bandages || calum hood

thirty-four

calum

The entire experience was a blur; the glass fogging up because of the harsh rain, my heart dropping into my stomach hoping that I was dreaming. I didn't understand what was going on; everything was happening quickly.

Everyone was just so loud.

Sirens deafened my ears along with the shouting of police officers; each one of them staring at me, awaiting my reaction. I tried my best not to breakdown, biting down on my lip so hard that I could taste the blood seeping out. My jeans clung onto my legs since they were wet, and my teeth gritted, fearing where they were taking me. Each and every word they told me was muffled; not one making sense.

The impact of loss was detrimental, a feeling that no one should forth experience or even go through. Hearing the tires squeak every now and then was horrid, making my heart pound loudly against my chest. The officers tried to converse with me, but my lips refused to move. The car was enclosing in me, my air slowly being stretched away from me, teasing me with a few bits before I completely suffocate.

I couldn't breathe.

My arms cradled my head as I bent over, trying to quiet all of them. This was not happening. My throat was sore from all the shouting I've done at everyone. It was all their fault, but it was also mine. Flashes of the scene interrupted me, my brain numb with anger and fear being the only emotions inside of me. My stomach stirred inside, twisting as my entire body felt like it was going to shut down.

The police car halted by a squeak, the tires inching forward a bit on the damp asphalt. The two cops, who had taken me, exited the car, slamming the doors shut before they motioned me to exit. Everyone silenced, the receptionist pausing her call to look at me. Her light green eyes were laced with sympathy, a feeling I did not wish to receive from anyone.

It was as if my presence disputed a sense of gloom over all of them, reeling them into my sadness. I wasn't supposed to be here. I shouldn't be here. A bunch of teens arrested for probably underage drinking sat down on individual chairs, most of them crying their eyes out.

I couldn't cry; I was too scared to even breathe. My life seemed to be tumbling down right in front of my own eyes. It was as if everything were to crash due to the snap of my fingers, or it was since karma seemed to enjoy toying with me.

The policemen ushered me forward, a bunch a shouts were blocked by the criminals in a waiting cell. They didn't stop to put me in there, instead, they insisted me to walk further. The white walls were supposed to make the hallway seem vast, but the tiles only looked like they were going to collapse on me. My shoes squished against the floor -I tried to minimize the sounds since they were annoying me as well.

The jail reeked of death and paper. Most of it was painted white except for the silver bars that created the jail cells. One of the prisoners grinned at me, his silver teeth stretching wide with his mustache. Keeping my eyes forward, I followed the officer in front of me, staring as his dreads swayed back and forth.

The numerous beeps due to security codes made me anxious, mostly because I didn't know where we were going. Actually, they've tried to tell me numerous times as to where, but I didn't want to believe it. I knew for sure it wasn't an electric chair.

It was worse.

My body stopped, my legs locking in place, refusing to take further step. The white sheet laid in the middle of the room, steel bars at the side. The police officers sighed, trying to talk to me and make me go into the room, but I wasn't going to. With a light shove, I entered the room, my teeth clenching as my eyes widened at the metal bed. The black officer rolled in his lips, shaking his head as he put on his latex gloves with a snap.