Cadaverous Love

Chapter Fifteen

The five of us accidentally ventured too far into the forest and reached a path way that led us quickly back into town.

"Well shit," Dallas says as he struts to my right, "we are going to have to loop around to get back to the park."

"Come on, Dal," Ponyboy says as he walks hand in hand with Morgan, smiling brilliantly, "you never do anything that doesn't involve beer or a pack of smokes."

"Now, don't get wise." He retorts as I stifle a laugh.

Two-bit chuckles to himself behind Pony and Morgan and says, "Hey Pony, you gonna get some action tonight?" Morgan turns away from Ponyboy, her cheeks a bright red.

"Well not with you bummin' around!" He yells back, temples pulsing.

"Relax, man," Dallas says as he puts a hand on Pony's shoulder, "he's just joking around. You know him."

"Yeah," he nods, "bet you laughed at your grandfather's funeral," Ponyboy says bitterly as he glares at Two-bit over his shoulder. My attention shifts when I hear the load roar of an engine, turning, I see a beaten up, old car that looks like the one my dad used to drive around town with my mom and I. It swerves to a stop at the curb beside the sidewalk where we stand, I keep my eyes on the car, trying to make out who the driver is. The rest of them stop bickering and fall silent. I watch as a man stumbles out, then things click into place. This is the car that I used to sit in as we drove through town on Sundays, and that man is-no, was- my father. His greased blonde hair glints in the soft light, his dark blue eyes set with a fire of rage. Dallas steps to my side as the man walks closer, he keeps his gaze set strictly on me. His eyes are like daggers, piercing through my whole body. I can feel Dallas tense up as the man turns to look at him and says,

"I promised you that I would be back," he smiles. Dallas shakes his head and balls his hands into fists.

"You took everything from me! You took my life away!" I gain the courage to yell at the man. My mind spins out of control and I no longer have control of my body.

I turn to Dallas frantically, my heart thumps in my head, a panicked beat set to the haze that has settled over everything. I reach into his jacket pocket, I feel my fingers brush the cold metal, I pull the gun out and jerk away quickly before he can snatch it back. My hands shake as I hold the gun up and aim it at my father- no not my father at this evil man. I click the bullet into place, his eyes turn from the hard anger to soft and terrified. He stands there not knowing what to do, and then he does something I thought would never happen, he bows his head and accepts defeat.

"Emily, don't-" Ponyboy yells at me.

"Drop the gun, dammit!" Their voices blend together into one, a thrashing wave of screeches. I slip my finger onto the trigger, the slick cold, metal sends tingles throughout my hand. I pull back before guilt swallows me whole; a small click fills the air. The man looks up, horrified, he begins to back away. The gun didn't shoot- it wasn't loaded. I drop it and lunge at him, someone's arms wrap around my waist. Holding me from him, I kick and struggle with all my might as I watch the man flee down the dark streets, and soon he disappears. Hopelessness and dread fill my body, letting him live is another day that I spend being killed, over and over again. Their grip loosens on me, as I turn I see Dallas. Anger burns in my throat and arms, I ball my hands into fists and beat them against his chest.

"You let him get away!" I yell at the top of my lungs, "You let him get away!" Tears well up in my eyes and blind me. Dallas stands there with his arms open taking each blow. My punches soon become so weak that they are pointless, he pulls me into him as I sob. "You let him get away," my words are feeble as they tumble out of my mouth. I feel as if I'm yelling out from the middle of the ocean, screaming and crying for help, but the only thing that can hear me are the dark, entangled waves which hold me captive.