Almost Perfect World

Make It Stop

Ethan had shot Drew in his chest. I could not believe what I was seeing, I was only saying to myself: "this is a dream, this is a dream", constantly. But it was not a dream, it was real; that was happening. Drew fell to the floor; I did not know if he was alive or dead. 

By the time Drew had fallen to the floor, I broke down and cried. I wanted to know if my friend was alive or not, I needed to know that. He must be alive, I needed him. All that could not be true, that could not be happening to us. 

Ethan was aiming me with the gun in that moment, so, if I appreciated my life, I should not move. But I did want to move, I needed to know if Drew was alive, I needed to do something! My knees were failing, I thought I was going to fall, and to pass out too. I did not know what to do. 

- If you appreciate your life, don't move! - Ethan was threatening me, but that was nothing new. 

- How can I do that? - I was so scared, and angry. Today, I do not even know how I could say everything I told him in that moment. But I think I said the right things - You have taken everything I had in my life away from me. Come, fucking destroy me! I swear if you kill me you won't change a fuck in my miserable life! You have killed my best friend James, and probably Drew too - I was crying while I was talking, which I did not know if was better or not -. You have ruined my life, there's not a thing you can do that can hurt me more. Break me down! I'm not scared to die, if that's what you think. Do you really know the hell I've gone through because of you? No, you don't. You know that I have a family, friends, people that do care about me, right? I do, and I swear I don't fear death, but I don't want my beloved ones to suffer, just because you've decided I should die. They don't deserve that, as I didn't when you decided to tell James to kill himself! And when you pressed the trigger of your gun.

After I said the last part of everything I said, Ethan's facial expression turned around, it totally changed. He sighed, still aiming me with the gun. 

- I didn't want to kill James, I didn't kill him - he answered with a sad facial expression -. I thought it'd be funny to tell him that. I didn't think he'd kill himself just because I told him to.

- Oh, it's so funny, let's tell people to kill themselves! He died because of you, maybe "legally" it wasn't your fault, but the blame will always be there, deep inside your conscience, forever. You already got that, and you have the blame of shooting Drew, do you want to be the reason of my death as well? You will be in jail for the rest of your life for killing innocent people. Drew will die if you don't let me go, please, let me go. You're already killing me, isn't that enough for now, or for you? Come on! You don't want to kill more people. I lost a friend because of you, and maybe two, don't let me lose myself. Ethan, stop this, make all this stop. Admit I'm right and let me live. Or, finish what you've started. Your choice.

- God - he exclaimed -, what have I done?

Just when he said that and he brought his hands to his head, two policemen arrived and arrested him. In that moment I ran towards Drew.

His heart was beating, but I did not know if for a long time. I caught some clothes and tried to plug the hemorrhage as fast as I could. I did not know how to do that really good, being honest.

´The police officers started to help me, and told me that the ambulance was on its way there. Therefore, that calmed me down. Well... not really. What can calm you down if your friend is bleeding in front of you and had almost been killed? 

Drew was conscience, but also was about to pass out. 

- Drew - I started talking to him -, do you hear me? You're going to be OK, everything will be OK, hang in there, please. You have to hold on until the doctors come, please.

- I... am... trying... - said Drew with a really weak voice.

He had the shot in the right part of his chest, and it was bleeding a lot. It was a lot of blood for me to see it. I was not going to throw up, but the fact that the blood was coming from my friend's body was what was frightening. 

The ambulance came, and some doctors came. They brought a stretcher, and they were laying Drew there. They told me to calm down. How can people think that just by telling someone to calm down they can calm down? I do not really get that. It is easy to say things, but you have to be there to feel it. 

I wanted to be in the ambulance with him, but they did not allow me to do that. "Stupid people", I said to myself. I knew that if someone saved my friend's life, it would be them, but I was freaking out. 

After what seemed like forever, the whole high school was there. I was crying so hard, without even stopping. 

- Come with me - the principal was by my side -. I'll give you a lift to the hospital.

I followed the principal, and he opened his car, and we got into it. He started driving towards the hospital. 

I was broken, well, more than broken.