The Death of Colleen Rivers

Chapter 32: Baylor

We were so close. At most, we were 300 yards away from her house. So close that I could see the lights from her house shining, like a beacon, calling to me. I was the lost ship at sea, and I was almost to the welcoming lighthouse.

But this ship wasn't going anywhere. We had a flat tire and there was no way we could change it quickly, and with it being so dark and cold. Besides, Malcolm didn't have a spare tire. We were stranded on the road. I wasn't going to reach my lighthouse unless I did it on my own.

"Malcolm, I got it from here," I said, unbuckling my seat belt.

He shoved the gear stick into park. "Alright. I'll meet you there as soon as I can."

I nodded and climbed out of the truck, into the cool night air.

And then I started to run.

I ran as fast I could, my legs still feeling like jello from the hike back. But I couldn't give up. There was a chance Colleen was there and I had to find out.

My lungs were beginning to burn and my heart began to race. I hadn't ran this fast in a while. My second wind kicked in and I began sprinting, finally reaching her driveway, the lights from her home shining bright.

I collapsed onto the ground, my lungs crying for oxygen. I couldn't give them much. The air was so cold that it did no good. It almost made it worse. My throat was dry and the chilled air was cutting at it.

I started to get up but realized I didn't just fall because of my lack of oxygen, I had also fallen because my ankle was bent some way it shouldn't be bending.

And that's when I blacked out.

~~~

I woke up in a bed that was not my own. It was a boy's room for sure, with the posters of Star Wars and rock bands, the walls underneath the vast collection, painted dark blue. The comforter I was under was also blue. I looked around to see if I could tell who's room I was in, attempting to sit up but I couldn't move my right leg. I cried out because the pain was so bad.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming my way, James's head peeking through the door.

"Baylor, you're awake!" He turned his head and called down the hallway, "Hey, Sis! He's awake!"

"Huh?" said a female voice that was very familiar to me.

Then entered my girlfriend. She was fixed up, and was clothes that actually looked like Colleen. She had gained her tight pants and tank top back, leaving the leather jacket off for now. "Baylor?" She ran over to me and hugged me, tears in her eyes.

"W-what happened?"

"Well," James began to explain, "I found you out in our driveway, clearly knocked out. Thought I would bring you in so you wouldn't freeze to death."

"How long has Colleen been here?" I asked. James helped me sit up in bed, adjusting my ankle to let me sit up without being in too much pain.

"Oh, I just found her and helped her get warm before I found you." He handed me a tray like I would give Mom for her bed-n-breakfast days. But this tray didn't have any breakfast items. Instead, it had a bowl of soup, a thermos with what I figured was either more soup or hot chocolate to drink, crackers, and a grilled cheese sandwich. "I don't know how long you had been out there," he continued. "But I'm glad I did. You were freezing."

I chuckled. "Well, I still am. And thank you for this. I am also starving."

Colleen approached the bed. "Bay, you're always hungry."