FIRE: The End Of An Era

CHAPTER 2

January 12, 2022. 10:45 PM.

It was very dark, almost pitch black. Luckily, the car's headlights illuminated the path for Sasha. He could feel all of his anxiety kick in as he saw the familiar areas in which the family dragged him before he ended up in the dark and cold basement. "It's alright, Sash...it's time to act what you preach...if you tell Jackson to let go of the past, so should you..." Sasha thought as he got closer and closer to the diner. He then started to remember Connor. That sweet kid who was forced to torture him. Before he could get to the diner, Sasha was already in tears. All the memories passed in a flash. He got to the diner and then parked. He grabbed his makeup bag and fixed his idol makeup. He grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys.

When he went inside the diner, he saw Kris and Darnell. "Hey, Sasha! It's been a while." Kris greeted Sasha warmly.

"Hey Camera, how's life been for you and Kris?" Sasha asked, sitting down across from Darnell and Kris.

"Well, I got better at speaking sign language so that I can understand what Kris tells me. And uh, I've been really going through life quite nicely. What about you?" Darnell asked Sasha.

"Well...it's been going well...for the most part...Jackson still can't let go of what happened to me three years ago...I keep telling him I'm okay but...he still gets paranoid about simple things and...every week...something happens that reminds him of what happened...I truly am okay...but he's afraid that something will happen again." Sasha said to Kris and Darnell.

Kris looked down, thinking of what to say. He then tapped Sasha and signed, "He worries because he loves you a lot. It's understandable. You're the love of his life. Every time he gets like that, try to assure him that you're truly okay. And if you're not okay, tell him honestly that you aren't okay at all." Kris said. "That way, he can feel better knowing your true and honest feelings." Kris said to Sasha.

Sasha nodded. "You're right Kris...I just...I feel like I'm doing something wrong...because he still believes something like that will happen again..." Sasha said to Kris.

"Well, you can't blame him for that. The first time he let you go after that whole situation happened, you ended up in another accident where, had that cabin collapsed and you hadn't gotten out of there faster, you could've been another dead body." Darnell said to Sasha.

"I know...I know...but things are different right now...and I wish he could understand that." Sasha said.

"Well, it seems to me like he does." Kris signed to Sasha.

"Why do you say that?" Sasha questioned Kris.

"Because you're here alone. Because he trusted you enough to get here without him." Kris signed to Sasha.

"I guess you're right in that sense but still..." Sasha said to Kris.

"Sasha, I think you're overthinking it too much. Just continue to be yourself around him. That way, he doesn't have to worry about you as much." Darnell said to Sasha.

"You're right, Camera." Sasha said to Darnell.

"Did you forget my name?" Darnell questioned.

"Uhm...no. That's my nickname for you, don't you remember?" Sasha defensively said.

Kris signed to Darnell, "He definitely forgot but he won't admit it."

"I heard you." Sasha said.

Kris laughed and signed, "I can't speak dingus, how did you hear me?"

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!!!" Sasha aggressively signed back.

"Hahaha. I'm gonna stop teasing you now." Kris signed while laughing.