die for you

Chapter 9

Police arrive on scene just as Sam, Tara, Eliza, and Richie make it to the first floor of the hospital. The morning light shines so brightly even though there is a terrible loss in Woodsboro. Both the current and former sheriffs are now gone. Gale pulls up in the news van, just as paramedics wheel Dewey's body out of the hospital, in a bag.

Gale sees the body bag and begins to run, "No!"

Sam stops her from seeing Dewey all cut up, "No! No!" She cries. Richie helps hold her back as she sobs the loss of her ex-husband. She never got to say goodbye. She was too late.

"Fuck," Eliza comments as she sits with Tara, who is strapped into a new gurney. As she thinks about the loss of Dewey and her family, she begins to cry. Tara cries with her, reaching her good hand out to the girl. Eliza looks over at the outstretched hand and takes it into her own.

"I'm... I'm so sorry," Tara sobs.

"You're sorry? I'm sorry," Eliza replies, "This shouldn't be happening to you."

Tara sniffles, "This shouldn't be happening to us."

Both girls look each other in their watery eyes, holding hands as the sun shines down on both of them.

"I trust you, one hundred and ten percent, Eliza," Tara says, "You helped save me from that... fuckhead."

Eliza chuckles a little, "And I trust you one hundred and ten percent. I would die for you." More tears drop from her eyes, "I mean... I don't have any family anymore..."

"Don't say that, Eliza. You have me. I would die for you too. I wouldn't even hesitate," Tara replies. She runs her thumb over Eliza's, "If you die, I die."

Eliza smiles, remembering their pact, "And if you die, I die."

Medics approach Tara's gurney, "Time to go, Miss," One says to her. Eliza moves away, her hand slipping from Tara's.

"Wait!" Tara exclaims, with a child-like fear in her voice, "Will you be here when I'm done?"

Eliza smiles, "Of course. I promise." She steps forward and gives Tara her pinky. Tara then relaxes as they wheel her back into the hospital.

"Hey," Sam approaches Eliza after Tara goes inside, "Are you hungry? I'm gonna get a snack from the vending machine."

"Not really, but I'll go with you," She replies. Sam gives her a lighthearted smile. The two head inside the hospital, along with Richie and Gale.

***

After some time while waiting for Tara to wake up from surgery, Sam approaches Gale, who sits alone, "I'm sorry."

Gale only sighs, knowing she's about to hear that phrase a million times, but it won't bring him back.

"I didn't know him well, but... he helped me," Sam continues.

"That's what he did," Gale sniffles, "He helped people."

Sam smiles lightly even though Gale avoids her gaze.

Gale scoffs at herself, "I should've stopped him."

"If you had, my sister would be dead," Sam tells her, letting her know Dewey will forever be a hero to Sam and Tara. She finally looks up at Sam with watery eyes.

"Samantha, your sister's awake," a nurse calls to her. Eliza gets up from a nearby chair. Gale nods to Sam lightly, not really comforted by the fact that Dewey died for Tara. Gale doesn't even really know the Carpenter girls. She looks away as Sam tries to find the words to make the burn of grief less hot. But, she doesn't find any, and leaves without saying anything else. Sam takes off with Eliza, while a familiar face shows up.