Living through Death

Chapter 2: Stage One Denial

These days Zackary Martin could be found sitting alone on a bench at school during recess. If you found him during class hours, you wouldn't find him studying, but daydreaming in class, completely blind and deaf to all going around him.

People were wondering why it was that not one tear made its way down Zack's face after what happened. Everyone knew and everyone was told to keep quiet about it. Zack wasn't even hanging out with his two best friends Max and Tapeworm, but completely neglected them. Neither blamed him, they'd have done the same thing if they were in Zack's shoes.

Zack took a bite from a brownie. It's been a mere day since it happened. Last night, Cody seemed to be dead. He knew he'd get what he lost back though. Carey actually tried insisting that Zack stay home, otherwise spend the day at the hospital.

No, Cody wasn't dead. He didn't die. It was just a light hit. It was just a bump. Zack managed to convince himself that Cody would come walking out of the hospital any day. He didn't even here of any funeral yet. It had to mean something. It could not be three days and Cody would still be lying in a hospital bed. He had to be alive. The doctors were just playing rotten a joke. He didn't much like them anyway and showed it, so they'd have a reason to scare him wouldn't they?

He was ready to laugh out loud any time when Carey told him it was a gag. He was ready to laugh with the doctors and Cody like it was an early April Fool Joke. As a matter of fact, the first of April was just few days before the incident happened. Maybe they were sore that Zack couldn't be fooled and decided to get him back.

Feet from Zack's bent figure stood two kids, a boy and a girl.

"If you care about him, you go talk to him," Tapeworm said.

"You're closer to him," Max protested.

"No, you're closer," Tapeworm corrected. "I was closer to Cody and he's GONE!"

Max shook her head in annoyance and walked towards Zack.

"Hey, Zack, can we talk," Max asked uncertainly.

"Sure," Zack said, moving aside for Max. "Where's Tapeworm?"

This was not a normal way for a twin to take his loss. Why wasn't he yelling at her out of temper? She actually expected him to tell her to go away and leave him alone. Why wasn't he doing so?

"So, are you Ok?" Max asked calmly. She was ready for any outburst of Zack's that might occur.

"Of course, why wouldn't' I be?" Zack asked Max.

"Zack, in case you haven't noticed, Cody… Zack, aren't you upset in any way?"

"Oh," Zack laughed. "Max, its obvious Cody's alive. It's so obvious. It's so plain. That had to be the lightest hit I ever saw. A bay wouldn't die from that."

Max was outraged. How could Zack take it like this? He was completely denying Cody's recent death.

As for Zack, he held one thing he considered undeniable proof that Cody was alive. He still had to apologize for what he said. Cody could not be taken away from him until Zack had apologized. He just didn't consider the fact this was real life, and not a tragic movie.