MagicAnimalClub: Happenings

33: Flawed

Joe's POV

I wasn't so sure what this video was going to be about, so I just spoke,
"Hello, this is.. Stampy, I guess, sorry, about the face and stuff, I'm not feeling the best however, I thought that it was only right to just make a short video t-" my heart thudded, I clutched my chest again. The pain in my shoulder thrived and I stopped recording immediately. I could have called Sqaishey up, but I didn't want to worry her. Instead I just turned off my computer and closed my eyes, clutching my shoulder which had calmed down now. I fell asleep.

***

Davids POV

Last day here in the north. I started loading sofas and beds into the truck with the help of Nicole. Most of the things in my house were packed up, ready to go. But I still needed to put all the food into bags which could be done in about an hour.
We decided that for our last night we would spend it all lying on mattresses in the living room as a family. Nicole and the kids set it up while I moved all the cars into the truck.
I moved the mini first, it was pretty easy to get that in and then I moved my Mercedes. Nicole would be driving the Land Rover.
I came into the living room at night, the children were all up there with Nicole sitting on mattresses which were all arranged in a circle so that all our heads were together.
They were eating grapes, for some reason, I ate one of the grapes and sat down in one of the mattresses,
"No that one is Mummy's!" They then pointed me to my own one which was at the opposite side, between both James and Rosie.
"Daddy?" James asked,
"Yes?" I replied,
"I'm happy you are here." I smiled and hugged him and Rosie. "I'm happy I get to see you guys." I told them,
"Daddy?" Rosie said, pointing at something on the floor, "what's that?"
It looked to me like.. Well I didn't quite know, it was a small silhouette which I couldn't quite make out. Until..
"I know what that is!" I said, picking it up, "this is a squid!" Nicole laughed at me,
"Do you like squids?" I asked,
"What's a squid?" They asked, Nicole and I just laughed,
"It's a long story guys. But basically, it's a sea creature."
"Like fish?" Asked Rosie,
I gave a chuckle, "eh.. yeah."
Shortly after, they fell asleep. Nicole whispered to me, "should I have told them about the whole Squid thing?" I looked down at them, and thought for a moment, "no. They'll find out eventually. They've got better lives ahead of them than video games and YouTube." Nicole nodded at my response. "One day."
I gave her a kiss on the forehead and wrapped my arms around her shoulders while she rested her head on my chest, looking up into my eyes.
"I love you." She whispered, pressing her hands onto my cheeks and kissing my lips. I ran my hand down her back and kissed her neck as we grew tired, and fell asleep in this embrace.

**

I woke up early, at the same time as the kids. We had breakfast then packed the mattresses we slept on into the truck. We looked around the house one last time. Then I did it myself, in a more emotional way.
I looked and remembered when I first moved in, how utterly amazing it was to have my own space, I saw my office, looking at where I made my money, where I worked for all this joy. Where I made friendships that never should have ended, where I laughed so hard I had to stop recording.. where my life began.. And where it ended.
I looked at this place. This place I left behind. One last time.
The dogs and the cats were put in the landrover with Nicole and the kids.
I climbed up in the lorry, gave my house a salute and drove out of the driveway for the very last time.

I didn't think that I'd ever go back here.
But in many many years to come, I would.
And I'd spend some of the worst days of my life here.

On the road, I turned some music on, trying to hold back- what wasn't tears but was that sickening feeling in your stomach when you know you've lost something and there's no turning back.
I turned on an audiobook but I quickly got bored and decided to listen to Joe and my old podcast. It made me happy.
Joe rang me, I looked around hoping that there were no cameras on the road, I then pressed speaker and put my phone on the dashboard.
"Hey Stamps?" I said,
"How's it going?" He replied, he sounded quite drowsy and tired,
"Fine, I'm on the road, are you alright?"
"Yeh just a bit.. Y'know."
"Stamps are you okay? You've been sounding quite down lately."
"Squid, I- I'm going to be honest with you.. I-"
"Stamps?" I felt like he was holding something back from me. He was unwell, was he depressed? I knew he was sick, but was this sickness something else? Was my friend ...
"I think I'm going to die before this child is born."
My eyes widened, my tear duct broke and my stomach flawed.
I couldn't speak.
I struggled with saying the words, "I'm coming."
"And when I come I will ring someo-"
"Please, please don't."
"Why? You're my friend."
"We'll talk about this later." Joe said, he spoke sternly and deep.
".. 'Kay.. But we aren't leaving the girls out of it this time." I replied,
I just heard a loud exhale from his line, "I'll see you soon, where are you now?" I was slightly annoyed that he just brushed past this whole 'death' thing.
"I- I'm just coming through Birmingham." I said, "stamps-"
"No." He responded.
How rude is this? He rings me up, tells me he is dying, and...
I hung up on him.

I regretted it -slightly.
But I got another call from my mother,
"Hey mum I've been meaning to call you." I told her,
"Hi Dee where are you?" She asked,
"On the way down," I explained, "about.. Dad."
"David.. There's no easy way to put this but.. About a year ago a plantation of seekers invaded the town.. Your dad was taken and killed."

I just shivered,
"And.. And you're sure."
"We were shown a video."
Some driver beeped the horn at me as I forgot to go at a traffic light, I was just so distracted; so lost in thought.

He's dead.. My dad's dead.. Joe's dying.. And Finn Ball is alive.