Falling

A Chapter by Joshua Kyle

What will happen when August falls asleep? Also what does Shadow want with Mae? Who is Shadow anyway? These questions and more answered next chapter! Show it some love! :D

Chapter Three.

Willow drove me home. I didn't say much, just that I wasn't feeling well. Willow didn't pry. I stared out the open window and tried to relax, but it was no use. The nightmare I had in class made sure if that. Ever since I was little I've had bad dreams. At night I was tortured by hellish apparitions and warped reflections of reality. After years of therapy and medication the Doctors had given up, but then Gram bought me a book on lucid dreaming. I read that book until it fell apart, and soon I began to control my dreams. Enjoy them even. I run my hands through my hair and give Willow a weak smile. She looks back, a touch of worry in her eye. Its okay, I tell myself, She just worries too much. They all worry too much, but despite what I say, deep inside I know I'm losing control. The nightmares keep getting stronger. I can't hold them back much longer. Today was proof of that. I glance at the scrap of paper in my hand. "Could it be?" I ask myself. "Is it really him?" Willow turns the car into the driveway. "Did you say something August?" I quickly dismiss my thoughts and turn to her. "No, just thinking. Sorry you had to ditch for me." She giggles and grabs her jacket from the backseat. "Sorry? You get me out of school for the whole day and you say sorry? God August I should be thanking you!" I open the car door and walk up the cobblestone sidewalk with Willow. I look up at the green front door. Gram always said you could tell a whole lot about a person by the color of their door. This was Mom's door. I can see her now. Long brown hair, blue eyes, and smile warmer than any blanket, I miss her. I push the thoughts back but it just makes it worse. I shudder. Willow touches my arm. "Are you okay? You look really pale." I pull out my keys and try not to meet her eyes, afraid they'll give away the truth. "Yea, I just need to get my meds." I unlock the door and we walk into the foyer. I dump my hoodie and bookbag onto the couch as we pass the living room. The house is unusually quiet, I call out to Gram. "Gram? I'm home!" Silence. "Gram?" I lead Willow into the small kitchen. Light pours into the room from the small round window over the sink. A crooked chore list hangs on the fridge, held in place by a bumble bee magnet I made in first grade. The bright yellow insect smiles and tells Willow and I to "BEE Happy!" I walk to the far side of the room and open the cabinet that has my Xanax. "Hey August." Willow holds up a piece of white notebook paper. "Your Grandmother left you this I guess." I take the note and read to myself, as I fill up a glass of water in the sink. "August, I got a call from the school saying you were coming home sick. I needed to get a few things from the store, I left you a batch of cookie dough in the fridge. Hope you feel better soon. I'll be back around five. Have a great day. Love, Gram." I pop two of the Xanax and swallow with a gulp of water. "Gram said she went shopping and should be back around five. Also there is food in the fridge." Willow answers me with a mouthful of cookie dough as she closes the fridge. "Mrpghhhs tmmmmime szhiztttttt nmraor." I give her a blank stare and grab the bowl of cookie dough. "What did you say?" She swallows. "I said what time is it now" I glance down at my phone, the screen lights up *12:07 p.m.* "Oh s**t, we better text Raven and see if he's still coming over for the movie night." I type out a quick message and hit send. "There, so what do you want to do for the next couple hours?" Willow grabs the bowl of cookie dough "Regret eating this and feel fat?" I put my phone down. "How many times do I have to tell you that look fine the way you are?" I look at Willow. Brown hair falls in curls around her porcelain face, her brown eyes stare deep into mine. She bites her ruby lips. She's beautiful, I smile. Willow leans over to me and kisses my cheek. "I love you August." I feel my cheeks glowing bright red as I turn away. I drop her hand and run my fingers through my hair. "Oh god I'm sorry." I stutter. "That was, um... unexpected." Her eyes fill with confusion and sadness. "No." She speaks quietly. "I shouldn't have... I'm sorry." I look up at her. "Its okay, I just, um. Wow. You know?" She grabs her bag and heads to the door. "I should go." I stand up and run after her. "Willow, wait!" She turns to face me. Tears stream down her cheeks. "What August..." I wrap her in a hug. "You have it all wrong." I wipe away her tears, and press my lips to hers. Her eyes go wide but she closes them and kisses back. I whisper softly in her ear. "I love you too." Her mouth twists into a teary smile as I sit her on the old couch in the corner of the living room. Willow looks like a wreck. She practically beams with happiness now and frantically rubs at her smeared eyeliner."Oh god I probably look awful." She stutters. "Ddd ddd ddoes this mean we're like going out? Because like I've been crushing on you since middle school." I smile and speak in a soft voice. "If you want to, then of course." I pause blushing again. "And just by the way I've been crushing longer. I was just scared I'd lose my bestfriend." Willow replies by saying duh and pushing me down on the couch and kissing me. I relax and let her take control. My hands rest gently on her waist, her ruby lips interlocking with mine in a passionate embrace. We stay like this, for an hour, maybe two. She finally pulls away. "You've made me wait way, way too long for that you know." She says with a dumb grin. I smile and pull her into my arms. "Well then I'll have to make up for lost time later." The phone rings loudly across the room I groan and regretfully leave Willow. I pick up the call, "Hello?" An older mans voice replies. "Is this August Quinn?" "This is she, who's this?" "This is Officer Stanton from the Templeton County Police Department." My heart sinks. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid your Grandmother has been in an accident." Willow walks into the kitchen and her smile sinks as she sees the tears forming in the corner of my eyes and slowly sliding down my cheeks. "Whats going on?" she asks, gently touching my arm. My eyes meet hers. "Its Gram. Get the keys."

Shadow Aquinas brushed his long black hair off to the side and surveyed his handiwork. Twisted fragments of metal and glass lay scattered on the road. The sirens cut through the crisp air like a knife. Blue and red lights. Shouting. Shadow smiled. He was enjoying this. The glass crunched satisfyingly under the heel of his boot, as he kicked in the windshield. He breathed in, smelling the smoke and savoring the burning rubber. "Oh, Mae" the dark clad boy spoke. "Did you really think you could hide her from me?" August's Grandmother stirred in the seat of the demolished car. Shadow leaned close to her face, his icy breath chilling the air. "Tell her." His eyes lock onto hers filling them with terror. "Tell her, that Shadow is coming." The paramedics pry open the door, and gently pull Mae out of the burning car. Her eyes close and her body goes limp. The shouts of the EMT's blur with the sirens, as the world spins slowly to black. Silence. Black. Silence.

It took Willow and I almost an hour to get to St.Peters Hospital. Gram was in the ICU, and the Nurses told us that it was a miracle we hadn't lost her, the car crash had been horrific. Nurses, Doctors, and Patients came and went through the white tile hallways, and the dreary waiting room. I paced back and forth. Willow stood up from the chair she had been sitting in quietly, and walked close to me. I kept pacing, not meeting her eyes. "Some day huh?" She reaches out and gently touches my arm. "August, please sit down. You're going to walk a hole in the floor." I slow, and turn to face her. "Sorry, its just... I.." Willow cuts me off. "Hey, I understand okay? She'll be fine." I nod and she smiles letting her hand slip off my arm. "How about I go get us some coffee? You look like you could use it." I smile weakly, as she walks towards the elavators, and softly say thank you. I sit down on one of the worn seats of the waiting room, St.Peters Hospital had been around for as long as I can remember, and hadn't exactly aged gracefully. I'm so tired. I check the time on my phone, it reads *7:54* My eyes droop. Gram should be in surgery for another hour, a nap would do me good. Just five minutes. I tell myself. Five minutes couldn't hurt. My eyelids close. Just five minutes.

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