Chapter Eleven: Australia

A thing that is seen so little, is time, such a fragile thing it is. Yet so much can be broken by the passing of it, except the bond of true friendship, a bond that can only merely be wounded by time. This is the case for Riley Matthews and friends. They've decided to take a gap year off before heading to College, and are keeping their promise to Murray. They've spent the last three weeks traveling around Murray's homeland of Australia, seeing it's beauty and wonder, since the moment they arrived they've constantly wondered; 'Why did Murray ever leave?' But now in their final week in Australia they are going to where they have dreaded to go since they arrived, they are going to the place that Murray called home. The day started out as a warm summer's day, but by midday clouds filled the sky and concealed the sun from sight, but a tender breeze that wasn't too hot or too cold created the right atmosphere. Josh was driving car in front with Maya, Isadora and Farkle in it, while in the second car was Lucas, Riley and Isaiah. They drove down a quiet street in a city called Wollongong, they drove to the end of the street and parked in front of the house at the end of the street, a large two store building.

"Is this the place?" Lucas softly asked looking over at Riley who sat in the passenger's seat, Riley looked down at what seemed to be a diary with photos scattered amongst the pages. Riley pulled out a photo of a young Murray standing in front of the same house next to a man Riley believes is his father,
"Yeah, this is the place" Riley answered, Lucas picked up a walkie-talkie and pressed the button on the side.
"This is the place" Lucas said before releasing the button and waiting for a reply,
"Okay, when you're ready" Josh replied, Lucas again looked at Riley as she put the diary in the glove box, undid her seatbelt and got out of the car. As she did her friends all followed, they walked up to the front door and Riley took a moment before gently knocking on the door. A woman answered the door with a welcoming smile on her face,
"Hello, can I help you?" She asked,
"Hello Ma'am, I'm Riley Matthews and these are my friends" Riley introduced, the woman's smile faded as a look of realisation took it's place.
"The kids Murray saved, in that school shooting couple of years ago?" She asked,
"Yeah" Maya confirmed, the woman opened the door and let them in. They were seated around a large dining table and offered drinks which they kindly accepted, and moments later the woman sat down at the head of the table.
"So are you Murray's sister?" Isaiah asked,
"No, I'm Shannon, his cousin." Shannon answered,
"You grew up with him?" Isaiah asked and Shannon nodded, "what was he like?" Isaiah continued. Shannon chuckled,
"Murray was kind, loving, he never did anything wrong, never got a bad grade." Shannon explained as she stood up and walked over to a tall cupboard up against the wall. She pulled out a few photo albums and walked back to her seat passing them around the table for everyone to look at. "These are all photos with Murray in them." Shannon revealed, she smiled as she watched everyone go through the photos of Murray.
"God he looks so happy with that typewriter!" Josh insisted looking at a photo and showing it to everyone.
"Murray loved writing stories, whenever people were sad, were going through a rough patch or had suffered a loss in the family. Murray would write them a story to help them get through it. He made people happy with his stories. He was a popular kid in school, was friends with essentially everyone in his year group; which is like a hundred and eighty students but that wasn't a problem for him, he just saw it as an opportunity to write more stories. So Abby his best friend and neighbour went out and bought him a typewriter, their rooms were across from each other, so they could see through each other's window. She'd sit in her window and bug him while he wrote, always trying to find out what story he was writing, but Murray wouldn't tell anyone, he'd write a story give it to the person it was intended for and if they wanted to share it, that was up to them." Shannon happily explained,
"He never talked about Abby" Lucas remembered, Farkle turned the page in the photo album he had and saw a photo of Murray and a girl standing outside the house well groomed and dressed.
"Was that her?" Farkle asked as he turned the album around and pointed at the photo. Shannon slowly nodded,
"Yeah, that was them the night of their year ten formal." Shannon answered, puzzled, Farkle looked back at the photo analysing it,
"I've seen her before" Farkle stated catching everyone's attention. "When Zay and I went over to Murray's one day to help him figure out something, we stood in the spare room with all the notes on the walls. We went to leave the room and to get Maya over when I saw five photos on a coffee table of five different students. I thought they were five of his students that he couldn't save." Farkle explained and Shannon's tone quickly changed.
"What happened to her?" Riley cautiously inquired,
"Murray and Abby weren't just best friends and neighbours, they were in love, they were one another's first love. But they never told each other; she started getting bullied, she never told anyone, not even Murray. One day it got so bad that, Murray came home to a video message attached to an email in his inbox. He started watching it; I was down stairs here with my two brothers, parents and Murray's parents when we heard Murray jumping down the stairs and running out the door. We didn't think much of it but he ran next door, couldn't open the front door because it was locked so he with all his force barged down it down and searched the house for her. I went up to his room wondering what had happened and found the video still playing, it didn't take me long to figure out what had happened, moments later I heard him cry out, and scream her name. He found her in the bath, she had cut her wrists." Shannon paused for a moment and cleared her throat. "My Aunty called for an ambulance while we rushed over and found Murray on the bathroom floor holding her, but she was dead. When the ambulance got there, it took my father, brothers and uncle to drag Murray back, he cried so much that he passed out. After that, he was never the same, didn't talk to anyone really. A few months later, Murray's Mum got offered a job in New York, knowing it would be a good fresh start for Murray he moved to New York with his Mum, unfortunately due to his own work Murray's Dad wasn't able to go." Shannon explained,
"And his Dad drank himself into an early grave" Lucas insisted.
"Not initially, there was a lot going on behind the scenes that Murray wasn't aware of." Shannon stated,
"Like what?" Isaiah asked,
"Murray's Mum was cheating on her husband and he found out, he went over to New York to bring Murray home. When he saw the happiness Murray had found over there, his Dad couldn't bring him back to this, so he left Murray there, got a divorce, paid her a large sum of money and then drank himself into an early grave. I went over to see Murray not long after his Mum passed away, he was terrible, living like a slob, he'd try and argue that he owned the building but I'd simply say that doesn't mean he can or has to live like this. So I cleaned his apartment, bought him new clothes and helped him get back on track. But I don't think he ever really healed." Shannon concluded, and in a saddened silence everyone sat.
"Perhaps it was all part of the story, he told and played it so well he tricked us." Farkle suggested,
"He helped others, focused on them so much that he forgot about himself, about how broken and in need he was. That helped him play normal." Shannon pointed out.
"Every time we went to his apartment, he'd always have a small glass of vodka, the apartment was always cold and quiet, and sometimes at school you'd catch him simply staring off aimlessly in the distance. For a moment part you wondered if something was wrong, then you remember that a student of his had killed himself, and the father was abusing him, so you stopped worrying. Never did I imagine it was something like this." Lucas insisted,
"He once told me that, his mind had been plagued with a question, if he had told her how he truly felt, if he told her that he loved her, and if he made her feel loved, could he have saved her? I'm sure if he let his mind wonder too far that question would play in his head. Drive him to work harder to help others, to protect them." Shannon continued.

Around midday they sat in a local pub quietly thinking about their time with Shannon.
"Alright, here are your meals" a man said as he arrived at their table and started handing out meals. When he was done he went to walk away but gave them one last concerned look, 'why all the long faces?" he asked as he pulled up a chair and sat down.
"We've just had a pretty rough morning" Josh insisted,
"Americans, what brings you down under?" the man asked,
"Here to see where an friend grew up" Lucas answered,
"Awh yeah, what friend?" the man questioned,
"An old teacher of ours from High School, Murray Farring" Lucas answered and the man sat up right in his chair.
"You're the kids he saved in the shooting, aren't you?"
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"Well, it's easy guess. Names Michael, I went to school with Murray. Have you all just been to see Shannon have you?" Michael asked and everyone nodded as they too sat up in their seats,
"What was he like?" Isadora asked curiously,
"He was a bloody great bloke, if he called you his friend, mate, you felt honoured, like you were obligated to be a good person. Kept me on the right track in life." Michael answered,
"Shannon said he was always writing stories," Farkle pointed out,
"Mate, you'd always see someone reading a story he wrote for them, you'd think we would get sick of it, but nah. I remember one time, it had been pissing down rain for days, the roads were blocked and we were stuck in school for the night, parts of the school were flooding, parts of the ceiling had collapsed in some corridors of the school due to the rain and people were scared. Murray saw this, and he didn't like it. So he pulled out a book and pen and started writing, he told us stories until we forgot about what was happening outside and fell asleep. I remember waking up in the morning to him still telling a story to those who couldn't sleep, with a big warm smile on his face. Then another time this place got flooded after another major storm, the insurance company was being right big pain in my ass, one day we were cleaning up and these trucks pulled up outside. The workers came in and told me that they were here to help reopen the place; I told them that I didn't have the money to pay them; one of them assured me that it had all been taken care. When I asked by whom, he handed me a story to read and I knew immediately, he was always doing stuff like that for us. And he'd always pop up unannounced, just suddenly one day he'd walk through the door and greeted us like we saw him a couple of days ago. And he'd always ask for the same bloody drink" Michael explained,
"Vodka on rocks" everyone said simultaneously and laughing a little afterwards.
"Exactly, hell, we bought a few bottles of the vodka he liked just for when he showed up. So we were always prepared for him." Michael continued as the others started eating their meals.
"What about him and Abby?" Riley asked carefully, Michael lowered his head slightly, "I'm sorry" Riley insisted and Michael looked up at her
"Nah it's okay, Murray and Abby, well, they were the Romeo and Juliet of our Year Group. You know the teachers wouldn't yell at Murray when he did something wrong, they'd just Abby, knowing that he would get in more trouble from her then from them. Ha-ha our High School had a winter uniform; it was very professional, with a blazer and tie. One of the rules during winter was that the guys had to have their shirts tucked in, and well we didn't always follow the rule, including Murray. Abs would see it, yell out his name and Murray would shit himself, tuck his shirt in as fast as he could but Abs would run over grab him by the ear and pull him down to her height. Ask him what he was doing, he'd tell her that he tucked his shirt in and it would never happen again, she'd let him go, give him a big warm smile, wish him a good day and that she will see him later before walking away. Murray would rub his ear and smile at her as she walked away, we all loved them." Michael reminisced smiling tenderly as he did so,
"They really sound like they were in love." Maya insisted,
"Oh yeah they were, though I remember the day we were told she had died, the Principal gathered our Year Group into the School Hall and told us. At first we thought it was some sick joke, and then it sunk in and there wasn't a dry eye in that hall. Then a student asked a question that popped into all our heads at the same time, how's Murray? Though, when we found out she had been bullied, we hunted down the son of a bitch. Turns out he was at a party with his mates and she was there, he liked the look of her and wanted to get in, she resisted his advances, told him no, said he was making her uncomfortable, he tried to kiss her and Abs slapped him, as Abs would, she was always a strong girl, but he and his mates told their entire school she slept with them all. And that if they wanted a good time they should talk to her. She was being harassed and bullied and we had no idea, that was the hard part." Michael paused for a moment and cleared his throat.
"What did you do when you found the bully?" Lucas quietly asked,
"We didn't hurt him, knew Abs and Murray wouldn't want us too, but we made their lives a living hell." Michael insisted,
"Wow," Lucas whispered,
"Look, finish your meals their on the house, when you're done I'll take you to a special memorial for Abby." Michael insisted before getting up and leaving them to their meals.

Some time later they had finished their meals and followed Michael in their cars and arrived at a High School parking outside. They followed Michael up a pathway into the school and to a beautiful garden, at its centre stood a waist high stone plaque in memory of Abby.
"It's beautiful," they all agreed,
"Yeah, our Year Group made and paid for this, did all the gardening and stuff as well. A tribute to her and a place of peace and remembrance." Michael explained, Isaiah looked at the base and saw a small pile of papers encased in glass on a small podium that sat up from the ground,
"What's that in the glass case?" Isaiah asked pointing down at it,
"The school held an assembly for her, to mourn and say goodbye to her as a community, and to unveil this. At the end of the ceremony people walked over to leave flowers, Murray left a story, the last story he ever wrote her, he whispered 'one more for the road' and walked away, out of respect no one read it, many think it'd be one of his greatest works, but it's a story, his final words to her that only he will ever know. We all knew what she meant to him, Murray didn't just loose an arm or leg, he lost a part of his heart when he lost her. He was a true blue Aussie, and when he died we had drinks in his memory at the pub, we celebrated the person he was, and as bad as it sounds we were happy for him because he died a hero saving you guys, and we knew he could now be with Abby again as they were meant to be." Michael insisted and everyone's eyes began to water,
"Thank you Michael, for talking to us" Riley insisted,
"You know I never got your names," Michael insisted and one after the other they all introduced themselves. "Well it's a pleasure to meet you all, and now don't be strangers, if you're ever in the area there will always be a nice cold drink and warm meal on the house for you at my pub." Michael concluded before he walked away, they looked at the plaque and looked at the writing on it.

"May the road of life you walk be long and happy, for one day we shall meet again, either; along the way or at it's end. Where we shall meet as old friends, each with a story in hand, and a proud smile, because of the times we've had by the journey's end. – Murray Farring"

The following day, Riley and her friends sat on a plane travelling to the next part of their journey. Lucas and Riley sat next to one another holding hands and Riley resting her head on Lucas' shoulder with her eyes closed.
"God that guy knew how to write power quotes," Lucas expressed,
"I'm proud that he taught us, and I'm glad we did this." Riley stated,
"I'm proud that he brought us together, closer then before,"
"Lucas?"
"Yeah Riles?"
"Could you say that we're all, his living legacy?"
"I guess in a way you could,"
"Let's make sure we live and fill the pages of our story then, for him and Abby."
"That sounds like a great plan" Lucas whispered resting his head on hers and closing his eyes.