BRIZO | 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

THIRTY-ONE (II)

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE - TOMBSTONE

When I open my eyes, the bright sunlight coming through my window makes me raise my hand to cover my eyes, avoiding the light. I sit up, bending my arm and using my elbow to hold me, looking around me confused.

I'm in my bedroom, back at home. I don't recall how I got here. I push the sheets off my body. I'm still in the same top, jeans and flannel, and JJ's ring is still in my thumb. My shoes have been removed, and I stare at my bare feet, moving them slowly to the side of the bed, until my toes touch the wood flooring.

I stand up, feeling much better than before. I glance at my desk, my make up mirror is still there. I walk up to the table, and grab it, checking my forehead, and seeing nothing on it. There's no wound, no scar where I hit my head in the accident.

I knit my eyebrows, watching my reflection in the mirror, and placing it back on the table slowly. What is going on? How long have I been sleeping?

I turn on my heels, leaving my room in a hurry, and bursting my brother's door open without knocking first. His room is a mess, as always. There are clothes everywhere on the floor, his guitar is on his bed, and his walls are filled with drawings and posters.

Everything looks exactly the same, except for the fact that John B isn't here.

I walk backwards, getting a strange feeling, telling me that something isn't right, and I feel the anxiety start to mess with my stomach.

"John B?" I call loud enough for him to hear me from every part of the house, but I get no answer. "John?" I try again.

I make my way through the hallway, checking every room I find, and all of them are either locked or empty. There's no one in the kitchen, and there's no one in our living room. Our stuff is still there, as if nothing had ever happened.

John B's backpack is there, next to our couch, and his textbooks are spread out all over the floor. His bandana is there, too. Laying untouched on top of one of our pillows.

I grab it without thinking about it and I tie it around my waist, taking it with me. I run to the back door, and I check outside in the surf shack, again there's no one there. I go around the house, and I check our front yard. And there's no one here either.

JJ's bike standing in front of our house catches my attention, and I hold my breath, hoping to hear his voice when I call his name, "JJ? Are you here?"

But all I recieve as an answer is silence.

A raven flies low and near my head, letting out a gurgling croak. I duck down just in time to just feel the edge of his wing brushing my hair.