I woke up with a numb feeling in my chest. My best friends were dead. I’d spent a decade with them, and now all I had were the memories. Fresh tears streamed down my face as I remembered my friends’ blank lifeless faces. I buried my face in my pillow.
A soft knock echoed from the door. Joey’s sweet tenor filled my ears. “Olivia, can I come in?”
“Sure,” I mumbled.
He opened the door, closed it, then sat at the foot of my bed. “They’re in a better place now. Away from all the evil in the world. They wouldn’t want you to remember them like this. Learn from them. Give yourself time to grieve, but don’t shut out the world. Continue to live your life. Honor their memory.” I silently nodded. Then I just cried harder. He pulled me into him as he rocked back and forth. “It’s okay, Olivia. It’s okay.”
After I had cried enough to the point where I could breathe again, Joey got up and went to sit in Zach’s bay window. He appeared to be intently focused on something very far away.
“Olivia, do you ever wonder what happens after you die?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like what you leave behind? And who?”
“Sometimes. Why?”
“Because I always wonder if anyone will miss me when I die. It just seems like no one would care.”
“Joey, of course we’d care. You’ve made a huge impact on your friends. Never forget that. And if you ever want to talk, you can come talk to anyone one of your friends. Especially me. Since I guess I kind of did die.”
Joey looked at me as I spoke. I could tell he was debating on whether or not he could tell me something. I decided not to press him. If he wanted to tell me, he would.
“Olivia, I think I’m depressed.” I stared at him in shock. Out of all our friends, he was the last person I ever thought I’d hear those words from. Happy, religious Joey. Carefree; always looking on the bright side.
“What makes you think that, Joey?” I said, voice barely above a whisper.
“I never want to do anything anymore. I’m constantly stuck in my own mind. And I incessantly think about a world I’m not present in.”
“I’m not entirely sure that’s depression. I think you may just not be giving yourself a lot of time to think. You know, like get away from the hustle of life.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Joey said, though he sounded unconvinced. “Olivia, I loved Lily.”
“You kept it a secret.” There was no surprise in my voice. I guess part of me had expected it.
“From everyone. I just can’t believe she’s really gone.” His voice cracked.
“Hey, everything is gonna be okay. You’ll see her again.”
“Thanks, Olivia.” I walked over to him and wrapped him in a hug.
“Come on, let’s go see if we can bribe Zach to make us food. I have a craving for his chips and salsa.” Just then, Zach walked in.
“Well, speak of the devil and he shall appear,” Joey teased.
“What was that?” Zach asked, only half threateningly.
“Nothing, man.”
“That’s what I thought. I was just wondering if I could talk to Olivia alone, if that’s alright, Joey?”
“Hello. I’m right here,” I protested.
“Yeah, sure, Zach.”
“Still right here, guys.”
“Great. See ya later, bro.” Joey walked out of the room.
“You don’t have to talk about me like I can’t make any decisions for myself, ya know,” I spat.
“If you insist on acting like a child, I will treat you like one. I can’t believe you snuck out.”
“I already feel bad enough that I led Elizabeth and Lily to their deaths. I don’t need you to remind me it’s all my fault.”
“Don’t you get it, Olivia? I just want you safe. Do you know how scared I was when Austin told me you were gone? My heart dropped. All I could picture was you barely breathing on the ground next to your actual grave. And then we got here and Black had already killed your best friends. I thought for sure my worst nightmare would become reality. I just…don’t know what I’d do without you.” Zach’s tough armor broke. He spent years building up walls around himself to keep people out and himself in. And he was crumbling before me.
Without a word, I approached him the way you would approach a blind skittish horse. He allowed me to hug him, and as I got closer, I saw his eyes brighten with the threat of tears.
“Zach, I’m sorry. I just don’t want you in danger anymore. And I need to figure out why Black wants me. Maybe if I figure that out and give him what he wants, he’ll leave us alone.”
“Olivia. It doesn’t matter what he wants you for. He’s going to kill you anyway. And I will not let you hand yourself over to him. It’s practically suicide.”
I sighed. There was no point in having this conversation now. Maybe after we’d all had some time to rest. But I couldn’t stop thinking about what Joey had said. Before I had a chance to stop them, the words tumbled out of my mouth.
“What was it like when I died?”
Zach pulled away to look at me. “What?”
“When I died. Like, did anyone care?”
A hurt expression came over his eyes. He reached out to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “Olivia, I don’t think it affected anyone more than it affected me. I cried. From the second I found out till the moment you walked in my window. It was like my heart broke into a million pieces. I shut everyone out. I wouldn’t eat and couldn’t sleep. I-”
“Stop. Stop. I’m so sorry, Zach. I never meant to cause you so much pain. Forget I mentioned anything.”
“Olivia, it’s okay. I’m just showing you how much I care. I don’t blame you. It’s not your fault. I love you. And that’s nothing to apologize for.” He smiled reassuringly. “Just promise me you’ll always be honest with me.”
I looked up at him. “I promise.”
“Good, now let’s go downstairs. We need food. I have an urge to make some chips and salsa. And maybe some jambalaya. And we should probably check on Joey and Austin while we’re at it.” I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder.
YOU ARE READING
Organized Chaos
AdventureOlivia is an average teenage girl. She goes to school, hangs out with friends, and knows how to have fun. But when she blacks out one night, she suddenly finds herself in a coffin. She goes on a journey to find her savior and discovers many more peo...
