I enjoyed writing this chapter. The story needed some spark, and that's why I put in the last two chapters. Here they are being resolved.
Year 1, Fall, Day 1
Almost a week has past since I've seen Gill. And the last time I saw him, he was with Selena. Trust me… not a good thing. At first I was angry at Gill, for deserting me to be with Selena, but then I realized he was never actually dating me. We were just friends.
It was hard for me to think that we might not be friends anymore though. As I reflected on my night at the Festival with Luke, I came to one main conclusion. What I did was wrong. How could I sink to Selena's level? How could I use Luke that way? Was I turning into a bad person? Needless to say, I was very, very, sorry about what I did.
What I really wanted to do was to make it better. I had already went to Luke out of guilt and told him the real reason I asking him out. He seemed a little bothered at first, but kindly accepted my apology and my offer to be friends. He sealed the deal by giving me a warm hug.
Why? Why couldn't I be in love with Luke? He was so nice, compassionate, and a great friend; not just to me, but to everyone. But I wasn't in love with him. After long replays and considerations about my time with Gill, I realized that I loved him. As a friend, yes, but as something more too. And it hurt to think that because I tried to help him by telling him not to go out with Selena, I actually helped make it happen. I knew I shouldn't have yelled. My temper has always been a weakness since my parents died.
So that brings me to this now. Apologizing. For hurting him. Sounds familiar, eh? Just like when I first moved here. Funny how some things changed in 2 months and others haven't changed at all. But anyway, back to the point.
For 3 days, I have tried to find Gill. I have looked in every place imaginable. His house, the church, Town Hall, the shops, the beach, the mines, the forest, and everywhere else. In fact, I searched so thoroughly that I actually found some ingredients for the rainbows. But no Gill. So yesterday I went to see Hamilton. His response? "Oh he's just out with his girlfriend."
Even my insistence on searching everywhere and not finding him didn't shake Hamilton. "Don't worry, he's around somewhere," Hamilton had said.
So that turned out to be pointless. I figured then, that I would just have to wait for Gill to come to me. So I did. And I'll tell you, it didn't take long. It just wasn't in the way I expected.
Today, at around 4:00 in the morning, I got a phone call. Four o'clock? Who could be bothering me? If this was a prank, I was going to get the pranker good. But as soon as I heard the news, all thoughts of anger, and annoyance disappeared. It was Dr. Jin on the phone.
"Hell Angela? We have a slight problem with Gill. Please come down to the Clinic immediately."
"Why? What's wrong Dr.?" I asked worriedly.
"We'll explain in all when you get here. Please hurry." And he hung up.
I don't know if I ever got ready faster in my entire life. I didn't even bother to get dressed or brush my hair and teeth. I gurgled some mouth-wash and grabbed my coat as I ran out the door. In the 5 minutes it took me to run to the Clinic, all I could think about was Gill. "Please let him be alright! Don't let him die! Please, please! I'll do anything!" I wasn't really talking to anyone in particular.
When I arrived in the Clinic, I was ushered in by Irene, who was waiting for me outside. She brought me straight to Dr. Jin, who came out from behind a curtain. Obviously, Gill was behind it.
"Angela," Jin whispered to me, "Please help us. Gill is in terrible condition. He was shot. But he won't let us touch him without you here. He used up all his energy to scream, and kick us out of the way." I realized he was whispering to not let Gill hear us. "Go in there, Angela. Tell him it will be fine if he cooperates. I think we can save him. Honestly."
I was in shock. Shot? How? By who? I couldn't even think straight. You know when you are so shocked you can even remember how to cry? Well I felt like that. I couldn't even bear the thought of Gill dying. So with Jin's arms holding me, I walked forward and behind the curtain.
I almost screamed. Gill looked terrible. I couldn't see how he could be alive. His leg was twisted in a way that showed me it must be broken. His whole face was bruised and blood was seeping out of the bandage he had wrapped around his head. His cheeks were so full of dried blood that I couldn't even see the cut. He was also covered in blood that was seeping out from a spot in his lower abdomen. As I walked beside him, I sat down on his bed, and took his hand. He slowly opened his eyes. His bruised face made it look painful to even open them a bit. But when he saw me, they opened fully.
"Angela," he croaked, in barely a whisper. "You're here."
"Of course I'm here Gill," I replied. When he didn't say anything, I said to him. "Gill, let Dr. Jin help you. He can make you better. I'm here now, and I'll stay with you, okay?"
"Yes. I just wanted you here first. I'm sorry Angela. You tried to stop me. But I didn't listen. I –"
"Shhh," I said. "There will be time for apologies after. First you need help."
"I trust you," Gill said, his voice fading a bit.
"Dr. Jin!" I called. "Come, he says he's ready."
This time, when Jin attempted to touch Gill, he didn't resist. He just stared at me, as if I was the only one in the world. Wow. That would make me feel great if my best friend wasn't lying here, dying more every second.
I stayed with Gill, until he went down under the anesthetic. It only took about two minutes for him to fall into a deep sleep. Jin told me to wait in the waiting room with Hamilton, while he and Perry (the apprentice doctor) worked on Gill. While that happened, Irene came and told me the story.
"I don't know the details," she said, "but we got the information from Owen, who carried Gill here. He said he was coming back into town from another village, and while he was walking home, he saw people fighting in Praline Woods."
I was scared to even think about how this happened.
"He knew it was Gill by his while blond hair, and he was able to make out Selena too with her bright red hair. But the other person, he didn't know. He described him as a tall, muscular man, with brown hair pulled back in a bandana. He said he heard Selena call him "Kurt. Anyway, he was the one beating up Gill. Owen couldn't make out why he was beating Gill in the first place, but he claims to have seen Selena helping Kurt."
Tears were forming in my eyes.
"Owen says he heard Selena continually asking the same question. It was, "Now?" And Gill would respond with "No" every time. Finally, when Selena was done with him, Owen heard her say to Kurt, "He's done. Do it." Kurt pulled out his gun, but Owen soon realized what was about to happen and jumped out of hiding and tackled Kurt. It made Kurt's shot miss Gill's head and hit his lower abdomen, which undoubtedly saved Gill's life. According to Owen, Selena took off right away, and Kurt did too, once he wrestled out from under Owen. He left his gun on the ground. And that's all we know so far. Hopefully Gill will fill us in on the rest when he is better. Then we can find Selena and that other man and hopefully arrest them."
I was crying now. Irene gave me a hug and told me it was all going to be alright. She offered me a bed upstairs, seeing that I was tired, and promised to wake me up when Gill was better. I kindly accepted her offer, and went upstairs. Despite this tragedy, I was asleep before I hit the pillow. Funny, through all this commotion, I didn't dream about anything.
I awoke to Irene gently touching my face. I sat up quickly, remembering where I was and why I was here.
"Don't worry, Angela, Gill's fine. He's asking for you downstairs."
"What time is it?" I asked her groggily.
"6:00 p.m. It took a while to help Gill. The doctors have been working steady."
"Thank you Irene. I'll go down and see him." I got out of bed, and almost ran down the stairs and right into Gill's area. I peeked inside. Tubes were hooked up to him everywhere. I went and sat beside him again, talking his hand.
"Angela!" he said, his voice much better now. "I'm happy you're here."
"I'm happy you're here, Gill. You don't know how worried I've been. When will you be getting out?"
"Jin said a week. Then I'll have to stay in a wheelchair for about three weeks, because of my leg and my health. That night really took a lot out of me."
"What happened? That night I mean. Irene told me how you were beat, but why? Why would Selena do this to you?"
Gill sighed. "First of all, Angela, I must apologize. For not listening to you. Somewhere deep down I knew I should have listened. I knew you were just yelling because you didn't want me to get hurt. But I wasn't myself that day. I don't know what came over me. I'm so sorry."
"I'm sorry too Gill. I shouldn't have yelled. But you know I never wanted you hurt. I just want to be your friend again Gill. Please let me. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Alright. I'll tell you. Please listen until the end." Gill paused, thinking about how to explain. "Do you remember the night of the Firefly Festival? When I was leaving with Selena? You gave me a look. And I knew I should have stopped then and there, but something made me stay with Selena. Well, it was then I knew I should have read the warnings on your face. You were right. I didn't know what I was getting into.
"We walked down to the beach and out of sight, when someone came behind me and punched me. It knocked me out. When I came to, I was lying on a cot, and I saw sunshine gleaming in from the window. I looked around, and knew I was on Toucan Island. I must have been in Selena's house. Then I saw Selena and this other guy on another cot beside me. They were completely intertwined, in a sick way, and neither was wearing clothes." He stopped when he saw my face.
"Sorry, Gill, keep going, that was just disgusting to picture."
Gil nodded and continued. "I laid there, trying not to watch them and listen to the noises they were making. I must have shifted on the cot a little, because it made a noise, and then suddenly Selena and the other broke apart and turned to me."
"Ah, Kurt, he's awake," she said to the other guy. Kurt smirked.
Selena signaled something to Kurt, and he came over to me and started taking my clothes off. My adrenaline bursted right then, because I knew what was going to come of this, and I pushed Kurt off me. Then I ran for the door, and as far away as I could. I managed to hide from the two for 3 days, because it was a big island. Luckily, it was warm at night and there was a lot of food. I finally plucked up the courage to steal their boat and try to get back to Waffle Island, but they saw me and got on it before I could get far enough away. Then they knocked me out again.
"The good thing was, they didn't take me back to the island. When I awoke this time, I heard mumbles of "Punish him" and "he'll be sorry" from both Selena and Kurt. I opened my eyes to see we were in Praline Woods. They threw me to the ground, and being weak from being knocked out, I couldn't do anything about it when they started kicking me and punching me. Though the whole beating, Selena would ask me if I was sorry. She said she promised to stop, if I admitted it. I refused every time. Then one of them, I'm not sure which, took a knife and slashed both my cheeks and my forehead. I remember I could barely feel it by then as I was on the verge of passing out again. I felt my left leg crack, but I could barely feel that either.
"Finally, I heard Selena say something like 'He's done. Do it.' I forced my eye open to see Kurt taking a gun out of his pocket. He pointed it at my head. I knew in seconds it would be over. I remember hoping it wouldn't hurt, and then thinking of you, wondering if you would miss me. But just as he was about to shoot, a red haired guy came and tackled him. I felt a stabbing pain down in my lower abdomen and knew I had been shot. They fought for a minute, but Kurt and Selena both got away. They redhead came up to me and picked me up. I realized it was Owen. But then I passed out again.
"When I awoke for the third time, I was in the hospital, with tubes hooked up to me. I don't know what came over me, but I ripped them all out. It hurt, but I didn't care. That sounded an alarm and Jin, Irene, and Perry came running. They tried to hook me back up, but I was in a kind of frenzy from my pain, and everything they said, I refused. They got my dad to come, but nothing helped. Then I thought of you. I don't know why, but the thought of you was comforting. I said "Angela." Jin reacted instantly and called you to get down here. Then you came, and I felt better. Good enough to let them anesthetize me. And now, I'm healing. That's it." He finished.
"Gill, I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. But why did you need me?"
"I don't know Angela, seriously. Like I said, I was in a frenzy. I would compare it to having a seizure, like I used to get when I was little. Everything upset me. I didn't want anyone near me. Except you. And you came." His voice was getting softer. I could see he was tired.
I didn't respond. I didn't know what to say. My silent tears ran down my cheeks. "I see. I guess I should leave you now, Gill. You'll want to heal as soon as possible."
He nodded slightly. "Promise you'll visit me everyday?" he barely whispered, his eyes almost closed.
"Yes of course. I bent down to kiss his forehead. "I love you Gill. I'm so happy you're alive."
"I love you too, Angela. You are my very best friend in the whole world." And then his eyes closed. I got up, and walked out from behind his curtain still crying. But in tears of joy. He was alive. I had my friend back. That's was more than I could ever ask for.
By that time, it was about 7:00, and I was tired, so I headed home. I thought about how that stupid Life had thrown another obstacle at Gill. But he overcame it. That made me happy.
So here begins another month. More challenges, more wins, more sadness, more joy. Everything that made my life terrible, yet beautiful and complete at the same time. For now, I just have to take it, day by day. But I know I'll win. Bring it on, Life.
So we have a little guest star in this chapter. Kurt from Flower Bud Village. I have nothing against Kurt, but I just thought he played the part nicely. Plus, I always thought he had another side of him apart from his quiet, sensitive self.
Next chapter will be out soon. Hope you're enjoying the story so far. I realize it's long, and it may be boring to stick with it, but I know it will be good when it's finished. Thanks for sticking with me.
