The Gateway

The Gateway Part Three

RYLAND

I sat in utter silence the whole bus ride back to the Gateway. I couldn't believe what had just happened minutes ago. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. No....This wasn't how it was supposed to go down. It wasn't in the script. It just went horribly wrong.

I debated with myself if it were my fault or not. I had said I would come at six, but came a bit later. Maybe if I had never come late that kid probably wouldn't have shot himself. 

Porter was gonna have a real shock with this one. I shook my head in disbelief. 

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PORTER

The moment after the gunshot went off I remember just standing there. It was like my feet were planted into the ground. I watched as the floor oozed with Jasper's crimson red blood. This wasn't happening I tried to tell myself. I didn't just kill Jasper. 

I couldn't have. My finger must've slipped on the damn trigger. 

Soon realization hit me as I stared down upon his lifeless body. He was lying face down, with his eyes facing me. I prayed he'd just get up. That it was just all pretend, and his way of being funny. But I knew too well it wasn't. 

Then it hit really hit me. I had killed Jasper, and he was lying dead on my apartment floor. The apartment I shared with Ryland. Ryland! He'd be coming back any second now. How was I going to explain this? I couldn't. He'd think of me as some kind of monster, and run away. Or worse he'd turn me in. Then I'd be done for sure. I couldn't have that. 

No. Ryland wouldn't quit. He was all I had left here at the Gateway. I needed to think fast. He'd be here in no time. I bit my lip, and thought. The apartment had a fire escape. I could carry his body out there and dump him someplace. Yeah I'd do that. But how would I be able to do that and stay discreet? 

I sighed and sped into the kitchen and grabbed some garbage bags, towels, and a bucket. I had to clean up before anything else. I couldn't have his blood all across my floor. I bent over his body and rolled him off to the side. Time for a little TLC. 

RYLAND

It replayed in my head like a scene in a movie. Over and over again I saw Kamal take his like before my eyes. It was so swift. A sad feeling lingered over me. One I couldn't shake away. 

I pictured every kid I met with doing what Kamal did. I shut my eyes and tried to think of something else. But the gunshot was all I could hear in my head. I got off the bus feeling heavy as I walked down the block. 

I felt so damn strange. What got into me? I felt angry all of a sudden. Why did Kamal have to do it? Right in front of me? Was his pain so much for him to want to take his own life in front of a complete stranger? I felt hostility towards the dead boy. But my pity and regret ouweighed any of that. 

A big part of me couldn't help but blame myself. I could've done something. I was too slow to act. I took a seat at a bench and tried to absorbe all of my thoughts. My thinking was I'd evaluate everything now, and stop thinking about it later. As terrible as this incident was I wasn't going to let it leave its mark over me. That couldn't work. 

PORTER

I just finished cleaning up the all the blood from the floor, and got done wrapping Jasper up in some garbage bags. It went well with some tape I had handy. Now all that was left was getting rid of the body. I had saved the hardest part for last. How convenient I thought slightly panicking.