I Am Piper [FINISHED]

Prologue

As harsh as it is to say, there had been so many funerals recently that I had been to that the thought of death didn't shock me as much anymore. It was still a heartbreaking, life changing experience, truly, depending on who died, but it seemed everyone was dying. My uncle in the military, my best friend Bri, and now it seemed my grandma was coming to her end as well. My mother had never been married, but had me at eighteen, where she died at birth, and my grandma raised me. My grandpa had died years before I was even born. And my father? No one knew where he went. He literally heard the news of my mother's pregnancy and suddenly went missing. I basically just guessed he was dead too.

Bri had gotten into a car accident about four months ago at this point in my life, and had been pronounced killed instantly, and my uncle's death was only three weeks ago. I was never incredibly close to him, but he was one of the kindest men I would ever meet and I had never had a father, so my whole life he had been a fun "father" figure to me. I was still torn about it, but after Bri's death it was like when you have an open wound that stings, and when you first touch it, it burns so bad and you feel you can't take it, but soon all the pain blends together into just simple, typical, well... pain.

My grandmother had been in the hospital for about a week now, as I basically lived in the hospital with her, bringing basic personal hygiene necessities. My grandmother had fallen and the doctors and I, and even my grandmother thought she was doing alright. She was 72, but I think I just assumed she'd be fine.

I woke up the next morning, slowly rolled out of my sleeping bag, and instantly stood up to walk over to my grandmother's bedside and tell her good morning and check up on her. Death is a very depressing, shocking thing, espcially when you weren't there to witness it. But when you do, it feels like someone has drained all the blood from your entire body, leaving you stiff, light-headed and cold as ice. It hurt so bad I couldn't even force a tear. I screamed and ran out of the room.

"Doctor! Doctor, she's dead! She's dead!"

My body soon responded to my emotions and the tears flowed out like a waterfall.

People stared at me, some judgmentally for my noise at such an early hour, and some of confusion and sadness.

Several doctors came running to me, rushing in the room. Forcing me to remain out of the room. I crouched against the wall in a ball, and began sobbing into my knees.

A man, who probably wasn't even more than twenty feet away from me, I noticed was staring at me. He had pity in his eyes, but a mysterious look too. Almost... disturbing.

"I'm sorry, darling," he said to me.

I looked up at this tall man with dark hair who looked to be in his early forties.

I didn't reply, but responded with eye contact, and a wipe to the eye. He continued uncomfortably staring at me.

I wanted to faint when he mumbled, "Another one, hmm?"

I stopped moving, and froze, my eyes meeting his.

"Excuse me?"

"Another one. This is the 3rd now right? Or... is it the fourth?"

I knew what he meant and I wished I had the guts to jump up and choke him. Who was he and how did he know this kind of information?

"Who are you? What are you talking about?"

He snickered, "I think we both know what I am talking about. I apologize dearly. I hope you make it into a good home now. Bye, Piper."

He knew who I was. Yet I had never seen& him before.