Second Chance

Chapter 58

After an awkward hour and a half-ish, I'm guessing since I have no concept of time, of silent surgery on my cousin, I finally manage to get the bullet out. In the process, I made her wound a little worse, but I am pretty sure it's not fatal. Still, it wouldn't hurt to find an actual doctor and make sure I didn't fuck up too badly.

It is still fairly light out when we leave the building, so we could probably drive somewhere and find a better place to sleep. I'm not the best driver in the world, but Morgan is hurt, and despite her arguing, I convince her that I should drive. I carefully leave out the fact that I nearly killed myself and Riley the last time I was behind the wheel, since she probably wouldn't let me drive if I did. I'm sure I'm better now though, I've been given a second chance for a reason, so I might as well use it.

As I sit in the driver's seat of Jax's truck and stare at the controls, I draw a blank. I know I should know what I'm doing, since the last vehicle that I drove was a truck as well, but it's as if all knowledge of driving completely vanished when I died.

"Are you okay, Justin?" Morgan questions, giving me an expecting look.

"Uhhh....yeah, I'm great." I lie, fairly certain she knows that I'm not okay.

"You don't know how to drive, do you?" She gives me a dry look, and I know that I can't trick her or lie to her.

"Uh, well, I sort of do." I answer uncertainly. "First, you, um, press this button." I go to press the ignition button that should start the car, but I soon realize that this type of truck is the one with the slot for the car keys. The ancient kind that I haven't seen in forever. "Uhhh.... I need....keys."

"Forget it." Morgan snaps. "I'll drive."

She gets out of the passenger seat, and I feel embarrassment burn into my skin. I knew how to hotwire a car before, but now I completely forget. What the hell?! I reluctantly get out of the driver's seat and switch places with Morgan. Within seconds, she gets the truck up and running, and I scowl out the window.

"Where are we going?" She asks.

"I don't know. Wherever you want, I guess." I grumble, but a moment later I'm struck with an idea. "Wait! I do know. Morgan, turn around, we're going back to the town."

—-

Morgan drives slowly through the street that leads to the cemetery. My heart starts beating faster as we get closer. There's something I want to check. Someone I want to see. As if reading my thoughts, Morgan asks. "Who are you looking for? Maria?"

"No." I answer. I don't know why, but I don't want to tell her about Riley yet. Maybe it's because she could have been with him, but I killed him before she could find happiness with him. Maybe it's just the guilt that I want to keep secret. Either way, I just feel like it would hurt Morgan if she knows who Riley is.

Morgan doesn't press for answers, which I appreciate. She stops the truck on the side of the road, and we both get out. I immediately walk over to the tombstones, and she trails behind. I don't know how the order of this works, since I have never been to a cemetery before, but I soon figure out that it's alphabetical by last name.

I would have visited Riley sooner, but I never had the chance. I was arrested immediately after the explosion happened, so there was never a time for me to find him. If I could though, before, then I would have gone as many times as I could.

I finally find the 'S' section, and I start walking faster, hoping desperately that Riley will be here. My heart skips a beat when I find his grandparents, but sinks a moment later when I realize he's not here. My eyes start to water with emotion, but I don't give up. I check every single tombstone in the cemetery, and by the time I'm done, it's nearly nightfall.

At this point Morgan is waiting in the truck impatiently, but I don't join her yet. I sit down on a bench, feeling exhausted and very upset. Tears start to trickle down my face, but I aggressively wipe them away. I'm trying to wrap my head around this, and figure out why my best friend has completely vanished off the face of the earth. It's as if he doesn't exist anymore.

My eyes suddenly shoot open in realization. It is because he doesn't exist anymore. In this reality, he was never born. But why?

I'm momentarily distracted by something dripping down my face, but it's not tears. I wipe my hand under my nose and pull away. Dread creeps over me as I realize what it is. I am getting nosebleeds again.