Holstering High School 2 (The Walking Dead Game - Alternative Universe)

15 - Weight of the world

Monday was devastating. The sheer silence that swept over the school was unbelievable. Even the people who most likely bullied Bonnie stood in silence not wanting to upset the flow. In the history of the school, nothing like this had ever happened before. Everyone was in shock.

A memorial assembly was being held in the gym and we all waddled in. No giggling or anything. As if they couldn't, speechless.

I took a seat beside Nick who was sat beside Rachel and Luke. Nick instantly held my hand tightly. Nick knew about death better than anyone. He had experienced it too much. I don't think he could cry even at the sadness moments of this memorial. Not because he was heartless because he knew he couldn't let death take him over once more.

"As you all may know, Bonnie Daniels was murdered on Saturday the 26th March 2015. We would like to celebrate her life today with a few songs from the music class. We will then light a candle in her memory. Our hearts go out to her family during this tough time. If anyone needs to talk the school councillor, she has open appointments all week." The school principal said through a microphone that echoed throughout the gym.

Everyone bowed their heads and the school music class began to sing a beautiful song as a few teachers huddled around a candle setting it alight. A flame slowly flickered in the middle of the gym for everyone to see.

It was just so sad. So unexpected. So wrong. I really hoped they found the murdered and put him on death row. No young girl deserves to have their life taken away from them, in fact nobody deserves that.

I could feel Nick stroking my fingers with his thumb. He looked stressed, still about the whole dad situation. I couldn't blame him though, I would feel the same way. After the assembly we walk back to our usual position at the back of the gym. Even Alvin and Rebecca were no longer upon each other, they just sat silently.

Even when I saw Carver and Troy pace through the school they were poker faced. As if they did feel bad about her death. If even they were scared.

I began to drive Nick home after school. He sat in silence until he finally managed to say something.

"Can you do me a favour?" He asks me. A glisten in his eyes as I quickly take my concentration off of the road.

"Depends" I joke.

"Can we go to the store? I'll be quick." He says. Desperation in his face.

"Yeah sure" I confirm. It was only up the road, I didn't mind.

When we pulled up Nick was about to jump out himself and get whatever he needed, awkwardly moving his crutches out of the way.

"Do you want me to come with you?" I ask him. He just shook his head and disappeared into the shop.

I sat on my phone playing the dreaded Candy crush. I never saw what everyone's obsession was with it. In reality it was extremely shit, but it was good to pass the time. Note to self : delete candy crush.

Nick came back to the car struggling with a bunch or two under his arm. I take them from him just in case he falls. I allow him to get back into the car first before handing them back to him.

"I'll buy you flowers another time. I promise. But these are for my mom" he choked slightly. My heart dropped. I felt so much sympathy for him right now.

"You want me to drive to her grave?" I mumble.

"Please" he takes a deep breath and exhales as I pull out of the store parking lot.

Nick gives me the directions to the graveyard. Somewhere I thought I'd never want to go. But as I said, I'd always be there for him no matter what. We park up, you could see gravestones everywhere in front of the car.

"Do you want me to come?" I cough. He might have to do this own his own.

"I can do it. Just give me 5 minutes." He grasps the flowers under his arm once again and hops onto his crutches. I don't know how he managed it.

I watch him swing towards a particular headstone until he stopped. He looked down at it for a little while until he knelt down placing the flowers down. It began to trickle with rain and the windscreen began to flood with raindrops.

I watch him through the rain. He had taken off his hat and put his crutches to one side and he just sat there beside the mud. I didn't want to watch him, it made me feel rude. So I looked away. I was 100% sure he was talking though. Talking to the mom he loved so dearly. Maybe he was telling her about his dad?

Maybe Bonnie's death and his dads message had set something off inside him again. The thought of death and his dad had triggered memories of his mother. After about 10 minutes a soaking wet Nick clambered into my car. I couldn't distinguish between tears and raindrops.  

"You're going to be okay" I reassure him as I watch him grasp his hat in his hands.

"My mom. She gave me the hat" he admits. My face dropped as I watched his lips tremble. He quickly clamped his teeth on his bottom lip to stop himself crying. "It was the last thing she brought me. She knew she would be going soon so she asked me to pick a hat when we went shopping. I said I didn't want a hat but she insisted. 'Nick you need a hat for the summer else the sun will get in your eyes' she told me. So I allowed her to pick me a hat. Ended up being this one. I felt guilty for telling her I didn't want a hat. Haven't stopped wearing it yet." He whimpers as he plays with the fraying fabric on the old cap.

I didn't know how to reply so I just rubbed his shoulder to comfort him. But then I finally found something to say.

"She'd be proud of you Nick. You don't give yourself enough credit sometimes. You're an amazing person. I can't even begin to explain how much you mean to me. I know there’s always going to be rough times but we can pull through it. You don’t ever have to face your dad if you don’t want to, if he attempts anything you call the police. Whatever you need.” I rub his shoulder once again. He was like the majority of teenagers nowadays, depressed.

But the problem was he wasn’t like them all. His situation was different. I watch him hold the hat tightly as he takes a deep breath and bites his lips to stop himself from crying anymore.

He was going to be okay, I just needed to help him lift the weight of the world off of his shoulders. But that was easier said than done. I just wanted him to be happy.