Brick Girl [Completed]

Four months

Tara

I sat back on the chair I had dragged out onto the decking and watched the sunset changing the colours of the mountain. The air cooled and I slid my hands into my hoodie pockets. I lifted my legs and tucked my feet underneath me.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I could smell the heather, the warm peaty smoke trickling out of the chimney and the cool winter air. I felt a tear run down my cheek. This place reminded me of being here with Zeke for the first time.

It had been four months since Sarah had stabbed Zeke and I'd watched him get rushed away to the hospital.

Four months since she had been arrested and remanded in a psychiatric hospital. Four months since they found her bag full of drug paraphernalia and weapons. She hadn't been in her right mind. As it turned out, she had battled her demons before back in Ohio and they had come back for her.

Four months since Zeke's heart had stopped beating due to the blood loss and four months since his Mum brought him back when the paramedics thought that he was gone.

I felt another tear run down my cheek and opened my eyes. I gazed out at the now dark mountains and shivered.

I heard a tap on the ground behind me and saw him leaning at the entrance to the cottage. Zeke had lost a lot of blood and Sarah had stabbed him so deeply that she had damaged the nerves to his right leg. He had healed well, he had his age and good health on his side for that but they couldn't repair the nerves. He could walk but he needed to use a stick or crutch and I could tell he hated it.

Zeke was still pale but continued to joke that he still had a better tan than I ever would. I had never left his bed in the hospital and the physiotherapists had even recruited me into Zeke's rehab. He hadn't been impressed to start but I had managed to convince him and between us all he had come on brilliantly.

Zeke smiled and my heart fluttered, I think it would always do that.

"Penny for them," he said and walked slowly over to me.

"I was thinking, when is my boyfriend going to bring me a beer?"

Zeke scoffed, reached into his back pocket and handed me a beer. I laughed and took a sip. He gently sat on the edge of the chair and stroked my hair.

"Are you ok?" He murmured, looking out to the mountains and the trees.

"Yes, I'm here with you." I reached up and held his hand. He squeezed my hand and lowered his head to kiss it.

"Dinner?" I stood up and kissed him softly on the lips. He nodded and smiled at me. I started to walk to the kitchen when I heard a scrape on the wood behind me and turned to find Zeke on the floor.

"Zeke!"

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Zeke

I had been watching her for longer than she realised. I knew she had been crying, she didn't think I did but I know her so well that I could tell. After every physio session or doctors appointment, her lip would shake slightly, she would go to the bathroom and come back smiling.

It had all been terrifying. I can't really remember much but what I do wakes me up at night. Sarah's furious face, Tar looking at me full of fear, hearing her whisper "don't leave me", my mum taking to men I couldn't place and barking orders to them.

I know that I'll get there, wherever there is. I don't think there is a destination I can aim for, I think it'll always be something I think of but as time goes on, I'll think of it less and one day it'll just be a memory.