Telegraph Ave (Author's Edition)

Chapter 24: Summer Rain

Opening my eyes, I find myself sloping on the surface of itchy grass. As I try to gather my surroundings, my vision is blurred, and a pounding pain spreads from the rays of sunshine. When I tried to lift my head, a hand gently pressed me back down. It was fully covered with a doctor's rubber glove.

"Thank you Jesus... he's awake." I heard my mother's cry, my body clenched into her fragile arms.

"Mamma? Wha.." I was cut off by the view of a catastrophe, for my vision was becoming apparent again.

In every direction I gazed, blue lights flashed and yellow tape laced the area like spider webs.  I'm at Markus's house... I thought as I finally looked upon the wooden porch-blood staining its every grain. My heart was pierced by a rod as I recognized that somebody got hurt. Striving to stand I felt a sharp pain impale both my legs, and it's more pain than I've ever felt before. I looked down, and both my leg were covered in blood. I could feel the pace of my heart elevate to an extent, looking away from the damage that was done to my body. However, in this direction, I spotted Candace being surrounded by doctors as she laid flat on the ground. Holding onto her neck as she chokes on her own blood. Past her towards the porch, two bodies were covered in white sheets, the Twin's mother screamed in agony on her knees. 

The twins are in those sheets... How is this real?... I asked myself, now focusing my attention on Skylar as she cry in her mother's arm-blood stains draped on her shirt.

"Ahhhh, my baby!!!" I heard another mother's cry, overbearing the sound of ambulance sirens. "They killed my son!!!"

Glaring over to where she sat, the lifeless body of Markus rested in her hands-doctors surrounding them both. His favorite royal blue shirt was now crimson, torn with multiple holes scattered throughout the front. His mother and father mourned in such dreadful volume, as I shifted my attention to Jordan laying beside Claudia-both surrounded by medics. A hole was in the same place his heart dwelled, clenching onto Claudia's hand for the fight of his life. But, if the bullet penetrated his heart I'm afraid he isn't coming back either. Tears sizzle the ducts within my eyes, no longer strong enough to hold back the somber emotion that laced around my soul.

"Stacy keep your eyes on me." I heard her father's voice.

My eyes widened. I leave my mother's grip, sacrificing the pain in my leg to turn around, just to spot Stacy bleeding from the multiple bullet wounds in her upper body.

"Stacy!" I screamed as I attempt to get up on my feet. The pain was so unbearable, I couldn't bare to stand.

"X, you need to stay on the ground." My mom informed, attempting to hold me back as I tried to escape.

"Stacy!!!" I screamed again, medics doing their best to keep me where I was. Through the staggering pain, I broke away from them, crawling on the palms of both my hands.

I woke up...

I'm shot out of the REM stage of my sleep, finding myself shaking as if I've been diagnosed with Parkinson's. My heart spoke magnitude as I could feel the pulse throbbing throughout my hands, and adrenaline steady dominating my mood.  It was only a dream... I make myself aware while gazing at the silhouette of rain descend down my wall, casted from my window. It's been 4 days since I witnessed that nightmare at the gas station. Only since then has the heavens cried a downpour over town, with God speaking through the roaring thunder. However, I do love the rain. It just hasn't felt the same since the shoot-out.