Second Chances for Tyler Landry

I Love You

Tyler Landry picked up Mackenzie's head in his hand, his hand almost bigger than her head.

"Oh shit Mack." his voice cracked, tears were coming up fast.

Mack's eyes were hooded with grief, but then, in the worst moment of her life, had a light sparkle in them. Like they use to.

"Hey." she said, her voice rusty with crying.

He could still hear the sobs from the dream, or whatever the hell that vision was that brought him here.

"Mack, don't do this." he said, tears saturating his cheeks.

He couldn't be too late, not this time.

Mack's eyes refilled with tears, "It's already done, Tyler Sky."

"No," he said, denial in his voice "You can't die."

"How did you know?" she asked, confused.

He had to act quick, he gently sat her head on her carpeted floor, and got the phone on her dresser.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"My friend has overdosed." Tyler choked on the word.

Overdosed.

"Okay, what is your address."

Tyler spat out Mackenzie's address through the lump in his throat, he looked down at her. He could see her eyes losing their glow.

"We'll be there as soon as possible."

Tyler slammed the phone back on the receiver. He came back over and sat on the floor, bringing Mackenzie's small, willowy frame into his lap.

"Oh God, Mack." he begged.

"Hey, I'm still here." she weezed.

"You're gonna be fine." he promised.

The ambulance was going to be there soon. Mackenzie would be fine. She would live.

"But, I don't want to be." she said, honesty too clear in her voice.

"Please don't leave me." Tyler pleaded, holding her head to his chest.

Her breathing was becoming weaker.

"So, this is what being high feels like," she mused "This sucks. I feel like shit. I'm really lightheaded, fuck."

Tyler looked deep into her eyes. The was an underlying pain that he ignored, a pain that he had caused.

"I'm so sorry Mack," he sobbed "For everything."

Mackenzie said nothing, she was fighting it. the darkness that would soon take her over.

She knew that she wasn't ready to die.

"I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for ignoring you. I'm sorry for who I am, for who I was. You were too important and I'm sorry I never realized that I was destroying you from the inside out. I'm sorry for not giving you what you needed, I'm sorry for the whores and sluts, I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I'm sorry for not making you see that you were the only person I really cared about, I'm sorry for making you not want to be here anymore. I'm sorry for everything that I am. I'm sorry for not having the balls to change for the only person who ever mattered. You have no idea how much I care about you and love you. I mean really love you, because you are the only person I can't imagine my life without. Without you there would be no me, seeing you like this makes me wonder if I'm going to hell. Don't leave Mack, don't leave me here alone. I need you. I need all of you, everyday, forever." Tyler exclaimed, all of this pouring out like blood from his heart.

Mackenzie looked at him, the light growing brighter and brighter in her eyes, "Would you have said all of that to me if I wasn't dying?" she asked with a hint of of smile.

Tyler chuckled and wiped away the rolling tears, "I don't know. But, I'm not missing my chance."

As he said this, paramedics came through the door in a hustle, carrying Mackenzie's limp body onto a strecher and carrying her down her steep staircase.

Tyler stood up in her room and watched them, just standing there watching her being carried away, thinking about how much things were going to change.

How much he would change.

He stared all around the room, taking in the memories that the room held and how much was imbeded in the airy brown walls.

Tears still tumbled down his now sullen, straight face.

"Thank you," he whispered out loud "For saving both of us."

With that, he walked out the narrow doorway and into his car.

His destination? The hospital, because wherever she was, that's where he belonged.