Pyromaniac

Chapter Nine

This sucks.

Having to stay in this small room, constant silence.
My Dad refuses to communicate with me.

He's been in the bathroom for half an hour.

"Dad!"

He takes a while before answering.
"Yes?"

I compose myself, thinking of what I'll say.
"I need to go back to the hospital to check on a friend."

I looked towards the brown motel door, plotting my escape in case he told me no.

I'm getting back out there, whether if it's with or without his permission.

"I'll take you."

The water from the bathroom sink stopped.

"No, it's fine. I could walk, the hospital isn't that far."

It was quiet once again.

"Fine."

And then the flow of the water returned.
I shot up and hurried out to the door.

"Be careful." He muttered before I left.

Once I got to the lobby, I called Carson.
Luckily, he answered right away.

"Hey, would you find a way to meet me at the motel down the street? It's not too far from your house."

There was a brief silence, before I heard the familiar voice of Carson Bridger.

"Yeah, I'll meet you there."

•===•
We arrived at the hospital, my heart racing, my stomach swelling with butterflies. Fido.
He was the only thing on my mind right now.

I went proudly up to the desk.
"Hi, I'm here to see Fido-" my mind stuck.
Why couldn't I remember his last name?

"Fido..." I repeated. But again, there was nothing.

She nodded slowly.
"Yes. Fido, sadly he passed away in his sleep at 3AM this morning."

It was like my whole world quaked. I couldn't feel my legs, which were the only things holding me up. I couldn't feel my hands, which gripped so tightly onto the hem of my worn out sweater. 

At that moment, I didn't know what speech was.
I couldn't form words. My heart raced, but yet I felt half dead.
"How?"
Muffled was Carson's voice behind me.

"Stroke."

My chest filled with disappointment and rage.
I told him to hold on, just for another day.
He couldn't even do that for me.

I know it isn't his fault, but I wasn't there in his last moments. Who's to say he even tried?

"So sorry for your loss." She said , then went back to scribbling jumbled sentences into what seemed like a planner.

Without really thinking, I fell into the arms of Carson. As I always did in times of need.
I enjoyed the feeling of his hold on me.

Then came the tears.
Oh, the damn tears. I couldn't stop myself from feeling this way. This has been the worst month of my life.

I lost my mom, reconnected with a father I thought was dead—the same father who won't even look me in the eye now, I loved; and then I lost the one I loved.
It just wasn't fair.

"Carson, I can't lose you too."
I whispered.

His hold only seemed to get tighter, firmer.
More....determined.