The graveyard was old and crippled. Tombstone engravings had been worn away over the years, leaving only faint markings where letters and numbers once stood. Crows cawed overhead, carrying the souls of the dead below. Although I was quite scared, I sat beside Fredrick’s tombstone and toyed with the roses I had brought for him. Plucking pedal after pedal off the thorny stem, my fingers bled from thorns cutting through my flesh. I didn’t care that I was bleeding. This was nothing compared to what Fredrick had to go through.
Rain started to fall, washing the blood from my fingertips and face, giving the dead a soothing lullaby from above, giving the fallen rose pedals one last taste of life before they dies themselves. “I best be going.” I told him. “I’ll be back soon, don’t worry.” My eyes filed with tears as I spoke in a soft, slow voice, “I love you.”I pulled my sleeve over my palm and wiped my tears, but it did no good. My sleeve, as well as my face, was soaked. I pushed myself off the ground and started walking home.
I almost never wanted to leave my visits with Fredrick. For some reason when I was near him or a part of him, I felt at peace with the world; with myself. It had always been that way. No matter the situation, I could come to him. He would listen to me and understand, unlike anyone else did.
When I arrived home, I dug the key out from under the mat and unlocked the door. I peeled off my wet clothes and slipped into my pajamas. Davis crawled out from under the bed and meowed at me a few times, hopping into my lap. “Sorry Davis. I know it’s late. I decided to stay with Fredrick for a bit longer today.” He replied with a whip of the tail as he lay his head on my leg. It seemed as if Davis missed Fredrick too. Fredrick had loved him and I know Davis loved him too. He always slept on one of Fred’s old t-shirts. I could almost never wash it, he would bite me if I got near it.
I tore back the covers and slipped into bed, leaving Davis to fend for himself for the night. I glanced at the clock that told me midnight would soon be approaching. I sighed and closed my eyes as I felt around the bed for the TV remote. When I found it, I clicked on the television in search of entertainment to cheer me up and scare away the nightmares from the graveyard. I flipped through channel after channel only finding depressing news stories and scary movies; nothing worth watching. “Might as well just go to bed.” I thought to myself as I turned off the TV. I took one last glance at the clock before falling into a deep sleep.
That night I dreamed of Fredrick. I dreamed of solving the mystery of his murder. I dreamed of catching the person that made him suffer and make them pay. That’s all I wanted to catch the sick man that killed him. I would do anything to hunt him down. I dreamed about it so hard, I awoke in a fury; sweat beading on my for-head, tears streaming down my cheeks. I screeched “I will find you!” Then, wiping away the tears and sweat, I began to collect myself. Davis hopped up on the bed and yelled at me to feed him. “I’m coming Davis. Don’t worry, I’m coming.”
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