Parallel Crossroads

*All characters are from my own mind or with the permission of my friend, who helped make up some of my characters. This story has several triggers and mentions of suicide, along with suicidal thoughts and actions. I support the l***q+ community 100% and I am proud to announce that this story is going to be VERY gay! Thank you*     In the dark of a stereotypically moonless sky stood two men dressed in rags that barely covered them. The tallest man and the first of the Cortes family watched as his friend took a shaky breath and wiped drops of sweat from his face.      "I can't believe we made it," said Johnson, smiling, "I thought we were dead for sure!"      "...Are you kidding me, you were never able to run very fast!" Cortes replied darkly as Johnson collapsed in the dirt, "AND we're been running for hours; since when were you so fit?"      "Since we tried to begin our clan!" oblivious to Cortes's anger, Johnson remained relaxed and unfocused, "But now that we're gone we can continue building it! We can become the best, I wanna have a large mansion to myself with an army to protect it, what about you?"      "I want the same," replied Cortes, hand sneaking into the depths of his coat pocket, "But you heard them, only one of us can make it successfully."      "...Manuel?" turning in the nick of time, Johnson barely dodged as Cortes's blade sunk into the rich forest Earth, "What are you doing!"     "Shut up Henry!" roared Manuel Cortes, the first droplets of a storm falling onto his face, "This is the only way!"      "We escaped together, we can make our own clan together!" cried Johnson as he frantically tried to crawl away from his murderous best friend, "I promise, just put the knife down!"     "My parents are dead! I promised them I would become the greatest!" the murderous man continued, "I promised!"     "Please!" seeing the emptiness in his friends' eyes, Henry Johnson glanced back to the raging Whitewater River they had just crossed. Its waters flowed mercilessly downhill towards the sea, where rocks the size of a man and as sharp as a blade waited for incoming victims.      Without a choice, Johnson sucked in a deep breath and tearily turned away from his friend. Yelling out a final goodbye, he sprinted towards the river with his friend a little short of his heels. And without hesitation, he jumped off the riverbank into the ice-cold water.