Hump and Dump

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Julia's POV

I walk into the small grey room. David Marlon sits handcuffed to the silver table in the middle of the room. He's in an orange jumpsuit but it's not what he deserves.

He deserves to be dead, like the eleven people that he killed.

I sit down on the opposite side of the table and stare at him, not able to blink. "W-Why?" I whisper. "Why did you kill them?"

He slams his fist against the table. "Because nobody treated me like I was a human being. They treated my like dirt so I treated them like they were nothing, too."

I stare at the table, my vision already starting to go blurry from the tears. "They we're innocent. I know Max and Diana and they wouldn't have done that to you on purpose."

"I shot at random, but some of them deserved it."

"Some of them?" I scream. "Who are you to decide who deserves to die?" He doesn't reply. I take his hand. "Please bring them back. I can't lose them. I'm not ready to let them go. Please?"

"I can't."

"Why didn't you kill me?" I ask. Why am I alive but they're dead? They should be alive.

"I was going to, but someone pushed me and it hit your leg instead. What a shame you're still here."

I push my chair back and walk beside him then get on my knees. He looks at me. "What are you—"

"If I get you out of here, will you kill me, too?" I break down, tears pouring down my cheeks. "I don't deserve to be here."

I'm not brave enough to do it myself, but I know I don't want to be here anymore. I want to see Max again and tell him that he's okay.

That everything is okay.

My head is so sore that it feels like it is going to explode and my leg still hasn't healed. "Are you insane?" the murderer asks. "They'll never let me go."

I stare at the floor, still on my knees. I don't know why this happened. I slam my fist against the table. "Then bring them back!" I scream.

"Why do you care? I saw what you did to Max and what he did to you. You're both terrible people."

My shoulders slouch and I shut my eyes. "I broke him," I whisper.

He wasn't terrible, I made him like that. All of this is my fault. Maybe if I did something differently then... then he'd be alive.

Maybe if I went with Diana to eat then she wouldn't have been standing or sitting where she was. Maybe she'd be alive, too.

They're dead.

What if I could have saved them? If only I had done it differently.

"Let me take their place. Please. Please. Please." Every second that I breathe is just going to be a reminder. "I'm the terrible person. I don't deserve to live."

Two officers come in and lead me out. They let me sit in the chairs by the entrance. I stare down at the ground. Everything feels surreal.

"You're going to be alright," the one officer says and then they leave me.

Why do people keep saying that? What if I don't want to be alright. I shouldn't be alright. Why don't Max and Diana get to be alright?

I know I will have to let go of them sooner or later. I'll have to move on.

I just wish that I got to say goodbye. I can't believe it happened the way it did. They were murdered.

When I saw those articles and news reports about school shootings, I didn't think about it much because it didn't affect me. It became normal.

Why the fuck did we let this become normal?

I didn't think it would happen to me. I didn't think it would happen in my school. Everyone seemed okay. If I had known I would have done so much differently.

I wouldn't have spent my time being angry or upset. Now they're gone and there's no way I can change what I did or what happened.

People you love can die so fast. Life can change so fast. That's why you have to live in the moment and appreciate every second of your happiness.

Because it can be ripped away from you in a second in a way that you would never expect. You can't fight it. You just have to carry on living.

My phone rings and I answer it almost immediately because of the way the lady at the front desk glares at me.

"Hello?" I greet.

"Ms. Johnson, we have news regarding our patient Max Holland. I was informed that you're family?" a lady on the other side of the phone says.

"What about him?" I ask, my heart already slinking at the thought of him.

"There was a slight error with the machine and a doctor realised that Max is still alive. He's barely breathing and he will need a huge operation in order to survive. I don't want to get your hopes up because the odds do not look good but he is not dead yet. We apologise for the misinformation and mistakes like this do happen sometimes."

"I'll be right there."

~~*~~

HAVE YOU GUYS WATCHED ALADDIN YET?? Omg it's soooooo freaking cute my gosh I looooved it! I watched it the day it came out and I think I'm in love with Mena Massoud and I loooved Will Smith he was so funny.

But for real it gave me such high expectations. Now I'm going to be waiting for my hot Arabian prince to take me on a flying carpet around the world lmao.

T w i t t e r : xPineappleGirlx
I n s t a g r a m : laylzk
S n a p c h a t : laylz_k

Lots of love and jelly tots- TPG