PERFECT PLACES

Cole (12)

"Just promise me you'll stay here, just for a little bit of time, okay? If you wait I will be back and everything will be ok. You have to tell me that you'll wait."

"Ok, I'll wait"

"Ok buddy, I'll be right back, I promise."

Cole walked casually out of Jonathan's room. He walked down the hall casually, too, while Jonathan could still hear him. Then he ran down the stairs.

He got outside and started picking up speed. He was sprinting, as fast as he could, to Sarah's room. The entire time, he was thinking about calling 911. He was going to do it. He was going to do it but he didn't want to ruin Jonathan's life, if he didn't have to. But he needed to save his life first. He was bad at things like this. He knew Sarah would know what to do. His head hurt so bad and he could barely think of what to do. His instincts were telling him to just sprint really quickly. He really didn't know what to do and he felt so worthless for not knowing. He needed Sarah. She always told him what to do whenever he was unsure of what to do. If she wasn't there, he would call 911 right away. That was a good plan, he hoped. Was that a good plan?

He was already in front of her residence. He had turned a six minute walk into a one minute sprint. As he slowed to a jog, his head continued pounding. He felt that he might pass out or have a heart attack. He should call 911. He should get up to her room, it was so close. But he should get out his phone from his pocket and get ready to call.

He reached her door and started pounding.

"SARAH! SARAH! SARAH! Sarah.... please open. I need your help Sarah............. this isn't a joke........this isn't a joke. I know you're mad but its Jonathan, Sarah, its Jonathan and I-"

She opened the door.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Cole, look at me. What the fuck about Jonathan? Did you just say that to get me to open the door?"

"No Sarah....I......was just with Jonathan.....", Cole said, out of breath, "And I.......I found a......suicide note..."

"WHAT? Are you SURE?? Cole, you're being serious?"

"YES....should I call 911? Should I call? I didn't know if I should and you always know what to do in these situations and Sarah I don't want him to do it, I don't, DON'T DO IT JONATHAN!!"

Cole fell down onto the floor in the hallway. He started sobbing into the carpet. His words were lost. He kept trying to make sentences, but they were all jumbled. He was incomprehensible to Sarah standing above him.

"Yes Cole, we should call 911. But we have to go there now and try to stop him because we might get there before they do, do you understand? You shouldn't have left him alone. It's very dangerous that he's alone."

Cole was listening to her every word.

"IM SO STUPID! IM SO STUPID! IM SO FUCKING STUPID! I'M SO FUCKING WORTHLESS!"

He started pounding his forehead with his fist, like he had done the night before, but this time with his tight fist, and he was somehow pounding harder.

"Cole, NO! What are you doing Cole? COLE! COLE! WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT? We need to get up and go! Let's go Cole, STOP THAT! STOP COLE!"

Sarah had already dialed 911. She had the phone in one hand and was using her other arm to try and grab Cole's arm and stop him from hitting himself.

"Cole, we are leaving. Come on, it might be ok but we have to go now ok? We are going right now! Listen to me! Get up! WE ARE FUCKING GOING! RIGHT NOW!"