Just The Girl (under editing)

Chapter Fifty Six - Changes

I want to make a push to finally complete this book. It's been over 10 years in the making and for a bit of nostalgia I've recently re read it and really enjoyed it haha I'd forgotten everything I'd written so it was just like reading someone else's work.

A lot had changed in the ten years including probably my writing style so I'm really sorry if the last few chapters are suddenly really different. I still have a good picture of how I wanted everything to end so am going to do my best to put that together so I can finally mark this one complete.

In an attempt to get back in the mind frame and world of Rosie and Josh I went online to find the models I had used to portray them (Susan Coffey and Jake CooperWhite) and they look completely different than they did a decade ago when I used their likeness! It made me a bit sad.

I doubt anyone reading this today will have been here in the beginning and you will all have gotten bored waiting for me to update, but on the slightest chance any of you are still here, please comment and let me know what you think.

Josh

A blinding white light was all I could see, everything around me seemed to disappear as I was overcome with a sense of calm and tranquillity.

My body felt heavy, but not in a bad way. It was like the ground was a huge soft pillow and I was sinking farther and farther into it, it was engulfing me in its warmth, and I wasn't fighting it.

My hand felt heavier, and warmer than the rest of me. Like someone was holding it. And every so often I could feel a stir, being moved or a presence near me, touching my hair and my face.

I wasn't scared, I felt completely at peace. I hadn't ever felt this sensation before, but I welcomed its embrace, it felt safe.

Sometimes I could feel myself slipping away, sinking farther and farther into this imaginary pillow below me, but whoever was holding my hand wouldn't let me go.

It would have been so easy to disappear into the abyss, all I had to do was close my eyes and sink, and it would all be over. The depth felt so inviting, I wanted to disappear into it.

But something was gripping me so persistently I knew it would never let me go.

Rosie

It had been a blur since it happened. My Dad had worked hard to keep pressure on Josh's abdomen and my Mom called an ambulance to help us. The rain poured down heavily around us and mixed with the blood on the ground.

The blood.

The image of that blood would haunt my memories until the day I died.

Josh had closed his eyes and he hadn't opened them again since. It had been a struggle to stabilise him, he was so weak already. He had lost so much weight since I left all those weeks ago, and he hadn't been looking after himself.

Daniels knife had pierced vital organs. He was so drunk, that his sloppy motions caused the knife to twist as it entered Josh's body, ripping his insides to shreds.

The police had taken my statement a few hours ago, they were out looking for Daniel and his group of friends. Right now, I didn't care if they found him or not, I could only care that Josh came through this.

I glanced at the time on my phone screen, slumping in the hospital waiting room chair.

4:00am

It had been hours. Josh was still in surgery, fighting for his life.

My Dad heard what I said to Josh. He hadn't looked me in the eyes since.

He was furious. He wouldn't even come to the hospital with us.