My Best Friend

I knew Ben was with his mom now.

Today we had a new student in class. His name is Benjamin, but he likes to be called Ben. He and I were friends instantly, and we even started to trade Pokemon cards on the recess field. He gave me a Jolteon for my extra Pikachu, which was cool.

Daddy says that it's awesome I'm making new friends. But when I told him more about Ben, he looked a little worried. I wonder why? I decided to brush it off and find my box of monster trucks to bring to school tomorrow. Ben told me his favorite was Grave Digger because Grave Digger is green and green is also his favorite color. He told me him and his mom both have green eyes. 

The next day at school we had a test. Me and Ben sat at tables near each other and smiled every once in a while when the teacher wasn't looking. I got an A and so did Ben, and we celebrated at lunch by getting some ice cream to share. Ben is my best friend!

On the playground we played monster trucks and some other kids joined us too. It was fun, but Ben got upset when someone fought over Grave Digger with him.

"I was playing with that!" Ben yelled.

"Well too bad. I asked Isaac if I could play with his trucks and he said yes, so I want to play with this one!" the boy named Zac said. I was friends with him but I guess Ben didn't like him very much. 

Soon the teachers came over and made me put away my trucks. All the kids were disappointed and left me and Ben alone again. When we were alone I took Grave Digger out and gave it to Ben as a gift. He really liked it and we begun to talk about racing.

We go home on the same bus together, so we sit in a two-seater until I get off. Today was fun mostly, and I'm happy about that.

The next day of school was weird. Ben came in late today. He wore a hat to the classroom and the teacher had to yell at him to take it off. Ben looked ready to cry, but when he saw me he was a little bit happier. We sat together again and listened to the teacher teach.

We were given free time to talk so me and Ben talked. I asked him why there was a bruise on his forehead. He didn't answer right away so i thought maybe he was lying. He told me his brother threw a ball at him and it hit his head. But I don't know if it's true or not.

I asked him how many brothers and sisters he had, and he told me he just had a brother who is in middle school. He says his brother is a good baseball player. I ask him about his mom, and he tells me his mom is really nice, but right now she is sick. He doesn't know what it is, but she didn't get out of bed today. So that's why he was late. She always takes him to the bus stop. Lastly, I asked about his dad. He told me he didn't like his dad. He was never home sometimes and he was the one who had to take him to school.

The rest of the day we played Pokemon and we also had gym today. Today was Friday and every Friday we have pizza. On the bus we waved good bye before the bus left and I got into my mom's minivan.

Mommy asked me about Ben this morning. I told her what he likes, who's in his family. Then she got all sad. A lot sadder than when she talked to me earlier. She told me Ben's mommy died yesterday. My heart sank, could it be? Ben's mommy really was sick if she passed away. I asked mommy if we could go to the funeral, so I could be by Ben. I told her I'm Ben's only friend in school so she decided to call his house.

It rung for a long time before a gravely voice picked up.

"Hello? Who is this?" the man said.

"Hello, this is Mrs. Sanders, Isaac's mom? We heard in about what happened, my son wants to know if you son is alright. I think-" My mom was cut off.

"Don't you ever call this number again, you hear?" The man was really angry. I could hear really quietly someone crying on the other end. It sounded like Ben.

The weekend went by quick and it was Monday again. Ben didn't come to school today. The teacher told us what had happened and we all made letters to Ben saying that we miss him and that his mom went to heaven. I bet Ben will like mine most, because I drew monster trucks and Pokemon in green all over it.

The day was really boring today, since I didn't have Ben to play with. I didn't want to play with the other kids because I was still sad for Ben and I didn't want to have any fun with out him.

The bus ride home was quiet and I got off feeling lonely. Mom rolled her window down and said we are going somewhere. When I asked why she sounded frantic. She told me Ben was in the hospital, and he was badly hurt. Both him and his brother. I started to cry because now Ben and his brother were hurt, and that's not good.

It took a few hours to get there, since it was a special kid's hospital he was taken to. Mommy lied to the lady and told her she was Ben and his brother's auntie. They led us down to the elevator and when we got off a sign said "Intensive Care Unit". I think that means Ben and his brother are really, really hurt. 

The room number is 12D, and it was really dark. No one was in the room except Ben's brother. Mom got scared, asked where Ben was. Meanwhile I walked to his brother. He was sleeping, his arm had a cast and he had lots of bruises and cuts. Mom looked really scared, but I tried to be tough and stand there like a big kid. 

A long time later they rolled the bed with Ben on it in. He was hurt a lot more than his brother. I stood by him and noticed he was awake. We looked at each other and sobbed a lot.

"You are my best friend Ben!" I wailed.

"You're my best friend too, Isaac," Ben coughed and said," Ben, I told you my daddy was mean. He hurt my mommy and he hurt me and my brother Hunter."

"I can't believe this happened to you. What should I do?"

"You don't need to do anything. I watched them take my daddy away in the police car and they told me he'll never hurt me again. I also overheard the doctors say," He coughs again," That I might not make it tonight. I'm happy you are here with me, Isaac."

"Oh Ben, I'm so sad! I don't want you to leave yet. We still haven't played with all our Pokemon cards. I brought a few with me you can have." I hand them over to him. He smiles, but can't grab them. He can't actually move anything except his face. 

I heard the doctors say he's paralyzed. Soon everything will shut down inside him and he'll be a vegetable. They were ordered to pull the cord if that happens. They also say Hunter will recover, but it will take months of physical therapy and they have to find a proper foster home when it's all over. I feel sick inside.

How could this happen to my best friend? We went home and every day after school we would visit them. And one day we went there, the doctors told us that Ben had died. My mom and I cried together in the room. We also made sure to stay by Hunter's side, since he had no more family left. When we left, the car was silent.

I knew that Ben was in heaven with his mommy.

Author's Note

A small story about abuse. It's mainly to raise awareness that it happens to everyone, not just children. This story is not real. I made it up from the point of view of Isaac, a 6 year old elementary student.