A flashlight in the shadows.

chapter 36: Help wanted.

My brain wasn't controlling my body at that moment. My heart told my legs to run to the Subaru. It told my hands to turn the key and start the car. My heart told my feet to push the accelerator well past the speed limit just to keep up with Bennett, although his car was much faster. I lost sight of him at one point, but eventually found him again and continued my pursuit. What the hell was I thinking?! How could I act that way towards him, especially after he saved me. I'm a complete moron for even thinking he would deliberately hurt me.
He turned off highway 67 onto a dirt road. I followed him the best I could, but when I got to the turn off point a ton of cars came by, blocking me.
When I finally turned into the road, I had no idea where Bennett went. My only hope now was to drive around and hope for the best. I had driven about a mile and a half before I spotted what I thought was Bennett's car. I pulled up along side it and hopped out. I peered into the trunk and saw an easel. Yep, it was Bennett's car. After checking the glove compartment, I found that his flashlight was missing. Deduction; he was traveling on foot.
Using the flashlight on my phone, I started down the trail that sat in front of the car. Big pine trees erupted on either side of the trail, giving me a feeling of insecurity. I hoped that this was the trail Bennett took. The only lead I had was a pair of footprints in the snow. But they could've been anybody's footprints. For all I know an old lady could've been out for a late night stroll. But that theory was blown away when I saw something sticking up in the snow.
It wouldn't have caught my attention, if it was any other color except bright yellow. I walked up to it. It was folded into a little square and stuck halfway in the snow. It was meant to be found.
I unfolded it and looked quickly over it. It was in Bennett's handwriting, but I didn't need that to recognize it as his. I knew he had written it, because it was a poem. Maybe it was a dumb assumption, but I was pretty sure that no other poets were out there at that time of night. I held the flashlight in one hand and the paper in the other while I read.

'The wind may change direction,
Just as a tree might never sprout.

And my feelings for you could change over night,

But I know they won't.

My every waking moment has been for you, even when I didn't know it.

I can't make your heart beat for me as mine does for you.
Just as I can't make you think of me all the time, like I do.

But I can ask that you remember me in the moments when you think no one cares.

Because I do.

And I always will.'

I stared at the poem in my hand for a few minutes. It gave me more motivation to find him. I knew that the footprints were his, so I started running after them. The flashlight almost fell from my hands a few times, but I got a decent handle on it and continued running. The footprints turned off onto another dirt path that led deeper into the brush. I followed them. After about twenty feet, I stopped dead in my tracks. The sight that beheld itself to me made my heart stop, and my stomach plunged into a deep pit.
I found Bennett. He was leaned up against a tree. The tree was no different from all the others. It was a pine tree with spikes and rough bark. But when would I learn to only judge what's on the inside? The snow underneath him was just like the rest that surrounded the area, except for one thing.
It was slightly red. Not quite red, even. More of a pinkish color. I stepped closer to him. He was normal, but his arms weren't. He wore a blue t-shirt. Now, after all this had happened, I finally knew why he wore long sleeves.
I don't know if all the cuts were made by the cult his father was in, or if some were of his own doing, but I knew the ones on his wrist weren't accidental. He inflicted them, he used the straight razor that sat only a few feet away. He had tried to commit suicide.
I stress the word 'tried,' because I was here to help now. And I was going to try like hell to save him.
My first move was to stop the bleeding. I tore off two pieces of my dress and wrapped them tightly around his wrists so it would apply pressure. After that was done, I quickly dialled 911. An operator picked up on the second ring.
"This is 911, what is your emergency?"
"I need an ambulance on the dirt trail just off 67, a boy tried to kill himself."
"We'll have someone there right away." She hung up the phone. I sighed and touched Bennett's face. It looked like he was sleeping. I shook his shoulder a little.
"Bennett?" No response. I slapped his cheek lightly.
"Bennett!" He stirred a little. He opened his eyes and smiled weakly at me.
"Book thief?" I sighed and nodded.
"An ambulance is coming, c'mon." I slung one of his arms around my shoulder and hoisted him up the best I could. We stumbled all the way out to my car where I drove us to the edge of the road. He didn't say much, but I was too concentrated to hear him if he did. We saw bright flashing lights when I reached the end of the road where two young paramedics were waiting with a stretcher. I screeched the car to a stop and hopped out, running to the other side.
"Here, help me." One got in the front seat of the ambulance and the other ran over to help me bring him to the ambulance. He asked me,
"Do you know this boy?"
"Yes, he's a friend."
"Do you want to ride in the ambulance?" He asked as we set him on the stretcher. I nodded and wiped some hair that fell from my braid out of my face.
"Yes please." He nodded and we set him inside the ambulance, crawling in ourselves. The car started moving and making loud siren noises. I sat on a small metal chair while the paramedic slipped an IV into his arm. I shuddered and Bennett winced a little. He sighed.
"Ahhh, that feels fresh." The paramedic smiled,
"Hes talking, that's a plus." He then took out a flashlight and shined it in his eyes.
"Do you know where you are?" Bennett closed his eyes and sighed.
"In an ambulance on the way to the emergency room."
"Good, can you tell me your name?"
"Bennett Webber." He looked at me and smiled weakly again. The paramedic nodded.
"How old are you?"
"18, still in high school."
"Ok, good." The paramedic put away the flashlight and asked,
"Can you flex your fingers for me?" He did so, but winced in pain.
"Ouch."
"How do you feel right now?" Bennett closed his eyes again.
"Tired, sleepy."
"Dont fall asleep Bennett, talk to-" he looked at me. I nodded,
"Sarah."
"Sarah, talk to Sarah." He went to the front seat to get something. I scooted closer and set my hand on his arm.
I brushed a thumb over one of the scars that sat just below his elbow. He smiled and whispered,
"Did you like the poem?" I gave a small laugh and sniffled.
"Yes, I liked it."
"Good, I made it just for you." After a second of silence, I shook my head and squeezed his arm.
"You're crazy." He shrugged slightly.
"Maybe I am." I petted his arm.
"When were you planning on telling me about this?" A small tear left my eye, but no others followed. He inhaled slowly.
"Soon, but I guess I won't have to now." He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Then he asked me a question,
"Do you believe in heaven?" I snapped my eyes at him and said firmly,
"You're not going to die."
"Everyone dies, book thief. I'm just asking a question." He continued looking at the ceiling. I bit my lip and nodded.
"Yes, I do."
"Tell me what you think it's like. I feel like everyone has a different thought, and I'd like to know yours." I looked at the ceiling with glossy eyes and sighed.
"Its beautiful. There's no particular season at any time. It can be a warm summer day with snow everywhere if you'd like it to be. And everyone you've ever loved is there, waiting to welcome you. You can spend years with them doing nothing but watching clouds go by. There's no worries or hatred. Everyone gets along, and there's no pain. No physical or mental pain. A place where the blind can see and the crippled can walk. Where love is eternal, and nothing can keep you from being happy." I sighed and looked at him. He was still staring at the ceiling, a stupid smile was on his face. He nodded.
"That sound nice." Then he closed his eyes and sighed. Then he opened them and said,
"Joyus love sing to me. The while he held my heart in his hands. And in his arms, my lady lay asleep, wrapped in a veil." He turned his head slightly to look at me. I smiled at the memory of the poem and sighed. I picked up where he left off,
"He awoke her then, trembling and obedient, she ate that burning heart out of his hand. Weeping, I saw him then depart from me." He smiled and nodded.
"I knew you'd remember that poem." He then closed his eyes. I shook his arm.
"Bennett?" He continued breathing, but didn't answer me. I shook his arm harder,
"Bennett!" The paramedic came back and pushed me out of the way.
"Back off!" I sat down, crying without making a sound. Bennett didn't wake up at all, but I could tell he was still alive because he was still breathing. We arrived at the hospital at 3:50 a.m. I hopped out with the paramedics and we ran down the hallway. I ran on Bennett's right side and took his hand in mine.
"Dont die on me, Bennett. Promise me." The last thing he said to me before they wheeled him off to the intensive care unit was,
"No promises." I was pushed away by a few nurses and brought to the counter. A nurse with blonde hair and half moon glasses had me sit down in front of it. She took out a clip board and a pen.
"Can you please tell me his name?"
"Bennett Webber."
"Uh huh, and his parents names?" I looked at her.
"No, but his mother was recently released from here."
"Alright, let me check the records." She clicked her computer and jotted down his mother's name. After a few more questions I asked her,
"When will I know if he's ok?" She looked at me with a bored and tired expression. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and sighed loudly.
"I'm not exactly sure, but I'd say sometime tomorrow." I sniffled and nodded.
"Ok, thanks. Here's my number, please call me the second you know anything." She took my number and I started down the hall, texting dad as I walked. I didn't call him because I was sure I would lose it. I typed,
'Dad, I need a ride to get the car, I'm at the hospital.' He texted back ten minutes later,
'Why're you at the hospital?'
'I'll explain later:)' I texted. He texted back,
"K,b there soon;)' I sighed and went outside to sit on one of the benches. Three drunk guys came around the corner and smirked at me. One whistled while another one remarked,
"Dang, girl. You got a boyfriend?" I clenched my teeth and snarled back,
"Go away."
"You got a nice set of legs. You legal yet?" One of them asked. The one who whistled earlier came up and sat next to me.
"You look cold, girl. What's your name?" I sighed and rubbed my eyes.
"I. Am. Not. Interested."
"I can change that," he smirked and set a hand on my leg. I punched him directly in the nose, got up and grabbed a large stick, swinging it in front of the other two guys. They helped their friend up and stared at me wide eyed. Now, I'd like to point out that this wasn't me at the moment. It was not, normal happy Sarah. No. This was pissed off, fucked up Sarah, with a taste for blood. I stared at them and said in the calmest voice possible,
"Look, girls are not toys that you fuck in the parking lot. Girls are your future, don't you care about your future?" They both nodded hastily. I sighed and nodded.
"Good, then treat them well, or else you won't have a future. Now fuck off." They didn't stay and test me again. Once they were out of sight, I sat back down and waited for dad. But to my dismay and frustration, Cassandra pulled in with her prius at 4:12a.m. she got out of the car and clicked over on her heels. She was wrapped up in a robe and her hair was put in a messy bun. She approached me and hugged herself.
"Hey." I looked down at the ground.
"What do you want?" She sighed.
"Your father asked me to come get you and bring you to your car." I huffed and stood up.
"Lets get going, then." We got in. She tried to start conversation.
"So, wild night, huh?" I huffed in response. 'You have no idea,' I thought to myself. She sighed.
"I've had my share of those."
"I bet so." I answered, looking out the window. We still hadn't left the parking lot. She cleared her throat,
"Well, where to?"
"The old dirt path off 67."
"Righto." She started the car and drove. Although she tried talking, I wasn't interested. Partly because I didn't like her, and partly because I was too exhausted to talk. Once we got to my car, I drove straight home and went to bed. The last thing I saw before my dreams entrapped me was Bennett's room. I wondered if I'd ever see him in it again.

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Hope you guys liked it! Ok, I don't do this very often, but I'd like to recommend a few books,

Broken- by BoyToy-Troy.
Lights- by Sargent-Irwin.
The next door neighbor- by spottedtail1129.

Thanks, enjoy the next one, bye! :)