One Week Older: Turning Pages

Won't You Help Me

* Daya's Room *

I was awoken by a gentle shake to my shoulders and a soft whisper in my ear.

"Day, are you up? You've been asleep forever, come on," are the words that brought me out of my semi-peaceful dream state.

With unsure motives, I gradually opened my eyes to be greeted with my best friend's tranquil hazel pupils. I faintly muttered a soft-hearted, "Hey," as I tried to form a smile on my reluctant face. His soft digits quietly placed the strands of my brunette locks out of my face, tucked effortlessly behind my ear to reveal my fatigued expression.

"How long was I out?" I asked as I put my hand over his own after I realized that it never left my face.

"A few days, I think you had coma, but don't worry I have been looking after you," he deadpanned.

I nodded my head, smiling up at him as I chuckled saying, "You've been taking care of me? I wonder how I'm still alive."

I slowly turned my head at the realization that my mother was no longer beside me anymore.

"Hey, do you know where my mom is?" I questioned to only get a somber look in return, replacing his smile and making me increasingly nervous.

I forced myself to sit up in my bed and looked him dead in the eyes as I asked again, "Do you know where my mother is?" Still, I only got a blank look from him.

"Jay," I whispered as the last resort.

"If you don't tell me I'll just think the worst, please."

"Day, don't worry so much, I was just thinking how to word this, but since you will not give me that time." He snickered and finished with, "She took your brother to the Emergency Room."

My mind immediately went to several different outcomes, as I pondered why he needed to be there. I could assume it had something to do with the disaster area that was once called my living room.

"What happened, is he alright?" I hastily asked him, barely taking a breath in between questions.

"He um, had a bloody hand and needed stitches. And on a completely unrelated note, remind me to never tick off your brother," he stated with a halfhearted laugh.

"I should call and see if he's okay," I conveyed before I rolled my eyes at his remark.

"Your mom called earlier and wanted me to tell you not to worry, he will be alright. Good as new by morning."

I replied, "Okay," and took a break before finishing with, "Did she happen to mention what happened in the crime scene downstairs?"

All Jay knew was that there was a fight and my mom would tell me the details when she got home. Obviously, the fight was between my father and brother, and the what for was obvious as well, but why and what was the exact cause of this fight? Was that Dennis' blood splattered around? I guess Jay could see my mind wandering as he placed both of his hands on the smalls of my cheeks, trying to bring me relief.

"Please, don't worry. I mean things can only get better from here," he said to me with a look of hope in his hazel eyes that I wished, more than anything, I could reciprocate. I pulled my head away from him harshly.

"You said that earlier and it hasn't. You could not possibly know that and you aren't the best judge of anything! Yesterday, I fell asleep in your bed, on cloud nine, and I was considering the possibility that everything was going to get better, but it didn't. I am sick of having hope and life taking it away from me! The world is completely against me, my family and there is nothing I can do to fight it, my faith is destroyed.
Do you honestly think that things will only get better? Because all I see is darkness and you aren't helping!" I exclaimed with a fire in my throat as I vocalized my deepest feelings.

"What do you think all of this is, some stupid joke, a reality tv show? You don't get to come in and out of my life when it's convenient for you!"

"I'm here now. And I want to be here... with you," his voice sounded sincere but his actions weren't matching up.

"What if I don't want you here? Jay, it's over! There's no point in even getting out of bed anymore. Wake me in the year 2140. I'm sure things will be "better" by then," and with that, I laid back down and buried my head under the covers.

I felt the bed shift and heard him mumble, "Fine. If that's what you want."

I assumed he was leaving me alone in my thoughts and misery.

******

Have you ever wondered what feels like to suffocate? Air leaving your body as you elongate each breath that fails to come. One after one, waning breaths writhing as your throat is slowly closing with only five minutes left to live, six at the most. Does it hurt or is your body overwhelmed with a sudden jolt of panic that you're too distracted to feel? These thoughts confront me in the darkness that comes with closed eyes. No one was around me, there was no bag over my head or pillow.

The squeezing arms of another were not contorting around my tender throat, taking my life from me with the pressure of their bare hands. Nothing but a winded, isolated, and petrified girl on my bed. I thought someone would save me, but no one came and then I realized that someone else was already in the room with me. Of all the shadows in my room, all I could see were eyes, azure eyes that were focused on me and nothing more.

I was gagging and gasping as I would do anything to be able to scream out, "Help me!" Then the eyes closed, and I was left alone in the deep abyss to die with no more seconds left to plea for my life. I felt my soul become a nonentity as it left my body. Time was slipping from my grasp and my entire being was left desolate by my lifeless body and the figure crawled out of the shadows. I died, yet I could still see it or her.

It... looked like me! I watched as she leaned over me as I laid there in a numb state of nothingness. This part of me playing in my departed strands of brunette hair, smiling, with an intense stare for minutes to no avail. I couldn't move or scream, I guess that comes with being dead.

It, I turned around and looked into the void where the eyes once occupied waiting for something to happen and nothing did. This version of myself screamed, a provocative delusional scream, but not at the dead body whose hair she was still stroking, but into darkness.

It screeched out in fear, "But why won't you help me?"

* Hi, I hope you all enjoyed this part. Its been quite a while since I wrote this so I have really enjoyed editing and rereading this story. I'm always thinking, wow I wrote this.

Anyway, a bit of a silly question but Jay and Daya's ship name are we going with Jaya, Dayson, or a ship name idea any of you have?

Either way, do we ship it?

Bonus questions: The chapters are about to get a bit longer, closer to 2,000 words. So, is that too much? Do you prefer shorter and twice a week or longer and once a week? Let me know, thank you!*