his lap and a note book next to him. He had bags under his eyes as well. Ray and Frank assumed that was Mikey.

Mikey looked up when he saw the three of them enter. He gave them a small, tired smile. “Hey, I assume you’re Frank and Ray?” Both of them nodded. “This is Ray and that is Frank” Mr. Way said, gesturing to each of them as he said their names.

Frank gave a small, shy smile in return “Nice to meet you.” Ray nodded in agreement “Yeah, nice to meet you.” “The pleasure is mine” Mikey answered and gestured to the armchairs “Have a seat.” Both of them sat down on them, Mr. Way sitting down on the couch next to Mikey.

“You’re probably wondering what we found out last night” Mr. Way started and Frank and Ray nodded. Mikey sat up straighter from the couch, placing the book on the table and searched in his notebook “Alright, we found out some stuff, but I have a question first.”

Ray and Frank exchanged a look, before shrugging “Sure, what is it?” “Did the Silver Threads appear again and if they did, do you have a photo?” Mikey asked calmly. Not noticing the silver threads last night, Frank shook his head, but Ray spoke up “Yeah, they did. I got pictures of them as well.” Frank looked at Ray, a small shock on his face “They were there again? But I didn’t notice them.” Slightly chuckling, Ray said “Yeah, they appeared after you were asleep. Probably around midnight or something”

Listening to the conversation, Mr. Way spoke up “Could you please sent the pictures to us, Ray? They might come in handful later.” Ray nodded, already taking out his phone and E-Mailed the pictures to Mr. Way. In the meantime, Mikey finally found the page he was looking for.

“We’ve been looking through some books and we found out some stuff.” He paused, glancing over his notes “Silver threads aren’t scientifically explainable from what we’ve found, so we have to resort to myths and legends. So we’re moving in theoretical territory and we don’t have solid prove for it”

Frank and Ray nodded along, Frank’s shoulders slumped slightly, hoping there would be a scientific reason, because maybe if it was scientific, that they could cure it. Ray’s hand brushed Frank’s knee, a silent promise that he’d figure this out with him.

“The good news is, Silver Threads appear in myths and legends across various cultures. We’ve found them mentioned in Chinese and Greek mythology but in Norse and Indian mythology as well” Mikey started and Mr. Way continued “They’re usually symbolizing fate, love and the divine connection between individuals. The silver thread serves as a metaphor for the interconnectedness of all living beings and the influence of the divine on earthly affairs”

Ray furrowed his brow. “Wait… so you’re saying this could have happened to other people before?”
Frank tilted his head, uncertainty trembling in his voice. ”But… none of those myths mention healing, right?”

Letting out a sigh, Mikey answered “Yes, it has happened before according to mythology, but Frank is right, none of those myths mention healing. We’re still trying to find out more about that part.” “The problem is just that the myths and legends are translated multiple times, previously passed down orally only written down later. So, we got information, but not the original one, because of a telephone game being played for hundreds of years. They may have mentioned something about them in the past, but if there was, it wasn’t passed down to this day”

Frank’s shoulders slumped “So, is there any clue what’s happening to me or if it’s dangerous?” Ray gently squeezed his knee in a comforting gesture.

“From what we could find, it’s nothing dangerous. We can only speculate on what could happen to you, but that’s it.” Mikey said with a small hint of disappointment in his voice. “So, what do you think it could mean?” Ray asked.

Mikey leaned back slightly, tapping a pen against his notes. “Well… if we take the myths at face value, the threads might represent something like a connection to… something bigger than ourselves if we go with the whole ‘Divine connection’ thing. Some kind of energy, or influence from forces we don’t fully understand yet. It could also mean that Frank found his loved one if we go with the love thing. Or that Frank’s faith has been chosen if we choose to believe the faith part of the myths. But that’s all we can do right now. Speculate.”

“But speculation isn’t useless. Maybe we can find patterns in the stories or some clues” Mr. Way added quietly. “So, we basically have some ideas what the threads could mean, but we’re missing the healing part, the part that explains why it is happening and why it’s happening to Frank” Ray stated.

Both Mikey and Mr. Way sighed “Yes, that’s all we have for now. Some speculations and a bunch of open questions.” “But we still have a lot of books to go through.” Mikey added, gesturing to the corner of the living room, where a pile of books was stacked.

“We’re gonna help you” Ray blurted out. The other three turned his head to Ray. “You seriously want to help me and Gee to go through all that old books?” Ray nodded. “Yes, I want to help. If this means we can find out more about what’s happening to Frank, then I’ll help you” “I’ll help too” Frank added quietly. Mikey and Mr. Way had a silent conversation passing between them. “Alright, if you want to help, you can. Just be ready for a bunch of old legends and words your Grandma probably doesn’t even know. And if you ever find something that isn’t written in English, come to me. I’ll try to translate it if I can. I’ve got more experience in the whole field,” Mikey said.

Both Ray and Frank nodded “Alright. When can we start?” “How about right now if you’re free?” Mr. Way asked. “Sure” Both Frank and Ray said in unison. “I’ll make a new pot of coffee then” Mikey said teasingly to Mr. Way, knowing damn well that both of them consume a lot of coffee, especially during research and when they both didn’t get much sleep the night prior.