The Disbanders

Chapter 16: The Cold Light of Day

Several hours have passed, since this horrific event has taken place, and I haven't slept a wink. I can hardly believe all that has happened in such a short amount of time. Looking to my right, I try to see if Will is awake. Miraculously, he's asleep. I would be the dumbest person alive to wake him, given he's already enough of a light sleeper as it is.

    I feel silent streams of tears begin to roll down my cheeks, as my mind becomes overwhelmed. Someone was just killed. I can't even allow myself to think of who did it, even though I understand Will's innocence. Everything I told him out there was true. I believed every word of it.

    None of the events that transpired have changed how I feel about him, either. Will is anything but a cold-blooded killer. I wish, more than anything, that the other moment wasn't ruined by this scarring event. I wouldn't even know what to say to Will when he wakes up.

    I sit up quietly from my bed and watch him sleep. While he looks peaceful, I don't even want to imagine the horrors taking place in his mind right now. Maybe he's dreaming about something else, and his mind can get a much needed escape from reality. I make sure I'm far enough away so I don't touch him.

    I check my watch, which reads 4:45 am, which prompts me to sigh. There's no way I'll be sleeping. I'm not surprised. I get out of bed quietly. As my feet touch the floor, I hear a voice.

    "Where are you going?" It's Will. Oh crap.

    "Did I wake you?", I whisper. He open his eyes and sits up.

    "No, I couldn't sleep. You?" I shake my head no. He sighs, rubbing his eyes.

    "Damn it," he says, "I wish I could just sleep, more than ever."

    "I know," I reply, "but there's just no way, for either of us." I lie back in bed and pull the covers. "Let's just lie here."

    Will lies back with me. After a moment, we find ourselves lying side by side. I eventually rest my head next to his shoulder. I close my eyes, trying to let myself imagine that things are different. Well, not everything. I simply want to let myself pretend that the world doesn't exist beyond this room, nor do any of its problems. I wish I could lie here forever, and not have to deal with today. For once, I don't want to see the sun rise.

    To my dismay, the sky has lightened through the window, showing the cold light of day shining down miserably upon us. On a normal morning, I'd get out of bed and appreciate the calm of our environment and revel in it. Now, I wish I'd never have to step outside again.

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    It's now 8:00 am. There's nothing that can be done. The day must go on. I can imagine that everyone else would be awake by now.

    I get out of bed, letting my feet finally touch the floor. I look behind me one last time, to see Will staring blankly at the ground. He's sitting up, with his face long and his head down. He doesn't seem to notice me leave, as I shut the door.

    Everyone else is sitting quietly at the kitchen table, as they look up to notice me. I don't say anything as I sit with them. Several stains of red then catch my eye on my sleeve, prompting me to fold it out of my eyeline. I wish I didn't have to have seen that.

    "Where's Will?", asks Chuck.

    "He's.....in my room," I reply, before realizing what I said. Luckily, nobody says anything.

    "I think he should come out soon," says Hayden. "We all need to talk....and figure this out."

    "I'll get him," I say, getting up. I walk towards the door, with caution. As I open the door, he's standing right in the doorway, about to come out.