Graveyard, Backyard

Chapter 25 - Losing Him

"Who's this?" my voice trembled as I shouted in the cell phone. "Hello? HELLO!" I shouted again but the person disconnected the phone.

By that time, I had already opened the main door of my house and dad was standing near the couch staring at me. I would normally ignored such calls but from recent events of my life, I knew that this was literally the matter of life and death.

"Claire? You OK, dear?"

"Mark.." was all I whispered.

I dropped my handbag and my cellphone and rushed back to elevator, my dad's voice echoing around. I pressed the button quiet a lot times but in vain. I rushed down the stairs, skipped a couple of them every now and then. I ran through the pile of parked cars in the parking and went out where I last saw Mark.

I found him, in the same place when I last saw him. The only difference was, he was lying on the ground. My feet glued to the ground, a couple of steps away from him, watching him surrounded in a pool of red liquid.

Everything that happened then was a blur. A pair of strong hands caught me before I lost my control, they were dad's. I was screaming, shouting and whining like a child.

"No! Mark!!" I heard my voice amplifying from all four sides.

I didn't care about the people who hurried over, I didn't care about my dad's voice trying to calm me. Nothing could calm me now. How was one supposed to stay calm when they see their loved one's head detached from their body in the pool of blood?

What was happening? Was this even happening? Why isn't anyone consoling me that I was having a bad dream? Why wasn't anyone telling me everything was alright?

Mark was killed, brutally. He was murdered and nothing could change this fact. He killed him.

"Claire, I need you to calm down honey."

My dad brought me back on my weak, trembling knees. He supported with both of his hands around me in tight embrace. He kissed my forehead and said something to someone. My eyes were still on the Mark's lifeless body.

"Let's go, Claire."

Then, few people came around him. They were taking him away. They asked dad something about Mark. They were trying to escort people away from the body. My eyes, now a channel of tears, spotted a man among the crowds. The man was looking at me, his florescent bright eyes glowing from the hoodie he had put on. All I could see were his eyes. It was him. He killed Mark. And now, he'll kill me.

I tried to shout, "It's him! He killed my Mark!" but I couldn't. My eyes were locked with his. My tongue was glued in my mouth and my lips, sealed.

"Claire?" I heard a girl's faint voice, "Mr. Hunter, Claire woke up!"

I was dreaming. I opened my eyes and blinked them a few times. My vision cleared and saw Aria's worried face towering over me.

"Thank god, Aria! I was having such a bad dream." my voice sounding very croaky but satisfied. It was just a dream. Mark was alright.

"What dream?" she asked when my dad came rushing into my room.

"I saw that Ma.. Mark was.. killed." I answered nervously because dad sat down on my bed near me.

Dad and Aria looked at each other and sighed.

"Sweetie, Mark.." my dad tried to say when Aria caught my arm tightly and said in a low voice,

"That wasn't a dream," tears formed in her eyes, "Mark is killed."

My astonished eyes found dad who nodded in approval. And I began crying. Aria sat near me and hugged me tightly. Dad got up and went out of the room giving, us a moment. Also, dad could never see me cry. He always said it is difficult for him to see me in pain.

When my crying turned to sobs, Aria released me and helped me sit up. I looked at concerned face, questioning me if I'm OK. My thought wandered to Mark, memories with him, his family, his friends, Brandon..

"Brandon?" I asked between my sobs.

"He's.. miserable." she sighed, "But he told me, you need me more than he needs me."

We sat there in complete silence. Frightening thoughts poisoning my mind, Mark was killed due to me. He was killed because I agreed to go on a date with him. He lost his life, he died, he was freaking murdered by some psycho demon playing games with me! I began crying, again. How will I ever forget these thoughts? I can't live with them.

Aria took my both palms in hers, "Do you know he called Brandon before he was.. He said he was so happy! He said you finally forgave him. He was so happy.."

"And he killed him. HE KILLED HIM. Because of me.."

"Do you think.."

"Who else would do that? Huh?"

"Why would he?"

"Because Mark would have been the barrier between him and me.."

"Oh Claire, I'm terrified!"

"So am I."

Dad came after few minutes and begged me to take rest. I asked Aria if she could stay with me on which she said 'Of course, why wouldn't I?' Dad informed that I have to give my statement on my own time, while the cops were investigating Mark's brutal murder. He also told us to call him if we needed anything and asked abundant times if I was OK. I was not but I nodded for his satisfaction. He kissed my forehead and went out of the room while Aria climbed to my bed. She was going to assure me, but she just squeezed my hand instead in a way telling me she was there for me.

She switched off the lights. I felt myself drifting off in slumber guessing my body was too tired. I was wandering faraway in my dreams.

I saw myself in the house by the lake in Havendell. I was happy and cheerful, I didn't know why. I went to the backyard and saw the serene sunset. I was talking to someone. Will. He had tight hold of my hands as if he won't let it go, ever. We were happy and then, I saw the hooded guy- the darkness to my day, the poison to my blood- staring me with his bright eyes. And then I saw Will falling to the ground, blood spilling from his mouth.

-------------------------