Chapter 8: The Journey Home

The pain was almost unbearable as Denise made the long journey back to the road. She had convinced herself that if she could just get to her and Frank's spot that it would all be okay. But when she finally got there she realized her mistake. There were people she loved that she would be leaving behind. If she could somehow prevent their pain than she should. She had a son who still needed his mother. He was not even an adult yet. And her friends needed her. She had thought that if she let go than she would be with Frank. But what if he was alive? How would he handle coming home and finding out his wife was dead. Denise grabbed for the next tree trying to support herself. She had a deep gash in her thigh and was pretty sure some ribs were broken. Every step caused a searing pain to travel her entire body. Her hand slipped and she fell to the ground letting out a scream of pain. How much longer could she do this? Denise took slow deep breaths trying to stay awake. But she was so cold and so tired that sleep finally took her over.

Claudia Joy awoke early and looked over at her husband. He was sleeping soundly. He wouldn't be up for at least another hour. She quietly got out of bed and looked into Amanda's room. She was sleeping soundly. Jeremy was looking out the window his eyes red and puffy. He sensed her stare and he turned around.

"I went home and there was a message on the answering machine. He's alive." Claudia Joy nodded and motioned for Jeremy to follow her. He did and they both changed then set out or a walk.

"If you want Michael and I can tell him about Denise"

"Whatever" Jeremy said feeling defeated.

"Jeremy"

"No. NO! This isn't fair. She died because she thought he was dead. Don't get me wrong I am happy he's alive. But at the same time I took comfort in thinking that they were up there together. But now she's up there alone and this is going to kill my dad. He loves my mom so much. I just…I miss her so much"

"I know sweetheart so do I" Claudia Joy said taking her best friends son in her arms.

Claudia Joy turned the music up as she drove her car down the same path her best friend had driven down the night she died. Something was pulling her towards the spot her friend had been ripped from this world at. There were no other cars on the road no other people around but her. She suddenly felt a tear run down her face. She wiped it away furious and clenched the wheel harder.

"Why? Why did you have to come out here? I was only gone for a couple of hours. You should have just stayed put. He's alive Denise. He's alive!! You were driving to be with him weren't you? There is something out here that is important to you and Frank. That's where you were going. You were going to be with him. My heart tells me you aren't dead. Michael calls it denial but I know you made it out of that car." Claudia Joy slammed her hands on the steering wheel in frustration. "If I knew where this special spot was I could find you. That's where you would go. Where?!! WHERE?!?! Help me Denise I can't find you if you don't help me!" Claudia Joy was ripped form her thoughts when her cell phone rang. She picked it up and turned the radio off.

"Hello?"

"Claudia Joy" the voice was thick with tears and grief.

"Frank. I take it you heard" Frank laughed coldly.

"Yea you could say that. How?"

"She was hit head on by a drunk driver. She was going somewhere to be close to you I don't know where. They say her car exploded and there was no way she could have gotten out in time." She heard a strangled sob come form the other end and blinked to keep her own sobs at bay.

"Where was she going?"

"I don't know. She was hit on a back road just off post. I'm driving it now. I just… needed to be close to her you know?"

"Yea. What road are you on?"

"Old Bay road" She heard another sob but this time there was no attempt at covering it up. She heard Frank swear. "Frank where was she going?"

"To our beach. We found this little spot just before Jeremy was born off that road. It was this little patch of sand covered in trees hidden from the rest of the world. It overlooked this really calm lake. It was our favorite spot. We stopped going when Jeremy was born. We went once right after we moved on post because it was so close but we… sort of fell apart. She loved that spot so much. I'm not surprised she was going there."

"Where was this beach?"

"There was a sign declaring the road a historic place. It was about a mile maybe less into the forest from the sign." Claudia Joy looked up and saw the sign.

"I've got to go" Claudia Joy hung up and parked her car. She looked into the forest. It was barely lit by the little sunlight the trees let in. Determined to find Denise or the spot Claudia Joy entered the woods.

Pamela and Roxy walked into Claudia Joy's living room after being let in by Amanda. Jeremy was sitting on the couch watching a game of some kind. They looked at Amanda who motioned them into the kitchen.

"How's he doing?" Roxy asked after they all sat down.

"Better. I'm trying to get him to do things he enjoys. Try to get him moving on. Returning to some sort of normalcy. If that's possible. I just want him to stop hurting and I know that he won't ever stop hurting but at least he can watch a baseball game. Before his walk with my mom I couldn't even get him to leave my room. I worried. About the both of them." Pamela took the young girl's hands in her own.

"We are to. That's why we're here. Is your mom around?"

"No. She went for a walk with Jeremy this morning but no ones seen her since. I think she just needs time. The one person mom would always go to when she was hurting was Denise. I think in her own way she's doing that now" Roxy and Pam exchanged sad smiles as Amanda went to sit with Jeremy.

"She's trying to do this on her own again. She's not dealing very well" Pamela said in a tired voice.

"Maybe Amanda's right. Claudia Joy needs Denise now. Maybe she's found away to deal with this better than all of us" Pamela smiled and hugged her best friend. She thanked God for the hundredth time that Roxy was here. Amanda was right. When you're hurting all you really need is your best friend. She just hoped that somehow Claudia Joy could live without hers.

Claudia Joy had been walking for about thirty minutes. Frank hadn't been very specific about where this beach was but she knew she would find it. Suddenly her heart stated to ache inside her chest. Her lungs worked furiously trying to get air to her brain. The world was closing in around her. She grabbed a tree to steady herself and felt something wet and sticky under her hand. She brought her hand to her face and saw blood covering it. It's red seemingly dissolving into her hand. Denise. She didn't know how she knew but she did. Denise had been here was here somewhere. And she was alive. She had made it out of the car. She was probably moving towards the beach. Claudia Joy picked up her pace all the feelings of dread leaving her. All that had been weighing her down the past few day fell off as she ran. Faster and faster she ran her legs taking on a mind of their own.

"Denise?!" She shouted hoping to hear her friend call back. But all that greeted her was silence.

Had someone just called her name or was she hallucinating? Had the pain finally taken her mind? Was not only her broken body going to be tortured but her tired mind as well?

"Denise?!" No that time it was clear and it was coming closer. Claudia Joy! It was Claudia Joy's voice. Denise tried to push on to latch onto her friend's voice and follow back home. But the pain was getting worse. Her leg refused to suffer any more torment as it gave out form under her. The world spun momentarily as Denise closed her eyes. 'No' she thought willing her eyes to reopen. 'Please Claudia Joy I'm right here please. Open your eyes' Knowing she wasn't going to win this battle she let the darkness take her.

"Claudia Joy"

Claudia Joy stopped running when she heard her name. It was soft and weak but it was there. She turned around and saw something a little ways off to her right.

"Denise?!" As she reached the still form Claudia Joy started to cry. Whether it was happy tears or sad she didn't care. She had found her and that meant there was a chance for her survival. She gathered her friend's bruised body into her arms and checked for a pulse. It was weak but it was there. "Denise its ok. I'm here I've got you. You're okay now I promise." She reached inside her pocket and took out her cell phone. She didn't have much service but it would have to do. She gave the 911 operator their location then dialed another number. It rang a few times before the familiar voice answered. By this point Claudia Joy was sobbing sitting in the dirt and mud holding her friend in the middle of the woods. But she didn't care. Denise was alive.

"Claudia Joy is that you? Where have you been we've been so worried?"

"Michael? She's alive. Denise is alive."