I Want to Die in New Orleans // $uicideboys

40: The Number You Have Dialed

    The dawn broke as we arrived back at the scene. Both Ruby and I were exhausted from the nightmare that emerged a couple hours beforehand. We entered the quiet home, Ruby wandered off into his room as I took a seat on the couch, eventually leading me to sleep.
                               ~~~
    The crunch of bones breaking between the teeth of the beast woke me from my sleep. I had seemed to be numb from the event though the reality of what had happened began to grip harder on my psyche.
    In my mind I was at the edge of the swamp, the memory of Tori's concussed body still vivid. I could hear the mushy mud sloshing under our feet, the weight of the alligator thrashing around.
    The house was eerily quiet as I stared blankly at the cup of coffee. My hands were covered in dry blood while I chipped at the dirt pressed between my fingernails. I looked at my phone to find notification after notification on several social platforms.
    Ruby entered the room and grabbed a cup, "Anymore where that came from?" he casually questioned.
    "In the pot," I answered, "Talked to Scott?"
    "No.."
    "No?"
    "What're we gonna do?" I asked.
    He didn't add much more to the conversation, seeming to be in his own world. The digital clock blinked twelve o'clock.
    "Look at this!" I showed him my phone.
    Before Ruby could speak further, the sounds of sirens pierce the afternoon. Ruby's already widened eyes were now full of panic as a cold dread washed over me. The house was a crime scene and we were standing in it. We turned to the window to find the flashing lights seeping through the blinds.
    "Shii.." Ruby whispered, his voice barely audible.
    I gulped down the throw up that wanted to come out of my stomach, "Maybe it's the neighbors," the sirens of an ambulance started to surface.
    Deep down, I knew it was wishful thinking. The knock on the door was authoritative, my legs shook rapidly. Ruby grabbed his cup and made his way to the door, unlocking and slowly opening it up. 
    Two police officers stood in front of Ruby, "Aristos Petrou?" The male officer asked.
    "Uh-huh?" He asked in a chill tone.
    "Well this was easier than expected," The female officer chuckled.
    "You're going to have to come with us," The officer sternly stated.
    "Why?"
    "We've got a little birdy over at the rehabilitation center who told us a thing or two about you," The officer began to explain as he pulled out handcuffs, "So it's either ger cuffed or go in the back of the ambulance,"
    Ruby's body language showed very obviously that he was frustrated, though he pinned those emotions down immediately as he placed his cup on the coffee table.
    "Who'd say such a thing?" I asked rapidly, wondering if there was someone watching that we didn't know about.
    "Scott Arceneaux," His name sunk to the bottom of my stomach.
    The officers exchanged glances before turning back to Ruby, "Look, we're just tryna give you the best help we can.. time to go, it's temporary,"
    The officers began guiding Ruby through the front yard, I frantically followed behind them. Ruby walked as collectively as he could as he reached the ambulance.
    "Can I please come?" I asked.
    The police officers and paramedic looked at each other, the paramedics giving a nod.
    I hopped in the back as they strapped Ruby to a stretcher and began putting him through a couple simple evaluations. Eventually they slid the stretcher inside and closed the door, leaving it only me and him to talk for the next twenty or so minutes.
    "Well..." I sighed.
    "Better than jail I suppose," He huffed as he stared at the ceiling.
    My mind was scrambled everywhere, wondering where life was leading me, which I'm sure Ruby felt the same way. We spent most of the ride in silence til we got to the destination.
    "Are you going to be okay?" I asked.
    "Of course shawty," Ruby answered with a smile pressed to his lips.
    "Thank you for everything you've done for me," I began to sniffle out.
    "Oh.. don't give me that,"
    "I'm serious," I cried as I hugged him the best way that I could, "I love you, you mean so much to me forreal," 
    He hugged me back as he wiped the tears off me.
    "Quit cryin, you're not the one that's gotta get clean," He chuckled though there was sadness behind his eyes.
    He pressed his lips against mine. My cheeks were warm and my heart fluttered a bit. My mind was even more misconstrued due to all the mixed signals and wrong doings I've experienced, though I proceeded to kiss him back.
    It was very nice. I felt soul in it and not an empty affection. The clicking of the ambulance doors gave a warning that they were to be  opened up.
    "Better have been no foolishness in here," The driver chuckled as they set the stretcher up to roll down the ramp.
    The sunlight burned my eyes as I fixed my vision on the huge building that laid before us. An off putting vibe it gave that made my stomach squirm. I grabbed the side of the stretcher as they began to roll him to the side of the building.
    "Ma'am, you'll have to go around the front, you'll be able to see him once we get him processed into our system.. which won't take long. I believe he has a record already," The paramedic explained while Ruby chuckled.
    "Ok.." I answered as I tore myself from Ruby's side.
                               ~~~~~
     Eventually I was guided down a long, pasty white hall. My shoes squeaked as I fixed my gaze on my feet. Remembering my hands were still full of blood, and knowing it was wrong, all of this. I was led to a main room with plenty of plastic chairs for visitors, though it was completely empty. Two other halls branched out of the left and right side of the area.
    There was no sign of life in this place, just what felt to be dissociation if it was a place. I took a seat as I waited to obtain some personal items that either Ruby or Scott wanted for me to return back home.
    From a distance I could hear Scott's voice quivering, "I-i don't know if it's her... or what man but i.... there needs to be a difference, I just feel like there's something in me that isn't supposed to be and... ion know if rehabs the way to fix it but,"
    Ruby's serious tone took into place as he tried to reassure him, "I kno, we got this cuz.. do you want to see her?"
    "Ion kno man, why?"
    A couple murmurs were exchanged before some shadows came creeping from the halls. For a moment the piercing screams of Tori shot through my mind as my ears began to ring. My eyes were fixed onto the hall to the right of me that began to get noticeably darker.
    "You did it, good job," A voice almost as clear as day spoke to me.
    "Huh," I quietly huffed. My eyes burned and my nerves were tingling.
    "You could do it all along,"
    I placed my palms into my face as I slouched over, using the support of my thighs to hold myself up.
    My internal thoughts were scattered, wondering if the situation really fucked me up that bad. To a point where I'm borderline schizophrenic.. or was it the drugs. All I wanted was to rest.
    "Ay?" Ruby said.
    I pried my hands away from my face, looking up to reach his gaze.
    "You needa water? You look like you do," He said.
    "No.. i'm good.."
    "Ion kno shawty,"
    "I'm fine, I promise," I said somewhat convincingly, as I stood myself up.
    He handed me a plastic bag full of his belongings, "Thanks," He added.
    "Don't thank me, do you need anything? clothes? money?" I asked.
    "Nah, got ya number if I do," He replied.
    "Okay," I wearily stated.
    Ruby pulled me into a warm embrace, "Won't be too long til we see you again."
    "I hope,"
    He let go of the hug as he began to walk away with a faint but reassuring expression plastered on his face. Though it was somewhat menacing.
    I turned for the hall to exit the void of a building until I heard footsteps approach from behind me. I wondered if it was my mind playing tricks on me or Ruby back to bring something he forgot.
    "Lemme see what's on ya phone," The sound of Scott's defeated tone echoed into the room.
    I turned to face him though my eyes couldn't reach his. Ashamed that all he could see me for now was a psycho. To for all he knows concuss his ex.. or side bitch whichever she may be. I opened my phone to sound cloud as I showed him the news that had actually been good for the first time in months.
    "Wow," He dryly said as he stared at the screen, "You can look at me y'know," he added as he handed my phone back to me.
    Tears began to stream down my eyes as I began to shake. The whimpers that reminded me of the little girl who used to get yelled at by her dad resurfaced. My heart was crushed with those words. My world felt broken, and for the first time I was actually feeling it.
    I bolted into him as I wrapped my arms around his waist, sobbing into his gray t-shirt, "Scott.. I- I'm so sorry, I.."
    I could almost feel the emotions going through his head, as if they were on a balance beam of good and bad. He let out a sigh as he began to hug me back.
    "I mean I always knew you was a lil crazy shawty," He chuckled as he tried to downplay the situation and calm me down.
    "I can go-,"
    "Look, you wasn't.. as messed up in the head til you got wit us.. let's be real," He hushed, "Da whole thing is my fault.. and i'm here to fix some shit.. you can't go and leave that house to be on its own, we needa lil house sitter,"
    I huffed as I lightly chuckled. His words raised hairs on my arms, the first real embrace from him in a while that made my soul almost healed.
    "Give me sum time, Ima have enough here to think.. and maybe do ya self a favor and think on some things too, cause i'm tryna come back different from this.. ion kno about you," He finished his speech as he squeezed me tight.
    I stepped back from him, still never meeting his eyes, "You mad at me?" I asked.
    "Is it fucked up to say i'm not?" He snickered.
    He lightly placed his hand under my chin, wiping away my tears with his thumb, then guiding my face upwards.
    His glacier blue eyes stared into my soul, "I ain't mad shawty,"
    "Right now you not," I whimpered as I squeezed my eyes shut.
    "Did you not hear me?"
    "I did,"
    "I ain't gonna lie to you,"
    "Mmhm,"
    "You want this to be the last memory you remember with me for a lil while?" He asked. Silence filled the room, though little footsteps from down the hall were barely audible.
    "No," I whispered.
    We once again hugged as I tried my best to wipe my tears up. After a couple minutes I watched Scrim once again disappear from me, though for the first time I'd actually know where he'd be.
    I went on my phone and ordered an uber to pick me up from the hospital as I waited outside with an upset stomach. I lit up a cigarette, pressing it to my lips, hoping to ease the turning in my belly but it didn't do the trick.
    About fifteen minutes later the uber arrived and I hopped in, staring out the window at the orange sky that was slowly dying out. I got into the house and began cleaning up the mess after getting settled in.
    I started in Scott's room as I picked up called items and tried my best to cover up the dents in the wall. I made myself into the hall after mixing up some soap and water to try to clean the blood off of the walls and floor, though of course it was too dried to be picked up with a concoction so simple.
    The night settled in and I found myself lying in Scott's bed, feeling almost unsettling to be at the house with neither of them. I watched as the streams of the boys' songs rose, with a tired but genuine smirk plastered on my face.
    The albums played as I soundfully fell asleep with the phone in my hand. The voices drowning out anything that could penetrate my mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
authors note:
Big chapter 40!! I can't believe I've been writing this book since 2022... I actually haven't realized that til now lolol, with that said, I'm SO SORRY to everyone who's been reading it since the beginning and have waited and waited for updates. If you've made it this far, or have stumbled on this more recently and have made it this far, THANK YOUU!!
I originally wrote this book for fun and have been messing with the plot while writing it.. (which i'm sure is obvious)
Trying to figure out how to end the book or if I should make a new one.. like a part two? Or maybe something different.
Any and all recommendations and critiques are welcome!
Again thank you all <3
I hope it's been an enjoyable read !