Second Chances

Aftermath

It has only been two days since the battle between the inner city and outer space and already everyone in the whole world knows the story of Moses the hero. In a couple of hours he went from stereotypical thug to savior. There were already articles written about him, people wanted to take pictures of him, girls wanted to be with him, and so much more. He had everything a young guy who just wanted to be respected and get attention could want. 
But yet, that didn't satisfy him at all. Everyone thinks he's a hero. Everyone except for one person. Moses himself. He had a good reason behind it too, two of his friends, Dennis and Jerome, died because of him. His friends try to tell him that it isn't his fault. Even Tia and the other girls despite the fact they told him to stay away from them shortly after Dennis died. 
Dennis's father, a young looking man in his early 50's, got the news that his son had died in the battle. His son's friends said he died heroically which was somewhat true. He did try to take down two of the "gorilla wolf motherfuckers" on his own but things turned bad and he lost his life. Moses tried to tell him he couldn't do it alone and to retreat but he didn't listen. He sat alone in the hospital café with a cup of hospital coffee in his hand and a devastated look on his face. 
His wife had died in childbirth when Dennis was born and he didn't really have any family so basically Dennis was the only family he had left. He tried to raise Dennis to the best of his ability. When the teen years came along and Dennis became hot-headed and his friends started doing bad things. Soon breaking the bond between them but he was sure that when his son became an adult he'd wisen up but Dennis is gone and there's no way of knowing for sure.
*flash back*
After being told that Dennis was possibly dead, much to the disapproval of the Feds, he went to find his son. He presumed the feds were just assuming Dennis was dead because they didn't care enough to look due to their race. Racial inequality was on an up rise in London at the moment. On his way up there he did see a few dead alien things that the boys were defending the block from. He walked past them just ignoring them as he tried to locate his son. 
As he past Tia's apartment a familiar vision caught his eye. A shoe that resembled Dennis's. Taking deep breaths and small steps he moved towards the body hoping and praying that it wasn't his son's body. 
But sadly, luck was not on his side as he saw Dennis's body and just his body. No head. His eyes widened as he let out a gasp and rushed to the young dead boy's side. He wondered where his son's head got to or if it had become a late night snack for one of the aliens. Hopefully not. 
Then he noticed blood stain on the couch in front of him and another one on the floor with a dent on the door. Without thinking he followed the trail into what was probably Tia's room. He didn't even have to look around to find what he came looking for. Dennis's red helmet was lying next to the dresser facing the wall in a small pool of blood. He walked to the red helmet and grabbed it gently feeling how cold his face was. 
Looking down on Dennis's face made the whole situation worse. His face showed that his death wasn't painless. His eyes still open. Wide open with an expression of fear. 
"No, this can't be happening. It's just a dream!" He cried unwilling to accept what he had seen. "Wake up Curtis! Dennis is still alive. He's just out with his friends." 
Eventually a squad unit heard his cries and found him holding Dennis's head and sobbing uncontrollably. They tried to get him to leave so they can take the body to the local hospital morgue. Of course he refused to listen due to the grief that was consuming him but he soon let the police get him out of the building. They even allowed him to ride on the ambulance with his son and stitched his head back onto his body at no charge. 
*end of flashback*
Eventually he found himself in the hospital's chapel sending prayers to his wife. Asking for her forgiveness. 
"Eva, I failed you." Tears falling down his eyes. "All you wanted me to do was protect him and I failed horribly. Dennis is with you now so please, all I ask is that you comfort him." 
He sat there until Moses came into the room. Not that Moses was looking for him. In fact, facing Dennis's father was the last thing he wanted to do. Especially after facing Jerome's family. 
*Moses' flashback*
Jerome's family sat there in silence after they were told. Moses had told them. He felt he owed it to them to be the one to tell him.
"I can't believe it. Last time I saw him I yelled at him for shoving my friend and I." His sister finally spoke. "And now he's dead. How the fuck did that happen? Why did it happen?" 
Moses was lost for words. All he remembered with Pest screaming 
"They took Jerome!" 
Shit! He had thought to himself. Not another one! I should have made them stay back! What the hell is wrong with me? 
*End of Flash back*
"Well are you going to keep staring at me with look of sorrow and regret or are you going to sit and tell me why you have that look on your face?" Dennis's father asked. He motioned for Moses to come sit next to him but he didn't. He just looked down to his feet and started crying.
"This is all my fault! I'm sorry, Mr. Roberts. Dennis would still be alive if I wasn't such a coward!" Moses spoke a bit fast but Dennis's father caught every word. 
"Wait hold on. What do you mean by that? Tell me." He said in a calming voice.
"When Dennis got attacked he cried for help but we were so scared." He kept speaking fast and taking breaks to catch his breath and let more tears out. "He called my name asking. No. Crying for help but I didn't man up. I just hid behind the couch and now he's dead and it's all my fault!" 
He couldn't believe what he had heard. In his guts were feelings of anger, sadness, and a bit of betrayal. Unknowing to Moses, Curtis trusted him with Dennis's life since he was older and with Dennis as much as he was. He didn't want to take his anger out on Moses but it came out anyway. 
"So, you're telling me that my son lost his life because you didn't help him?" His voice raised. Without realizing it he was yelling at Moses when he didn't even mean to. "He cried for you to help him and you sat behind a couch? You just sat there while my son was being murdered by aliens? Did it ever occur to you that maybe you should have helped him?"
"He was all I had left and now he's gone. And judging by his face, it was painful. He was in pain when he died, wasn't he?"
Moses just nodded.
"You know what stings more than seeing your son dead at such a young age? Knowing that he died horribly and that none of his friends even lifted a finger to help him."
He still stood there silently. He felt he deserved to be yelled at for his actions. 
"I never told you this but I trusted you with his life. Nice to know how that turned out."
It was then Curtis knew he'd crossed a line. Moses may blame himself for his son's death and the death of Jerome but there was no need to make him feel worse. If it weren't for Moses risking his life chances are there'd be a lot more people would be dead. 
"Oh my god, Moses, I am sorry I should not have said that last part. I was just sad and angry and..." 
"It's okay. I deserved it. At least someone else agrees with me about this whole thing being my fault. I'm not a hero. Too many people died for me to deserve that tittle." 
"No you didn't deserve that. I crossed a line and I also can't blame you for being afraid. I can't say I would have done any different if I was in your position and a friend of mine was in Dennis's" He said taking a deep breath. "I have to go make funeral arrangements for my son." 
He walked towards Moses only to stop in front of him and put a hand on Moses's shoulder. 
"Something I hope you never have to do." Mr. Roberts added.
"I don't deserve the gift of a child." Moses replied. 
"Don't say that Moses." Without letting Moses reply he added. "His body is still in the morgue if you want to see him one last time before I bury him next to his mother. Oh and by the way don't open his eyes they took them out for a transplant. I tried to open his eyes to see him with his eyes open one last time but they weren't there. He had his mother's eyes." 
Moses couldn't even find words.
"Also if you want around 8:30 tonight I'll be giving some of his stuff to you guys so you can have something to remember him by. Keep his sword, he'd want you to have it." 
"I don't deserve any of that." Moses said
"Don't say that Moses. Dennis wouldn't want you to say that." That was all he said before he left.  
With help from Sam he found the morgue where Dennis's body was. He took a deep breath before walking in. He needed to get someone to pull Dennis's body out and lay him on a table. 
Moses stood next to Dennis. With his eyes closed he looked so peaceful in death. He wondered if his friend's soul was with him. He was still wearing the same clothes he did on that night. Moses took Dennis's hand in his. His hand was very cold but Moses held it anyway as he looked at his friend. He could feel his heart break even more as the time went by but he wasn't going to leave until they kicked him out. 
He had to admit the stitches looked very well done. They really didn't have to reattach his head to his body but it made looking at him a little less heart breaking. It was heart breaking enough that he was only fourteen and probably had a good long life ahead of him. 
  "Dennis I'm sorry. You didn't deserve this. Neither did Jerome." The tears came down his eyes again as both hands held Dennis's right hand. "I'd do anything to bring you and Jerome back! Just please give me the chance! I miss you guys so bad and it hurts. They keep calling me a hero but I'm not. I may have saved the world but I couldn't save you!" 
Leaning over Dennis's body he cried into Dennis's shoulder knowing that it wouldn't do anything. 
"Please God, give me another chance." Moses murmured catching his breath. 
Next thing he saw was a flash of really bright light and heard a ringing sound in his ear. This lasted about five seconds then when it was over he looked around. This wasn't the morgue. It was Tia's apartment. He looked around trying not to draw unnecessary attention to himself. 
"What kind of alien, out of all the places in the whole wide world, would invade some shitty council estate in south London?" Dimples asked in a state of disbelief mixed with annoyance. 
"One that's lookin' for a fight." Dennis replied calmly sitting while Gloria combed his hair. 
Moses's heart skipped a beat. 
Dennis is alive?
Jerome too?