The Things That Hurt The Most

Chapter 4; Tom

"We're leaving next week. I'm working tomorrow so pack up anything that's left to pack." Mom said.

Ann and Eric had left already and mom was planning to go out with some friends tonight. I would be home alone once again. Mom was in her room right now, her friends would be coming to pick her up soon. I was going around the house picking up the boxes and taking them to the living room. Some were heavy, others weren't.

"Ok, my friends will come soon, just finish packing the things and bring all boxes to the living room. I don't care what you do next I might come back tomorrow." She said looking out the window.

It was starting to get dark outside, the neighbors were quietly sitting outside in the driveway. It was odd that they weren't fighting but they were enjoying the night, I guess.

A car parked in our driveway and moms phone started to ring, she quickly grabbed it and answered it, smiling as she did so. She looked like a slut today. Her black dress barely covered her ass, not that I was looking but it was very noticeable. She was also wearing a bit too much makeup and her high heels were matching her dress, she was also carrying a small black purse which hopefully had condoms in it. She wouldn't get pregnant but she could possibly catch some STD or maybe AIDS.

"Ok, I'm going." She hung up and walked out the door with ought saying goodbye.

The house was now all empty once again, peaceful and quiet. Just like it was any other day. I went to the guest room where we kept blankets, pillows, etc. There was a box in the far corner of the room which was empty. I grabbed it and started stuffing the pillows in there. I grabbed my black marker from my back pocket and wrote 'pillows' on it.

I had put all empty boxes in the kitchen so I wouldn't have to go all the way to the garage to get them. Talking about garage, I needed to start packing the things in there. I sighed and grabbed a box from the floor.

The living room was now filled with boxes that there was barely any space to walk in. I put the box on top of the sofa and started to stack the boxes. The heavy boxes at the bottom, the lightest boxes at the top.

I put the last box at the top and grabbed the empty box on the sofa but there seemed to be something wrong, the neighbors would usually be screaming at this time. I looked out the window and noticed that Mrs.Chandler was running towards my house while her husband was still sitting on the chair and he seemed to be looking at something in the sky. There was something in the way that Mrs. Chandler was running towards my house that made me realize that some thing was wrong.

I put the box on the floor and ran to the door. There was definitely something wrong, Mrs. Chandler was now screaming my name. I ran out the house and towards her.

She was crying as she tried to catch her breath, she had made it halfway through my driveway before I made it to her. She had a very worried expression and her white hair was messy from just running.

"Please help me, Crystal!" She begged as she grabbed my hand tightly and squeezed it.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"It's Tom. He... He isn't moving or breathing!" She screamed.

Tom was her husband. They had been married for 55 years, they seemed to argue a lot but that was just their relationship. That's how they were and I knew that Mrs.Chandler wouldn't be the same with ought Tom. It just wouldn't seem right.

"Ok. Call an ambulance, let's go." I handed her my phone and she dialed 911. I ran Tom and he was still staring mindlessly at the sky with his eyes open.

For a second I thought he was already dead but then he blinked. I stood in shock, he was still alive but wasn't breathing. I checked his pulse, it was weak but still there. I wasn't a nurse so I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what was wrong with him.

"The ambulance is coming." Mrs. Chandler cried from behind me.

Tom closed his eyes slowly, his face didn't show any pain but he was starting to turn purple. I couldn't see much because it was already dark but the moonlight gave me enough light to see that much.

"He died!" Mrs. Chandler screamed and started crying once again.

I checked his pulse again. It was getting weaker. "Does he have asthma?" I asked. "He's not dead." I assured her.

"No.. He...He... He doesn't." She stuttered through tears. Her eyes were already red and puffy and her nose was runny. I didn't know what to do in situations like that but a small wave of relief washed through me when I heard the ambulance getting closer.

"C'mon Tom, don't die." I whispered loud enough for him to hear.

The ambulance parked in front of the house and the persons jumped out of the ambulance and put him in the stretcher. One man was asking Mrs. Chandler some questions but I wasn't close enough to hear.

The guy jumped back in the ambulance and they took off as quickly as possible. Mrs.Chandler was still crying and she waked towards me and hugged me tightly. "They're going to take care of him." I promised her hugging her back.

She took a step back and handed me back her phone. "Thanks." I told her.

"Can you give me a drive to the hospital?"

"Sure, lets go get my car." I told her and we both walked together back to my house. She held my arm tightly as we both walked to my garage.

I had a black 2013 Scion FR-S which was a birthday present from my mom for my 15th birthday. She wasn't there to give it to me. It was written on the note she leaves. It didn't even say happy birthday.