The Rebel

Chapter Six -Unedited

He stopped and I ran faster, pushing myself more than I ever have before. He howled, his howl was full of heartbreak and grief. What was he grieving? I ran for days until my heat let up. When it was finally gone I started running back.

I ran to my house pulling clothes from one of the many nike backpacks I had hidden within the 12 mile radius of my house. I walked in seeing my family sitting around the couch.

‘what’s going on?” I asked.

“Dad is in the hospital” Damien told me.

“What happened?” I asked, sitting down pulling Kamari in my lap, Cameron laid his head on my shoulder.

“Dad ran into Jarred Wilder” Derrick told me, my breath caught in my throat Noah’s dad?

“And?” I urged.

“He killed him” Damien said shortly.

“Why?” I asked.

“he killed mom” Cameron said his voice cracking.

“I thought Noah ki-“

“Nope, they said  they don’t know if he’s going to live or not” Derrick told me.

“I’m going to the hospital you guys stay here” I said standing up.

“Dakota that’s not a good idea” Derrick told me.

“Why not?”  I asked taking the Jericho 941 from under the coffee table and putting it in the lignin of my jeans, my letterman covering it.

“Noah’s family is going to be there” He told me.

“So?” I said.

‘wait take me with you” Cameron said standing up.

“Cam that’s not-“

“I want to see him if he… goes” he told me, I couldn’t tell him no. he was just a boy wanting to his father in case he wasn’t coming home, I found myself trying to swallow the lump in my throat while nodding.

I got in my car, Cam in the passenger side. We drove in silence, until we got there. The lady at the front desk told me he was in ICU on the 6th floor. I hurriedly got up there and found his room number. I took a deep breath as a deep chilling feeling settled over me.

I opened the door slowly seeing my dad in the traditional ugly hospital clothes hooked up to too many wires and tubes to count. He was sleeping the beeping of his heart monitor wasn’t steady it was erratic.

I sat down in the chair letting Cameron take Dad’s hand. Every time his heart skipped a beat, my stomach twisted in knots and I cringed hoping it would pick back up.

I watched for a little while, I needed to find a doctor. I got up “Stay here” I told Cameron and kissed his forehead, I walked into the sterile hallway, and started wandering around looking for a nurse or doctor of any kind.

I saw one and basically threw myself at him. “hey doc” I said, he stopped and blinked his eyes widening.

“the guy in 641-“

“I’m sorry I’m busy and I don’t have time for-“ he stopped as I grabbed his shirt slamming him into the wall.

“Do you have time now?” I growled, and he nodded his head eagerly.

“The guy in 641, is he going to live?” I questioned.

“I don’t- I don’t know I’d h-have to look at my paperwork” he stuttered out I let him go.

“Have at it then” I said following him to the desk while he asked the nurse for the paperwork. Then I heard Cameron scream and I practically bolted for the opened door. Nurses we’re all around and my dad’s heart monitor thing was making loud beeps along with a bunch of other stuff and Cameron was still screaming tears streaming down his face.

“Cameron!” I said grabbing his arm dragging him out of the room, he struggled the whole way.

“Cameron” I said holding him in place as he tried to get free, I grabbed his shoulder shoving him into the wall holding him in place as he screamed was just sobbing. I bent down

“Cameron stop struggling there’s nothing you can do” I told him lowly trying to make my voice sound strong and brave but it didn’t work because I was trembling. He wouldn’t stop screaming and I didn’t know what to do. He eventually stopped when his voice went hoarse and flung himself in my arms his body shaking as he cried, I sat against the wall letting him cry it out his body between my legs and his face on my chest.  I just ran my fingers through his hair telling him everything was going to be okay. I said it so much I almost thought it was true. I stared at the ground just telling him things and asking him questions even though he never answered and just kept crying.

A nurse came and stopped right in front of me, I looked up at her seeing her heartbroken face and felt my throat tighten.

I will not cry.

“Can I speak to you privately?” she asked.

“Uh…” my voice sounded weak, I cleared my throat

“Cameron” I started softly and he clutched tighter to me.

“Is he…” I trailed off and she nodded.

“Thank you” I said.

“Is he dead?” Cameron asked his voice hoarse. I opened my mouth to reply but no sound would come out. He pulled away his eyes were red and swollen. He searched my eyes and I nodded, tears welled up in his eyes.

I will not cry.

I could feel my nose burning and I knew next the tears would come. I didn’t want to leave him, but I didn’t want him to see me cry.

“I’m going to see the nurse” I lied getting up, the second I rounded the corner out of his sight, I curled my fist and hit the wall. And then put my hands on it and bent my head taking a deep breath.

I’m not going to cry.

I turned around resting my weight against it shoving my fingers through my hair. I sat down taking a deep breath to keep the tears at bay. I got up gathered my courage and walked back and sat back down next to Cameron and told my brothers what happened. Cameron laid back between my legs letting his silent tears soak my shirt.

“Dakota” he said quietly.

“yeah” I answered.

“What are we going to do? Now that mom and dad are gone?” he asked me.

“We’re going to be fine” I assured him.

“Promise?” he asked me, I opened my mouth to promise but I couldn’t. Because I didn’t know.

I didn’t know what we were going to do. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I didn’t know anything anymore.