Ghosts, Ghouls, and the Inbetweens

Chapter 7.5: Tears of a loved one

"Max you can't just stay in your room and stare out the window all day. You need to eat." Mrs. Levlen said, she stood in the doorway of Max's room. He sat on the windowsill, staring out into the rain.

It's been a week since Hedrick's death.

"It's been seven whole days, Max. You need to-"

"I know!"

"Listen, I don't want you sitting in the dark and starving yourself all day! The funeral is tomorrow, and I don't want you showing up a complete mess."

Max mumbled something, turning away from his mom. Mrs. Levlen sighed. "Max, come on."

She sat on the edge of his bed. "You're destroying yourself over this, you're starving yourself. You're getting sick, what would Hedrick think?"

Max paused. "He would want me to keep going."

"Exactly! He would want you to keep going! He wants you to be happy and healthy, Max. Even from above in Heaven."

She stood up, "Don't forget that."

She walked out of his room, "Dinner's being served in a few minutes, I'll see you there." Max nodded, although he didn't fully intend on going.

He stared out the window, seemingly watching for something. Or someone. He was fixated on the street outside, wishing that someone would walk by. Wishing that this was some sick dream and Hedrick would walk down that street and wave at him, with a smile on his face. He wanted Hedrick to be okay.

But that was far from the truth.

He felt tears roll down his cheeks, like this wasn't the third time he's cried over him today. This whole week was just him sitting in his room and sobbing. School would start back up soon, seeing as it closed in Hedrick's honor. There was a likely chance he would skip that too, like dinner.

His mom wouldn't let that happen, of course. But he wasn't in the best place, he wanted Hedrick. No one else, nothing more.

He wrapped his arms around himself, like a hug. His eyes were still fixated on the road, a small amount of hope telling him that Hedrick would be out there, waving. But that was impossible. He was gone, and he wasn't coming back. It was like what his mom said, he was watching from above.

Watching him destroy himself. Max knew Hedrick would want him to push on, live a good life. But it was hard, it was hard for him to get up in the morning. It was hard enough to try and eat breakfast everyday, so how the hell would he be able to recover from this.

He knew he couldn't. No one fully recovers from something like this, they just get food at pushing through and not crying. He already failed the crying part.

He placed a hand on the window, still no sign of Hedrick. What's the point? He wouldn't show up, never would. More tears fell, as if they haven't been this whole time. "Why wasn't it me instead?"

He stopped trying to hold back tears, he let it all out. "Why wasn't it me instead?!" Everything around him seemed to stop, the only sound there being his own sobs.

"Max! Dinner's done!"

Shit

"Coming!" He choked back sobs as he wiping his tears away. He stood up and headed to the door, taking a glance back at his window. He could've swore he seen some brown hair, or some hazel eyes staring back at him.

But that was just his imagination.