Secretly In Love [Completed]

Chapter 8

"You heard?" Isabella asked, her IPhone at her ear.

"Yes." Marlene replied.

"So, you're okay with the protest?"

"Absolutely. This is just another large step to the craziness that Greedman has."

"Yes. Look, we'll be there in about 10 minutes."

"Okay. We'll get the message out."

"Thank you."

"No problem. Meet you guys there." 

"Bye."

"Bye." Isabella hung up and put her phone into her pocket, as her friends walked out of their building. They drove off to their largest hospital, Dona Health Care Center. They parked their cars and got out. They met up with Marlene and Dominic, who had fully recovered. 

"You're okay?"

"Yes, it was a pain in the ass, but I'm okay." Dominic said, placing his hand on his wounded shoulder.

"But, we're ready to start marching."

"Yup." 

The friends and Marlene and Dominic stood in a line and unraveled the large sign that read:

WE AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE! YOU CAN'T KILL US BECAUSE YOU HATE US!

They nodded at each other and began marching, chanting and shouting. They kept marching, anger fueling their protest. They weren't about to let a president tell them they can't live just because he hated them. They continued to march. Their loved ones were in the hospital dying of AIDS and were close to dying. They decided to do what was done back in 1981- Create a mural of names of family members and loved ones that had died from AIDS and were basically killed in hospital because they weren't allowed any further treatment or care. They marched to the back of the hospital and began their work. Everyone pulled out signs with names, candles, memorabilia and other items. Everyone began placing their signs on the hospital walls, and began lighting their candles. Once the mural was finished, they set down their paper sign, and lit some candles. Everyone closed their eyes, and began humming "Amazing Grace." They stood in silence, thinking about those who died because they were denied treatment. The police had arrived, but were a bit stunned by the sight of them standing in silence, humming Amazing Grace. They kept singing and kept their eyes closed. They weren't about to leave without saying their goodbye's to those who had died. As they continued humming Amazing Grace, Ariel looked up, opened her eyes and walked forward, slowly, and set her candle in front of her sign, saying goodbye to her brother, Michael, who had died from AIDS, along side his partner, Joey. Ariel knelt down and placed her hand on the picture of Micheal, as she felt tears running down her face. She wiped them from her eyes, as she kissed his picture. She stood back up slowly. Isabella walked forward, and put her candle in front of the poster of her sister, Mimi, who had worked in the hospital, and died after blood from a sick patient with AIDS had infected a cut of hers, and gotten her sick. She died from AIDS. Isabella kissed the photo of Mimi and put her hand on the photo, crying. She stood up slowly. Fred walked forward, placing a candle in front of a photo of his nephew, Chris, who became ill after he was raped for being gay, and died in hospital from AIDS. He was only 14 years old. Fred could feel tears in his eyes, but he took a deep breath and stood back up. Dean placed a candle down in front of his sign of his uncle, Rick, who had died from AIDS and was not allowed into any hospital because he was gay. He died at the age of 51. Dean sat in front of the photo of his uncle, and slowly stood back up. Ziggy and Paige set their candles in front of the sign of their two best friends, Dora and Maria, who both died from AIDS after they were raped for being lesbians. They died together in their home, hand in hand. Ziggy and Paige sat, tears flowing down like rain. They stood back up. Banda set a candle in front of her sign of her cousin, Martin, who passed from AIDS with his partner, Jake, while in hospital. She sighed and then stood back up, her tears falling. Mina set her candle in front of the photo of her sister, Amari, who died from AIDS with her partner, Crysti, while in hospital. Mina stood back up. Everyone soon stepped forward and placed candles in front of or next to their signs. They stood hand in hand, thinking of their dear loved ones. The police didn't know what to do. They chose to leave. They stood, saying goodbye.