🩸Saw One Shots 🩸

Day 7- Haunted (LynnxAmanda)

Years after Dylan's passing, Lynn still struggles with her grief. Luckily, she has Amanda by her side.

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There's a word for when someone loses a spouse: widow or widower. There's a word for when a child loses their parent: orphan.

But there isn't really a well known word for when a parent loses their child. Because that suffering is to unbearable to name.

Lynn still feels Dylan's presence long after he passed away. Even though it has been years, the ache in her chest never seems to fade. The emptiness in her stomach as she tries to place each memory of him. Some days are easier, where she can distract herself with work and not have to think about him. It was easier to pretend she was fine, even though everyone told her otherwise. It hurts less when her mind is elsewhere.

But then there were certain times when she would accidentally pack an extra sandwich for him alongside Corbett's lunch box without another thought. Or she would see some legos scattered across the floor, toys that she had forgotten to clean.

Seven years had passed, and yet she still continued these habits.

She could even hear his voice through the halls if she listened hard enough. That kid never stopped laughing, never stopped smiling. He always was a beacon of joy.

Sometimes, if her mind was in a darker place, she could hear his screams, then a crash and a sickening thud. Then the realization would hit her, and she would crumple to the floor, unable to speak. She broke apart bit by bit. No matter how much time passed, the wound was still deep. It was killing her. She tried to hide it with pills to make the pain stop, but it was only temporary.

Today is unfortunately, one of those days. She didn't even need to check the date on her calendar, knowing it by heart.

She knew it too well from the way the sun glistens through her window, and the bluebirds that chirp from the trees. The warmth in the air. The golden starburst stroking her hair.

The first day of summer.

But it wasn't just that. It was also Dylan's birthday. She hadn't celebrated it since he died for obvious reasons, but part of her wondered if anything would change if she did. Would she bake him a cake with whipped cream frosting? Would she wrap his presents with a red ribbon or would he be too embarrassed by her efforts and ask for the latest phone model instead?

Would she and Jeff still be together if their son was there too?

Most likely not. Their relationship was crumbling before then, both of them were to blame for that. And now...well, at least Lynn has Amanda. But that gaping hole in her chest still remains. That loss.

It takes all of her energy to crawl out of bed at last. She needs to make herself seem presentable despite feeling as though she might collapse any moment. But she has to. Even though she had taken a day off from work, Corbett still needed to be attended to. The poor girl is still only a teenager, and she needs comfort more.

Lynn would do anything to make sure she received that, her own feelings be damned. The antidepressant pills would numb the pain, even if it was just a bit.

Each step was agonizing, a ghostly gloom creeping from behind and carrying her like shackles tied to her ankles. But she didn't dare make a sound. She just continues to walk.

'We lost his heartbeat when he arrived at the hospital.'

'I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Denlon.'