𝑬𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑱𝒂𝒅𝒆：𝐴 𝐿𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑚𝑖 𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

Chapter Two

•Lloyd•

She couldn't be gone. This was all my fault. If only I could have been closer and could have saved her. If only I had not released the Serpentine when I was a child. If only I had seen through her. Maybe things could have been different. Maybe she could have changed. Maybe she loved me. But I never will know the answer to that. My hopes of ever getting the chance to hug her again, to ever have another heart to heart conversation with her, to ever be able to hold her in my arms and promise her that it was going to be okay, fell and were buried underneath the rubble of the collapsed building with her.

I can't help but blame myself for this. I always blame myself for when anything goes wrong. I am supposed to be the leader and the strong one of the group. I can't let anything bad happen to people under my watch. It all rests on my shoulders. Harumi was the only one that truly understood that. I told her all my fears of not being good enough and my fear of failure. But I failed her. I failed to see her pain over the death of her parents. I failed to see how broken and hurt she was inside. I failed to see through her. If only I had the chance to tell her that it was going to be okay. I wish that I could have told her that I was always going to be there for her no matter what, and that she was not alone in this world. I wish that I could hug her tightly and hold her until she knew all this. But she never would.

                                ~2 Days Later~

After the Ninja returned from The Relm of Oni and Dragon, Garmadon was defeated. We had held out long enough for them to be able to return. My power was restored and everyone was soon celebrating. All except me. I had lost so much in just a few short weeks. I couldn't keep my mind off of Harumi. The memory of the building collapsing continued to replay inside my mind. I couldn't shake it. She was really gone. I felt so much guilt.

"Lloyd! Lloyd! Wake up!"

Kai had come into my room and was shaking me awake. I groaned and rolled over, pulling the blanket over my head.

"Lloyd buddy, you have got to get out of this funk you're in before the party tonight. It's going to be fun and you can't enjoy it if you're moping around all day. Plus I need help decorating the monastery."

"Just five more minutes Kai. I didn't get much sleep last night."

The truth is, I woke up last night because I had a nightmare about Harumi falling to her death and the building collapsing. I woke up in a cold sweat and could not go back to sleep after that. No matter what I did, I could not get that memory out of my mind. It haunted me, even while I was asleep.

"Oh come on Lloyd," Kai complained. "It's almost 11. I've never seen you sleep this late. Normally your up before me."

I turn over and look at his concerned face.

"Geez Lloyd! You look awful!" Kai observed.

"That's probably because I feel awful." I mutter under my breath.

It was true. I did feel awful and apparently looked awful according to Kai. I felt like I got hit  by a bus.

Kai sits down at the foot of my bed. I slowly sit up and look at him. "Lloyd, is there something you want to talk about? Look, I know that past few weeks have been hard on you. Especially with your father and you thinking that you lost us forever. But I want you to know that I am here for you and you're never going to loose us again. I promise you that. But right now, the best thing you can do for yourself, is get out of bed and help me start decorating. It will take your mind off what you're sad about."