Silent Pain

Allen's Gone

If alcohol is so dangerous, why do people drink so much of it? Are people these days that dumb? Drunk driving took away my brother. He was found unconscious in his car leaning on the steering wheel, his forehead was covered in blood. The doctors did everything they could to save his life, but he couldn't be helped. Allen's injuries were too severe and he lost a lot of blood. The last time we hugged was when he was leaving to go back to college to prepare for his classes starting in one week. I feel my cheeks, they're so wet it's like I just climbed out of the swimming pool. Allen would have tried to cheer me up like he always did when I cried, but he's not here to do that this time because some idiot got drunk and got him killed. Some of the staff and students from Stanford University are here at Allen's funeral and I heard there's a memorial being held on campus this weekend. My parents are going to bring pictures of Allen for the memorial and candles are being donated to the school. I keep hearing, "I'm sorry for your loss" but it doesn't take away the pain and Allen is still gone.

Now I'm starting eleventh grade at Lemoore High School on Monday. Allen told me everything I need to know about juniors at our school since he graduated in 2017. Even though the funeral ended forty-five minutes ago, I'm still sitting here at Allen's grave. When my watch beeped, it was almost 5:00. I kissed my hand and touched the tomb stone before heading back to my car. I slipped behind the wheel of my toyota camry and drove to my house. The sky was clear and the sun began to slip below the horizon. As kids, Allen and I would sit by the pool behind our house and watch the sky go dark. I wanted to do that tonight because I wanted to see if Allen was watching me from heaven, but I didn't want my neighbors to see me alone and come to me about it either, so I made up my mind to do it from my room. I ate the leftovers my mom had put in the fridge and went to my room. I opened the curtains and began to count the number of stars appearing in the sky. I began to cry, so I said my prayers and cried myself to sleep.