Kirkby In A Nutshell: A Rewritten And Improved Edition.

Chapter 35: New life...

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked as a bursting Kayleigh walked through the door.
"No i am not Fucking 'okay'." She said, hissingly, "I think its coming. Get Av- arrrrrrgh." She screamed in pure agony.
"AVA!" I yelled, "BRING TOWELS AND GLOVES."
Kayleigh looked at me, and i looked back. I was actually going to be awake for this one.
"You might wanna leave yano, im gonna bleed, argh." She stammered.
"No. I told you i would be around."
"Okay, let me squeeze your arm." She said breathing and crying heavily. Her nails instantly made contact wuth my skin. With each painful contraction, her nails dug deeper until blood seeped gently from my arm. After about 4 hours, a beautiful baby boy was sat in my arms, bundled in a cozy blanket. Kayleigh, however kept contracting.
"Twins?" I asked. Five more hours later, i was shocked to have a baby boysl and two baby girls in mine and Kayleigh's arms.
"Triplets." Said Ava, who had become the medic of the group.
"The boy has to be called Malaqui." Insisted Kayleigh. "Malaqui Rhenn, taking the last section of your name. We will call you Malaqui Rhenn Whalley-James."
"I think this madam here should be called... Maeve-Leigh, taking the last half of your name Kay. Maeve-Leigh Dakota Whalley-James."
"Thats a long name, but i like Dakota. So its fine."
"And you madam, will be... Willow Eve Whalley-James." I said.
"Eve?" Asked Kayleigh.
"Yeah, yano, Lorien. She yano kinda died for us. It's only right we immortalise a part of her."
"Yeah, i like that." Said kayleigh. "Has a nice ring to it."
"We should probably say a few words of thanks in Lorien's honour."
"After we bond together, Warren, maybe a few days?" Replied kayleigh, missing how obvious I was bonding first. The sight before me was spectacular, three children all.of my own... except... no it couldnt be... she was taken away... dont be silly... does he really look like you?
"Kayleigh." I asked. "What actually happened when you got taken away?" "I will tell you next time we are alone like on a hilltop..."

The memorial...

"Lorien. What is there to say? I mean, i never, ever wanted to have to do this. But here I am stood atop a hill, with a fire lit, to show her that we still care. You saved us. You showed us the safest place in Kirkby, and really, you were the embodiment of what kirkby is. You were annoying at times. Cheesy others, but you cared. Even now youre gone, you still care. Youre up there, looking down on us and going: 'ha! Theyre failing without me.' But then feeling bad for laughing." I said. "Lorien was a great friend who came to us in a time of ultimate desparity, of ultimate need. She provided laughter, entertainment, fear and most certainly charm and better manerisms to this group. I think Kayleigh would like to say a few words." I said as my voice began to break. A single silver tear fell down my face. Kayleigh saw me crying and began her speech.
"She was my bestfriend, i trusted her with everything, she made me laugh constantly. I loved her like my sister and sometimes even more," She laughed through heavy tears unsurely, "She was amazing and beautiful and everything you could ever want in a friend. I- I cant and dont want to believe shes gone."
At these words i wept and memories of the great life we all once lived flooded back to me, and in a wave of pure darkness, i was thrown into a vision...
The lights faded in the room and three men, all in dark clothes entered.
"Hiya Kayleigh. We are here to teach you a lesson..."
"No! Go away you sick perverts."
One of the men pinned her to the ground, while another began to strip. I was forced to stand and watch as my wife was attacked by three monsters. All three of the men took it in turns to violate her and at the end she just sat there and wept as the men left her, in just her torn apart shirt. She sat, crying rocking back and forth, in clear agony and confusion at the traumatic events that just unfolded. I felt tears slide down my face too. Why was i seeing this? Is it true? Is this what happened too my wife? Who are these evil men and are they russian? Can we kill them? I felt myself slink into an anxiety attack while watching my wife rock back and forth. I was thrown backwards once more, and found myself in a dark room.
"Hey, are you me?" Echoed a small voice. The voice was a clear representation of a shy boy, who was scared at a drop of blood, and couldnt hurt a fly. It was me. A younger version.
"Are you Warren?"
"Yes." I said. My voice echoed as if it was out on the sea.
"What's the future like?"
"Its... its amazing. You have a beautiful wife, 5 kids and an amazing job. Keep looking into the future."
"Why are you bleeding?" Asked my younger self.
"Cause sometimes life throws you away and then wants you back. You have to fight when life throw you down. Take your mistakes as mistakes lil' guy. Somone will appreciate you one day."
"Warren of the future?"
"Yes?"
"Do you love your wife?"
"Of course i love her. You banana, she is amazing."
"Do you remember your family?"
"Yeah, i remember, Mum dad, the brothers the sisters. The annoying brats."
"Do you remember me?"
I hesitated. I thought back and back and back but couldnt find my own memories. Then it clicked. I remembered everything.
"Yes! I remember the Thomas Trains, the dinosaurs, the harry potter spells, playing games on your broken backroom computer."
"Warren?" He asked.
"Yes?" I choked through my tears.
"Do you love yourself?"
His innocence was not yet tainted by the harsh reality of the world.
"Yes. I do. I love the person I've become, and i never ever want to change." I lied, blatantly through my teeth. I was not tainting my own mind at that young of an age.
"Can i have a hug?" He asked...
"Of course you can."
As i reached into my uounger selves open arms i felt myself fall back into the real world, back to lorien's memorial...