Tick…tick…tick
The clock clicked loudly in the quiet classroom, counting down the minuets until the student’s of Vicksburg high school’s freedom. Aiden sat at
his desk, tapping his pencil anxiously for the sound of the bell. The other student’s were still writing furiously, while he had already finished.
Hurry up already! He yelled at the clock in his head. The sooner I get out of the school from hell, the better.
He continued to tap his pencil furiously, until the teacher gave him a stern glare. He put down the pencil and pulled out his CD player, hoping to past the time.
The girl in pink who sat next to him got out of her seat, walking gracefully up to the teachers desk, handed her the paper, and walked back, her head held high, setting back down slowly into her seat, her skirt falling into neat folds in her lap.
Morgan. Ugh.
"What ‘cha listening to, Freeman?" she asked him cheerfully, scooting several inches closer to him. Her friendliness was obviously a mockery. Aiden could see straight through her false kindness.
"Nothing," he replied coldly, his eyes looking down at the CD player, rather than her eyes
She shriveled her nose slightly.
"Whatever," she said flatly. "It‘s probably one of those other weird bands you listen to. But don‘t worry, it suits you, a lot. " she smirked, as if she took pleasure in his pain. No doubt, she did.
A streak of pain shot across Aiden’s face. His hurt expression lasted only a split seconds and he went back to staring at the clock.
This is what he went through every day. He had only one true friend since kindergarten; Cassie. She was his only friend, the only one who understood the way he thought, the only he could talk to and not have to guard his words. He had secret feelings for her, but had never had the courage to tell her for fear she would leave him if she knew.
He looked over at her from his desk. She grinned back at him, silently giggling.
Tick…tick…DING!
At that moment, the whole class jumped out of there seat’s and dashed out into the halls. Aiden fought the rampaging crowd of student’s, trying not to be knocked down by their force.
After for what seemed like hours of pushing and shoving, he finally reached his locker. He entered his combination, letting the door swing open on it’s own. He dumped his books on the bottom carelessly, grabbed his backpack, an fought his way outside. Cassie met him at the door. "Hey," she said to him brightly, the electric blue streak in her blonde hair making her easy to see.
"What’s up?" he asked her, sounding surprisingly cheery.
"Math test tomorrow. Ugh"
"Ouch,"
They started for the path home. They had always walked home together, hardly ever taking the buss.
"Got any homework?" Cassie asked him in a laid back tone.
"Uh, yeah. Why?"
"’Cause, you know you’re my cheating buddie." she replied, beginning to laugh.
Aiden laughed along with her. It was true though. Whenever either of them had homework, they copied from each other.
After several more minuets of laughing and joke’s, Cassie reached her house. It was a small blue house, with chipped pain and weathered looking shudders. An orange striped cat lay sleeping peacefully on her front porch, scratching it’s nose from time to time.
"Well, I’ll see ya later!" she called walking down her driveway, waving.
"See you!" he called back.
He turned, and began to walk to his house, hurrying down the path. He pulled out his CD player, tuning out the outside world.
"Hey, Aiden!" someone called from the distance.
Aiden spun around quickly, searching for the person who had called him. But after looking behind him, he wished he hadn’t.
Joel.
If there was any person that Aiden hated the most, it was Joel.
Joel was a giant in size, easily towering of Aiden’s short, slender build. Muscles bulged from his arms, arms that looked as though they could rip apart human body with ease. Long red hair hung down over his face, concealing his dark, beady eye’s. Even though his look’s seemed frightening, he still traveled with a gang, except they weren’t as inhumanly large as Joel.
Aiden sighed grimly. "What, Joel?"
"Just decided to visit my ole’ buddy, Aiden." he replied with a smirk, sarcasm lathering each word. He walked towards him, putting his massive arm around Aiden’s shoulder.
"Don’t touch me,"
"Aw, there’s no need to be like that, kiddo."
"Yeah, there is. Now leave me alone." he said to Joel, pushing his arm off his shoulder.
"Ooohhhh!!!" Joel’s gang burst out suddenly.
The bully noticed the small, black circular CD player hanging in Aiden’s palm. He snatched the CD player from his grasp. Aiden jumped, trying to retrieved one of the only sources of happiness he’d ever known.
"Hmmm, what’s this?"
Aiden jumped again.
"Give that back!"
"Got any CD’s in here, weirdo?"
"No. Now Give it back!"
Joel opened up the CD player. A CD fell down upon the dirt road.
"What do we have here?"
Aiden lunged for the CD, but was pushed onto the ground by two of the gang members.
"My Chemical Romance." The bully said flatly, shaking his head slightly. "Just as emo as last year, eh?"
Joel put the CD back into it’s player, and threw into the dirt. He lifted his leg and brought down with all his strength. The CD player was crushed under the giant’s foot, crumbling to small pieces in the dirt.
"NO! Why’d you do that for?!?" Aiden screamed at the bully, tears beginning to form in his sapphire blue eyes.
"Because I can, freak." At that moment, Joel kicked Aiden straight in the gut, bringing him to his knees.
He cried out in pain his he fell. His breath was cut short by the sudden impact. Now the tears ran freely down his face, dripping into the dirt. Tiny brown spots began to form in the dirt, as if marking the place where he had been tormented.
Suddenly, four of Joel’s gang members picked Aiden up by his arms and legs, and threw him several feet from where they were standing. He landed hard upon his side.
"Hahaha!! See ya later, weirdo!" Joel called as he and his gang walked quickly into the distance
Now, not only had Aiden’s stomach hurt from being kicked, but now his side was seering with pain.
All he could do now was lay there. Lay there and weep, not only because of his injuries, but because of everything.
Just when he thought that he may have to crawl the rest of the way home, he heard the sound of a car driving slowly down the road.
Oh, God, Oh, God! Please don’t let it hit me!
But soon after, the car pulled around the curve. Aiden recognized the car.
It was Cassie’s mom’s car.
Cassie parked on the side of the road, then stepped out and ran to where Aiden lay, writhing.
"Oh, my God! Aiden!!" she said, leaning over him.
"Cassie?" He asked weakly.
"Yeah, Aiden. I’m here now." she replied softly. "C’mon, I’m taking you home with me. My mom’s a nurse."
She helped up on his feet. He leaned heavily on her shoulder. After what seemed like hours, they both staggered into the car. Once in the car, Cassie sped for her house.
Chapter 2: Abuse
Cassie pulled her mother’s car up the driveway. She parked in the garage, pulled Aiden from the back seat, and helped him into the house.
Cassie’s mother turned around.
"Hey cass-" she didn’t finish when she saw what had happened.
"Oh, my gosh. Cassie, what happened?"
"Joel and his gang, that’s what happened." Cassie replied angrily.
"Oh, not again," she looked at her daughter, becoming angry as well.
Aiden opened one eye. "W-what happened? W-where am I?"
"You’re at my house, Aid’,"
"Oh, uh….ok-" he was too weak to finish.
"Take him to the bedroom, honey." Cassie’s mother ordered softly. "I’ll get the first aid kit."
She dragged Aiden to her mothers bed. He moaned softly as his body touched the bed. Within several minuets Cassie’s mother came in with a first aid kit. She took off his shirt, examining his body for wounds.
A large, purple-blue blob had overtaken his side. He winced has she gently touched his bruised ribs.
"Are they broken?" Cassie asked her mother quietly.
"I don’t think so," Her mother said. "Their bruised badly though."
"Should I call his parent’s?"
Her mother was about to say yes, but Aiden interrupted, saying, "N-no, no. You don’t n-need to do that,"
"But, Aiden," Cassie’s mother started. "We have to, honey. Your parent’s need to know about this." She laid her hand on his shoulder.
"No, please, Mrs. Mayer, It’s better that he-" he stopped, he forgot that only Cassie knew about the departure of his mother, but she had always acted as if she as oblivious, for Aiden wanted no one else to know. "I mean they don’t know. Please" he begged.
She looked over at Cassie, as if looking for an answer.
"Alright," Mrs. Mayer finally decided, though she didn’t look pleased.
Mrs. Mayer then took a roll of bandages and rapped them around his torso. After an hour of rest, Aiden could walk almost normally, staggering from time to time.
"Are you sure you don’t us to call your parent’s, Aiden?" Mrs. Mayer asked again hopefully. He knew what she wanted him to say. Yes. But he dare not tell his father that he was in a fight. Well, more so an attack than a fight. But still, it’s better that his drunkard of a father didn’t know about his assault today.
"I’m sure." Aiden replied firmly.
"M’kay then," she still sounded unsure.
He followed Cassie out to her mom’s car. This time he had no trouble stepping into the front seat. She backed out of the drive way and headed for Aiden’s house.
"I can’t stand him," Cassie said suddenly, each word emphasized with anger.
"Who? Oh, yeah, Joel. Don’t worry Cassie, I’ll be fine."
"Fine?! Aiden, he could’ve broke your ribs today, knowing that he could‘ve done much worse, and you tell me not to worry?" she said, frustrated.
"I’m just trying to make you not worry, like I know you will." he said with a surprisingly calm, sly smile.
She sighed, then laughed softly. "Yeah, I guess you’re right."
There were several minuets of silence, then the reached Aiden’s home. It was a tiny, rusted, trailer. Trash lay beneath the steps onto the porch, which was sure to attract rat’s. Aiden knew that he was poor, but he didn’t care. It never really affected him.
"Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow." Cassie sighed again, a sad looking grin stretched lightly across her face.
"Okay, see ya," he waved, limping slightly, walking to his front door.
Cassie knew about what happened at Aiden’s house. She knew about the abuse, the screaming, the cruel words of hate his drunk father used, and when he beat his mother and that she left because she didn‘t care about her only son, when he came to school with bruises covering his arms, when she noticed the small crimson slashes on his wrists. But had never told anyone about it, for she knew what would become of her friend if she told. She may never see him again.
"Oh, God," she silently prayed. "D-don’t let his dad hurt him."
As soon as Aiden stepped in the door, she drove off, fearing for her friend.
------------
Aiden stepped into his small trailer. He headed for his room, hoping to ovoid his father.
He failed.
His father sat on the couch, the glow of the TV making his skin seem pale and clammy. Empty, discarded bottles of liquor lay at his feet.
Oh, crap. I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m dead!
"Where’sh you been…son?" he asked sluggishly, the smell of alcohol heavy on his breath.
"At a friends,"
"You been hangin’ out wish…that…that…girl?"
"Sure,"
"Don’t you use that tone wish me, boy!" he shouted, wavering as he stood.
"What tone?!"
"D-don’t play dumb!" he shouted again, only louder this time.
"I’m not playing ‘dumb’, dad!" Aiden shouted, his anger beginning to rise. "Just leave me alone!" he turned towards his room.
Aiden’s father grabbed his son’s shoulder, turned his body to face his, and smacked him across his face. The force of the hit knocked Aiden to his feet. A large red hand print began to form on his face.
"That’ll t-teash you. You little l-liar" his father said sluggishly, looking down at his son, his face bleeding slightly now.
Aiden lay there in horrified silence. "I..I hate you!!" he screamed at the drunk, tears welling in his eyes.
"What did you sh-shay to me, boy?" his father asked.
"You heard me! I said I hate you!!"
"Good! B-because I wash never too fond of you either. It’d be…be," he staggered. "It’d be a lot easier wishout you!" he wavered back to the couch, indulging in another bottle of liquor.
Aiden ran to his room, locking his door behind him. He sank to the floor, burying his face into his hands, the tears flowing freely now.
That’s it! he thought. Every day this kind of thing happens. Everyone thinks I’m some kind of freak, my dad is a drunk who beats me, my mother didn‘t want me enough to stay with me, I get the crap beat out of me almost every day by someone other than my dad, I hate it! What kind of life is this anyway? To be unloved, mistreated, and hated by almost everyone? I can’t take it, no, not another day. It seems that everyone seems to think that their life would be better without me, well that’s j-just what they’ll get!
The tears still flowed down his cheeks and down onto his shirt. His hands shook violently. He crawled over to his bed, and reached under the tattered mattress.
His father had always kept pistol hidden under Aiden’s mattress, thinking that his son didn’t know. He had known all along, but his father’s mind had been tainted with alcohol, destroying his brain cells with each can. Many times had Aiden fished his father’s head from out of the toilet, and his father had never thanked him.
Aiden checked the gun. It was fully loaded.
He put it to his head, his hands shaking more then ever now.
He thought for a moment.
Cassie
He hadn’t thought to say goodbye to his only friend. He took the pistol and laid it gently on his bed and grabbed the phone on his nightstand. He dialed her number. It rang several times before Cassie answered herself.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Cassie, this is Aiden."
"Oh, hey. How you feeling?"
"Um, better. Listen, Cassie, I need to tell you something."
"What’s wrong Aiden? Your voice is shaking."
"I just wondering to say that…that…" Aiden stuttered. "I love you like a sister. I’ll never forget you."
Cassie put her hand to her cheek, her face growing pale.
"Aiden, you’re scaring me, what is it?"
"I’m…I’m…I’m going to kill myself. I’ll miss y-you." he swallowed, a small sob escaping from his lips.
"NO!!!" She shrieked. "Aiden you can’t-"
But she was interrupted by the sound of a phone dropping to the floor.
"AIDEN!!!! NO!!!!!" she screamed again, tears now streaming from her face.
Several seconds later, the sound of a gun shot blast from Aiden’s end of the phone.
"NO!!!! MOM!"
Mrs. Mayer came running in from the living room. "What is it?" she asked her daughter urgently.
"Call the ambulance! I think Aiden just shot himself!" she yelled through her sobs.
------------
"AIDEN!!! NO!!!"
That was the last he heard her say before he dropped the phone. He put the gun to his head, and pulled the trigger.
A loud BANG! rung throughout the room, and with the blink of an eye, Aiden’s vision was black.
Chapter 3: Sweet Dreams
Cassie sat in the hospital’s waiting room, the occasional tear dripping from her face and onto the page of the book she held in her cold, shaking hands. She took her hands and massaged her eyelids, fighting to keep them open. She had seen the ambulance take Aiden away, and she noticed that they never draped a white sheet over his body, which gave her a ray of hope.
She putt down her book as she saw the doctor walking briskly into the waiting room. She stood quickly, waiting for an answer.
"How is he?" Cassie asked urgently.
A small smile stretched to one side of the doctors wizened, aged face.
"He’s alive."
Cassie breathed a sigh of relief, but then became instantly confused.
"But, he was shot in the head," she said. "How could he-" the doctor held up his hand, signaling that he had an answer.
"For some bizarre reason, the bullet missed any of his vital arteries in his head, letting him live. In all the years I’ve been here, I’ve never seen anything like it," the shock never left his voice.
"Can I see him?" she asked him eagerly.
"I’m afraid not. You see, even though he lived, there’s still much left to do. At this point, he can’t talk and he doesn’t remember anything."
Cassie’s face suddenly became deathly pale.
"But don’t worry," said the doctor, noticing her sudden shock. "It’s not permanent. It’s kind of like temporary amnesia. He’ll just like before in about a month."
Cassie sat back down in her chair. A month? she thought. Oh, I shouldn’t complain. At least he’s alive.
"Okay," she sighed. She rested her hands in her hands, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"You should go home and rest," the doctor suggested.
She looked up at him with her tired, sea green eyes. "I-I guess…" she started, unsure of what she should do.
The doctor rested his large hand on her shoulder. "Get some sleep," he patted her gently, slightly emphasizing each word. Cassie stood and nodded. She picked up her purse and began towards the door.
------------
3 months later
Cassie pushed Aiden’s wheelchair out the hospital door. A gentle snow flake fell upon her nose as she walked to her car. "Long time, no see," Aiden said to her quietly, a small smile forming on his face. "You can say that again." she replied casually.
"Long time, no see,"
She flicked him in the back of the head playfully.
"Hey, I could call security and say you’re abusing me,"
"I’d like to see you try, Aid’"
They both laughed loudly.
"It’s good to have you back," he said, touching her arm.
"You too, buddie."
They finally reached her car. In the past three months of recovery, Cassie had got her license and her mother bought her a new car. A jeep in fact. It glowed with bright blue sheen.
"Dude, nice wheels. When did you get your license?" Aiden asked her, his eyes not leaving the bright, sapphire blue jeep.
"Thanks," she replied with a hint of pride in her voice. "About two months ago,"
"Of Corse, I was out of it, being useless in that god-awful hospital bed."
"You’re not useless, Aid’" Cassie said to him in an gentle, reassuring voice.
He sighed. "Whatever you say, Cas’, whatever you say…" he sounded as if there was more he wanted to say, but decided to let the words float around in his head a little longer.
Cassie pushed Aiden’s wheelchair up to the jeep, and helped him up into the seat, folding the rusted chair into her backseat. She began to buckle his seatbelt, but he stopped her, saying with an edge, "Do I look crippled, Cas’?" he smiled impishly
"Kinda," she teased back.
Aiden snickered quietly under his breath as he clipped the seat belt around his waist.
Cassie slipped into her car seat, buckling her seat belt, and started up the roaring engine.
She pulled of the parking lot, and headed for the highway.
"Cassie," Aiden asked, his eyes not leaving the road in front of him.
"Yeah?"
"What kept the doctor’s from sending me to the loony house? I mean, I shot myself, don’t they send you to those when you’re suicidal?"
There were several seconds of silence, before she answered his question.
"Well, I lied. I told the cops and the doctor’s that it was an accident,"
"Oh," he said flatly.
"But the only reason we’re not getting you help, is because you’re coming to live with me now-" she was cut off.
"Live with you?! What?"
"Don’t you want to get out of that awful house of yours?" she asked him, her tone seemed too simple, as if the matter was of barley any importance.
"Well, yeah, but, what happened to dad?"
"He got arrested. They found drugs in under his mattress."
"Oh,"
"But I think that once you’re out of that house and away from your dad, you’ll get better. Trust me." she smiled a cheesy grin, her eyes leaving the busy highway.
"Truck," Aiden said flatly.
"What? Oh, GAH!" she shrieked, moving out of the giant log trucks’ way, the jeep nearly falling into the muddy ditch.
The truck gave an angry honk as he sped passed Cassie’s small, blue jeep, splashing mud onto her windows. Cassie’s face turned red as she rolled down her window, swearing loudly at the huge truck which had already passed. She rolled the window back up, fuming, and switched on the windshield wipers.
"You handled that well," Aiden muttered quietly. Cassie shot him a cold, piercing look.
She pulled back onto the highway and continued the drive home.
After another several minuets of silence, Aiden said sleepily, "Well, if you don’t mind, I think I’m gonna take a nap." he leaned back into his seat.
"Okay," she replied, her eyes not leaving the road.
Aiden closed his eyes and let sleep’s dark embrace cover his body.
~An old red, rust tinged truck speeds dangerously down the highway, losing control with every second. The truck collides into Cassie’s car, bursting into flames.~
Aiden woke with a start, breathless, sweat dripping from his forehead.
Cassie jumped slightly. "What is it, Aiden?" she asked him anxiously.
"I-I had this dream. There was this…this red truck, and it was swerving out of control. An-and, it hit us, and the jeep went up in flames." his voice sounded shaky, as if he had actually witnessed the event. "Cas’, I’ve never had a dream like this before. It was…it was…" he stuttered. "It was so…clear. Like I was actually watching this happen" Fear tainted his voice.
A worried look crept across Cassie’s face.
"C-cassie, I have a bad feeling, a really bad feeling…" he trailed off nervously.
"Aiden, it was just a dream, it’ll be-"
She was suddenly cutoff by Aiden shouting, "CASSIE! GET OFF THE ROAD!! NOW!!!!!"
She looked up saw the red truck swerving in giant loops through the busy highway, hitting several other cars in it’s path.
Cassie shrieked as made a dramatic leap off the road. The rusty truck had barley missed them as it crashed into a van further down the road, flames bursting forth from the two vehicles.
Cassie slowly turned her head to face Aiden’s. Her face was a ghostly pale as terror covered every last inch of her face. A single tear fell from Cassie’s sea green eyes as she buried her face into Aiden’s jacket. He tried to sooth her, but was too shaken himself.
After what seemed like an hour of Cassie crying into Aiden’s jacket, she raised up, dabbed the tear streaks from her face, and got back to the wheel. She started up the jeep and pulled out of the ditch. A troop of fire trucks of ambulance’s came rushing past them, hurrying to save the victims of the fatal looking wreck. Traffic seemed jammed, but Cassie seemed to get through, since she was driving the opposite direction.
The rest of journey home was silent has the continued their journey home.
------------
Cassie’s mud caked jeep pulled into her dusty driveway. She pulled into her aged, cluttered garage. "You’re home," she said with a cheerful tone. "Home sweet home."
They unbuckled their seat belts and unloading all of Aiden’s clothes, new medication, and whatever he packed. The two unloaded all of the luggage into the newly cleaned kitchen floor. Admits all the suitcases, Cassie noticed a large, bulky cardboard box full CD’s. "Think you got enough music here?" she asked in a playful, sarcastic tone.
"You know me, I’m a pack-rat." he replied simply while deciphering two of his medication bottles.
"Really? Geez, I would have never guessed." her tone drawing close to over-the-top.
He smirked as he continued unpacking.
He then a bright yellow shirt, the read Mc Donalds in bold, black letters on it’s pocket.
"You work at Mc Donalds?" he asked her with s growing smile.
"Yep," she sighed miserably, hoping that he would not have noticed. "As least tomorrow’s pay day," her voice brightened at the thought.
Several more minuets of silent sorting continued.
"So, since I’m your new house mate, were am I staying?" Aiden asked.
"In the spare bedroom down the hall," she motioned with her body to a small room at the
end of the small hallway.
"Oh. Cool,"
He dragged his suitcase to the spare room. It was basic, with grayish walls and blue carpet.
"You like?" Cassie asked him from behind.
"As long as it’s not the hospital bed, it’s amazing."
She chuckled as they finished unpacking in his room.
"Where’s your parent’s at?" he asked when heard the awkward silence.
"There went out to dinner, but they’ll be back in an hour or so," she placed a piled of clothes into the closet.
After they finished unpacking Aiden’s things, he let himself fall onto the bed lifelessly.
"You look tired," Cassie commented.
His only reply was a slow, sleepy nod.
"I’ll let you sleep," was all she said as she walked slowly out of the room, turning off the light as she went.
Aiden lie they in the dark room, thinking about, well, everything. How long would this last? Would he get a job? How would he keep away from the luring call of the pistol?
Stop thinking like that! he scolded himself in his head. Things will get better, now that I’m living here.
After he thought things through, he let sleep grab him in it’s peaceful, dark embrace.
~Cassie stands in line at the bank, waiting patiently for her paycheck. A man enters the bank with a black ski mask cloaking his face, a gun at his side. "Everyone down!" he shouts. Not many comply. The burglar tries to take Cassie purse, and she put’s up a fight, not realizing that the man is armed. Cassie’s sharp nail’s sink into the man’s arm. "Argh!" he screams before pulling out his gun. He pulled the trigger, the bullet flying straight into her forehead.~
Chapter 4: Savior
It was 2:00 in the afternoon when Aiden woke with a start, breathless, sweat dripping onto the bed. It was much like the last time when had a dream, but this time, what he saw was much worse. He jumped out of bed, running into the kitchen, where Cassie’s mother was sitting at the kitchen table, reading a book. "Good morning, Aiden," she greeted him cheerfully. "Where’s Cassie?" he asked her urgently, trying to sound too concerned.
"She just called to check on you. She said she was at the bank,"
Aiden’s eyes grew large when heard this. "What’s wrong, hon’?" she asked him, her face growing darker.
"Mrs. Mayer, I’ve got to get to the bank," he ran towards the door.
He caught sight of a bike out of the corner of the cluttered garage. She jumped on it’s seat and flew out of the garage and into the street before Mrs. Mayer could shout to him. He sped through the street, his thought’s racing. Oh, God, please let there be enough time.
------------
Cassie began to tremble as she was crouched down onto the cold, grey, stone bank floor. Her thoughts began race rapidly. What if she didn’t make it out of this alive? She also feared for the others who were crouched around her, who’s minds were probably thinking the same as hers.
It was then that Cassie made a life threatening decision. She reached into her purse and grabbed a small tube of pepper spray, and began to lift herself off the ground. The burglar was too distracted with trying to get the poor, frightened cashier to give him all the money in the safe. She was scared stiff.
As she stood up, he turned around after the sound of her footsteps. "I told you, lady, get on the ground!" he barked. She lifted the pepper spray with a quick but shaking hand and squeezed the trigger, letting the spray attack the thief’s eyes.
------------
Aiden reached the bank just in time. Cassie had stabbed him with her nails, and the thief was swatting at her blindly as Aiden ran to the door. "Argh!" the man shouted as he revealed his pistol, aiming it at Cassie. "NO!!!" Aiden screamed, bursting through doors. The man pulled the trigger at Cassie. But before the deadly bullet could reach her, Aiden stepped out in front Cassie, shielding her from the bullet. The bullet hit him square in stomach, as Aiden fell to floor with a sickening thud. "AIDEN!!!!" Cassie cried, running to him.
Not seconds after the robber shot Aiden, The police came bursting through the door, throwing the man to the ground.
"Aiden?" Cassie whispered, tears now streaming from her eyes. They landed onto his shirt, making small dark puddles.
"Hey," he smiled weakly. He coughed, blood splattering is lips. Cassie began to wipe away the blood that was slowly seeping from his quivering mouth.
"Oh, Aiden. You’re going to be-"
"No. Cassie, they can’t save me now. The bullets too deep."
A sob escaped her lips.
"Cassie," he said with what little remaining strength he could muster. "There’s s-something I need to t-tell you."
He began to shake. A pool of crimson blood was beginning to form on the floor.
"W-what is it?" she asked him through her tears. She clutched his shaking hand.
He began to tremble harder now, his eyes looking pitifully into hers. "I l-love y-you," was all he managed to say before the life silently left his cold, dark eyes.
It was then, that Aiden slowly died.
Heavy sobs escaped from Cassie, her whole body beginning shake.
"I-I love you too." her tears fell upon Aiden’s shirt, now tears of grief, sorrow, and regret.
She shook him, but there was no reply. He just lie there, lifeless.
"NO!!" she shrieked madly, her fists pounding the ground. "No! Aiden, you can’t go. You c-can’t-" she choked, unable to finish.
She fell to the floor completely now, wrapping her arms around his blood stained body, and sobbed, sobbed until she barley even stand.
"I love you," she whispered sorrowfully in his ear. An Ambulance had arrived to retrieve him. As Cassie lay weeping, clutching his corpse, a police woman slowly approached her, saying softly, "The ambulance is here, honey. You have to let go of him."
Cassie shot her a piercing glare, her eyes daggers. Then it was fear that slowly replaced the siring anger.
"NO!" she shouted, swatting at the officer. "You can’t make me!!!" her voice cracked, then softened. "I can’t just leave him."
------------
A cold wind blew through trees that dark September day, wrapping the whole town it it’s cold, grey embrace.
A small group of people dressed in black stood over the coffin of Aiden Freeman. Cassie’s family were the only people who attended his funeral. The priest gave his sermon, his words passionate and meaningful. Cassie peered down into the deep, shadowy hole. Her face icy pale, she watched the diggers slowly his coffin down into the pit. It gave a low thump as touched the cold earth beneath. "Alright, let’s fill it up," ordered the digger to the other two workers once the priest finished his sermon. They shoved their shovels into the earth, throwing the dirt upon Aiden’s coffin.
But something had hit the coffin before the clumps of dirt.
It was the sorrowful, loving tear of Cassie Mayer.
"Give it all to you, reaching as I fall. It’s already over now.
Loving you again, it’s already over, already over now. You’re
What I reach for when I fall.
It’s already over now."
.
0 comments:
Post a Comment