God Complex

Chapter Three: Liam

Chapter Three: Liam

When we are first born, it’s with one feeling; terror. We are scared, yes. However, being scared opens the doors for something wonderful to happen. Your mother showers you with kisses and soft coo’s to console you. Thus, gaining more feelings, and for the first time ever, stopping to take a breath. This is something we don’t think of often. Even as we grow older, we often let the world pass us by. We don’t stop to think about what we could be missing, or what could be true. As a human, we see, hear, and think what we want. A human’s perception of reality is never correct, that is, until it slaps you in the face. As an adolescent, or teenager if you will, we see this most often. Teenagers are prone to distorting reality. We are in a constant state of blissful ignorance, always thinking we can overcome anything. As far as we know we are invincible. Then something happens, a situation arises that shatters your bulletproof exterior. That’s how it was for me. He ruined us, took away everything. Life as I knew it ended that day.

“God, Mr. Jones failed me on that math quiz!” Jess hollered.

                “Calm down, you can retake it!” I laughed.

She angrily fumbled with her locker knob as she continued to rant.

                “You get one problem wrong and he fails you! As if he is all that perfect. Who does he think he is, God?” she slammed her locker shut.

                We walked out of the building and headed down Benson, as we had done for eight years. The wind was frigid, and I could feel my nose go numb. I began to shiver, but I wasn’t all that cold. I was nervous, frightened actually.

                Today is the day I am going to tell Jess how I feel. How madly in love I am with her.

                We approached her front door, and my tremors became worse. I grabbed her hand as she reached for the knob, knowing I would need to stay outside for this. When I got nervous being inside only made it worse. I would feel as if I was trapped.

                “Jess I-I have to tell you s-something.” I stuttered.

                “Why so serious, Joker?” she teased, but quickly realized the concern in my face. “Liam, what’s wrong?”

My mind exploded through my mouth. My tongue unable to stop my words, allowed the wreckage to pass through.

                “Jess, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about you. I mean maybe that’s because we see each other every day, but in class, and at home you are always on my mind. Your angelic voice rings in my ears, and your beauty bewitches my mind. From the day I met you I felt this warmth inside of me. I have never felt that with anyone else. When I am with you, the world stops, my problems fade, and I feel alive. Not to mention how beautiful you are, I mean God Jess, you are perfect! Without you, I would be nothing. Hell, I would be lost!” I gasped for air, and wiped the sweat from my forehead, “I-I love you Jess.”

                There it was. I had poured out my heart and now it was flopping around on her porch like a fish out of water, waiting to be placed back into its wet sanctuary. I slowly raised my eyes to meet hers, but they weren’t there. In all the years I had known Jess, she had never broken her gaze with me. Now, her stare was fixed on her feet. She sighed, and took a step back from me.

                Crap.

                “Liam, I-“

                Just then a blood curdling shriek came from up the street. A crimson shadow was hurdling towards us.