Hard Time

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Specter

"Goodbye?"

Bayley didn't reply.

"No," the realization brought tears to Seth's eyes. "No."

Bayley couldn't leave. He needed her. She kept him calm whenever he needed it. They were best friends! Seth would have nothing without Bayley! He wouldn't have been alive if it wasn't for Bayley! He won't be alive if Bayley's not there! Seth began to panic.

"Bayley? I?...I?"

"Seth. You'll be okay."

"No! I can't Bayley. I-"

"Stay strong. For me."

Seth's breathing remained heavy. His blinking went at a rapid rate. Bayley got on her knees and grabbed Seth by the collar. He brought him in close. 

"You listen to me and you listen to me good. I am not going to hunt you down to find you in a miserable mess. I will not be there next time! You know that! Do you understand?!"

Seth's breathing slowed but not fast.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Promise me!"

"I-I-I promise!"

Bayley let go of Seth. She collapsed back onto her butt and and took a moment to breathe.

"I care about you Seth. I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either."

"Just remember, I can always call. I can always watch you on TV. I'm there. Just reach down into your heart and find me."

"What about you? Why are you leaving? Did I do something wrong? Am I holding you back?!"

"No." 

Bayley put her finger across Seth's lips. She took a long sigh.

"I didn't make it," Bayley couldn't hold back her tears. "I'm too weak. I failed."

Those are a pair of words you never want to hear from someone you care about. "I failed".

"No no no. You didn't fail."

"Yes I did. I cried and gave up. If you didn't stop me, I would of been gone by now. I failed! I'm a failure!"

Seth watched as Bayley got up and ran out of the bathroom. He chased after her but his emotions had him dazed. By the time he reached the door, Bayley was nowhere in sight. As Seth opened the door, the light of the sky blinded him. He felt dizzier than ever. As if he was about to collapse at any moment. He felt a thud in his chest, but nothing hit him. The light still blinded Seth. It was all white. He travelled along the light. Then that haunting sound came back. Bayley's crying.

"Bayley?!"

There was no reply.

"Bayley, where are you?!"

Seth chased the source of the cries but it seemed liked it flew farther than Seth could run. He tripped on his own foot and crashed to the ground hard. As Seth tried to pick himself up. He was thrown back down to the ground. Seth tried to sit up but found himself with a boot to the face. As Seth held his nose, he felt a kick in his stomach. 

"Sasha?"

Seth curled up into the fetal position trying to protect himself. He felt a hand on his neck. The one hand turned into two. Seth could feel the hands wrapping around his throat. 

"Sasha, no!"

Seth's upper body was picked up and whatever held him squeezed tighter. Seth was coughing gasping for air.

"Please Sasha!"

He took a look at his attacker. But the white light still blinded him. He looked deeper. A woman's figure was faintly outlined by light blending it in as it got closer to Seth. He got scared. Bayley's crying was still swarming his ears seeping into his soul. As the figure slowly decreased the distance between it and him, the cries got louder. The frequency was beyond safe and Seth could feel his ear drums about to rupture. The cries got so loud it was no more than a ring in his head. Seth buried his head in his arms holding his ears as tight as he could. But nothing helped. The ringing tortured Seth as his last breaths were squeezed out of his lungs. Seth reached up hoping someone would pull him out, but his arm dropped lifeless instead.

* * *

Seth woke up in a haze. The blinding of the light had settled. It was more softer allowing him to see. Mist surrounded him. It clearly led a trail. Seth crawled down the trail to meet a dead end. The mist that blocked him began to fade away. Something was behind it. A woman. Bayley. She was knocking on a door. The door of the house she lived in during high school. The door opened and her parents stood out. Bayley dropped her suitcase and cried. The image faded.
Bayley appeared once again working at a Subway. She was making someone's sandwich. Bayley looked exhausted, as if she was working both the day and night shift.

"Here's your bacon, cheese, and onion."

The next customer appeared.

"What can I get you?"

"Could I get a BLT please?"

"Sure thing."

Bayley tried her best to keep her enthusiasm, but it was dropping like a bomb. As she fixed the sandwich and handed it off, she took her hat off and wiped her forehead. An older customer stomped up to her.

"Can I help you?"

"I asked for bacon, cheese, onion, and peppers!"

"I'm so sorry I-"

Bayley had the sandwich thrown at her. It exploded in her face as she stood with dressing masking her head.

"Fix it bitch!"

That scene faded to show Bayley dealing with a loan shark.

"Please! I can't pay it!"

Bayley had been in a financial struggle recently. The Bank refused to give her anymore loans. She has finally hit rock bottom.

"I'm sure we can work something out."

"Oh my god thank you I-"

The gang surrounded Bayley. She was silent. One of them brushed her hair off her shoulder. Her eyes were full with fear as she felt a breath on her neck and a hand along her thigh. They faded and Seth then saw Bayley on the floor. She was curled up on her side crying. No one was there for her. Then Seth saw himself. He saw him standing tall, proud, and happy in a wrestling ring.