Lost In Stormy Visions
Chapter 15
Monica stared at the little, lifeless, yellow-haired boy lying face down in the open grassy field. His eyes were closed, his head twisted sideways. If Monica hadn't known better, she would have thought he was asleep. He looked peaceful which was the exact opposite of how Monica felt standing there looking at him.
A gamut of emotions ran through her as she gazed at Luke. She felt an overwhelming sadness at the loss and felt bitterly anger at the person who had done this to him. But she was also angry at herself, at her inability to find Luke and save him.
Monica barely acknowledged the somber police officers whom, with herself, formed a protective circle around the boy. All Monica could see in her mind's eye were visions of Luke as she had seen him in pictures-a happy bright-eyed boy who loved his parents just as much as they loved him. John and Barbara...how was she ever to tell them? Her own grief, her own disappointment would be nothing compared to theirs.
At the sound of a car door closing, Monica glanced back over her shoulder. It was him. It was John. Who had called him? But that answer didn't matter much to her right now. He was here and that was all that mattered. Seeing her and the officers in the circle he stopped. Their eyes locked. Monica was unable to turn away and he was easily able to see the grief that was etched in her eyes. He knew. He knew without her having to say a word that it was Luke. His grief froze him, rooted him to the spot. He was unable to move or speak.
Finally, painfully, he got his legs moving, one foot in front of the other until he made it up the small hill to Monica's side. He had to see it for himself. He wouldn't believe it otherwise. The other officers parted and moved away, back down the hill, allowing him to view his son's body, allowing him time to grief, allowing him all the personal privacy they could afford at this moment of irrevocably loss.
Only Monica stayed. John never broke eye contact as he walked toward her. It was as if with his eyes he was pleading with her not to leave him, not to leave him alone to deal with this, to help him. Monica would have done anything for him at that moment. She would have done anything to bring his son back to life and place him in the loving arms of his father, a father who would never be able to hug him, watch him ride his bicycle, read him a bed time story, or tell him that he loved him.
John finally reached the spot where Monica stood. He reached out to hold her arm, steadying himself. After a few moments he broke eye contact and looked down, looked down at his dead son. At his quick intake of breath, Monica painfully looked down at Luke. And that was when she saw something completely startling.
The body of Luke was glowing with red flames from within, as if he was on fire. In a few seconds the flames burst forth, reducing the body to ashes, which blew away in the wind leaving nothingness behind.
Shocked, Monica turned to look at John who continued to stare at the spot. "Did you see.....?"
John nodded once, shakily. Monica looked back down at the ground and she was even more shocked to see Luke again, lying exactly as they had found him. No red flames, no ashes, just Luke, resting for all eternity, beyond all mortal cares, pains, or concerns.
John slowly fell to his knees next to his son. He reached out gently and touched his son's cheek. When he felt the coldness Monica knew was there, John quickly drew back his hand in fright. This was no bad dream. It was real. It was all real. His only child, his son was dead forever.
Monica kneeled down next to him. John was barely aware that she was there anymore. All he knew at that moment was his all consuming grief as his body stared to shake and heavy tears coursed down his cheeks in never ending procession. Monica reached out and enfolded John in an embrace and wished with all her might that she could ease his pain for even just a moment. But she knew that was impossible, just as it was impossible to make his son breathe again. And at that very moment, Monica's heart broke for this man she desperately loved.
Chapter 15
Monica stared at the little, lifeless, yellow-haired boy lying face down in the open grassy field. His eyes were closed, his head twisted sideways. If Monica hadn't known better, she would have thought he was asleep. He looked peaceful which was the exact opposite of how Monica felt standing there looking at him.
A gamut of emotions ran through her as she gazed at Luke. She felt an overwhelming sadness at the loss and felt bitterly anger at the person who had done this to him. But she was also angry at herself, at her inability to find Luke and save him.
Monica barely acknowledged the somber police officers whom, with herself, formed a protective circle around the boy. All Monica could see in her mind's eye were visions of Luke as she had seen him in pictures-a happy bright-eyed boy who loved his parents just as much as they loved him. John and Barbara...how was she ever to tell them? Her own grief, her own disappointment would be nothing compared to theirs.
At the sound of a car door closing, Monica glanced back over her shoulder. It was him. It was John. Who had called him? But that answer didn't matter much to her right now. He was here and that was all that mattered. Seeing her and the officers in the circle he stopped. Their eyes locked. Monica was unable to turn away and he was easily able to see the grief that was etched in her eyes. He knew. He knew without her having to say a word that it was Luke. His grief froze him, rooted him to the spot. He was unable to move or speak.
Finally, painfully, he got his legs moving, one foot in front of the other until he made it up the small hill to Monica's side. He had to see it for himself. He wouldn't believe it otherwise. The other officers parted and moved away, back down the hill, allowing him to view his son's body, allowing him time to grief, allowing him all the personal privacy they could afford at this moment of irrevocably loss.
Only Monica stayed. John never broke eye contact as he walked toward her. It was as if with his eyes he was pleading with her not to leave him, not to leave him alone to deal with this, to help him. Monica would have done anything for him at that moment. She would have done anything to bring his son back to life and place him in the loving arms of his father, a father who would never be able to hug him, watch him ride his bicycle, read him a bed time story, or tell him that he loved him.
John finally reached the spot where Monica stood. He reached out to hold her arm, steadying himself. After a few moments he broke eye contact and looked down, looked down at his dead son. At his quick intake of breath, Monica painfully looked down at Luke. And that was when she saw something completely startling.
The body of Luke was glowing with red flames from within, as if he was on fire. In a few seconds the flames burst forth, reducing the body to ashes, which blew away in the wind leaving nothingness behind.
Shocked, Monica turned to look at John who continued to stare at the spot. "Did you see.....?"
John nodded once, shakily. Monica looked back down at the ground and she was even more shocked to see Luke again, lying exactly as they had found him. No red flames, no ashes, just Luke, resting for all eternity, beyond all mortal cares, pains, or concerns.
John slowly fell to his knees next to his son. He reached out gently and touched his son's cheek. When he felt the coldness Monica knew was there, John quickly drew back his hand in fright. This was no bad dream. It was real. It was all real. His only child, his son was dead forever.
Monica kneeled down next to him. John was barely aware that she was there anymore. All he knew at that moment was his all consuming grief as his body stared to shake and heavy tears coursed down his cheeks in never ending procession. Monica reached out and enfolded John in an embrace and wished with all her might that she could ease his pain for even just a moment. But she knew that was impossible, just as it was impossible to make his son breathe again. And at that very moment, Monica's heart broke for this man she desperately loved.