Rock-And-Roll Eyes

Chapter Nine

The world is a cold and unforgiving place. It takes and takes from the people living on it, and, for what? For a life of tragedy and hopelessness? It sucks the love from every corner of the world, and it doesn't have any mercy.

I thought the world was cruel when it took my parents. They always loved boating, it was their favorite weekend past time. They loved the danger of the waves and the thrill of death being around every corner. Da used to tell me he and Mum fell in love over the ocean, and they both still had a strong bond with the waves that eventually took their lives. The waves they loved so dearly took their lives and hid their bodies, leaving behind three children who never seemed to run out of tears.

I didn't think it could get much worse than that, but it is one thing to be tormented by death and a whole nother thing to be tormented by the living. Oscar's father wasn't dead, he just went away. Without so much as a warning or an apology, he just up and left the family he had and broke the hearts of his wife and child. For no reason at all, he simply left. Having someone you love die was a natural part of life, it was something that happened and nobody could help it. You grieved and you got over it, but having someone you love leave you is something else entirely. Knowing that this wasn't natural, they did have a choice and their choice was to abandon their loved ones, was a pain worse than death. Never did I think something so dark as that could happen to someone like Oscar Clay.

Even the streets of Bristol seemed to mourn right along with him. Even if his father wasn't dead, Oscar and his Mum were still mourning a life. It just so happened to be their life, the life of their family, they were mourning. After that moment, The Clays were never the same again. Not a single pedestrian passed as I sat on the stoop of my house. It was as if Bristol had suddenly become empty.

I held a tea in my hand, but I wasn't drinking it. My anxiety seemed to clamp at my nerves to make it impossible for me to swallow. All I wanted was to go and make sure Oscar was okay. He seemed so far away despite being within walking distance.

"Mel, what are you doing?"

I glanced up. Benedict stood a few feet away from me. His hands were shoved in his pockets and his hat was on crooked. He looked at me with obvious concern.

"I'm building a bleeding rocket ship," I replied, "What does it look like I'm doing?"

Benedict smirked, "You don't have to get sarcastic."

"I'm always sarcastic."

"That is true."

He moved to sit by me. I scooted over slightly to give him enough room. He looked down at my tea and asked, "Are you drinking that?"

"No, you can have it."

I handed it to him. He took a sip, smiling at the flavor. I had made my favorite, lemon with a dash of honey, which happened to be Benedict's favorite as well. We sat on the stoop together for a few minutes, gazing out onto the Bristol streets. Nothing interesting passed, though that wasn't a surprise.

"I tried to visit Oscar last night," Benedict said, "He wouldn't let me in."

I sighed, "That sounds like him. We're lucky he let Vincent and me in."

"Wonder if he'll quit the band."

"That'll be the last thing he does," I replied, "He channels his emotions into music. He won't quit, mark my words."

Benedict took a generous sip of the tea. I sighed deeply, running my hands through my hair, "I wish there was something I could do to help him."

"You can only help him as much as he'll let you," Benedict replied, "He won't let most of us get near him."