“Did you hear about the traffic accident several streets down from here?”
“Yes, I did. Didn’t see for myself, but I heard the amount of blood staining the ground is just horrific.”
With little interest in the conversation, I glanced over at the ladies talking beside me. I’d been searching for nearly two hours now, combing through every conservation within eavesdropping range for any information about them, but something as common as a street accident wasn’t much of a lead.
Sighing, I turned away to continue my search when one of the ladies continued.
“To think the motorcycle was completely destroyed in the collision. It’s no wonder the young person driving it died instantly.”
My eyes widened at the mention of the very vehicle they were so proud of owning as a sickening twist tightened in my stomach.
A thump.
I didn’t realise I was holding my breath as I could feel every part of myself hoping not to here the next part.
The second lady lifted her hand to her face.
“At such a young age, too. Just imagine dying like that at sixteen.”
I froze.
***
It wasn’t supposed to happen. Not like this.
No.
Never like this.
They’d gotten into a stupid argument; one that ended with them storming out of the apartment to heaven knows where while I remained fuming within the confines of the living room. We’d stay our separate ways till we both cooled down, but even when we argued, they normally returned briefly after, or I would go out myself, and we would somehow make up without a single apology spoken between them.
That was how it always went.
A routine.
Something that never changed.
Which was why when they didn’t return after the designated amount of time, I set out to search for them.
I just wished I hadn’t found them like this.
Shoving past the crowds of people, I ignored all shouts for me to return to the other side of the caution tape and dropped to my knees in front of the still body.
“……”
My voice wavered when I called their name, my trembling hand reaching towards the deathly pale face.
“…..-“
I couldn’t finish the name as I stared at the crimson matted that their hair all across their forehead as a steady trail of blood trickled past closed lips.
“What….”
I inched closer across pools of blood.
“What are you doing here?”
Gingerly, I lifted the limp body onto my lap, causing scarlet to stain my clothes and skin.
“The ground isn’t a good place for a nap, …” I jokingly stated, mentioning the nickname which they hated so much. “You won’t get any taller. In fact, you might even shrink.”
Cradling their head with my hands, I carried out a normal conversation, desperate for any kind of response. An insult, a biting remark, a yelp of pain.
Anything at all.
I bit my lower lip and pretended not to see the stillness of the other’s chest.
“What happened to your hat?”
Tears slipped down my cheeks and onto the pale face held in my hands as warmth from the broken body laid over me permeated through the rest of clothes.
“Have you finally decided to set it aside? I’m glad you’ve come to see the reason. Having that tacky thing only made your fashion sense that much worse. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Something throbbed. Burned really. A deep ache pounded in the cage of my chest. My lungs screamed against the pain of keeping my mounting sobs inaudible and demanded release, but I tightly clenched my jaw, keeping the noise hidden deep within.
A pale finger tenderly wiped away a trail of drying blood from the marred flesh.
“I know how tired you get after arguing,” I gasped out in a broken, shivering voice. “But sleeping on the ground in the middle of the street is still too reckless, even for you, ….”
Despair crept into my eyes, flooding them with sorrow as the tears started anew.
“…Right? …..You’re…just… sleeping…. Aren’t you?”
Lowering my forehead against cold flesh, I tightly shut my eyes. Unable to accept it. Unwilling to accept it.
“Sleeping is normal… A necessity to function…This isn’t anything new….”
Under the crushing pressure that demanded freedom from my throat, I finally let myself sob, letting out the hurt in my heart.
“Then why?”
Releasing my hold on their head, I tightly drew the broken body towards myself, not caring that red flowers began to taint the front of my shirt.
“Why does my chest hurt so much?”
Under the weight of my grief, the dam holding my emotions finally disappeared. Lifting my face towards the heavens, I wailed as tears freely flowed down my cheeks.
“Why won’t my tears stop?”
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