Joseph's Trials

Chapter 5

I don't know whats going on around me. I see people screaming; my mom, Reggie, Greg, Omari, Randy, and Gregs parents all rush behind the gurney I'm being pushed on. I am completely disoriented. I look down and see a wound in my shoulder. What happened to me? I see doctors hooking me up to machines and then I hear the heart monitor go flatline as I black out. All of a sudden I see different images. Memories flash through my head. One minute I'm at my first birthday party. My moms holding me and everywhere I look I see gifts. Then I'm riding in my Dads old 18 wheeler. Next I see the day my aunt passed away. My cousin changed that day. Took him awhile to get back that laugh we are all used to. Then I'm in my house and I receive the news that my great-grandmother just died. I kneeled down to cry with my mom and cousins. I really didn't feel like crying that day but for some reason I couldn't stop. I start to think that I must be dying. Its like one last look at my life before I shuffle off this mortal coil. I wish I had a chance to say goodbye at least.

Then, miraculously, I open my eyes. I cough a little bit and say, "What happened?" "Everyone gets up and they all start talking at once. I groan, " Whoa, whoa, one at a time." Oh thank God you're OK. You were out for three days. I was so scared. Don't ever do that to me again.", says my mom. Normally when she speaks you can immediately smell the alcohol but I noticed there was no smell of alcohol. Had she really stopped drinking? I mutter, " I will try, mom." I don't honestly know what I'm supposed to try not to do. Reggie says," Dude, you had us all scared." I ask them what exactly happened to me. Omari explains to me that Richard shot me. I say, "So that's why there's a hole there." Everyone laughs. Then I say, " Lemme guess. Soon as Richard shot me he bailed out of the bowling alley?" The guys all nod. "Figures." I never knew that coward would even try to pull a gun out on me, let alone fire it. Its shameful.

The doctor says I can leave in about 2-3 days. I lean up some and a sharp pain flows through my shoulder. My mom says, "Wait you can't get up yet. The doctor said you need to just lay down and rest." I decided to think of a new story idea, since I had so much time on my hands.

The days went by pretty fast. Before I knew it, I was cleared to leave. I meet up with the guys and they welcome me back. Omari tells me that Richard skipped town. I should have saw that one coming. In a way, I feel sorry for him. His life is probably worst then mine. If he would have just spoken to me I could have sympathized with him. Maybe we could have even been friends.

I finally make it home, my real home, and it's empty. I was shocked. I thought mom was doing better. What could she possibly be doing that could keep her out of the house? I walk to the fridge hoping that she at least put food in there but before I open it I notice a note. Its a letter to me.

Dear Son,
I can't accept what that boy did to you. I want to be a better mother to you so I decided that I am going to hunt down that boy and do the same thing he did to you. All for you son.

Love,
Mom

To be continued...