Stephen and Sharpies ~ Watty Awards 2012

Part Two: Chapter Five

    “Stephen, here’s the letter. Sorry I couldn’t get it to you earlier.” Annie hands me the letter and I grab the flashlight and hide under the covers.

Stephen,

    Here’s another Sharpie. I wanted to tell you that I miss you. I don’t know if you’re writing back, but I hope you are. I haven’t much to say to you , but you’re extraordinary. I was talking to Abigail and she told me everything that you have done for her. I wish you knew what I really thought of you. I think you’re beautiful and I am dying to tell you something. To tell you over a letter would be insincere, I’ll tell you the day you’re out.

Alec

    “Shut the stupid light off Stephen!” Amber says in a hushed yell.

    “I will if you would tell me why you were crying.” I respond in the same tone.

    “How about you mind your own business?”

    “Amber, just tell me and I’ll leave you alone.”

    “GOSH! I miss my house and my family. I want my dog here with me and I want to be sane. Instead I am crazy and live in a nut house and probably will until I am dead.”

    “Why are you even in here?”

    “Why? Well I am depressed and have been since my grandma died and I killed my boyfriend and best friend in a car crash.”

    “Amber I am so-”

    “You’re so sorry yeah, yeah, yeah I get it you feel bad for me. I feel bad for the grandma who died because she got cancer. I feel bad for the two people I killed in a car crash because I was sober and I drove under the speed limit and everything. So yeah I am sorry for those poor souls. Me? I’m not sorry at all for me because it is all my fault. Every night I go to sleep crying because it is the only way I feel a tiny bit better. One day I’ll die and I am sure I’ll be crying when it happens, since that’s the only way I’m ever at peace.”

    “Amber I’m sorry, I’ll turn it off.” I flipped the flashlight off and then we were consumed by darkness. I pretended that I had fallen asleep.

    Amber sighs and whispers one last thing to me, “Thanks though.”

    I hear her fall asleep crying less than ever before. She finally falls asleep and the room goes silent. I pray to God and ask him for her to be released and for her to stop crying. I fall asleep with Amen and dream.

    Kyle standing on a chair swaying side to side. He looks down at the ground and sticks his head into the noose hanging. He trips and his neck is caught inside it. I can see the life draining out of him then suddenly it changes.

    Alec is standing in front of me in the hospital. I feel my mouth open and a scream erupting from my chest. I hear a nurse screaming at him to get out. In my head I can only hear me pleading for him to stay. Even though he scares me, he can fix me I know it.

    The picture changes and now Amber and I are in a car together. She is driving slowly and then the car rolls over onto its side. I feel my life disappearing and I can’t feel my body. I am dying, I know it.

    I scream as loud as my lungs and voice will let me. I can’t feel my chest. I am going to die I can feel it. I hear footsteps, I hear voices, I hear my scream. Yeah I’m dying. I wonder if anyone will care. I can see a light coming and I can feel everything disappearing into oblivion. I got nothing left. If I wait any longer the lights going to disappear. I reach for it and then-