Duskwood: If It's Not Fine, Then It's Not The End.

Chapter Two

The knocking on the door was loud and urgent, and in that instant I knew it was him. I rushed to the door and attempted to open it but it was locked. "Jake? Jake! Wait there, I'll find the key!" I yelled through the door before starting to frantically search around me in the pitch black. I stumbled and fell, my hands grappling the floor around me as the knocking got louder and louder. "Jake!" I screamed "hold on, I'm coming!" The knocking was now so loud I had to cover my ears, there were tears streaming down my face, I had to find the key, I had to get to him-

"MC? MC!"

I awoke with a start, my dream fading away as my heart beat slowed. I blinked and sat up, the bed creaking as I did so. Ah, I had drifted off. I got up to answer the pounding at my motel door, rubbing my eyes as I did so. "Sorry Jessy, I must've drifted off" I said, sheepishly smiling, "give me two secs".

I went over to my duffle bag and began rummaging for a fresh top and jacket whilst Jessy plopped herself onto my bed. "So…heard anything?" She quietly asked. I stopped moving, my heart beat skipping. I cleared my throat and tried to sound upbeat "uh nope, nothing yet". I took a loose, grey v-neck t-shirt with me into the ensuit and changed into it, also giving my reddish brown hair a quick brush. "I'm sorry" came Jessy's voice drifting in from the other room, "it must be so hard for you". I smoothed down my top and checked my reflection. My green eyes shined with the tears threatening to once again overflow, and I steeled myself before coming back out, putting a smile back on my face. "Yes, it is", I replied, "but I'm so thankful to be here now, with you. With all of you. So, let's go."

I grabbed my denim jacket off the chair by the window and headed to the door. Before I could leave, I felt Jessy's arms around me once more. "I'm here for you, MC" she said quietly, "we all are." I closed my eyes and lent back into her for a second, swallowing my feelings away, as I had grown used to doing so as of late. I turned and smiled at her, before we departed from the motel together.

The drive to the lakeside was another short one. Duskwood really was a very small village, but a beautiful one at that. The forest seemed to surround the outskirts from every possible angle, the evergreen trees swaying slightly in the breeze. We pulled up at the edge of the road on a dusty, gravelled clearing, which seemed to serve as a car park of sorts. A couple of other cars were also there, the dust and mud marks visible on their tyres and undersides.

The walk from the car to the lake was about five minutes in length. The sun was shining down on us as we made small talk and laughed, our problems disappearing around us. As we got closer to the lake the sounds of other voices drifted towards us. My heart rate quickened and we seemed to unconsciously pick up our pace. As we rounded the final bend, the lake came into view, the sunlight dancing off the blues and greens of the water and the air was fresh and warm. A group of people sat at the lake edge on tartan picnic blankets, laughing and chatting, a small speaker playing music in the middle of them. As we approached, they all looked up.

"MC! MC!" They began shouting and moving towards me, and before long I was surrounded in the biggest group hug of my life, all of us grinning like idiots and laughing with each other. We broke the embrace and they led me to their spot.

"Ahem, MC, notice anything different about me?" Dan winked and posed, flexing his biceps and jogging on the spot. I grinned and played along "oh my god, he can WALK!" I cried, dramatically pretending to faint, and we all burst into fits of giggles. "It's so good to finally meet you all in person" I said in earnest, as we all settled on the rugs by the lakeside. I looked around the group; Jessy, Cleo, Dan and Thomas, my friends, people I had only known for a few months but had already become the most important people in the world to me. "We're happy you're here too, MC" Cleo replied. "Hear hear!" Yelled Dan, raising his glass in a toast. I raised my eyebrows at him "Cool it Jack Daniels" I teased him, "hope you haven't given back that wheelchair too soon!" And we all broke out in laughter again.

The afternoon passed by like a dream of sorts, there was no awkwardness; it was like we had all been together for years. Still, as the day passed on a certain tinge of sadness became more and more apparent, the absence of one friend was prominent. I cleared my throat and looked around the group. "Guys…I was wondering" I began, looking down and picking at the fraying edge of a blanket as I spoke, "could I…could we at some point go to Richy's grave?" A sad silence filled the atmosphere, everyone's smiles faltering. Jessy turned away to look out at the lake at the mention of his name. "Of course, MC" Thomas said softly. "We should go there together as a group" said Cleo, with a sad smile. Dan grunted in agreement and Jessy sniffed and turned back around, nodding. "To Richy" gruffed Dan, and we all held up our glasses and repeated his sentiment.

As the day wore on and the sky darkened, Thomas popped back to his car and returned with more blankets and his guitar. Cleo produced one of her famous cakes from the picnic basket and Dan topped up everyone's glasses. Thomas began to play a melodic tune, and Jessy began to absent-mindedly hum along to it, her head leaning on my shoulder with her hair draping slightly over her face. I looked up into the darkening sky at the stars that were beginning to twinkle through. "Look at us all, Jake" I thought to myself, "You brought me to these people, my friends. I will be forever grateful for that".