On the Run

Chapter 42

****Faith’s POV****

I watched as Riley blankly walked towards the old navy blue pick-up truck and drove off. Jake stood there frozen, and I knew I had to keep his hopes up.  I began to walk down the porch steps when Austin grabbed my wrist. I snapped my head towards him, and glared.

“What?” I spat.

He looked at me with such desire in his eyes, but honestly, I didn’t care. Not only did he kill my parents, and I could never forgive him for that, he caused Riley so much pain. He was obviously the one hurting her when Jason felt it. I had lost all my love for him. Now Jake needed my help, and I wasn’t going to let him take that away from me too.

“I don’t want you going over there. He isn’t in his right state of mind right now.” He nodded over to Jakes location.

I faked a smile,”Yeah? Well, neither were you thirty minutes ago.”

His face looked appalled when I yanked my wrist away from his hand, and continued to Jake. Jake was frozen, staring vacantly at the spot where the old truck once was. I really felt a lot of sympathy towards him. Not only did he loose his little brother, he’s just heard that he might just loose his sister. It’s true. Jake and Riley had a brother and sister relationship that I’ve grown to love. Jake always talked about her, how he used to mess with her, and joke around when Jason had cute couple moments with her.

Once I got over to him, I laid my hand on his shoulder.

“Jake-“ He cut me off.

“She said she had nothing to live for. Nothing to live for. Faith, she going to turn herself in. God, why didn’t I go after her? How could I be so stupid?” He ran his fingers through his hair.

I turned him towards me, and gently put my hands on his cheeks. He was looking directly in my eyes, and I could see the pain and frustration.

“Hey, don’t give up. If I know from past experiences there is always one speck of hope in someone. The official gift association office is pretty far from here. We will leave after we get this place….uh…cleaned up.” My voice slowly got quieter at the end.

I knew that Jake didn’t want to look at his brother’s dead body. I didn’t either. Every time I would look at him, and his lifeless pale body, the future of Jason and Riley would play through my head. What they could have had. Maybe even a couple children would come into the picture. They would laugh and play. Riley would be the best mother who would treat her children to be kind, but tough, and never give up in what they believed in.  Jason would joke around with his children, and if they would play hide and seek, he would be behind them waiting for them to open there eyes from counting. He would scare them, and pick them up, and tickle them till they have tears of joy running down their cheeks. They would gather for dinner, and talk about dolphins, dinosaurs, how their son tackled someone at school that day, or how their daughter picked flowers out of the field with her friends.

“Faith?” Jake snapped me out of my trance.

I didn’t even realize I had walked back in the house, and was now staring blankly at Jason’s body. I turned to Jake, and felt a tear run down my cheek. He came up, and wrapped his arms around me. I melted into the hug, contained myself, and pulled back. Jake raised an eyebrow, and I nodded. I needed to be strong. Jake shouldn’t be caring for me right now, I should be caring for him. He needs my sympathy, even though he would say he was tough, I knew he needed a little bit once in a while.

I turned my attention back to Jason. I looked around for any sheet, but there was nothing in sight. Then Austin came around the corner, and handed a white sheet to Jake. I looked at him worried, as he stared at the white sheet then back at Jason. He walked over to me, and slowly handed me it.

“I can’t do this Faith. I hate to make you do it. But I can’t.” His eyes were watery.

I went on my tippy toes, and kissed his cheek.

“I got it. Don’t worry about me. In fact, why don’t you guys go outside please?” I said to the both of them.

Austin looked at me like I was crazy.

“Don’t give me that shit right now Austin. Go.” I said firmly.

Jake kissed my forehead, and walked outside with Austin trailing behind him. I watched them walk out, and then my gaze met Jason. I took a deep breath, and made my way over to him. I knelt down, and wiped the hair out of his face. I slowly opened the white sheet, and started at his feet. As I got to his chest, I swear I could see it moving up and down, but I knew it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. I made it to his neck, and took one last look at him. You have no idea how much I would miss him worrying about Riley.

I was just about to drape the rest of the white sheet over his lifeless body, when his eyes shot open. But they weren’t there usual green, they glowed bright gold. It startled me, and I fell back on my butt. He took in a gasp of breath, and then his eyes slowly closed.

Amazed at what I saw, I immediately felt for a heartbeat, a pulse, a breath, anything. I put my ear on his chest, and that sound was like music to my ears.

A heartbeat.