Killy's Shorts

Venomous

The sound of quiet drops of dew dripping off of the flowers filled the air. The sun was barely peaking over the horizon now, making the woods seem a lot darker than they truly were. The only other sound in the woods being the fluttering of the wings that followed the boy. With his hood over his head and his gaze locked onto the ground, a frown was planted on his face. He winced with every step he took, limping as he tried to fight through the pain he was feeling. A blood red flower was held in his hands, made of many small petals that would break off and drift down onto the ground.

The trail of small red petals appeared to follow after the boy even as he weaved through the underbrush. A hush fell over the woods, making the boy freeze and turn around, searching for the reason of the silence. There was no one behind him, but the strange feeling of being watched stuck with the boy. The silence and the gaze locked on his head made him shiver. The birds stopped singing, the leaves stopped rustling, the pawsteps of the animals went still.

He took in a shallow breath before continuing, picking up his pace as he tried to shake off the strange feeling. The loud cawing of a nearby crow almost made him drop the blood red flower, causing many of its petals to slip and slowly drift to the ground. He looked down at the pile of petals, shivering at the strange color of the flower.

The pile of petals almost looked like blood splattered over the ground. After a few minutes of letting his thoughts race, he finally continued. The flower clutched tightly against his chest as he tried to compose himself. He couldn't seem to calm himself down. He stopped by a tree, leaning against it in as he took a few deep breathes. He knew the symptoms. Rushing heartbeat, heavy breathing, unsteady footsteps, dizziness. Those were only the basics of what he was feeling. He shook his head and closed his eyes, ignoring the slight stinging in his chest as he walked on. Pushing through the heavy underbrush and dense forestry until a whimper slipped past his lips. A sharp pain flashed through his wrist, making him stop suddenly with a hiss. He lifted up his arm to reveal a deep red snake bite on his wrist. He always had a high pain tolerance, but he never expected himself to barely feel such a thing like a snake bite. He always thought they would be much more painful.

The boy looked down to see a dark brown snake disappearing into the underbrush. A water moccasin. He took in a sharp intake of breath as he looked down at the bite on his wrist. It shouldn't be long now. Water moccasins were highly poisonous and could kill humans in only minutes. With that thought he continued. He could still see her one last time before he was gone. But he had to hurry.

He bit his lip as he began to run, ignoring the stinging of the bite on his wrist as he ran. He needed to see her. He needed her. Wind rushed past his ears as he ran, making a buzzing sound begin to ring in his head. Just around the broken willow tree.. His thoughts began to race and he ran in the direction of the old, cracked boulder that once broke his mother.

He crash through the underbrush, collapsing by a large boulder with a name carved into the side. He reached his shaking hand up, brushing his fingertips against the name carved and engraved on the moss covered boulder with a small smile on his face.

'Fallon Pierceson 1987-2009'

Nothing else. Just a dull ache in his chest along with the pain of the wounds his father had given him. His body began to convulse, the venom of the snake bite finally showing it side effects against him. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as his body shook, his nails digging into the ground as he tried to fight the venom. It wouldn't work and he knew it. But he wanted to hope.

He wanted to stay. No matter how many times he prayed for death, he didn't really want it. He wanted to stay. She would be disappointed in him if he left so soon.

Another bad convulse ran through his entire body as he began to go numb.

She wouldn't forgive him.

Yet another convulse.

She wouldn't love him anymore if he did.

He could no longer feel his legs now.

She would leave him.

His heartbeat began to slow as his body stilled.

She wouldn't save him.

That's all it took. His body was now completely still. His chest no longer rising and falling with his breath. His heart not pumping his blood anymore.

And she never left his side.

Even as her flower broke apart on the ground.

--A few hours after The Boy's death.

His father sat with his hands pressed against his temples. He'd received the call just minutes before. His hands still stained with his son's blood when he picked up the phone.

His only son. Dead

They hadn't been on the best terms for the past few years since his wife had died, but he still cared for his son deep down in his stone cold heart.

The phone rang once again. "Hello..?" He whispered into the phone after he had picked it up.

"I told you to stop hurting him," He voice on the other line said, his voice cracking a bit as he spoke.

The father took in a shaky breath, "It's not my fault,"

There was a snicker before the voice returned, "Yes it was," The other male spat.

"It's not! He didn't have to go out there!" The father screamed, tears threatening to spill from his eyes as he gripped the arm of his chair.

A quiet rustling came from the other line before the other male spoke again, his voice much softer this time. "You hurt him and you know when he's hurt he goes to see her," After that was said, the line went dead.