My Heart Will Go On

Chapter 5- He's Gone

Well, you probably know what happened next. I think my family did too. Me? I didn't see it coming at all.

I remember hearing a lot of noise and commotion around me, but I just assumed it was part of my dream, so I ignored it. It worked for what felt to me like a minute, but then I heard all of my family's voices (and some of them sounded quite teary?), calling out things like, "Fudge! Fudge, wake up, sweetheart!" I could feel several tyres shaking me gently too.

I groaned and rolled over. I rubbed my eyes and when my blurry vision adjusted, I could see that it was still dark outside, but the sun was just beginning to rise. It was early Saturday morning. Then I saw my entire family staring at me. As it turns out, most of them were crying. Uncle Red was sobbing loudly as were both my fathers. Lightning was sniffling and hiccupping with tears streaming down his hood. Heck, even Uncle Sarge had tears in his eyes. I was definitely awake by then and I was beginning to get really worried. I'd never seen Lightning or Uncle Sarge cry before. Something was definitely very wrong, but I didn't know what.

"What?" I questioned fearfully.

My question was only met with silence.

"What?" I repeated. "Guys, you're scaring me."

There were still a couple of moments before Papà gave a loud sniffle and hiccup. "Come here, Fudgie", he whispered to me, inviting me up onto his hood.

I slid off Uncle Doc's hood, which had been quite cold, and when I did, I turned back to look at the Hudson Hornet.

"Fudge, no!" everyone cried.

Nobody needed to tell me what was wrong. I'd seen for myself. Uncle Doc was parked there with his eyes closed and a smile on his face, completely still and silent. I knew he wasn't just asleep. He didn't look like he was asleep. He just looked-

I gasped. I felt all of the colour drain from my face as my heart skipped several beats. I tried to form words, but I just couldn't. For the first time in my life, I was speechless. You may think that I was shocked and upset by what I was seeing and the enormity of it, but to be honest with you, that wasn't even my first thought. My first thought was how creeped out I was by the fact that I'd just spent the night sleeping on a dead person! I don't think my family knew that, though.

"Come here, Fudgie", Papà repeated.

He wanted me to sit up on his hood, but I was just rooted to the spot. I wanted to take my eyes off Uncle Doc, but I just couldn't.

"How did this happen?" I wondered, the words sounding distant like they were coming out of someone else's mouth. "He... He was getting better. He was fine!"

Everyone gave me sad looks.

"No", Uncle Sarge disagreed, choking on the words. "No I don't think he was."

"He was old, Fudge", Papà explained, reaching out to stroke my hair. "He was old and he wasn't well. We all knew this was coming."

But I didn't! I felt like screaming. Yet I didn't. The words wouldn't come out. Now, I was beginning to grow shocked by what had happened. It just didn't feel real. All I could do was nod my head as if I understood, but I really didn't.

"Come here!" Papà insisted one more time as more sobs escaped from him. "It is going to be okay, Fudge."

I just shook my head. How is it possibly gonna be okay if Uncle Doc's dead? Everyone was staring at me. I think they were all expecting me to cry or have some sort of reaction, but I just couldn't do that.

"Fudgie?" my father ventured yet again.

I didn't answer. Instead, I turned on my heel and ran.

"Fudgie!" Papà called after me.