Paradise Among Metal

Chapter 18

Cora giggled. "That's typical you two behavior."

"Yeah."

They fell silent for a moment. They knew what the others had gone through during the last leg of the journey to Paradise, but none of them wanted to acknowledge it. But Cora decided to try and talk about it anyways.

She sighed. "I can't believe we all made it to Paradise. To be honest, I thought I'd never see you guys again."

"Same here," Emerson replied. "I thought I'd go insane, with my two demons haunting me. But somehow, I made it through. I'm surprised at myself. I didn't think I had it in me."

"Two demons?" Jacob asked. "Do you mean...your mom and Madison?"

Emerson nodded, a glum look on his face. "Yeah. They ragged at me and ragged at me, but somehow I knew it just wasn't them. They knew too much about the real me."

"What happened?" Mara asked, realizing her mistake too late. "I mean, if you don't mind talking about it."

"I don't mind. In fact, I probably should. Keeping things bottled up isn't too healthy." Emerson took a deep breath, before beginning. 

"It all started a week before my death. I was at lacrosse practice, and it had just ended. My mom and my sister, Madison, were waiting in the car for me to get in so we could go home. However, I told them to wait ten minutes for me. Why? Because one of the hottest cheerleaders at Jacob and I's high school had finally admitted she had feelings for me, and we scheduled a make-out session after my lacrosse practice. So for ten minutes, I make out with this girl, and then finally, I make my way to the car. We begin our drive home, and then it happens. At the exact moment we enter an intersection, a drunk idiot flies out of nowhere and slams into the front of our car. I was in the back seat, so I was fine. But Mom and Madison...they died on impact."

Cora put a hand over her mouth. "Oh my god...I'm so sorry."

Emerson shrugged his shoulders, seeming nonchalant, but Cora could see the pain in his eyes. "I killed them. If I hadn't made out with that girl, hadn't delayed us, we wouldn't have been in the intersection when that douchebag came along. But no. I had to delay us for ten minutes and as a result, I killed my own mother and sister. Because of my lust for a girl I hardy knew. Now I know why lust was one of the seven deadly sins. People get hurt as a result."

Emerson's voice broke as he said the last sentence. Tears welled in his eyes, which he blinked away as quick as he could.

Jacob slid his hand into Emerson's and gave it a squeeze. Emerson continued with a sniff.

"As soon as the EMTs pronounced them dead, I knew what I'd done. And for the week after their death, the guilt ate me alive. I remember standing in front of their caskets at the funeral, telling them I was sorry over and over, but they- I never accepted my own apology. The entire week at school after, I was so emotional I could barely speak without yelling or crying. And do you know what my so-called friends considered one of the worst sins imaginable? A teenage guy showing any emotion other than indifference, with subtle emotional undertones. So they called me a faggot and other wonderful names like that, before outcasting me from the social hierarchy of our school. The girl that I had kissed the day of the crash outright told me that she regretted even kissing a douche like me. It hurt, knowing I killed my own mother and sister over something so stupid and trivial as a kiss from a girl who wouldn't even associate herself with me if I showed any outward emotion. The only person who stayed by my side during this time was Jacob, who I'm eternally grateful for."

Jacob shrugged, smiling at Emerson. "I would have done it a thousand times over for you. No big deal."

"Finally, at the end of that long, painful week, I have had enough. I found one of Madison's old jump ropes in the basement, and I hung myself. It was the only permanent way out of my misery I could think of. I also thought it was an adequate punishment for myself. A life for two lives."