Golden Rain [COMPLETE]

°•° 30 °•°

I didn't realize I had fallen asleep on one of the pews until I woke up several hours later, a crick in my neck and my cheeks sticky with the reminisce of my tears. Slowly, I sat up, my back protesting at the new movement. But I loosened up with a good stretch.

Leaning forward, I folded my hands together, resting my elbows on my knees, and stared up at the cross. The sun had shifted and the room was even darker than before, so the red light was no longer streaked across the wood. But in my mind, it was still there.

I wasn't sure if it was the sleep or my emotional release or my new decision to completely change my belief system that left me feeling so much more calm than before. Maybe it was a combination of all of the above.

I knew one thing; now that I'd given my life over to Jesus, there was no going back. If he was going to give me some strength to figure things out, I needed to at least try to use what he was giving me... right? Rubbing a hand over my face, I hoped that I was doing this right.

This would be a lot easier if I had Sav with me, directing me in how to do all this... spiritual stuff. She was a Christian and had been all her life. She knew what she was doing. But that was currently not in the cards.

I'd just have to wing it until I figured out what I was doing.

My stomach grumbled and my tongue felt like sandpaper against the roof of my mouth. Both food and water would be a good next step. At least I knew how to eat and drink. After that, I had no idea what I'd do, but fixing the physical problems first would be the easiest thing to do.

Standing very slowly, I made my way out of the chapel.

I gradually made my way back toward the waiting room. With each step I took, the more that the fear tried to seep back into my bones. But that calm was still there and so I tried to focus on that. I wouldn't get overwhelmed again. Though I was still terrified, I couldn't let myself go numb again. Feeling nothing at all had almost been more horrifying than anything I'd experienced before.

The elevator opened and I turned to my left, toward the ER waiting room. I wasn't sure where my parents were, but Miranda, Rico, and Kaybree all sat together against one wall.

Miranda looked up when I stepped closer. "Oh, Kason. There you are."

She sprung up, Rico following her. She pulled me into a hug, one I barely had time to reciprocate before she pulled away again. "We couldn't find you anywhere. We were getting concerned."

"Uh, yeah, sorry." I pulled out my phone and realized I'd been gone for over four hours. "Wow, I didn't even realize. I accidentally fell asleep."

She gave me a small, comforting smile. "Well at least you're getting some rest."

"Has there been any news while I was gone?" I asked, that fear trying to spike again, thinking I might have missed something important while I was away.

Rico nodded. "They came out and told us that she was stabilized but... things are still on shaky ground."

I released a breath. I wasn't sure if this relieved me or made it harder to keep the fear at bay. Either way, I needed to stay awake, in the moment and not miss another update like that.

Glancing over Miranda's shoulder, I saw Kaybree with her legs pulled up into the chair, her eyes staring vacantly at nothing. I swallowed. "How's Kaybree... How's she holding up?"

Miranda's face fell as she shook her head slightly. "She hasn't talked or cried or anything since you left. She's refusing to eat and drink and..." She met my eyes, hers filled with turbulence. "I'm really concerned about her. She really needs her brother right now."