CHAPTER 2
Aaron was walking through the fields at the top of the village, it was beautiful with the wind blowing gently through the array of flowers, causing silky petals to brush against his finger tips as he pushed his way through the long strands of bright green grass. The sun shone bright in the cloudless sky. All around him the birds were whistling their happy tune.
Suddenly it was dark as the beautiful bright sun disappeared behind a looming grey cloud. The wind picked up and the air chilled. The beautiful array of flowers that were gently swaying with the breeze were now racing through the air widely. It was deafly silent as the birds had stopped singing their happy tune. Something was wrong and he felt afraid. Ahead of him in the distance a grey stone stood visible against the tall grass. He wanted to run, too scared to go forward and reveal what lay ahead but knew he couldn't .
BANG! BANG! He collapsed to his knees in front of the grey slab and let out a scream of pain as he realised what it was. Jackson's grave. BANG! BANG! BANG!.
He was trying to get out, he could hear him calling his name!
AARON! AARON! AARON!.
He jumped to a loud banging on the door. "I know you're there! Please let me in!" BANG! BANG! BANG!
Confused and half asleep, he made his way to the door to a frantic looking Paddy.
"Christ! What were you doing? I've been banging for ages. You guna let me in then?"
"ERR yeah, yeah sorry."
He had tried to avoid Paddy as much as possible over the past few weeks. He loved him but he just couldn't handle the whole you need to get on with your life. Jackson wouldn't want you moping around like this Aaron.!
He was content to be miserable. It somehow felt right.
It was nearly dark by the time Paddy had left. They had spent the day laughing and joking about old times, then crying again. Paddy had given him some prospective. Aaron hadn't even thought about the fact that Paddy had lost a friend and a surrogate son and that Hazel had lost her only child. He had been too busy thinking about himself. It had been good being with the living again, instead of moping around with the ghosts of his past. Tomorrow was a new day and he intended on beginning it by collecting that envelope.
Aaron started his day well by getting up early. However, although he had gone to bed full of optimism, and and excited about the prospects that lay ahead, he was struck with afresh by the harsh reality of how hard every moment would be. Once again he woke to an empty bed, but there was a small break through though, he had not woken up to a phone call. He adjusted his mind like he did every morning, to the fact that the dreams of him and Jackson being together, were just that: dreams!
Aaron made his way to his mothers. He stopped outside the pub and took a deep breath. To his mothers surprise he had called he first thing and said he would be visiting today. It was now mid day and he was stood outside with butterflies in his tummy. Apart from the visits his mother had paid him over the last few weeks he hadn't really spent any proper time with his family. He didn't want all the attention, the intrusive questions about how he was feeling fired his way all day. However he needed to put that fear aside 'cos this was his family and in their own twisted way he knew they cared.
He didn't plan on staying long, just have a little chat and collect the envelope. He was determined to end his silent self-torture about what could be inside.
Aaron and his mother had spent the past few hours in and out of conversation about tedious things really. Eventually he plucked up the courage to ask for the envelope.
"Oh, of course, love, I completely forgot about it. I hope it's nothing important. It's been here for a while."
"I'll find out soon enough." he said.
He said his goodbyes. He couldn't get out of there quick enough. He perched on one of the wooden benches out side the pub. His mother hadn't described it very well 'cos it wasn't an envelop in fact it was a big brown parcel with two big thick and bold words written across the front: 'THE LIST'.
His trembling fingers gently tore at the seal. he turned it upside down and shook the contents out. Out fell ten separate envelopes, each with a different month written on them. His heart missed a few beats as he saw the familiar handwriting on the loose page underneath the pile of envelopes.
It was from Jackson!