Disturbing the Peace

Chapter 20

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~cmfsif

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I pull myself together, taking a large breath through my nose, making an unattractive noise with my mucus. "Leo," I say, not quite as steadily as I had hoped. "Leo, listen to me. I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm going to say this anyways. Everything here is up to you. Pull out all your fight. The nurses say that your strength is the only thing that can pull you out of this collapsed state that you've fallen into. You are one of the strongest people I know. I know that. You know that. It's time to prove that to everybody. Leo, do not give up! I told you before, and I'll tell you again. You cannot give up! Dear god, Leo. You can't. You can't. You can't. I'd never be the same without you. Already, look at me. I haven't said, 'man,' 'peace,' or 'yo,' once since you've been like this. You can't give up on me!" I scream the last line way too loud, my voice cracking. "I won't let you! In fact, I'm staying right here, until you wake up."

I seal the deal by folding my arms and sitting criss-cross-applesauce like a stubborn two year-old. The first half an hour goes by with me whispering encouraging words. The next half hour goes by with me watching the nurses put IV fluids into him and then stand around waiting to refill. The half hour after that consists of me rubbing his shoulder in a calming manner.

I lie there next to my friend. One of my best friends. I can only think about one thing: I broke him. I broke Leo. The strongest person I know. I broke him.

This repeats through my head. I want to believe I'm just being tough on myself, but I know it's true. The first time he's ever wanted to give up was when he was in the hospital. I know that my group would tear apart without him. He's the one that reminds us why we're in the mess we've made of our lives in the first place. There'd be no mediator without him. It would be like having a war without Switzerland. You need somewhere neutral.

"Leonardo Silver, I need you," I whisper this over and over again, while sitting on the ground and running my fingers in circles on his hand.

I keep whispering the mantra, until eventually, I fall asleep. And somehow, as I drift into my state of peace and slumber, I know that Leo has given up. I've seen where Leo's strength has gotten him before, and if he really wanted to live, he'd be up and active right now. But he's not, which proves my previous statement. I broke Leo.

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"I can't believe this happened," a gruff voice whispers. "He had so much to live for."

I open my eyes slowly, staring at the crowd around me. "What's going on?" I say. Nobody answered, their eyes are all concentrated on the scene in front of them. I jump to see over the people. "Excuse me!" I yell. "I need to get through."

"It's such a shame...for the both of them," Rain mutters.

"The both of who?" I ask. "Will somebody answer me?"

I look around, my heart pounding. What is happening?

"Somebody talk to me! Tell me it's okay!" I scream, desperately. My voice gets scratchier.

I go to tap Rain on the shoulder. My hand flies right through.

"Guys!?" I yell through the crisp autumn air. "Guys!" I continue screaming, running around the crowd. I move towards the people, trying to bang my fists on their backs. Finally, I run forward to get through the crowd, and my body dissolves into everybody's, giving me a weird tingling sensation in my stomach. "What's happening!?" I yell when I get through, though I've discovered nobody can hear me. I look around at the clearing in the middle of the crowd. At first, it just seems like a gorgeous piece of land covered in luscious grass and little white flowers, but when my eyes land on the center of the circle; I nearly faint.

"I-is that me?" I ask. "What kind of a sick joke is this?" I scream.

I drop to my knees and look down at the two figures in adjacent coffins.

I open my mouth, but only the beginnings of letters form in my throat. I walk on my knees to get a better look at myself and Leo. The coffin closest to me contains my own corpse. I put my fingers on the edges of it, faintly hearing the sounds of people making speeches about how they knew us. I grab my pale and clammy hand, trying to hold it between mine, but I can't touch anything. I close my eyes.

"I don't know who Leo is but Willow was amazing no matter what my mom thinks," a soft voice projects to the crowd.

"Maple!" My eyes shoot open. "Maple, is that you?" I turn over to the podium to see a short little girl. I run over with my arms wide. "Maple, I'm right here! Maple!" I scream. I run up behind her, ready to embrace her little body. I'm a step away....but then I jump right through her. I do a 180 so that I'm looking at her again. I stare right into her eyes, tears flowing out of mine."Maple?" I whisper through my nearly closed lips. "No! No! This can't be happening!" I scream. "MAPLE!!"

She can't hear me. I scream as loud as I possibly can, something I've never tried before. My hair begins to stand on end. My shriek echoes through the large plain. Winds begin to rise, swirling around me, but I just keep screaming, not even feeling out of breath. The winds circle faster; people begin huddling together.

"What's going on?" someone asks. Everyone begin mumbling stuff about safe ways to evacuate.

I'm never going to talk to Maple again. My anger dissolves into fear and sorrow. I collapse onto the ground and begin sobbing. The winds are now joined by rainclouds that suddenly cast a shadow on the area. Rain pours down from the sky, wetting everything in sight. It whips around with the giant windstorm. Everybody runs away screaming. Everybody except Maple. I walk over, still crying, to see why she's by my coffin.

As I near her, I hear the whispers coming from her little mouth. "Y-you can't be dead. You can't. Please, Willow, I know this isn't real. If there's any chance, please fight for it. I'll be there for you. I promise."

This makes my tears stronger, which makes the wind whip faster and the rain pour harder. A crack of thunder sounds. "How am I supposed to do it?" I cry, but she can't hear me. "Maple!" I reach my arms out. "Tell me how." My arms grasp for her, but each time, they go through, breaking my heart even more. I just want to hold her one last time.

But I can't.

"Willow, just fight for it!" she screams as the wind whips her face. The rain turns to bits of hail and they scratch at her face.

I'm hurting her! I calm myself down and the wind and hail slow themselves, until eventually disappearing completely. "Maple, how do I do it?" I ask, my voice cracking.

She sighs, bowing her head low. "I-" she sniffles, "I just want you to know that, if you come back, I'll be right here for you." With those words, she wraps her little hand around my lifeless one. I feel the surge of her energy through me and jump back into my body, feeling the power to revive myself.

My eyes open to reveal Maple.

Then my eyes open again to reveal the white hospital room.