Hey guys. I'm back. I know it's been, what 3 and a half months? Yeah…well, I've had a lot go down in my life, and since I haven't updated any of you…I suppose you have the right to know.
At the beginning of March, I was kicked out of my house because I got my nose pierced. That in itself was something that I had to deal with before I could do anything. I moved in with my sister and lived with her for the remaining two months of school. I was doing well up until then, making all A's. But, when I moved out, I had to get a job and I had to focus all of my attention to that and my school work. I admit, I went out to a few parties, but I was still going to school and doing the best I could. Right before exams, on my fifth, a very good friend of mine was hit by a car while he was on a motorcycle. He was drunk and he was hurt pretty badly. He's ok now, but due to that, I missed all of my exams. I failed all of my classes for last semester. He ended up pushing everyone away, and long story short, I failed my exams for someone who just didn't care and hated me for caring. My dad got married. My great grandmother died. My friends needed me. Some of my parakeets have died. I moved an hour away from home, where I am currently writing this. My life has been turned upside down since March, and that is the reason I haven't updated. But I dedicated today to writing a chapter for you guys. So yeah…then, right before I moved, my sister decided to tell the world she was pregnant. So, every time I tried to sit down and write, something else came up.
Sorry for not letting you know and keeping you guessing, but no, I'm not dead. I'll keep writing until I finish my stories, but the updates will more than likely be spaced out. I've been trying to find another job because I'm not going to school this fall.
All of that is behind me now, though. I'm just going to go with the flow and see where I end up. I won't keep you guys waiting any longer for this.
I will say that, after being gone so long, it's probably cruel of me to hit you with such an angsty chapter, but you all knew it was coming.
Here goes nothing…ON WITH THE STORY!
"Hey, dad, what are we doing tomorrow?" Grant asked me at the breakfast table, scarfing down a piece of toast.
"Nothing that I know of, why?"
"I was wondering if we could go to the sporting goods place. They have a Berrel 3000 bow on sale that I've been thinking about getting."
"With what funds?" Addie asked.
"Um…You know, I do some…extracurricular activities…" he trailed. Addie raised an eyebrow at me, but didn't push it.
"I'll think about it," I replied.
"Daddy, Alysa is having her party at school today!" Rose shouted excitedly as she flipped into the kitchen followed by Dick. She ran up to my side with a wide smile on her face.
"Good. Have fun."
"Mrs. McKinley is going to stop class so we can have a party!"
I smiled back and took a sip of my coffee. Dick poured a glass of milk and sat at the table next to Grant.
"Hey, will you help me with my science project, dad?" Joey asked sheepishly.
"Sure, son."
"After we go to get my bow!" Grant cut in.
"Boys, you better get outside to catch the bus," Adeline commented, looking at the clock.
Dick placed his glass in the sink, "See ya later, Slade," he called as he walked out the door followed by Grant and Joey.
"Come on, Rose. Let's get going," I said to my baby girl. She bounced excitedly, hugged her mother and followed me out the door.
She chattered incessantly about the party she would be attending during class today.
"I got her a pink doll that talks. Mommy said she used to have one just like it when she was little. Her favorite color is pink, and she's going to have chocolate cake with pink icing and blue candles. She's going to be 9 today. When I turn 9, can I have a pink cake too, daddy?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Can it be chocolate, too?"
"Yes, baby, it can be whatever you want it to be."
On and on and on, she chattered until we reached her school. She barely took a breath to tell me bye and ran inside. I watched until she disappeared behind the door. I never knew I could love a human being so much. Rose was a gem. My daughter had grown up so much. She was sassy and sweet, and she could get so excited over something so small, or be brought to tears by seeing a dead squirrel on the side of the road. Heaven forbid I ever hit one with her in the car…
I was immediately interrogated by Adeline when I got home.
"So, you're allowing the boys to keep part of the payments now?"
"I always have, Addie. They keep all of the money from their own contracts."
"Is any of it blood money?"
"I'm training two assassins. Of course some of the money comes from kills."
She let out a deep sigh. "Just promise me none of them will get hurt?"
"No one is going to get hurt if I'm with them. I promise."
"Good, because if they did, I'd shoot you," and with that, she walked out.
That went well….
At 2:14 PM, my world fell apart when I received a phone call from Jump City Elementary School.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Wilson?" asked the frantic voice on the other end.
"This is he."
"You need to come to Jump City Elementary School right away. We've had a very serious incident."
"What's happened? Where's my daughter?"
"Our school has been bombed. You need to come find your daughter."
I didn't register the final words he said…I dropped the phone to the floor. My mind seemed to be working too quickly, time came to a standstill. I didn't even hear myself as I screamed my wife's name.
Rose…my baby girl. She had to be ok…right? She was fine…Rose….
Adeline was by my side…how did I get on the floor? She was saying something…screaming…but I couldn't hear her.
The keys…have to get the keys. Where's the car? How do I get to the school?
Nothing made sense….
"Slade? Slade!"
"Adeline…Rose…"
I barely felt Adeline pull me off the floor, her hands on my shoulders steadying me.
"What's wrong? What about her?"
"We have to get to the school, get the keys…NOW!"
I didn't register the next ten minutes, the only thing I remember is dread. I could see the smoke stack before we got there. Big, black, smoke rising above the city. My daughter…was she ok?
I pulled up a block away from the school, as directed by police officers, and ran as fast as I could to the door with Adeline right behind me. Body bags were strewn about the grass, some in front of the school lined up to be taken away. Why were they so small? Was my daughter in there? Where was my baby girl?
"Sir, stop. You can't go any further."
"Move! Where's my daughter?! ROSE!" I yelled, shoving the officer aside.
"Listen, all survivors have been recovered and moved to the soccer field over there," he said, pointing to the field. I pushed him aside and did the only thing I could force my mind to do: run.
I could see the kids on the field, most crying, some running to meet their parents, some laid out on stretchers, and I saw parents weeping on the field…
Would I be joining them?
"Rose?!" I called out, hoping desperately for my daughter to answer.
"ROSE!"
I looked around, the world was spinning too fast and time was moving too slow. She had to be alright! Where was my baby girl?!
"Slade, she's not here!" Adeline cried, "She's…she's not here."
And just like that, my whole world stopped spinning. Not here? How could she not be here? My baby…
"Slade, listen, we have to go get the boys…Grant, Joey, Dick, we need to go get them…."
"No, we have to find Rose! Where is she?" I looked around. Her teacher would know…where was she? What about her classmates?
I looked around, searching for any familiar face. Far off at the end of the field stood the principal looking bewildered. I made my way over to him and looked him in the eyes.
"Where is my daughter?"
"Who are you?" he asked frantically.
"I'm Slade Wilson, my daughter is Sarah Rose."
"Her teacher is Mrs. Teagan," Adeline added.
The principal's face fell. He looked at us with despair, his eyes were watery, and his mouth hung in a remorseful frown.
"Mrs. Teagan's classroom was totally decimated, Mr. Wilson. No one from her class has been found, I'm sorry."
The emotions hit me like a truck. First came misunderstanding, then absolute grief, rage, confusion…my princess…gone? How could that be?
Adeline fell to her knees, her shoulders heaving with her sobs. I only stood there, waiting for someone to pop out and say it was all a mistake, no one was dead, and this was just a horrific nightmare.
But no such thing came. Instead, I was stuck in the crippling reality where my daughter's school had been bombed, and she was caught in the blast.
"Excuse me, sir?"
I looked up into the face of a young police officer.
"What?"
"I need your name and the name of your child."
"My name? I'm Slade Wilson. My daughter is Sarah Rose Wilson, did you find her? Where is she?"
"Mr. Wilson, all of the survivors have been recovered. You need to go back home, and you will be notified when Sarah's body has been found and identified, I'm so very sorry," he said sincerely. I looked over the lineup of small black bags…there were so many…
Rose couldn't be in one of those…
"Her name is Rose…She…she can't be dead…"
"Go home, folks. You'll get a call shortly."
How could he be so emotionless about this? I stood up, anger overcoming every fiber of my being, ready to strangle the life out of the young officer.
"Slade, we have to go get the boys…" Addie cried, pulling me back with a shaking hand. Her mascara ran down her face with her tears, dripping off her jaw and into the grass to mix with the tears of other parents.
I melted at her touch. Priorities, Slade, think of your priorities. I pulled Adeline into my arms and as much as I hate to admit it, I cried on her shoulder.
"Ok," I said, holding back my emotions; they wouldn't help us now, "let's go." She looked up at me and nodded tearfully. We hurried to the car and drove as quickly as we could to the middle school to find Joey. I ran inside, completely lost inside the huge building. I didn't have to look long. Joey's classroom was parading through the hall towards the lunchroom with the rest of the school. They had put an emergency lockdown into effect. Without thought, I pulled Joey from the line and started heading back.
"Hey! No one leaves the school. Who are you?"
"It's ok, Mr. White, this is my dad."
"No one is allowed to leave, especially not the students."
I stepped up into his face. If only looks could kill.
"My daughter was caught in the blast at the elementary school. I'm taking my son, and we are going home," I said angrily. Joey looked up at me, tears now streaming down his face. I pulled him into my arms.
"Everything is going to be ok, Joey. We have to go get your brothers. Look at me. It's ok, alright?"
He nodded, and together we ran out to the car and headed to the high school. No one spoke as we listened to the sirens flying past us. The streets were crowded with traffic, people running around on the streets crying. The scene at the high school was worse than the way it was at the middle school. It took me twenty minutes to wrestle my way through the crowd and into the school. The classrooms were on lockdown. I navigated my way through the school, looking through windows in search of my kids. I found Grant fist and busted the door down when the handle wouldn't give way.
Everyone screamed when I entered.
"Dad? What the hell?!" Grant exclaimed when everyone calmed down.
"Grant, let's go."
"No, no one leaves. Mr. Wilson, you're going to have to go until the sheriff gives us permission to-"
"Now, Grant."
"Sit down, Grant, you're not allowed to leave," his teacher ordered angrily.
"Shut up!" he yelled back, "Is Rose ok?" he asked frantically as he ran up to me. I paused on my way out.
"I don't know, son."
He nodded and ran out on my heels.
"Where is Dick's class?"
"Down the hall, I'll show you," he said, running ahead of me expertly navigating his way through the hall. He stopped at a door and tried the handle.
"Move." Just as before, I busted the door down, ignored the fearful screams, and scanned the room for my son.
"Slade? What the hell?" came the softly accented voice from the back of the room.
"That's what I said," Grant said, poking his head through the door."
"Let's go, Dick."
"No one is allowed to leave this room. Sit down, Richard," The teacher demanded seriously.
"Now, Dick," I said.
Dick stood up and ran toward me and Grant.
"Richard. Sit. Down." He ordered, gripping Dick's arm tightly.
"Sorry, Mr. Smith, his authority trumps yours every time." Dick broke the hold and ran out with us. We ran down the hall toward the door, ignoring any shouts that we stop.
We made it to the car and drove out of the parking lot.
"Where's Rose?" Dick asked after a moment.
"We don't know," I replied, my voice cracking, "She was caught in the blast. Police said they'd call us later."
As my words sunk in, I could feel the despair in the car. It was thick and suffocating.
"We have to go to her school. We have to find her!" Dick yelled.
"We've already been, Dick. I looked."
I heard the tears slide down his face, the silent sobs that racked his body. I looked in the mirror at Grant. A tear rolled down his cheek as he stared blankly out the window. The sobs of my youngest mixed with those of my wife, creating a sorrowful harmony that rocked the ride back to the house.
We all went our separate ways when we got there. Dick walked into the woods toward the building, Joey went inside, Grant sat at the kitchen table, Adeline laid down on Rose's bed, and I sat on the couch in the living room. What a terrible thing, to be left to your thoughts when they're plagued with such nightmares. I tried not to think; not to feel.
But how? Just this morning, she was so excited about the birthday party…but now?
She's gone. Dead…That couldn't be true…she had to be ok. She was ok. She was at the school, waiting on me to come get her. All I had to do was get up and go get her…
But I knew that wasn't true. What was I going to do? How was I going to deal with this?
What happened? Who bombed the school? And why? It was an elementary school full of little kids. Who would be so sick as to do something so despicable?
My daughter…my baby girl. Gone. How could that be? It was so sudden…
I didn't bother to wipe the tear that fell down my cheek. There would be no point. They would just keep coming.
How long did I sit there crying? A few minutes? A few hours? I looked out the window into the darkness. 9:17 PM. Where was everyone?
I stood from my spot on the couch. Joey was laying on his bed, on the verge of sleep. Adeline was sleeping on Rose's bed, the pillow soaked from her tears. I walked in and kissed her on top of her head. Grant and Dick were nowhere to be found, so I made my way out to the building. I could hear the clanging metal and the loud cries that accompany a ruthless spar before I even reached the building. I walked in to hear those same sounds resonating loudly. Ace looked up at me from the floor when I walked in. I ignored it, allowing him to stay for once and made my way back to where the boys were. They didn't even know I stood there. They weren't wearing armor, shirts, or shoes. Blood ran freely from their faces and bodies. I could see the pain, the sorrow, the misunderstanding in their eyes. They weren't sparring for training, they were sparring because they were angry. They were trying to cope, and this is how they did it. By beating one another into a bloody mess. I could see bruises forming all over their bodies. I heard the painful, dull thuds as they hit one another with their bo staffs. They held nothing back. They didn't speak, they only attacked. There was no pause between each lunge or swipe. Their sweaty hair fell limply over their foreheads, Dick almost blinded by his own long hair. The mat was slick with sweat and blood and probably a few mixed in tears. How long had they been doing this? Their bodies were peppered with cuts and welts.
"Stop," I ordered. One final clang rang out through the building as they paused with their staffs against the other. They didn't move as they angrily glared into each other's eyes for a final moment. They pulled away panting and looked at me with irritation.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"What's it look like?" Grant retorted, wiping away a drop of blood rolling down his temple.
"Come on down here, boys."
They retracted their staffs and made their way down to me. I looked them over. They looked worse up close.
"What the hell, guys? No armor, no shoes, no shirts? What were you thinking?"
"We weren't," they answered simultaneously. They walked around me. Grant pulled out a first aid kit, and they straddled the bench facing one another. Grant pulled out a cloth and poured some alcohol on it before passing the bottle to Dick who poured some on his own cloth. They looked each other over and began tending to the other's injuries. It was something I'd never seen before. Yes, they came down here together all the time without me and sparred. Did they always beat each other like this?
I sat on the opposite bench and watched them. Blood and sweat dripped down on the bench and floor as they cleaned each other up, wrapped each other's injuries, and bandaged each other's cuts. Sometimes they hissed at the other's contact, or jerked back, but mostly they took the pain silently.
"Turn around, I'll do your back," Dick said once they were done with each other's face and torso. Grant complied and Dick started caring for the cuts on his brother's back. I watched Grant's face. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were screwed shut as Dick cared for him.
"This one's pretty bad, man. I might have to stitch it up…" Dick trailed.
"Do what you have to," Grant replied. Dick nodded silently and pulled out a needle and stitches to begin the task. He did it quickly and expertly before wiping the remaining blood from Grant's back. Dick patted his brother's shoulder and turned his back to Grant who turned to take care of Dick. Grant moved quickly, cleaning and bandaging the cuts on Dick's back. Dick required no stitches, so it went a little faster.
"Done," Grant said. They both stood up and pulled their shirts over their heads. Dick looked at me sadly.
"Did they find her, Slade?"
I shook my head, "I don't know, Dick."
He nodded, packed up the first aid, picked up his shoes, and moved toward the door. Grant looked at me and silently, we followed him out.
The boys went to their separate rooms, and I went back to Rose's room to find Adeline still laying there.
I shook her awake.
"Adeline. Come on, honey. Let's go to bed."
"Slade…she can't be gone…Who would do something like this?"
"I don't know." She looked me in the eye with a fury I'd never seen there before.
"Promise something right now, Slade Wilson," she said seriously.
I nodded.
"Promise me you will find the person who did this and kill him in the worst possible way."
I nodded again, wanting nothing more.
Aright. How was it? Who's crying? Who's mad? Who liked the Grant/Dick bonding?
Now, the real question: who wants me to bring her back? I have the next few chapters planned out in my head, so look for them. The story is almost over. Are you ready for that to happen?
Thanks for reading and being patient. I know that I probably lost a few followers over my very long hiatus, but I'll try to make it up to you as best I can.
Have a good day, and don't forget to smile at a stranger. Strangers love smiles.
