Beyond the end

The last. The first

Kelly woke up around 7. She felt groggy. Heavy. Striped. Sammy's thought quickly re-ealed from her bowels. She opened her eyes wide and found Brenda asleep next to her.
The sun cut her profile. A tired profile. Kelly's jolt woke her up too.
"Hei.." Brenda said, pulling herself up.
Kel trenched behind a granite silence. SHe remembered the blue lights. Her mother. Brandon standing who got her. Dylan furious.
"Do you want some tea?" Brenda asked her. She didn't answer her and Brenda surrendered almost immediately by taking the initiative.
SHe didn't know how to move. How to handle Kelly without hurting her. There was no instruction manual. Something to say or do. SHe got up and put some water in the kettle.
Kelly went down shortly after and stayed looking out the window. There was no wind. No movement. The sky was iron. It was weird. It was cold. Cold everywhere.
When Brenda handed her a steaming cup she decided it was just like Brandon had said, Kelly was entitled to the truth. It was the only way.
"Where are Brandon and Dylan?" Kelly asked, shifting her gaze from the still trees.
"Kelly," Brenda replied, "is there something you need to know."
And so they went to the garden. Away from any microphone and possible indiscreet eye. And Brenda told everything, about Ecuador, Xavier, the kids, Perreira, the pier man. Every single thing.
"He just wants the money. And he wants them now" closed Brenda "he doesn't want Sammy."
"And should that make me feel better?"
"No," Brenda shook her head, "of course not, but you were entitled to the truth," Brenda whispered softly.
Kelly looked at Sammy's basketball. SHe took it with her and collapsed into an irrepressible cry.
"What if Sammy didn't come back?"
"He will come back," Brenda replied, "they will come back" ran right away.
It was cold. Not too much. But Kelly wanted to stay there. On that safe border. Behind the plaster walls of that pain. SHe had listened to everything. She had assimilated, absorbed a story that seemed far-fetched to her and that instead revealed itself to her as the only truth. Feeling helpless was the worst of her convictions. Brandon and Dylan were already far away.
Then she looked at Brenda next to her. Mute as in the best conversations. She decided to hold on to her. To the last person she would think of. The first one had stayed with her.
"I have to stop by and see how my mother is doing," she said without feeling "are you coming with me?"
"I'm coming with you."