yellow - grayson dolan | © 2018

Eight

After Grayson left yesterday, I felt a sudden loneliness and pain. He kept me in my safe place. He kept me safe from havoc. Not even two seconds go by, and I miss him. I want to hug him. I want to hug Ethan for all he's gone through. I understood the pain of losing someone perfectly well.

One year ago, my parents died in a mass shooting in their office building. They worked in a paper company along with hundreds of other adults with families. And a terrible, lost soul, took them all away from their families.

***

FLASHBACK

The day started off like normal school day, dreading it of course. I drove to school and was having a pretty normal day. Going to boring classes, getting yelled at by teachers when having conversations with my friends during a lesson. You know, the basic school day. That was, up until my fifth period class, science.

"Lauren, you are getting called up to the office, it's urgent." Mr. Williams called out. I nodded my head and gave my friends a confused look.

"You will need to take your things." Mr. Williams spoke again.

"Oh, uh, yes sir." I said grabbing my bag and phone. I walked out of the small classroom and out into the hallway. I began rushing to the office.

"Miss Johnson?" The office lady said with a pained look on her face. I turned my face only to see my sister who I hadn't seen in that much in three years, as she was in college.

"Emily?" I had a huge smile on my face. I ran up to her and hugged her tightly. She weakly wrapped her arms around me.

"Lauren." She cleared her throat, her eyes lit up with sadness 

"What's wrong?" My smile instantly faded.

"Mom and Dad." She choked out with heavy breaths.

"What Emily?" My face drained of all color and I could feel my chest tightening.

"Their office was shot up this morning." Her eyes were watering.

"Em-" I could feel myself shaking. "Are they okay?" I stuttered. She shook her head and wrapped me in the tightest hug she could ever pull me into. I felt my eyes stinging and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I was sobbing and soon enough, Emily started as well.

"Where are they?" I spoke.

"They were picked up by the ambulance around nine-thirty this morning." She started. "They were confirmed dead around ten and that's when I got the call. I rushed down here immediately to pick you up."

"Where do we go now?" I screamed.

"We can't stay here for now, we're going to the house to pick your stuff up and you're moving in with me."

"Emily, no! I can't!"

"Why the hell not, Lauren? You can't stay there by yourself, you're seventeen for God's sake!" I stayed silent and Emily grabbed my hand and walked me out of the school.

"What about school? I just started senior year!"

"You're finishing online, I'm not letting you stay here Lauren. Just listen to me for once in your goddamn life!" She was yelling. I knew it was out of love and stress, not anger.

The drive to the house was dead silent. No music, no talking, just shaky breaths and small cries from Emily and I.

***

When we got to the house, we both spilled out and walked into the place that was once a home to me. Now, just a grim, hollowed out, morgue.

I packed a bunch of my clothes, including some of my parents things. Emily and I loaded everything into the back of her navy blue SUV.

END OF FLASHBACK

***