If We Were Perfect (herophine)

Chapter Five: Anything Without You

Some content in this chapter isn't suitable for young readers. Ben's death with be explained with a little bit of nausea-inducing details.

Readers discretion is advised.

Hero

4 YEARS PRIOR

The radio in Ben's car was turned up high and the windows were rolled down. The hot, early summer breeze filled the car. I turned to look my older brother in the eyes. His eyes weren't like mine and Hadley's, they were more brown, like a hazel color. His blonde hair was messy a top his head and it was close to the point of being in his eyes.

"Bro, did you have fun today?" He ask playfully, then punches my shoulder. I nod and laugh.

"That's good, I like hanging out with my little bro. You don't squirm and shit when I pull out a worm." He laughs. He took me to a small lake to go fishing, and frankly, I didn't like fishing whatsoever, but I chose what to last time. Truth be told, I didn't physically squirm, but on the inside, I was having an aneurysm.

Worms were disgusting, especially the ones used for fishing, long, slimy and covered in dirt. They made my stomach do flips.

"Hero, can you get my bag out of the backseat, we're almost to the gas-station and I need my card?" He ask, I nod and unbuckle my seat belt, reaching into the backseat. One minute, I'm reaching into the back seat, the next minute I'm being pushed into the back seat and told to cover my head.

Hastily, I jump into the middle seat and buckle, watching as my brother's car collides with another car.

The other car swerves into a ditch and hits a tree, but Ben's car flips.

I started screaming the moment I realized what had happened. Ben was upside down, thick, red blood pooling on the ceiling of the car. I unbuckle and grab the seat, stoping myself from falling head first into a pile of glass. The windows were shattered. I crawl between the smashed ceiling and the center counsel. A large piece of glass was in the side of his throat, and smaller pieces mitered his skin, small spots of blood appearing.

My heart shatters and my head begins to hurt. Jesus Christ. I slide back into the back seat and cover my mouth, but bile rises up the back of my throat and into my mouth. I throw up, my vomit soaks the front of my red shirt.

My vision goes blurry as I sit down, small pieces of glass push through my jeans, but too much was happening for me to care. Tears felt like the only thing I could see. Sirens wail in the distance, but I can't move.

My hand reaches down to my leg, and my fingers slowly meet a cool, yet sharply defined object. It was plunged into my tender, pale skin.

I clench my teeth to make the pain go away, but it won't budge.

***

When I open my eyes, I'm in a bright room, the walls are white. The ceiling is white. Everything is white. I see Hadley sitting a few feet away. I don't remember much of what happened. Only that Ben and I were coming home from fishing, and the car crashed.

Car. Crashed. Hospital.

Oh god.

"Mom, where's Ben?" I ask, my voice comes out raspy and it hurts my throat to speak.

Everyone looks to me, but instead of responding, Dad leaves the room, then come back a few seconds later with three doctors. Two men and one woman.

Everything happened so fast, it was like time was blurred. They did a few test, then left.

I repeat my question from earlier, hoping one of them will answer. Mom looks to Dad and he covers his mouth to choke back sobs. Mom's eyes were pink and puffy as if she had spent hours crying. Hadley falls to the floor and starts sobbing. It told me exactly where Ben was without them even using words. Ben was dead.

I watched my older brother die.