What If He Didn't Die?

Chapter 2: The Death of Dan

I did not have the answers to any of these questions. Or maybe I did, I just wasn't ready to accept it. Although, in that struggle, I soon am not awake anymore.

Just after drifting off to sleep, I wake up again with a start to find my phone ringing violently next to my bed. I grab it with my hands and sit bolt upright.

I hesitate before I turn it over in my hands, not knowing where this hesitation is coming from, but I feel a creepy chill lining my spine as if I really don't want to see who is calling. Like I don't want to hear what they have to say.

But I turn over it slowly and as soon as I read the name, I feel a cold shiver run down my whole frame. It's Bella. Bella again. I don't want to pick this up.

This looks so bad.

Am I dreaming? Because it wouldn't be the first time.

I turn on my bedside lamp. I pinch myself to check the reality of the events and unfortunately, it is all real. The phone is still ringing in my hands.

Shall I not pick this up? I'll text her later maybe.

The phone stops ringing as if on cue, and I decide to let it be. I keep the cold phone aside but before I can even turn the lamp off, it rings again. This time I decide to answer the call without thinking anymore.

"Easter!" Her feeble voice says with the same familiar panic and the same old fear takes over me.

What is she going to say now?

I don't want to hear it. Whatever it is, I just don't want to hear it.

My mind reels back to that night. That phone call from Bella.

"Easter?" She says again.

"Yes, Bella what's wrong?" I ask, sounding as calm as I can.

"What's wrong you're asking? Eric texted me, said you collapsed on the kitchen floor in the middle of the night?" Although, Eric shouldn't have told her that, I'm glad that's all she's calling about.

"Nothing- nothing Bella, I just- maybe tripped" I lie convincingly.

"You're lying Easter, I know it for sure. You've been keeping things from me. You've been keeping a distance from me." I try to stop her but she keeps talking. "But I'll wait for you. Just tell me whatever is bothering you, whenever you're ready, okay?"

"Yes, Bella I will, good night" I hang up before she can say anything else and switch my phone off so I don't get another midnight panic call.

That night.

I go straight back to that night, whenever my phone rings this late. The silent night when I was sleeping peacefully in our farmhouse at Wogswot alone. Until I was woken up by a sudden midnight phone call.

I woke up and checked my phone without any hesitation. It was from Bella. I couldn't guess why was she calling me at that hour. She was at that moment, supposed to be in Kempinton, with all my classmates enjoying their school trip.

There was no way to know but to answer the call.

"Hey, Bella, what's up?" I said putting the phone on speaker. I didn't hear her voice from the other side immediately, but there were other voices to be heard like sirens and vague announcements.

"Bella? Are you there?" I asked again. I really didn't want to think so, but the possibility of something bad happening to her was gut-wrenching for me.

"Easter."

Her voice came, which was supposed to relieve me, except for the fact that it didn't. It disturbed my senses even more. She was crying, her soft soothing nightingale-like voice carried a panic I'd never heard before.