Autumn Leaves (Watty Awards 2013)(Editing)

Chapter 22

“Home sweet home,” Tyler said as he and Nicki stepped into their building.

Nicki smiled at him. They’d had the most amazing week, but it was still nice to be home. He unlocked the door and opened it before grabbing his bags and tossing them inside. He let Nicki walk in front of him. Marshall came pounding across the floor towards her. She got down on her knees to play with him.

“Awww I missed you cutie!” she said, giggling as Marshall licked her face.

“Missed you too,” Freddy said as he walked into the room.

Nicki gave him a look and jumped up to hug him. Tyler closed the door behind him and walked into the kitchen to get some water. Freddy and Nicki followed.

“So how was your trip?”

Incredible. Sexy. Romantic. Life changing.

“It was good,” he responded.

“Glad to hear it. How’d you like Brampton, Nicki?”

“I loved it. Tyler’s family is amazing,” she said, beaming. “Speaking of family, I should probably call my dad. Would you guys mind if I invited him over?”

“Not at all,” said Tyler.

Freddy hesitated. “What is it?” she asked him.

“Before you call him… this came for you a couple of days ago,” he said quietly, holding up a letter. “It’s from your brother.”

Tyler put down his glass and stared at the letter. Why did it feel so ominous? She had been waiting to hear from him for months. He watched Nicki’s every move as she took the letter from Freddy and sat down to open it. He was terrified of how she would react to whatever Jason wrote. She was still so fragile.

Nicki’s expression was blank as she read the words on the paper. It looked as though she wasn’t even breathing. All of the sudden, she leapt off of the stool and sprinted down the hallway towards their room. Tyler looked at Freddy, who shrugged and picked up the letter. He brought the back of his hand up to his mouth.

“Oh shit Ty,” he whispered, handing him the letter.

Freddy ran down the hallway towards Nicki. Tyler wanted to comfort her, but he needed to know what happened first. He read the letter.

Nicki,

I’m sorry it took me so long to write back to you. Things here have been really hard. I can’t tell you much. My first night after the trial I got attacked by a group of inmates. The things they did to me… I was in the hospital wing with a broken arm and internal bleeding for three weeks, which is why I couldn’t write. This is hard for me to write, but you need to know. I did kill those two guys. It was an accident. You know me. You know that I’m not a killer. But it happened, and I’m paying the price. I’m never going to get out of here. I’m only seventeen and I have to spend the rest of my life locked up with monsters. I can’t do it. I can’t tell you how much I love you, Nick. I know you tried your hardest to raise me when mom and dad weren’t around, and I’m sorry that you had to grow up so fast because of me. I feel so guilty. You didn’t deserve any of the shit you took from them, especially mom. I guess I owe you an explanation as to why I ran away. I left because I saw myself turning into her. I thought that if I ran far enough, I could get away from the way I felt inside. I didn’t want to be her. And look where I fucking ended up. I know that I screwed up, and I wish there was some way I could make it up to you. This can’t be easy on you. If it was you on the inside and me on the outside, I would fall apart. I wouldn’t wish this hell on anyone. You deserve a good life. I really hope the guy you moved in with gives you everything you deserve. I just want you to be happy, and I’m sorry if I ever made you anything other than that. You are the best sister in the entire world. Someday, you’re going to have your own family, and I know they’re going to be perfect. It won’t be shit the way ours was. You’ll be an amazing mother, grandmother, wife, whatever. I’m lucky to have spent the first sixteen years of my life with you. If you haven’t figured this out already, I’m writing all of this because I’m saying goodbye. I won’t spend my life rotting away in here. I need to be in control of my future. I don’t know when I’m going to do it yet. But I decided to wait long enough to be sure that you got this before you saw it on the news or some shit like that. I know it’s asking a lot, but please don’t take this too hard. You did everything you could for me, and more. Live your life and do everything that you wanted to do. Do it for me. I love you.