Because The Sky Is Falling

7/10 YELLOW (3)

I hadn't woken up until nearly 11:00pm—a half hour later than the normal Summer day. I rubbed my eyes and groggily picked up my phone checking my notifications, not that there were many—there never was. Realized I had slept in my clothes from the day before, I changed into my big, black hoodie which was more comfortable than my pale-pink and blue flannel.

I thought about the past couple of days over in my head, and this was when I realized just how incredibly strange all of it was. I had been hoping to go to sleep and then wake up with my mom throwing a pillow at my face, screaming at me for over-sleeping for school. I'd jolt up, grab my bag, a hoodie, a pair of flip-flops, then be out the door, trying to catch the bus. The sky would be blue. Just regular, old, morning blue with a few wispy clouds and a peaceful sunrise accompanied by the slight wind that was often present in the early mornings.

But instead, I woke up to a pastel, yellow tinted sky shinning through my window. No screaming mother in sight. No need for catching the bus near nor approaching. Only the nightmare that has settled on the earth seeming as if it will last forever.

The comment left by Brandon had surfaced to the front of my mind, and I walked over to my laptop. Pulling up the comment section of my latest video, I felt just a little bit of anger towards the cynical, bad-at-flirting-but-still-flirts-anyways kid. Yeah, Darian got what was coming for him, but seeing the entire thing happen right before your very eyes makes you re-think life. How easily a life can be taken is ridiculous in my own opinion.

And yeah, Darian was more of a Richard than a Darian, but that doesn't mean his family wouldn't still be worried about him when he didn't come home. That didn't mean his family wasn't heartbroken when receiving the news that their son/brother/cousin/nephew died.

I put all of this into my reply to Brandon, and then decided to vlog about these incredible fictionally-seeming events that have happened. I talked about how strange the days have been—I talked of how things should have been when I woke up from this wild dream of mine. I rambled about the uncertainty filling my brain and the worry filling my heart.

Soon after hitting four minutes of time spent filming, I realized I hadn't felt any better—that talking about how things should be, would most certainly not make them come true. There was nothing I could do at this point—no ideas entering my brain. It was like I said earlier after the explosion—I just didn't care anymore. And like Lin-Manuel Miranda had once said in his musical, Hamilton, a legacy is just planting seeds in a garden you'll never get to see. And at this point—I don't think anyone will see mine. It will not have the chance to grow.

That was when I heard a tap at my window. How Brandon climbed up the wall of my house to enter my bedroom on the second story, I do not know, but I let him in. Because that's another thing about Brandon—he's annoying, he's a jerk, but you get use to him, and you don't stay mad at him forever. I wouldn't use the term 'friends'—more like acquaintances.

"What're you doing here, you prick?" I said punching him on the shoulder playfully.

"I don't know. Just dropped in to say Hi."

"You "dropped in"?" I asked making air-quotes. "Dude, you literally had to climb up the side of my house to get to my window—which seems kind of impossible—so you've got more on your mind than saying hi."

"Eh. I just wanted to hang out, I guess."

"I've got a door, you know? You could've maybe—oh I don't know—walked through it," I suggested rolling my eyes playfully at him.

I peeked out my window and noticed Shinn on her way over, and pointed at her to show Brandon. He nodded with not much of a word. "D'you see my YouTube comment?" I asked.

"No? What was it?" He asked with much confusion as he leaned on the back of my chair. I pulled it up for him to see and he replied, verbally, "Yeah...I guess you're right. He really was a Richard, though."

"I can't say I disagree with that one."

It was quiet for a moment. I looked up at him and he looked down at me, for he was standing and I was sitting, though if we were both standing, the difference would be the same as he was taller than me either way. The world seemed oddly silent today after days of chaos. "Hey, D?" Brandon asked, seconds before Shinn walked into the room, but he must've not heard her enter, as he then grabbed my hand without a moment's more of hesitation and the next thing I knew, there was a flash of white light, blinding my vision.