This chapter was very hard for me to write, but I think it gives the story a greater emotional effect. Also there is a small bit of romance in the next chapter, but i'm still develping the relationship between Jess and Leslie. Hopefully things will continue to go as planned and I hope you enjoy reading!
Chapter 4 Prince Terrien
It was Tuesday.
Jess had gotten up when his alarm clock blared at 5:30 AM in the morning.
Normally he would have taken a shower first thing, but this time the phone rang.
With the Caller ID showing Leslie Burke he knew Leslie was using her Cell phone.
"What do you want" he asked sarcastically.
"Uhhh-Jess" she said. At the sound of her voice Jess's spine shivered. He knew by the unsteadiness of her voice that something was very wrong
Jess quickly blurted out "I'm coming over now!"
Jess threw on his clothes, and ran down the stairs. Elle and Brenda were eating breakfast before they left for their class.
"Where are you going" they meanly teased.
Jess didn't have the time or want to anwser as he rushed out the door.
30 seconds later he arrived at the front door of the Burkes house. Leslie opening it crying heavily.
"What happened!" he asked
"P.T!" "He's...he's..." Leslie cried and Jess couldn't hear her words anymore. They were coming out mumbled.
Jess stood in shock. Tears pouring down his cheeks.
Bill and Judy came to the front door. "Im sorry he said." His voice was shaky. "When i woke up this morning he just lay there."
"At first i thought he was just asleep but he wasn't breathing." Jess could see Bill's eyes about to tear up but he turned away and wiped his eyes with his hands before he did.
Jess walked inside over to were P.T lay...not moving...
"No" he said. "No." Jess started shaking and his nose snuffling. Tears covered his face as he reached down to pet his Prince Terrien once more.
Leslie stood next to Jess crying on the side of her fathers sholder.
After a few minutes Jess stood up, wiping the tears off his face.
Jess looked at Bill and asked in the most steady voice he could muster "Do you know what..."
Bill looked at Leslie. She was still crying but not as much.
Bill replied "I think he must have ate one of the poison traps laid out for the Rats." Bill explained further that yesterday Pest control came out to treat the house for Rats and roachs.
But before Jess could ask another question Bill hurriedly said " I asked the guy if it was safe to keep our dog inside and he said it wouldn't harm any pets at all." I should have know!'" "I feel like such an idiot!"
Bill looked outraged as he hurried into the lounge for the phone.
Jess could hear that as he spoke he was more sad than angry.
Jess walked over to Leslie in an attempt to comfort her. She hugged onto him tighly but he could tell she was still really sad.
Judy opened the closet to find a blanket to cover P.T.
Jess quickly walked Leslie upstairs to her room so she wouldn't have to see P.T covered.
He could her Judy say a few words to P.T as she covered him. He could tell she was crying too even though she was trying to hide it.
Leslie collapsed on her back onto her multi colored bed.
The tears stopped coming from her eyes but she was still snuffling as much as Jess was.
"Remember the night I gave him to you" asked Jess even though he already knew the anwser.
"Yeah...he was just a small puppy." "So cute and pretty." "he was the best present that Christmas.
"Leslie..." Leslie looked deeply into Jess's eyes. It almost seemed if she asked "What?" without even opening her mouth.
"I loved him too, but there is one thing you need to know."
She still gave him that look.
"As long as we have each other..."
"Nothing Crushes Us." Leslie interupted.
"Exactly..."
She smiled but it only lasted a second.
She turned her head away and looked down at her feet. Not seeming to focus at anything. Just staring.
Jess sat next to her. He waited as Bill walked up the stairs and into her room.
"I called the company." Bill said. "They claim that pets should always be kept inside." "As far away from the poison as possible. Also some Poisons are leathal just by breathing them in."
"Imagine that." "We ourselfs could have died" "Even though its not likely it still could have happened."
Jess looked in further shock. Bill...Judy...And his Best friend Leslie...Dead?
He couldn't comprehend the idea again since Leslie's accident, and instead frowned even more.
"Its okay Jess if you decide to cancel school to spend the day with Leslie." "Judy and are will prepair for the..."
He didn't even have to say. Both Jess and Leslie already knew what he meant without him needing to explain.
Bill turned around and stepped downstairs. Jess sat on Leslie's bed for what felt like days. Sometime amidst all that time, Leslie nudged him.
He looked back at her.
She asked "Do you want me to go to your house to tell your parents the news and that you will be staying here today?"
"No...I'll go right now and tell them myself."
"I will be back in 15 minutes..." Jess's voice was alittle shaky but he tried to act strong. Leslie needed his support now more than ever.
"I promise."
Leslie looked strangly at him but nodded okay as she got up.
"When he arrived he saw his mother father and May Belle all looking at him."
"Oh honey his mother said."
"Were all sorry." May Belle said. Jess at first wondered how they would know, but he thought Bill must have called them.
"Do i have permission to stay at Leslie's house today then?"
"Yes." His father Jack said.
"Can i come to." Jess looked at his parents. Not sure if it was a good idea to bring his little sister to a funural.
His parents looked back at Jess. In a way they were telling him it was up to him.
"Only if you promise not to scream or act like a 4 year old."
"Okay" she said innocently.
Jess went up to his room and put on some decent clothes. He also took a few of toys and put them in his pocket.
When he came down his parents and May Belle were dressed.
"Let's go." he said.
The walk to the Burkes house was a quiet one.
He saw Leslie in a beautiful black dress.
She had a flower in her hand.
"You look great he said."
"Thanks." she murmured.
An hour later the memorial took place. Bill had dug the grave with the help of Jack.
Judy and Mary ( Jesse's Mother ) carefully wrapped and placed P.T in the grave.
Jess held Leslie in his arms. Knowing how much it pained them to finally accept their loved pet's death.
"Leslie?"
"Yeah Jess?"
"When you were in the hospital, your father told me something I never forgot." Jess thought to himself. "This is not the time!" But he couldn't help but continue.
"What?"
"He told me that you loved me."
"Yeah?"
"I do too."
"I know Jess."
Jess's face turned alittle red and he felt embarrassed,. She really meant what she said and Jess felt alittle bit better.
Bill called everyone to the finished grave.
Everyone gathered around.
"Our loved pet, Prince Terrien formally know just as P.T was a wonderful dog. Jess heard Bill"s voice crackle. Bill was fighting tears just as much as Leslie.
"We gather here today...to say our final goodbyes."
"Leslie?"
Leslie walked up next to Bill. She looked at P.T as he laid in his grave and then at me.
"4 years ago as a Christmas presant, my Best friend Jess gave me this absublute wonderful gift. He was just a little puppy then, no bigger than the size of your hand. Very cute and small."
"Even alittle bit fuzzy." Over the years as I and Jess grew, P.T was always there for us.
"Somebody to play with when we got home. Somebody to love."
One of Leslie's eyes dripped a tear. It rolled down her face. But she didn't bother to rub it off.
"Now as sad as it may be. For both me and Jess and the rest of you...we all have to say our goodbyes...One Last time."
She bent down and whipered a few words. "I love you Prince Terrien and i always will." "Goodbye my mighty Prince."
Jess looked at his father. "Oh lord" he thought. Leslie's speech had brought Jess's father...A grown man to tears. Also Bill, May Belle ,Judy, and Mary's faces were about to burst or already did.
Jess looked away as fast as he could so nobdy would see that he looked at them. Jess crouched down next to Leslie. She was still whipering to him.
"Thy Spirits keep watch over our pretector and prince commander of Terabithia. Tho not ever harm his soul. "Goodbye" she cried.
Jess looked up at Bill in a way that told him it was time for the rest of them to say goodbye.
Judy and Mary and Bill and Jack all gathered around grave. All of them said a few things. May Belle watched from behind them.
Jess finally placed toys in his grave, right next to him. "Goodbye" he whispered. Jess's eyes were full of tears.
Bill and Jack stood up and started shoveling the dirt. Both Leslie and Jess looked one last time at his face. The face they would never see again...
Please Review as i would like to know if I messed up anything!