Chapter Thirty Two

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

I hadn't been to the apartment in almost a month. I didn't want to go back there without David but I was running out of his clothes and his scent was fading on the ones I had. And besides even the few times I wanted to go back there my mom had refused. I stood at the door staring at the door knob willing myself to open it. George was standing silently behind me and I mentally thanked him for giving me the space I needed to handle everything my own way.

I wiped a stray tear as I remembered each time David had walked through the door with a smile just for me. I recalled all the times he had carried me through the door or when we had walked in together hand in hand.

I had lived there for years but the apartment had never felt more like home compared to the past few months of living there with David. Being with George was fun but David had me looking forward to going home at the end of each working day. He made the nights beautiful and the mornings magical. Why couldn't I just open the door and find him in the kitchen drinking coffee? He would grin when he saw me and open his arms for me. I would smile back and walk into his arms with happiness in my heart.

Foolish thoughts of hope aside I turned the knob and pushed the door open. The lights automatically came on illuminating the dark and lonely apartment. I let the disappointment sink in and my little ray of hope die when I walked in. I had hoped but it was stupid of me and now that reality had set in I was back to being depressed and sad.

I looked around the living room and kitchen seeing that everything was in place except for a plain brown box sitting on the kitchen counter. That hadn't been there when we left.

I looked at George and he was looking at me with the same questioning look.

Curious as to what was inside I walked towards where it lay and settled myself on one of the kitchen stools. George stood on the opposite side waiting for me to open it.

I opened it carefully since it wasn't taped shut. The contents inside had me wide eyed and short of breath for a few seconds. Inside, on top of everything else lay David's tank top that he wore the last time I saw him. It was dusty, dirty, torn and covered in blood. I reached for it with trembling hands and brought it to my face. It smelled of blood and had a faint scent of David on it.

"Is it his?" George asked me and I looked at him with teary eyes as I nodded.

I hugged it to me hoping that it wasn't a sign that Derek had been telling the truth about David being dead. I put the vest on my lap and looked at the other contents of the box. There was a smaller box in there and a flash drive on top of it. I put the flash drive aside and took out the second box.

There was a card attracted to it and I plucked it out. I unfolded it to see what was written on it and the minute I did, I immediately wish I hadn't.

I let out a loud cry of pain dropping from the stool to the floor curling into a ball as sobs left my body. My heart broke into a million pieces as I heard George read aloud the words that would as well have been the end of me.

"Here lie the ashes of David Ruria. Courtesy Fadhili Crematorium."

In the midst of my sobbing I heard George shuffling around probably opening the second box.

"Jesus!"He exclaimed.

The tone of his voice affirmed the contents of the box. My David was lying in there or more like his ashes were. He had been reduced to mere ashes.

I heard footsteps approach me before George slowly sat next to me on the floor and pulled my head to his lap. I didn't have the energy to lash out or do anything else other than cry my heart out.

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry." George consoled.

I didn't want him to be sorry. I wanted him to tell me that it was all a dream and that David wasn't dead.

"Maybe it isn't even him in there. They could have faked it." He tried to explain but I wasn't having it.

I didn't have any more hope left in me. Derek had told me that he had killed David and the evidence was lying on top of the counter.

He was really gone and I hadn't even gotten to say goodbye. To hell with saying goodbye. There was so much we hadn't done like get engaged, have a big fancy wedding with our family and friends, move into our own house and fill it with our five kids. I would gladly give him ten children no questions asked or complains if I got him back.

George got off the floor with me still sobbing in his arms and lay me on one of the couches in the living room. He left for a few minutes and came back with a glass of water handing it to me. I went to push it away but he forced it into my hand.

"Drink it." He demanded.

For the sake of getting him to leave me alone I sat up slightly and drank half of it before placing it on the table and returning to my fetal position.

"I'll take a sample of the ashes and have them tested. I'll be back in a few hours with the results and hopefully all this will be one huge hoax." He explained.

I didn't acknowledge what he said but he knew I heard him. He kissed my forehead before straightening up and walking away. I heard a few cupboards open and shut before he moved around some more probably looking for a container to keep the ashes. A few minutes later he stopped in front of me.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. Get some rest." He said before walking out of the apartment and closing the door behind him.

Rest? What rest? I had now reduced my crying to silent tears and hiccups every few seconds. There was no way I was getting rest anytime soon with the love of my life lying on a box on the kitchen counter.

With that thought in mind, I struggled to get up from the couch in my weakened state. I walked back towards the kitchen, put everything back in the original box before walking towards the bedroom. I got under the covers of our bed and cuddled the box to my chest as I cried myself to the point of dehydration.

I started feeling drowsy a few minutes later. I wasn't tired but I was feeling sleepy all of a sudden. It hit me that George had drugged me. He had put something in the water. Instead of being angry at him I embraced the medicine induced sleep which would provide a few hours of escape for the cruel existence that my David was gone forever.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

I woke up a few hours later to the scent of David surrounding me. I sat up quickly on the bed getting dizzy for a second for the sudden movement but I shook it off frantically looking around for David. The room was dimly lit because the curtains were closed but I could still see clearly. I looked around and saw no one. Where was he? There was no movement in the bathroom and the whole house was eerie quiet.

"David?" I yelled out calling out to him.

He didn't respond so I called out to him again a few more times but still no reply.

"David quit joking around. Where are you?" I asked with a chuckle as I pushed the covers off me.

The laugh died on my lips when I uncovered the box that was lying next to my legs on the bed. It brought back all the memories that I had temporarily forgotten and my heart literally broke all over again. How many more times would it break before I lost my heart all together? Wet spots decorated my gray sweatpants meaning I was crying again. Would those ever run out too or would I cry forever?

I grabbed the box. put it on my lap and opened it. I removed the vest and put it on top of David's pillow which I had been sleeping on; the reason as to why I had woken up surrounded by his scent. I took the ashes and put them on the other side of me my hands trembling the whole time. I wiped the tears off my face because my sight was becoming blurry but it didn't help as more replaced the ones I wiped off.

I grabbed the last item in the box and stared at it. What could the flash drive contain? Only one way to find out. I grabbed an old laptop that I rarely used from the bottom drawer of the bedside dresser. I turned it on and thanked the heavens for its lack of a password because if it did I wouldn't have remembered in my current state of mind. After the screen lit up I inserted the flash drive let it load up. I opened it and there was only one video folder on it. With no idea what I was about to see I double clicked on the icon and braced myself for the worst; but no amount of bracing or warning would have prepared me for what I saw next.

The video was poor quality like one of those late nineties films. There was a lot of movement from whoever was holding the camera before it stabilized and focused ahead. The room was dark but I could hear grunts and movements.

"David?" I called out as if he could hear me, I wasn't even sure that it was him considering I couldn't see anything.

As if on cue with my thoughts the lights were turned on, they didn't help much since they were dim but they allowed me to see David. I gasped holding my palm over my mouth at the state that he was in.

He sat in a small chair, too small for his build with his hands bound behind him and his legs tied individually to different ends of the chair. I focused on his face and it was beaten up and bruised. His lip was split on both sides with blood oozing from one corner of his mouth. His nose was clearly broken looked crooked and bent in a weird angle. Both his eyes were swollen and black. He was covered in blood on every inch or his body. He was still wearing his tank top which meant it was taken off him after the video was taken.

My heart ached seeing him in that state and if I had the ability I would walk through the screen and pull him into my arms. I just wanted to touch him and feel him.

The other person in the room with him spoke to him and I had to press the rewind button to catch what he had said. I had missed his words too entranced by David and his poor state.

"Okay man. I'm risking my life by doing this but do it quick before he comes back in." He rushed out emphasizing the he.

"Thank you." I heard David croak out before he looked directly at the camera.

"Whatever just make it quick."The other man demanded in a whisper.

David spat out some blood before he started talking in hoarse voice. I felt like he was staring at me when he spoke.

"Tiny, my love....."I cried out loud at the mention of my name.

I didn't even hear what he had to say, too busy wiping my tears and snort off my face. After a few minutes I was calm enough so I rewinded the video to catch the beginning of his speech.

"This isn't how I thought I would say goodbye to you. I thought when it was my time to go I would be old and wrinkly and you would be my side with a smile on both our faces because we had shared so many amazing years together. Fuck, I didn't even get to see you walk down the aisle or give birth to our many kids. Sorry for cussing, I know you don't like it when I do that."He paused to laugh and I saw him wince meaning he was in pain. The fact that he could smile yet he was in so much pain made me hurt all the more.

I managed a small smile amidst my tears because he was smiling too. I had never been able to resist his smile.

"I'm so sorry baby. I was going to give you the world and now I can't. You would have made a beautiful bride and an amazing mother. Maybe you will someday just not with me. I'm not going to give you my blessing to move on because the thought of you with someone else hurts more than all the blows I've received put together, but if you do manage to heal from loosing me and find someone who makes you happy and treats you like the queen you are, don't hold back my love." At that point I paused the video and started yelling at the screen.

"I can't move on! It's only you David! Don't even think there will be another person other than you. I'd rather die an old spinster rather than find what you call happiness in the arms of another man. I only want you." I ranted out.

After that I composed myself as much as I could before pressing play and resuming watching.

"Be happy, live your life but don't ever forget me. Take care of my family for me, I leave them in your care because I trust no one more. Tell them that I love them and that I'm sorry I couldn't be there to watch all of them grow up. I know they will all do great and become successful in life. The same goes for your family. Tell your grandpa I'm sorry I didn't get to share that drink of whiskey with him. I love all of them too because they have become my family as well, even George......"

He got cut off by the other guy. I crossed my fingers hoping the video wouldn't cut short before he was done talking.

"Hurry up man. He's almost here." He rushed.

"Okay."David said to him before turning to the camera once again.

"Baby I know you're crying right now and its going to be hard for a while but you will heal. Don't push your family away because they will help you. You're the strongest woman I know and you will get through this. This past few months with you have been the best of my life and I wouldn't change them for anything. I love you so much Tiny and......." Before be could finish there was a loud bang,like of a door hitting a wall before the camera fell and the screen broke but the sound was remained on.

No, he wasn't done talking yet. What was going on?

"Bring him back."I yelled at the laptop but of course no one heard me.

"Well well well. I'm back David, did you miss me?" The unmistakable voice of Derek cackled.

"In your dreams you filthy scum."David spat, his voice filled with venom.

A loud crack echoed the room and I guessed that Derek had slapped him.

"Leave him alone you bastard."I yelled as if it could change what was happening.

"You know what I'm done with you. I should have killed you the minute you got here. Have a nice life in the hell, or not. I couldn't care less." Derek laughed maniacally before I hard the cocking of a gun.

That only meant one thing. Oh No!

"I'll see you there asshole."David replied before there was a loud gunshot and the sound of a body dropping to the ground.

"Noooooooooo!!!!!!" I screamed before grabbing the laptop and throwing it against the wall shattering it to pieces.

If I was crying before then I was literally breaking apart now because nothing could match the feeling of hearing the love of your life getting killed. I continued screaming and breaking things inside the room until George arrived with my brothers and they held me down. I don't know where they had come from or how long I had been lashing out but they managed to contain me.

They forced more sleeping pills down my throat and held me until they took effect and I passed out. The last thing I saw before getting lost in the world of darkness again was the sorry look on all their faces. I interpreted it to mean one thing; the ashes belonged to David and he was really gone.

**************************************

I've read about other authors saying how they cried writing sad chapters. I always thought they were bluffing but I have a stuffed nose and a tear streaked face saying otherwise after writing this chapter.

Honestly speaking that's the saddest chapter I've ever had to write, after the one in Alanna where she gets beat up by the goons. That one was hard because since the book is inspired by my sister I was imagining that it was her getting beat up the whole time.

This one was a hard one guys but it's bye for now. I'll see you in the next one.

Vote

Comment

Share

Love@Lyssah. 

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net