AVENUE BETRAYAL-The best they could get

(PARTIALLY VICTIM OF HYPOPHRENIA)Prologue

"Eight letters, three words and only one regret. 'I miss you'." Emma said to zizzing John. She didn't even know if he was still alive or if he was for how long would he be?

John Lewis lay pretty conventionally. Like nothing had happened. But of course a lot had happened. Emma would never see him again.

She knew the person on the stretcher. It was John who she met 19 years back. The John who didn't even know how to spell phone. He spelled it 'fone' when he was 6 years old.A t times she thought he did it intentionally to annoy her. It made her rather peevy but now when she thought about those days she felt full of doe and unhappiness. She already missed him.It was sooner than Emma thought it would be.

If he would ever open his eyes again, he won't know who Emma was. He'll just be wet clay which is waiting to be moulded. Everything felt sort of broken. Miserable. John played a very paramount role in Emma's life. Not just because he had provided her food and shelter, but because he was the only family Emma had.

Emma had read Robinson Crusoe as a supplementary reader for exams. She always hated the story because she found it was really depressing. But now, it just seemed she was the same. On a lonely island where she didn't have family or friends. She didn't even know if she would ever meet a Friday in her life. A Friday who would tell her that he was there. Emma felt broken. Her walls were breaking. Getting shattered. Crumbling like burning paper. And then everything becomes ash. And that ash is blown away by the wind. Emma did need some wind in her life. Something that would take her somewhere. Someone or something. But then of course she and John would meet again. But probably in heaven. The windows were shut and John was breathing. Breathing. How often do we underestimate the power of being normal. Of being able to do the simple things in life. But without those simple things we're nothing. John was surrounded by two monitors. One for his heartbeat and the second working on his memories. Emma watched the memories wash one by one. A tear rolled on her cheek. The Valentines were working on the memories. Emma never wanted to let John go away. She never wanted him to opt for something stupid like dying or living with no memories. His mom and dad were washed out. So was his dog Jupiter. John I want you know that I am here. Whenever you look back you'll always find me. You'll die in 3 months, or maybe sooner. Maybe those 17 years weren't enough. I will miss you, John Lewis. The John is the reason I breathe. The John Lewis who told me the sky's not the limit. That John who wanted to cup my nose in his hands but it my nose was too big. That John who told me about the abundant sky. That John I am thanking for teaching me how to live again. Emma really wanted to know telepathy at that moment. Transport this message into his head. Let him know everything she wanted. Her eyes were swollen of crying and of no sleep. She hadn't eaten anything in 2 days and still didn't feel hungry. Thoughts like who she would live with now or how would she earn a living were at bay for the moment. 4 men entered the room. Probably to take John. The men looked exactly like normal men would. Strong and manly. But these 4 men had a huge white bandage in one of their hand. It looked like their one hand had been chopped off. None of that mattered though. Emma just kept looking at John. His last memory about her washed like stains of wet mud from a t-shirt. Easily and with precision. I haven't forgotten you yet. It's still you. You are still my best friend and you always will be. No matter if Cleopatra comes alive or if the sky falls down. No matter I never telepathy. You and I will always be the two musketeers. Thanks for telling me to read the Hunger Games, John, and gifting me the whole set I will always keep with me. Emma did not try and say anything else to John. She just watched the two men struggle to pull the shutters up. And when they did dawn light leaked in like a water leaking from a tap. They rolled John out of recovery and in the dark room. She had an important job now. She had to see him for the last time. No more John. John Lewis is going forever. She wanted to cry but the tears seemed to well up in her eyes. Her spine was not able to absorb the shocks. The time had come.

Emma Bridgewater saw her best friend go to die. If I am human I should cry she thought. She watched John go into the room and she walked right behind the 4 men. She saw John for the last time. He was lying in his orange t-shirt with his jeans. He had promised Emma to wear her pentagon pendant forever. And he still was. She looked at him and touched his hand. They were cold and icy. There was no warmth in them. They felt like ice cubes. The 4 men went out of the room and closed the door for her. She looked at the monitor beside her. It showed her the memories left in his head. There was only 'my name is John Lewis' written on it. She looked at him one last time, leaned her head on his chest. His heart was beating. Strong and firm. There was a firm palpitation. He did not need stimulants at the moment but she was sure he might need them some time or the other.

Emma didn't care of what the 4 men would think she was doing inside. She wanted to see John till the time she couldn't see him anymore. And so she did. After she could bear no more sorrow she kissed John on his cheek and lifted herself from the floor. She flung the doors open and there stood the a crew of members in a hall. The hall had amp, dirty, dark grey bricks held together by some cement. A single dancing light hung by the ceiling, with the last light dying out. There was a lone window, pronouncing the time of the day. Scratched stones and rusty chains hung by the wooden door as if they meant to convey something eerie. She walked out and into the hall which looked nothing like the rest of the building she had witnessed. Her heart dropped. A crew with sixteen members, ready to take John with them.

" Thanks you so much Miss Bridgewater. You sacrifice will always be appreciated. You are leaving John in good hands" one of the Valentine said. He said in this weird way with great emphasis on some words by rolling his tongue. She felt like she wasn't required anymore. "You can come here anytime you want" another one giggled. Emma plastered a smile to show gratitude. "Your forgo without John today, might save lives tomorrow" said someone who emerged from the gang. For some reason those words made no sense to Emma in respect to what she was leaving John here for. Nevertheless, she nodded her head and watched the crew leave into the room.

She felt the dark room take over her senses, like a drug had been given to her. Her head started spinning and the ground beneath her started to shake. When she couldn't stand anymore she fell. And before she even knew it, someone picked her up.

"Foolish girl" was all she heard, ere obscure bound her.