The Wind Doesn't Talk Back

Fault

Avery watched the world silently through the doorway of his room. The hospital was its own little world. A girl walked passed his door. Originally, Avery didn't think much of the event. He'd seen all sorts of people. But the girl took a step backward. She tilted her head at the sight of Avery. Avery took a second to recognize her.

"What happened to you," Emory asked.

"Sleep deprivation and a car accident."

"Nice," Emory said sarcastically, "How's your sister?"

"My dad says she's alright. What about your brother," Avery asked.

"The doctors say he's doing better, whatever that means. Since you're... here, how're you," Emory questioned.

"I'm amazing."

"Find me when they let you out of here," Emory requested.

"Just meet me on the roof tomorrow. That's when they're letting me out," Avery suggested.

"Deal."

Avery had been 'out' of the hospital for only a few hours when he found himself waiting on the roof. Emory joined him up there not too long after he got up there. They sat down, leaning on the railing that bordered the roof.

"Avery... You seem... Different. Wanna talk," Emory asked.

"Only if you promise that it will stay one-hundred percent between you and me."

"Everything is between you and me. This roof. The fact that we even know each other."

"Okay," Avery said, "Ya know, Emory, when that car hit, I hoped I would die. I mean, only for a few seconds, I hoped for it. I... Everything had just gotten ten times worse. I sat there, awake, feeling nothing but the brokenness of my body for three minutes. I'm... I'm so tired of being the one that fucks everything up," Avery admitted.

"Avery... I don't think you 'fuck everything up,'. In fact, my life has... gotten better since I met you."

"You haven't known me that long," Avery said.

"That doesn't matter."

Then the roof was silent, except for the wind.

"Why do you think you screw everything up," Emory asked a few moments later.

"The accident and my sister getting sick and so many other things before that," Avery replied.

"How are the accident and your sister your fault?"

"I couldn't handle staying awake long enough to drive a few more blocks. And my sister, well, It should have been me. She shouldn't be down there right now. If anyone had to be, it should have been me. My mother never deserved it either," Avery spoke quietly.

Avery found himself asleep on a chair in his sister's room a few hours later. It had been a long time since he'd slept that long, but when he woke up, he was still incredibly tired. He still felt the effects of the car accident. His father came into the room.

"Avery, you really should go home," His father said.

"How?"

"Just come on. I'll come with you."

The two of them left in a car that was lent to Avery's father by a friend. Avery fell asleep in his own bed for the first time in a long time.