To The Grave

Chapter 36. Marty. Day 168.

I sat up, struggling to breath, water pouring from mouth. I choked, moving my hands to my face, trying to push my hair out of my face. I looked around, gasping for air. A faint knocking noise echoed through my clogged ears. I dropped the large blade onto the bathroom floor. I pulled myself out, still struggling for air as my wet clothes stuck against my skin. A large bottle fell to the ground, shattering. I pulled myself off the floor, looking into the bathroom mirror.

My eyes were sunken in, my cheeks thin and tight against my bones. My hair was a lighter shade of reddish brown and grown in. I had a thin scar across my nose. I turned around quickly as the door burst open, Ferris and Winona staring at me. Ferris shook his head, his mouth opening as if he was going to say something but changed his mind half way.

He turned around going back to his room. I stumbled out of the bathroom, taking a final gasp for air.

I sat up, choking for air. I looked around the dark room, noticing the thick smoke through the crack in the curtains. "Randall?" I forced the word out of my dry mouth. I moved over to the window, pushing it open. I pushed my hands into him, forcing him awake. He sat up, choking.

"Martin, did you open the window?" Ferris sat up looking around. I listened as a loud siren began going off. I jumped, running for the door. I swung it open, running to Winona's room. She rushed out her notebook in her hand, grabbing my arm and dragging me to the stairs.

I yanked her back before she pulled the door open, seeing the flames through the small window. I turned back to the remaining of my family, hearing voices screaming. I watched someone pull the door open running into the flames, only to be a scream, slowly dying out. I watched Winona push a window open, leaning her head out and gasping. She slowly crawled out, climbing onto the roof of the lobby. I crawled out, following her.

A voice snapped out from behind me. "You can't jump it, Winona. It's 20 feet. You'll be hurt at least."

I turned looking at Kennon. I felt my jaw open. She looked over the ledge, jumping down. I ran over to her, seeing her moving her foot on the top of a semi trailer. I ran back to the window helping people out, showing them where to go. I ran back to the ledge, jumping down to the semi trailer. People were scrambling to find their way down. Screams echoed in the smokey air. I found my sister and brother standing with their backs together, a gun in pointing away from each of them. I waved my hands, finding Randall running through the crowd. He moved towards us, holding a large knife in his arm.

A loud crash erupted from the building, screams echoing. The loud fire alarm stopped. Silence fell over everyone as the smoke poured from the roof we once stood on, collapsed in on itself. A window opened, a body falling from the second floor. I turned looking away before it hit the ground. I looked around the small crowd of crying people, trying to identify anyone important.

"Where's mom?" Winona asked quietly among the noise.

I moved to the top of the semi, looking at the three bodies struggling for air on top. Kennon rolled over, coughing into his elbow. My mom looked up at me, shaking her head.

I climbed back down, refinding my family and walking slowly to the parking lot. Winona wrapped her thin arms around me, pushing out words.

"Do you still want to kill yourself?" I looked down at her, her eyes filled with tears.

I choked, vomit pouring up my throat. I felt my body being pushed to the side, hands clasped around my arms. I looked up at the unfamiliar people. "No, you have to keep your head to the side. What did you take?"

I fought against them, looking at the blood on me and the carpet. My eyes caught Winona's. She sat on the bathroom floor, staring at me in pure horror. My body was being lifted onto a stretcher, everything beginning to fade.