Cowboys and Angels

Chapter 25

The rain washed away most of the dirt and ash on the person's face, but scars and bruises came to surface. What was I witnessing? This girl...girl...was beaten and abused. She looked so small and fragile. Anger raged through me. I couldn't even look at this poor girl. I shook my head and starred at the ground. I shivered from the cold rain, but now my mind was racing at who could do this to her. She had so much to live for and someone just took her life from her. 

"She was locked in the basement..."

"It seems as though this girl had been more than stuck in that fire..."

"This was attempted murder or even kidnapping..."

"We need to find out who she is and what happened to her..."

I choked. I broke. My heart exploded. I felt like I was being stabbed a thousand times in the same spot. Emerson, that had to be Emerson. I looked up once more at the girl, lying on the stretcher. That girl looked exactly like Emerson. She was just as beautiful as Emerson even with the scars and bruises.

I fell to my knees in the pouring rain while everyone else around me was rushing to get things done. No one noticed this damaged boy lying in the dirt. I was finished. I had no emotions. Emerson was found, but I didn't find her. I wasn't mad at myself for not finding her. I was mad at myself for letting her go. This was all my fault. This wouldn't have ever happened if it wasn't for me letting her go. I should've ran, chased, and screamed until I got her back. I let my only happiness go a year ago.

I know I hurt her. I know I caused her pain and bruises. I hate myself everyday for it, but whoever did this to her doesn't. They probably don't feel one ounce of sadness for her. I know I'll never be able to forgive myself for what I've done to her, but I was going to find whoever did this to her and kill them. She was the love of my life. I let her slip away. How could I do this? 

Minutes later, I realized the ambulance was leaving. I was going after her now. I wasn't going to lose her again. I would go through hell and back to save her. 

I jumped in my truck and put it in drive and sped off to the hospital. Tears fled my eyes and my hands were shaking too much to keep a steady grip on the wheel, but I tried my best to stay calm. I quickly slid the CD with all her favorite songs into the player and cranked the stereo as loud as I could handle. 

The first song that came on was "A Little Bit Stronger" by Sara Evans. I broke into sobs and pulled over of the road. I bowed my head against the steering wheel and cried. Why did this happen to her? Why did I do that stuff to her? She means so much to me. Why am I such a screw up? She probably never wants to see me. 

I snapped myself out of my thoughts that were ganging up on me. I unlocked my phone and dialed the first number I saw. 

"Hello?" they answered.

"Goddamnit, they found her. They found Emerson. Uh, shit--"

"Trevor? Trevor, why are you callin--they found her. Oh my god. Holy god," they yelled into the phone, though I really couldn't understand what they were saying. I didn't even know who it was on the other line. 

"Meet me at Westerboro Hospital." Then I hung up. Whoever it was would sure as hell to meet me there. 

The love of my life was found after six months. She was finally safe.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I arrived at the hospital, a little clear on everything around me. My vision cleared up and so did my mind. I sat in the emergency room lobby with my head in my hands, trying to avoid crying in front of all these people. I heard a door slam open to see three people: Brett, Hunter, and Mrs. Dawson. Who the hell knows which one I called, but I was glad it was these three. 

Mrs. Dawson was in tears.

"You found her! You found her!" she wailed, walking towards me. I shook my head for what seemed like a year. I didn't. I was coincidently there when she was found. 

"No, no I didn't. The firefighters did," I replied.

"NO! You found her! I wanted you to find her!" she sobbed, "I told you to find her! You were there! You found her!" 

I DIDN'T. I yelled in my head over and over again.

I looked up at Brett and Hunter, who were pacing back and forth. Brett caught my stare and bit back his tears. 

I didn't find her. I'm not the hero. The continuous accusations that I supposedly did makes me feel guilty I didn't. I'm no hero. I didn't do anything but stand there like a complete idiot, thinking about all the mistakes I've made within the last year. 

"Can I talk to you?" I glanced up to see Brett standing in front of me. Mrs. Dawson sat in the chair next to me continually sobbing. I don't blame her. I should be too, but I'd run out of tears from crying myself to sleep over her. 

I nodded and stood up, rubbing Mrs. Dawson's back before I left the lobby to walk outside with Brett. Hunter sat beside Mrs. Dawson comforting her while I was gone.

Once the two of us got outside and up against the hospital, Brett spoke. "What happened? Why were you there? What'd you do?" Did he think I had something to do with the fire?

"What do you mean what'd I do?" I retorted.

He shook his head violently, "Did you start this?"

"Why do you think I have something to do with this?" I screamed. "I love her! I always loved her. I know I hurt her. I know my mistakes, buddy. I know I'm such a fuckup! Stop reminding me!" I walked angrily past him and nearly threw myself against the brick wall.

"I was driving out of the damn town to get away from any reminder of her. I found myself on that road. That fire was started before I even got on that road! I followed those trucks. My parent's friend is the damn captain! Shit! I want to know what's going on in this damn town! I stood there in agonizing pain waiting for them to bring a dead body out. I know she's your best friend. But she was mine too. My girlfriend. And I--"

"Was."

"What?"

"She was your best friend. She was your girlfriend."

"SHUT UP! I KNOW!" I roared in his face. I punched the brick wall beside his face to scare him. "I've waited a year to get back what she and I had. I don't know if she ever wants to speak to me again. I don't know if she can even speak! But I know I will do my very damn best to get things right with her. I don't care if I die trying either...unless you're going to kill me first," I spat. "I've confessed my sins and problems and mistakes. I went to church and did all that shit! Who knows if God's forgiven me yet? I did what I had to do. I didn't save her. I know that. I love her more than anyone will ever know."

I was out of breath by the time I finished my screaming fit. A nurse came out to check if everything was okay. We both nodded, but we knew it wasn't. I growled at him when she left. How could anyone think this was my fault? I could've doubled over at the thought. I couldn't take this feeling of guilt anymore. I was fed up with the people in this town blaming people for shit they didn't do. When I find out who did this, I would do whatever it takes to make them pay for hurting her. 

Revenge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About five hours later, the four of us still sat in the ER lobby waiting for comfirmation on her. Anxiety built up in my body, causing me to shake violently. I needed to know if she was alright. I knew she wasn't, but I needed to know if she was alive. I couldn't go on without her. 

A woman with shiny red hair and a blue clipboard in her hands walked out of the hallway leading to the lobby. She looked at me first, then at Mrs. Dawson who was still shedding a few tears here and there. The rest of them glanced up. But it seemed as though she didn't walk out to talk to us. She walked over to the desk and whispered to the short brunette behind the counter. When she looked back over at us, my head shot up first. The woman with shiny red hair waked to towards up and stopped about five feet away.

"Are y'all here for Emerson Dawson?"