Alone • Liam Dunbar

Ten

On the way to the motel, I could feel my stomach growling and realized I hadn't eaten all day, too busy having conversations of axe murderers and lacrosse. There was a small diner across the street from the motel so I stopped there first.

It wasn't much, just a classic burger joint with black and white checkered floors and faded maroon leather booths. The people there were friendly and the food was cheap and edible, plus the location was convenient, so I frequented the establishment often.

When I opened the door the bell above me chimed like usual, some people around looking at me from the noise. It wasn't too packed but almost every other table was filled as it was dinner time.

"Hey Jackie, you want a menu?" The familiar red-headed woman behind the counter greeted me as I came up to take a seat in front of her.

Lily was fairly young, probably a little older than Derek, so she and I got along easily. She never asked questions about where my parents were or why sometimes I came in with far more bruises than an ordinary teenager should have, and she could make a mean apple pie.

"Yeah, thanks, Lily. Thinking of trying something new." I joked with her as I took the flimsy plastic menu she handed me, leaning on the counter with my elbows.

She chuckled and rolled her brown eyes fondly. "So that means you're gonna stare at the menu for ten minutes and end up asking for the same basic cheeseburger, just like every other time, right?"

I hold a hand to my chest and gasp, faking a hurt expression. "I'm gutted at the accusation. I was thinking about getting the tofu burger."

"We don't have a tofu burger." She deadpans with a soft glare.

"Well then, I guess I'll take that cheeseburger you mentioned." I shrugged as if the whole ordeal was an inconvenience for me.

Lily grabbed the menu from my hands and whacked my shoulder with it. I reached out and rubbed the spot as if she had actually hurt me which made her hit me again while laughing.

She walked away from me to go put my order in so I looked around for something to busy myself with, finding my way to the television above. A few other people on the counter were watching a news report about the Walcotts and the home invasion playing.

Lily came back and leaned on her side of the counter with her hip, crossing her arms as she stared up at the television too.

"Such a sad story isn't it? That poor boy lost his whole family." Lily frowned.

"Yeah," I mutter as I stare at the picture of Sean Walcott on the screen.

I had been through what he had. My entire family was massacred and I was the only survivor. The guilt he was facing now must've been eating him alive.

There was nothing we could do for him, but I would be lying if I said at this moment I didn't send out a silent wish for the Walcott boy to end up in a better place than I had.

The screen flashes red and a 'Breaking News' logo popped up over the news report. A reporter now stood in front of the hospital with a dozen police cars behind them, as well as a light coming from above to shine across the property from a chopper.

The woman was saying something but because the television was muted for the sake of conversation in the restaurant I couldn't hear anything.

"Can you turn it up?" I quickly ask Lily, my senses now becoming alert as to what the hell happened. I had just left the hospital not too long ago so what could have occurred that warranted such a heavy police presence.

"...Walcott was found dead on the roof of Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital. At this time the Sheriff and his department are declining to give us any information on what occurred and whether or not his death was an accident." The woman on the screen reported.