What Should I Do Now?

When Everything Stops...

We were driving, just driving around. It was just one of those nights. Avery and I were just driving until we ran out of gas. Blaring music, smiling, and just being us. We were about to cross a bridge and Avery looked over at me and just smiled. Her smile could brighten my day no matter what. She was my all. I reached over to hold her hand and I saw her smile widen. I told her I loved her as I coaxed our truck off the bridge. Then all at once I saw two headlights in front of us. We were in our lane, it wasn't my fault... it wasn't my fault...

Everything stopped. There was blood everywhere. My eyes refused to open all the way. But I still kept trying, and trying, until I just closed them. I reopened them when I heard sirens. I heard sirens, people talking, shouting, I heard footsteps. Although my eyes were open, I couldn't comprehend where I was or what was happening. I just felt numb. Cold. Alone. I felt alone even though there were hundreds of people arriving at the scene of the crash. At least, that's what I think it was. 

I was staring blankly up at the sky, not knowing what would happen next. A few trees were in the corner of my eye, I seemed to be in a ditch along side the road. I felt lost. I shouldn't be here. I want to know what's going on. I need to know if she's alive. I need to know. I try to sit up, which I succeeded in doing, might I add. Though, I had to close my eyes immediately after, a huge head rush awaited me. I fell back down and just kept my eyes closed, hoping and praying that someone would find me. After a while I felt myself slow to a stop. I wasn't thinking anymore, I was just laying there. I stopped hoping. I stopped praying. I just stopped. I was barely breathing, I figured that I had a concussion, and loss of blood. Avery needs to be okay.... oh please be okay. With that last thought, my eyes shut once again. 

I was no longer in the forest when I opened my eyes. I was being asked what my name was, I was told to keep my eyes open. My mind screamed for my mouth to say Dalton. My eyes closed. I failed at that simple task. I wasn't able to get out any words. My eyes shut just as quick as when I opened them. I was out, once again. 

A hand. I felt a hand on my own the next time that I regained consciousness. The hand was soft, cold, and light. I could barely feel it, my breath was steady, just as my heartbeat. Lips. Soft, cold, barely there, just on my cheek. It was Avery, Avery was okay. It was all okay. I opened my eyes slightly as to not scare her. A tear drifted down my cheek, one after the other. As I saw that she wasn't actually there. My tears just kept coming and coming, they wouldn't stop. I wasn't even sobbing, the tears were just falling. I had no energy left and they all eventually stopped. Just like everything else, it all just stopped. 

A nurse walked into my room to check my vitals. She noticed that I was awake and she started asking me questions, asking for my name, asking for my age, where my parents were. The list went on and on. I didn't tell her anything. I just looked into her eyes and closed mine. I didn't want to believe that any of this was happening. I didn't want to let this hell that I'm in, become my reality. Avery was the only person that I have trusted, one-hundred percent. I just closed my eyes and thought of Avery. I tried to remember her, her hair, her smile, her eyes. I could picture her perfectly. I didn't want to open my eyes, if I did, she would be gone. I heard the door of my room shut abruptly and I jumped, but never opened my eyes. The nurse had left my room. A tear fell from my eye again, just one. My Avery, she was gone. 

After a while of processing everything that had just happened, I tried to swing my legs off the bed so I could walk around and look outside. But I was met with yet another problem, I couldn't move my legs. I was furious. I started punching my bed rail, I only stopped when a nurse came in to restrain me. I felt utterly and completely lost. What was I supposed to do. It was my fault, all my fault... I should have been paying attention, I should've done something, anything. I didn't do anything. I couldn't. But it was still my fault. Her parents were going to kill me. 

I had fallen asleep once again. I opened my eyes to see my dad, drunk like always. But a long with him I see my little sister, Grace. Grace loved Avery, she was like a mother figure for Grace. She was only seven. How was I supposed to tell her... how was I supposed to come to terms with it first off. I can't do this. I just can't. Right as I opened my eyes Grace ran over to me and grasped my hand. Her big brown eyes were just staring up at me. I reached down to pick her up so she could lay with me. Her eyes were red, dad must have been drinking at home. His drinking would send Grace into panic attacks. I wish I could have been there for her last night. 

After about five minutes Grace looked up at me with her crooked smile and asked just above a whisper, if she could see Avery. My eyes were so dry from crying, yet they were full of tears once again. All I did was lean over to her and kiss her forehead lightly, "Not today, Angel." My voice cracking as I spoke. She was only seven but she knew what that meant. Her eyes were still locked onto mine as her face contorted into confusion, then realization, then just sadness. Tears over flowed her puppy dog eyes as she buried her face into my chest. She just lay there for about ten minutes and then drifted to sleep, my father got up halfway through and left. 

She's gone, my dad is a drunk, my little sister is all I have. I don't have any scholarships. My dad won't be able to pay the hospital bill. Nothing is right in the world. Nothing will ever be right in the world for me or Grace. Nothing. I reached over to the table and took the daily dose of pain medication that was needed. I drifted off once again and met Grace in her dream. 

Grief is love's unwillingness to let go. - Unknown

AN: This is the last character background. The rest of the chapters will be taking you on the actual adventure.This fourth chapter was for Dalton Colter.  (: I hope you guys enjoy this. Also, I will make the chapters longer than this, these are around 100 because it's just a short-ish summary of their lives. Thank you for reading! Feel free to give me feedback!