Sing Me To Sleep
Bright Lights
I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I look over at Pierce her eyes are partially open but look lifeless. I wanted with every atom of my body to go over to her, but I couldn't. Too afraid for what I would find of her now limp body. Her face is bruised and purple cheek swollen but he managed to leave her lips perfect. The left side of my vision starts to turn a dull red to match the pain I feel there.
"OH MY GOD!" I hear a faint scream of a girl behind me.
***
"Can you hear me?"
***
"We're calling their family's"
***
"Do you know their relationship?"
***
"...Just a minor concussion. Light scarring maybe..."
***
"Rian honey..."
***
"Yes, Pierce was staying with us. She and Rian were fond of each other, but they never said anything about a relationship. Of course I wouldn't be surprised."
***
"Kyle, her boyfriend came over punched her, kicked Rian. If there's a scar on his ear... That's from me."
"Shut up Jack."
"Boys..."
"I'm sorry Mrs. Dawson."
My eyes drag open, i think I was in and out of consciousness for a while. My eyes adjust slowly to the bright light overhead. My vision is cut short, half of my eyesight is black.
"Boys, if you're going to bicker you might as well go home." The soft voice of my mother comes from my blinded side.
"No we're good."
"Sorry." I slowly turn my head to see my mother sitting in a armchair and Alex and jack sitting on a windowsill. A police officer stands on the wall by the foot of the bed I lay in.
"Dude!" Jack jumps to his feet and over at me.
"Shit..." I moan as he hops up on the bed next to me.
"Jack!" My mother snaps at him,
"Come on man he's just waking up." Alex groans from his seat,
"Ugh fine!" Jack groans and rolls off of me before sitting his ass back down on the windowsill. I start to pull myself up to a sitting position.
"Rian, there's a police officer here who is going to ask you a few questions, you have a concussion and the left side of your face got pretty cut up, so if its too much you can just say no..." Her soft hand touches mine and rubs my palm. He's investigating Pierce's murder. She died didn't she. My stomach turns inside of me and I feel like I'm going to vomit but all I do is nod.
"Rian, Could I speak to you in private?" The police officer speaks in a deep voice that's almost hard to comprehend.
"Yes sir." I mumble and look over at my mom and friends,
"Come on boys." She sighs and starts to stand up, "Just call if you need us." I nod at her and pull myself into a sitting position while they walk out.
"So, Rian. What do you remember of the bathroom encounter this morning?" The police officer leans back against the counter and clicks a pen against the notepad in his hand.
"Is she dead?" My lips feel dry as I ask the question. Fearing the absolute worst.
"I'm asking the questions here Rian." That's all he has to say to let my heart break in my chest and let all of the Pieces dissolve into nothing leaving a hole in the middle of my chest.
"I had a bad feeling in class so I went to get a drink of water. I heard shouting in the bathroom, I went over to listen in. Figure out what was going on. Then I recognized Kyle's voice. I walked in and saw her. Dead." My mouth feels dry as I speak "all I could do was take a swing at him before It felt like I couldn't move anymore."
"What is Pierce's relationship with Kyle?" The officer scribbles notes onto the pad
"Kyle is her boyfriend. Kyle is the abusive bastard that beats her for no good reason. Then she goes out and blames herself." My fists clench by my sides.
"And your relationship with her?" He nods as he writes not taking the time to look up at me.
"I'd like to be in Kyle's place. Minus the assholeish-ness." I let a smile laugh. The police officer nods and looks down,
"I know how you feel man." He sighs and closes the notebook, "I'll probably come back and ask you some more questions. I'll give you some space now." I nod at him, he closes the notebook and walks to the door. "Should I send your mother in?"
"No." I swallow and close my eyes. He closes the door behind him just as the first sob rips through my chest. This is all my fault.
"OH MY GOD!" I hear a faint scream of a girl behind me.
***
"Can you hear me?"
***
"We're calling their family's"
***
"Do you know their relationship?"
***
"...Just a minor concussion. Light scarring maybe..."
***
"Rian honey..."
***
"Yes, Pierce was staying with us. She and Rian were fond of each other, but they never said anything about a relationship. Of course I wouldn't be surprised."
***
"Kyle, her boyfriend came over punched her, kicked Rian. If there's a scar on his ear... That's from me."
"Shut up Jack."
"Boys..."
"I'm sorry Mrs. Dawson."
My eyes drag open, i think I was in and out of consciousness for a while. My eyes adjust slowly to the bright light overhead. My vision is cut short, half of my eyesight is black.
"Boys, if you're going to bicker you might as well go home." The soft voice of my mother comes from my blinded side.
"No we're good."
"Sorry." I slowly turn my head to see my mother sitting in a armchair and Alex and jack sitting on a windowsill. A police officer stands on the wall by the foot of the bed I lay in.
"Dude!" Jack jumps to his feet and over at me.
"Shit..." I moan as he hops up on the bed next to me.
"Jack!" My mother snaps at him,
"Come on man he's just waking up." Alex groans from his seat,
"Ugh fine!" Jack groans and rolls off of me before sitting his ass back down on the windowsill. I start to pull myself up to a sitting position.
"Rian, there's a police officer here who is going to ask you a few questions, you have a concussion and the left side of your face got pretty cut up, so if its too much you can just say no..." Her soft hand touches mine and rubs my palm. He's investigating Pierce's murder. She died didn't she. My stomach turns inside of me and I feel like I'm going to vomit but all I do is nod.
"Rian, Could I speak to you in private?" The police officer speaks in a deep voice that's almost hard to comprehend.
"Yes sir." I mumble and look over at my mom and friends,
"Come on boys." She sighs and starts to stand up, "Just call if you need us." I nod at her and pull myself into a sitting position while they walk out.
"So, Rian. What do you remember of the bathroom encounter this morning?" The police officer leans back against the counter and clicks a pen against the notepad in his hand.
"Is she dead?" My lips feel dry as I ask the question. Fearing the absolute worst.
"I'm asking the questions here Rian." That's all he has to say to let my heart break in my chest and let all of the Pieces dissolve into nothing leaving a hole in the middle of my chest.
"I had a bad feeling in class so I went to get a drink of water. I heard shouting in the bathroom, I went over to listen in. Figure out what was going on. Then I recognized Kyle's voice. I walked in and saw her. Dead." My mouth feels dry as I speak "all I could do was take a swing at him before It felt like I couldn't move anymore."
"What is Pierce's relationship with Kyle?" The officer scribbles notes onto the pad
"Kyle is her boyfriend. Kyle is the abusive bastard that beats her for no good reason. Then she goes out and blames herself." My fists clench by my sides.
"And your relationship with her?" He nods as he writes not taking the time to look up at me.
"I'd like to be in Kyle's place. Minus the assholeish-ness." I let a smile laugh. The police officer nods and looks down,
"I know how you feel man." He sighs and closes the notebook, "I'll probably come back and ask you some more questions. I'll give you some space now." I nod at him, he closes the notebook and walks to the door. "Should I send your mother in?"
"No." I swallow and close my eyes. He closes the door behind him just as the first sob rips through my chest. This is all my fault.
7/29/13