Sandcastles | Completed

36 | too good at goodbyes

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After he forced his feet to move, Elijah opened the car door, accepting the weight of Kensley's body as he confirmed what he already knew. Still, he hoped to find some sort of life. What he found was instead fresh blood on her shirt, which transferred to his shirt when he wrapped his arms around her.

It was on his fingers when he made the call, on his face when he couldn't stop rubbing it in an attempt to calm himself down– staining the seat that she was partially in.

"Sir?" The medic touched Elijah's shoulder gently, "I have to ask you to let us by."

He moved aside, watching them roll the gurney towards the car, "Can you tell us her name?"

"Kensley Parker."

"And you are?"

"Elijah Baker." He heard his voice, but it felt like he was having an out-of-body experience, watching them talk about what was happening rather than taking part in it, "Her boyfriend."

"What time did you get here?"

"I don't know what time it is."

The officer nodded her head, wanting to let the young man go to the hospital, but needing to get an official statement first, "When you got here was she breathing?"

They were examining the scene, making note of the fact that her purse was gone and mumbling about a robbery gone wrong.

"No."

"I'm sorry to have to ask this, but can you tell me where you were before coming here."

"I was with my therapist." Elijah blinked and finally looked at her, "I told her I'd come when I left my mama house but ended up going to him."

She smiled sadly and nodded again, "That's all for now. Thank you for your time."

He didn't want to be the one to call her parents, and he knew that was cowardly to make them get the call from the hospital, but he couldn't do it.

"Make it quick." Zi answered, "I'm tryna' see if my food growing legs and walking up outta here, or if these folks stealing from me."

"Kensley's dead."

The line went quiet, "Huh?"

"I found her in her car after a session with Dr. Thomas." Laughter bubbled in his chest, and he let it out, laughing loudly into the phone, "Imagine that shit. Going to see somebody to help you be better for the person you love, then coming to find that person gone."

"Where you at, Eli?"

"Onna way to Christian house."

"You not thinking this through– Go to the hospital, let it die down, then we can talk about it."

Elijah was shaking his head before Zi finished his sentence, "No. I tried being calm, and that don't work. Don't nobody listen– take you seriously until you start doing crazy shit. So that's what I'm finna do."

He didn't think he'd ever be calm again. Every time it seemed like he would be, it got taken away. More than fine with doing crazy shit, it seemed like that was the only way he'd be able to live a peaceful life was to do what he should've done a long time ago.

"You gone be calmer than a motherfucka' when they put ya' ass on death row!" Zi shouted, "Ian' saying don't do nun at all, I'm saying wait. You ain't even processed it yet and you tryna' move already. What hospital they taking her to? I'll meet you there."

Elijah relayed the hospital to Zi, who sighed, "That's the same one Jai at."

He hung up, and continued to drive, changing his direction to the hospital. He selfishly hoped that when he made it there, her parents would have already been notified.