Total Write Out! (Entry/Contest Book)

Entry Number Two

Author's Note: Hey! As you can see I've made it to the second round! Yay! Anyhow, for this round I was given two genres to work with. In my case: Mystery and motivational. It's been pretty rough, harder than the first on for sure. Maybe you'll enjoy it? Hope you do.

I did add A LOT of emotional touch in there, especially near the uh- okay everywhere. Also, this was SUCH a chalange. I've never personally written either subject I was assigned, but hey! First time for everything! 

I'd really like to make it to the next round/final but if I don't I'm still glad I made it this far.

Adios

~~

Aaron sighed nervously, staring into his journal as he scribbled quick and sloppy words. Rain pattered down on the early morning ground making the air seemingly more frigid than it already was. If he could speak- his voice would have trembled.  

Each gunshot made his body quiver. He rushed his way under his bed, hugging his knees in fear. Dialing the numbers to call Sherry, he criticized himself. How pathetic, he thought, a twenty seven year old man calling his best friend for advice while guns were shot outside of his apartment. He couldn’t even yell for help.

Sherry- whenever he needed help that’s all he did- he called Sherry. He dialed her number, waiting for her response.

The best part of calling Sherry, you see, was that he didn’t need to talk. Well, Aaron couldn’t talk to begin with but she could tell what he needed by the way he mumbled or tone of the odd sounds he managed to make. She was probably the only person who understood him.

And probably, his only friend.

When he stopped speaking, it seemed everyone in his life seemed to fade away. But she was a persistent mark. She wouldn’t fade, she stood by his side. He did a not actually lose his speech, he stopped speaking. For reasons he would rathar forget more than anything. But to him, and probably to everyone around him, it was just as much of a difference.

Perhaps he’d never spoken it wouldn’t have been as bad. But he did speak once, and it only made every vulnerable moment more painful to bear.

But it was no time to go deep in thought, the mute had plenty time for that. When he was, not talking.

Aaron waited anxiously for the reply, but after moments of waiting, “Hey! This is Sherry! I can’t reach my phone right now, but leave a message after the beep.”

Beep.

He hung up, not wanting to leave the bottom of his bed. Even after the gunshots stopped, he’d probably still be there. He’d probably stay there. He wanted that. He wanted to stay alone someplace dark and disappear. Into some different world, where there weren’t issues or tension. It was just him and his home. Maybe, Sherry. Everyone else could just evaporate like the dew on the morning grass.  He probably would’ve disappeared into that little world too, if the sudden bang hadn’t stopped him from proceeding.

Nervous gasps and jolts followed. He covered his ears, hoping every sound would blend into classical music. Closing his eyes, he hoped he could transport somewhere else.

Where was Sherry?

He felt it, the mire of a nervous breakdown. The fiery, tingling sensation which angered him, the frustrating confusion, hearing things, seeing things, not knowing where he- or how or-

Aaron stopped himself midway. There was a knock at the door. He stayed put where he was, holding his breath in hopes that it might save his life. And there she was- Sherry, standing there. It- it had to be her. He could only see half of her face; she leaned against the wall quickly, before sitting down.

He mumbled, but she didn’t seem to hear him. He continued as she stayed put. Was it even her? He pushed his way out of the bed, in hopes of seeing the face of his closest friend. 

However, to his misfortune, she was there. And it probably would’ve been preferable for her not to be.

He put his hand over his mouth, as she coughed blood from her mouth. He approached her, and in her hands she held a small box. Aaron sat next to her immediately, muffled sobs escaping his breath. She turned to see him, putting her hand on his cheek as she smiled.

Obviously a fake smile as she spoke, and most likely fake words, “I- I,” She was struggling with her words, “I brought you somethin’.”

Aaron was past caring about the fact that door was ajar so that he could be seen by anyone, he held her hand. She continued, “ ‘Ey. It’s fine. It’s probably my fault I got caught up in this mess in the first place.” Tears escaped the corners of hazel eyes, “I mean- I uh-” Her voice became thinner and fragile, “I might’ve made some shitty decisions these past weeks, Aaron.”

He ignored her, she never made bad decisions. She couldn’t have. Un-identifiable grumbles, anything he could stammer close to a word.

From her pocket she pulled out a a wallet, from which she pulled an un countable amount of money. Hundreds after hundereds which she gave to him, Aaron pushing them away as if silently pleading for information. 

He didn’t have any single clue to what was occurring or why. Was Sherry shot, what- what was all that about ‘shitty decisions’? Bang! Bang! These questions snuck their way into Aaron’s mind. Consuming what seemed to be an already confusing enough situation in an ocean of more confusion.

Oceans were literally colliding in his mind.

Having no idea what to do as he saw the last life being brought out from the blond girl’s eyes as his breath hitched unsteadily, he felt an odd sensation.

And he forced himself to do something he hadn’t done in long, long time.

He spoke.