Across the Lake

Chapter 5

I'd get up for the day after hearing the sounds of thunder outside, along with heavy rain. I'd walk out to my mom talking to Claire, I'd go to join the conversation. "What's going on?" I'd ask as my mom was silent and Claire would get up and leave the room. "I know I wasn't able to tell you what was happening lately, it's my fault." She'd say to me as I sat next to her. "It's fine, everyone needs time." I'd say as she looked at me with tears in her eyes.

     "Your dad is extremely sick." She'd say as she stuttered over her own words. "What do you mean?" I'd ask in denial. I felt my heart collapse as I spoke. "He might not make it." She'd say as she stormed off to her room, leaving me to stare at the floor emotionless. Claire quickly came back in the room and hugged me tightly. "Listen, we got through everything together, don't let this break you." She'd tell me with her voice cracking. I was speechless, and wasn't able to form words to describe this moment.

     She'd let go and turn head into the kitchen to grab her book, taking a deep breathe before turning around. "This book is good, like really good." She'd say as a way to let go of the thoughts. I'd still be unable to speak as I walked back into my room and shut my door. Claire would look at me concerned as I walked inside. I'd grab my guitar and play in front of the window as rain poured down. I'd close my eyes and try to enter my thoughts.

     I'd be back on stage again, but this time my dad would vanish before my eyes as I let go of my guitar and ran into the crowd. The crowd would stare at me as I grabbed on to the chair and threw it across the stage. I'd be a sobbing mess by this point as Claire would hold me back, and my mom would sit there crying. I'd feel myself crying in reality, as I heard Claire knock on my door. I'd open it up and she would turn her head as she saw me crying.

     She bit her lip as she took a deep breathe before entering. "It's difficult, I know it must be hard on you too, but know that he'd want you to be strong, I want you to be strong." She'd say as I hugged her as I cried in her arms. She'd try and comfort me as I felt myself breaking apart day by day at this point. I couldn't handle the internal pain it would give me.

     "If you want I can stay in your room with you." She'd say as I looked at the wall. She'd walk out of my room and grab her book and come back inside. "I want to take your pain away, I really do." She'd tell me as she sat down and looked out the window. She'd place her hand on it for a moment before taking it off. "She didn't want us to see him like this." She'd say as she laid down next to me. I wasn't able to calm down as I stormed out of the cabin.

     Claire would get right up and chase after me in the rain. "Blaire, don't do this." She'd say as I walked up to the lake. "What are you doing?" She'd ask as she held me back. I'd shout as I'd cry. Claire would try to keep her cool as she'd try to stop me from fighting off of her arms. "I told you, I promise things will be okay." She'd say as I broke free and ran off. "Blaire! Blaire come back." She'd yell as she ran after me. She'd trip as she wasn't able to keep up.

     She'd stare at me run by as she was on her knees while she took quick breathes. I'd keep running as far as I could run before being stopped by Laurie. "Woah woah, what are you doing??" She'd ask as I was out of breathe. "We need to get you back inside." She'd say as she tried to wrap her arm around me. I'd run further away as she yelled out my name. I'd see Claire stumbling as she walked as lightning strikes on the tree behind me as I looked at her. The tree would start to collapse as she ran up to me and pushed me out of the way.

     The tree then collapsed as we both tried to catch our breathe. "Blaire, you could've died." She said as she got close to me and held me. "Your life is worth more than being killed by a tree." She'd say as she tried to get up. She'd grab out for my hand as I'd place my hand on hers. She'd lift me up and held onto me the entire way back. I'd continue crying as she stumbled along.

     We'd eventually go back inside the house as my mom came out. "What happened here?" She'd ask in a scared tone. "We went for a run." Claire would say so I didn't get in trouble. "In the thunderstorm?" She said as Claire shook her head as she caught her breathe. "Don't go out there again, it's dangerous." She'd say as she walked back in her room.

     We would go to dry off as Claire would stay by my side the whole way. She'd grab bandages and place them on her leg as she had scrapes on them before going back into my room. We would both sit on the bed as she'd hug me again. "I can't lose you Blaire." She'd say as she would breakdown in my arms. I instantly got upset with her as I never saw her like this before. She'd sob for a few minutes before letting go. "I know I should be strong, I'm sorry." She'd say while wiping her face. "It's okay, it's not good to hold back emotions." I'd say as she teared up again and grabbed some tissues.