5:11 AM // Vikklan [Wattys2016]

Chapter 6

The night clawed like zombies at my exposed limbs, and I found it difficult to not shed a tear.

I knew crying was weak, and it was not manly, but the built up reality of everything that had occurred from the year's worth of fake love and my mother's death had really affected not only my outlook on people, but my perception of ever finding peace and happiness.

Poor Vikk was trying so hard to help, but I felt all of his actions would be for vain, and he would realize that he wasted too much time on me; and leave.

As much as I knew I didn't want him to disappear from my life, I didn't know if I could stop him. I would sit back with tears flooding my eyes and a broken perception just because I knew he could find someone so much more worth it than I was.

As I finally seemed able to stand, I trudged lazily to my kitchen and made a simple snack of macaroni. It was simple, and it was the easiest thing to make as I stuck the bowl of pasta noodles and water into the microwave.

As it beeped its ready, I pulled the bowl out and mixed in the liquid cheese.

Flopping down on my cold couch, I stared aimlessly at the dark room around me as I nibbled on the cheesy pasta.

All too suddenly, a tune played throughout my home, and I had managed to jump hard enough to fall on the floor and spill the food, even if that was long forgotten the instant I heard the music.

"Even though your faded glow won't burn through all your bars, you put out to put up."

The man's hushed voice echoed down the corridors and bounced through the house. Startled, and very stupid, I took slow steps towards my steps.

"Even while your widening smile was shaking in the smoke, your head was full of hope."

As the sound seemed to come from upstairs, I took very cautious steps up each and over individual step. The soft strum of a guitar was lulling my senses, and as pathetic as I knew I was, I found myself intrigued and fascinated.

"Because I am a member of the butterfly culture, where we work and we take, we play and we pray to god that the girl in that dress will undress, and distress you with the way that she moves."

The music was beautiful, and as much as I hated to admit it, I was really curious why it was playing and where it was coming from.

"Even now when you know how to measure up the risk, you're still not tired of this."

I managed to made it to the top floor, turning my head to tell which way the music came from, and it seemed to boom from the right of me.

"Even when the pills you take turn you to a ghost, you still spin around the most."

As I made it outside my room, I leaned my head to the wood of the barrier and concluded it came from here- but why?

"Because I am a member of the butterfly culture, where we worked and we take, we play and we pray to god that the girl in that dress will undress, and distress you with the way that she moves."

"I am a member of the butterfly culture, where we work and we take, we play and we pray to god that the girl in that dress will undress,and distress you with the way that she moves."

The music slowly stopped, and I slowly pushed my door open to see I had managed to leave the window open, and a concert seemed to be playing a few blocks away.

Shaking my head, I closed the glass panels and laid down on my freezing bed.

As much as I had hoped, I knew it was a loss to think that maybe Vikk had planned a surprise for me, or that he had given me something as beautiful as that song playing on a phone or iPod.

Stupid.

I was stupid- but what much could I expect?

Sometimes the mind likes to play tricks to think something positive and exciting will happen, but the reality of the situation is far from it.

The reality is that the good intentions are false, and as much as we try to think it will happen, it doesn't. It's pointless.

As I lay there, staring up to nothing but darkness and a void of sadness, I couldn't help but feel like my life on this earth was wasting away, and as much I'd try to stop it, I never could.

Maybe the universe will take me back because it sees it's just not my time yet, and just maybe that will happen soon.

Because the reality of the situation is that as much as I try to bring out the positives of my life, everything will always just crash back down whether I try to fix it or not.

And there's just no point anymore.

.

The doctor examined my vitals late afternoon, my face having gone pale and body collapsing amongst a stack of fresh produce at the grocery market.

As much as they tried to find the cause, I knew it all too well.

My body was rejecting itself from lack of energy and substance.

I hadn't ate for nearly two weeks, and Vikk had distanced himself to the point he didn't check up on me or anything.

It was like we had never met, and that hurt the most.

"Lachlan?" The same doctor that treated me after the wreck walked in, and I only gave him a sparing glance.

"What happened?" Dr. Burton, the doctor that walked in, spoke up, and the doctor checking my vitals, Dr. Collie, looked to him with a stressed sigh.

"He collapsed in the grocery store, and we can't find the reason. All we know is that his skin had paled the instant he fell, and that his eyes are glossed over in some sort of foam." Dr. Collie breathed, and Dr. Burton grunted a sign of understanding as he proceeded to stand beside my bed.

"I'll take it from here. You look stressed enough." Dr. Burton shoed the other man out of the room, and then he looked back towards me.

"Son, what happened?" He whispered worriedly, and I just stared with emotionless eyes.

As the doctor seemed to check me over and read the reports done by nurses and staff, he licked his lip and looked at me for a few moments.

"Lachlan, you seem to be dehydrated and starved, and for some reason," he seemed to look to be thinking of appropriate ways to speak, and it scared me, "your heart stopped."