His Last Breath.......

Chapter : 07 Riddle

He is dead.

David's dead............

It was the only thing running in my mind. I have no idea how long I spent curled up in my room after that incident.

My parents came rushing when they found out and left again when they confirmed I was physically fine. No one cared about my mental health. It's been days since classes resumed but I didn't go. I heard Claire transferred somewhere else. Jake and his family disappeared. Byran? I had no idea what he was upto.

My guilty conscience was being occupying my mind. If I had just asked him what was going on.... If I had talked to him. If I had....... If I had..... That was all that I could think of.

My phone kept buzzing. I picked it up.

"Hello"

"Get your sorry butt to class already! I know you were sad but it's been days. Stop dwelling about the past. If you don't go......", I hung up on my mom before she could finish. I decided to listen to my mom today. What's the point in sitting and dwelling about something I can't change anyway.

In school.....

"Mia I know some disturbing events have occurred in these past few days and i want you to know that I'm here if you want to talk about it.....", Mr Mitchell, our school counselor repeated the same thing I had heard a dozen times today. I thought if I come here I might take my head out of the mess in which it had been for days but all everyone did was remind me a same thing I intend to forget.

After my session with Mr Mitchell , I came out to get some fresh air and clear my mind before I burst infront of someone. My classes were over so I just spent an hour or so on the terrace. No matter how hard I try my mind kept going back to David and how he tried to tell something before he............ died.
I closed my eyes trying to recall it.
"He.......he. He k......knows......", David said.

After that I saw light fade from his eyes. His funeral was never held, he was just buried. No one knew his parents and no one cared. The thought of having no one to even moan for your loss made my stomach churn with hatred. Before more torturing thoughts flooded my mind, I heard Byran's voice.

"Look who decided to show up today", he said.

"Haha every funny"

"Why are you here?", he asked.

"No classes and I had no desire to go home", I replied bluntly. "What about you?"

"Same, my mom is making a fuss about how I never bring any friends to house especially girls and how I have not dated since forever..... so I decided to spend more time here.", he shrugged.

"You don't have any friends? Look who is talking, popularity is another name made for you. I have seen you surrounded by thousands of people all the time. And when was the last time you dated?"
I asked, curious and happy for some conversation which didn't lead people to look at me with apologetic eyes. Since both Claire and Jake were not there I was the only one who could tell them what happened to David and that was all everyone talked about. I hated Jake and Claire to leave me here all alone. But I couldn't do anything about it.

"When I was 13."

"What", I jerked back to the present when Byran answered.

"I was 13 when I dated someone, and that was also because I had to prove my friends that I was straight and I could get any girl to date me." That cracked me up. I laughed until I was out of breath while he just stared at me.
"How long did you date her", I asked when my laughter cooled down.

"1 week, then I broke up because she was too much to keep up with."

"So she didn't dump your sorry butt then". Another laughter slipped through my lips.

"To your disappointment no, she was actually balling her eyes out when I left her". I rolled my eyes.

"Please, your exaggeration won't get you anywhere."

"It made you smile", he pointed out. I tried to argue, but his know-it-all smile told me that everything I say as excuse will be in vain, so I just signed and agreed.

We talked for another few minutes before I decided to go home as it was getting dark.

...........

I was on my way to unlock the main door when I heard someone call my name. I turned to see officer Hamlock walking toward me. He was given David's case. He was one of the best detectors in town and apparently David's family had requested him. I had never met them before. David hated it when we asked about his family and they never came to see him. But I have no idea why they had requested a top notch officer to find the culprit when they didn't give two shits to attend his funeral.

"Officer Hamlock, for what do I owe this pleasure of?"

"There were a few things I would like to ask you about your friend if you don't mind."

"Sure, what would you like to know?", we talked about the common like what David was usually like, he interests and his family, so on.

"Did you know why he was acting weird the past few days before he...", he trailed off.

"No, he never told us", I replied.

"The reason why I acutally came to meet you because" - he handed me a phone, David's phone. A Rollercoaster of emotions washed over me when I saw our old chats pop up but I pushed it aside as I didn't want to cry again - "see the last text he sent you. It was not delivered and was only sent to you. I guessed you might know what it means", he said.

I glanced at the last text. It was a riddle.

'As lovely as dandelions
As beautiful as the night sky
There is always something
terrifying and hidden.

Maryland is nice
As much as I try to remember
I live there only to be criticized.

Never let them know
The power you hold
The wisdom you gather
Or you will be crushed......

Don't trust it'

I stared at it for another minute before handing I over.
"Sorry, I don't know what it means", I responded.

Hamlock looked like he didn't believe but didn't argue. All he did was nod and said, "I know you are still grieving, but Mia if you know anything, even a simple thing, you are going to tell me. You won't go around looking for danger trying to find out why he was killed, that's my job. You got it?"

His stared pinned me to my place. He knew exactly what I was thinking and I knew if I say anything right now I would get into trouble so I just nodded. I saw him leave before I sprinted to my room. I wrote the riddle David had tried to send me before I forget anything.

Ofcourse I knew the meaning. David and I loved riddles so whenever we were together. That was our way of exasperating Jake and Claire.

The only thing I didn't understand is why he asked not to tell anyone. It was asif he was hiding something. But what..........