It was getting late when I got the call.
The phone was ringing, and the caller ID said it was mom, yet again. I shushed the girls, and answered the phone.
"Hey, mom." I greeted happily.
"Alex, honey?" She said with a hoarse voice, one that sounded like she had been crying.
"Mom? Mom, what's wrong?" I asked, incredibly worried.
"It's...It's your grandmother, Alex." She said quietly. My heart dropped into my stomach, and I stumbled back into my seat. Grayson and Dana, who had dropped by not too long ago, looked at me worriedly, along with the six girls.
"What...What's wrong?" I asked after a quiet second.
"Oh, she's sick, Alex. Very sick." She told me. "Ever since your grandfather passed...Well, it was only a matter of time." She said, sighing shakily.
My grandfather passed away just three years ago. It was a really depressing time, he passed right on Christmas Eve. It was a huge blow to our family. I had never seen my brother cry so hard than when I saw him at the funeral. It broke my heart, and I was the one that had to be strong. I kept my tears and sadness inside. Only cried once the entire time.
"What...What do you mean? With what?" I asked.
"It's just...That time." Mom explained. "The doctor says she doesn't have much time. Probably...By the end of the night. We were eating, and she just...Collapsed. I...Alex, do you want to come down?" She asked. I didn't reply immediately, and looked at the girls, who were staring in confusion and worry.
"...No. No, that's probably not a good idea for me right now." I replied in a whisper.
"That's alright, Alex. I understand. I...I'm going to stay here a while though. Your uncle...Evan needs me right now. He's taking it the hardest." She told me.
"That's alright." I replied in almost a drone-like tone. The information was still processing in my mind.
"I love you, son."
"You too, mom."
"Goodbye."
Click.
I couldn't believe this. It...It couldn't be real, could it? I mean...Everything was going so smoothly. Well, a bit smoothly. The girls, they came here and broke me out of my slump - My sleep, my overall health increase with them around. Mom was out on a big job, ready to bring home the money to give the two of us a better life. How the hell did this happen?
My grandmother...Not my nana. Please, God, anyone but her. The woman took care of me when my mom couldn't afford to, she cooked for me, bathed me, she was my everything. She meant as much to me as my mother and brother did. I couldn't do this. I couldn't handle this. Why, God?
"Alex, what happened?" Dana asked, standing up and approaching me.
"...My grandma." I replied, shifting my seating on the black recliner. "...She's sick." I finished quietly, struggling to keep my emotions in check.
"Oh, my gosh." Dana gasped, placing her hand on mine.
"Sick? With what?" Twilight asked. I looked at her with hollow and lifeless eyes, mouth ajar as I searched for words.
"I...Dunno. She's just...Sick." I croaked.
"Is she gonna be alright?" Applejack asked.
"Alex...Will she be okay?" Gray also asked. I looked at him, and his emerald green eyes met mine. The lifeless look gave the answer away. "...How long?" He asked quietly.
"Tonight, they say." I said, before wiping tears from my eyes.
"Tonight? You mean...Tonight? But tomorrow..." Dana began. I nodded, knowing where she was going with this.
"Yep...Tomorrow's his birthday..." Gray said with a heavy sigh. I stood up and paced around.
"No. No, she'll...She'll pull through. She always does. Medicine today will make it all fine." I said, trying to convince myself more than the others. The girls and Gray looked at me with pained expressions.
"Alex..." Rarity said quietly. I glanced over at them, and knew it was hopeless.
"Alex, just...Sit down. I'll grab you something to drink." Dana offered. I plopped myself down on the ground, sitting between Rainbow and Fluttershy. Pinkie, AJ, Twilight and Rarity looked at me with sympathetic expressions, all trying to give me the same strong smile. I didn't have any of it, though. I knew there was nothing to be happy about. My grandmother was dying, and that was that.
"Here." Fluttershy said quietly, draping a blanket around my shoulders. I sniffled and accepted it, staring straight ahead at the wall.
"Alex, is there anything we can do?" Pinkie asked, but I shook my head in response.
"No. Nothing." I said absently. I tried to ignored the girls' increasingly scared faces, and I felt that same feeling in the back of my head. The remnants of my sanity, slipping from my grasp. It's like I was falling. Falling fast, hard, and I couldn't see the bottom. All I knew is that when I hit it, it'd be fast.
"Here, drink this." Dana said, handing me a can of soda. I popped it open, taking a sip and sighing.
"Alex, I...I dunno what to say." Rainbow said sadly. Again, I shrugged.
"Hey, it's life. We all get our time someday." I said, borderline cynical.
"Hey, man. That's no way to talk." Gray told me.
"Whatever, man. It's true. You know that, and so do I." I retorted, taking a larger drink. Gray had no rebuttal, and as such, remained quiet.
The next two hours was spent in relative silence, watching television. Until I received another call. I knew who it was. I knew what she had to say. I picked it up, pressed answer, and listened.
My grandmother died that night, at 9:55 PM.
"I'm so sorry, son." Mom said, though it was hard to understand due to the crying and sobbing she was going through.
"It's alright, mom. It's just a part of life. Call me if you need anything. Love you. Bye." And with that, I hang up.
"...Y'alright, Alex?" AJ asked me, standing up next to me. I shrugged my shoulders, shrugging off the hand she placed on my shoulder and walking away.
She's gone.
I set the drink down on the table, next to the mail I had fetched earlier.
She's gone.
I shut my eyes. I refused to let that little voice in my head-
SHE'S GONE.
My face contorted in anger, and I roared, throwing my drink and everything on the table aside in anger. Everyone else in the room flinched and stood up, looking at me.
"Alex!" Dana began.
"She's gone!" I cried out, knocking over chairs.
To be honest, I don't know why I reacted like that. I wish I hadn't, to be honest. I kicked and screamed, punched the walls until my knuckles were bloodied and bruised, knocked over objects - none of which broke, thankfully. Everyone just watched in horror. Dana and Gray stood, but the six girls huddled together in fear as I rampaged around the room. Crying, sobbing, yelling, screaming. No coherent words left my mouth. Just shrieks of rage and sorrow.
My energy was spent, being helped only a bit by the caffeine from the cola, and I dropped to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably. I was still giving the occasional scream, and Gray and Dana approached, embracing me. I tried to fight them off, but I was too weak. I fell into their arms, and they laid me down, but I was still screaming strings of obscenities to the world and its God. I broke. I snapped. I was gone.
Nothing could help. Nothing seemed real. I stared up at Dana and Gray, and saw the other six approach as well. They all looked at me with such horribly terrified expressions, they looked like they had just witnessed something horrific. I shut my eyes to cast away their gazes, clenching onto Gray's shirt. I needed something to hold on to. I needed someone. Anyone. Next thing I knew, I felt eight pairs of hands all embrace me, and I pretty much exhausted myself so much, I passed out right there.
The Next Morning
No pain could replace the pain I felt. Not in my heart, but in my head. I had a terrific headache, and it hurt just to open my eyes. My throat was dry, my eyes stinging. How did I get in bed? Last thing I remembered was...
Oh, right.
I slowly eased myself out of bed, clenching my teeth to replace one pain with another. My door opened, and Twilight and the girls were on the other side, with Gray and Dana following behind them.
"Alex? Are you feeling better?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." I replied, except, this time, it was in honesty. I hurt, yeah... But it wasn't something that was driving me on the edge. Last night, it was oddly exactly what I needed. I needed that breakdown to eliminate the rest of the tension in my head. I knew I wasn't done, but it was postponed. I knew that much.
"Really?" Rainbow asked dumbfoundedly, but was silenced when AJ nudged her and gave her a look. I ignored her, though, and dug in my closet for a shirt. I found a black collared shirt, and grabbed my jeans. Realizing I still wasn't alone, I looked at the others.
"...You guys wanna come?" I asked.
"Where?" Fluttershy asked.
"To visit Nick's grave." I replied. "It was...It's his birthday today. He woulda been 24." I said with a sad smile.
"My, he was that young...?" Rarity began. "I mean, yes, sure. We'd be honored. Girls, let's get ready." She said, bringing the others with her. Gray and Dana approached me, but they were my best friends, so I didn't mind switching jeans in front of them.
"Alex, man...You sure you're alright?" Dana asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Honest." I replied, buckling my belt. "I just had a breakdown. Last night was a real blow to me. But...I've dealt with death before. I know that I just gotta keep my head up, and I'll be fine. That's what's kept me breathing the last three years, anyway." I explained, lacing my boots. "Would you guys care to join me?" I then asked.
"Of course, man. We'll meet you outside." Gray said, leading Dana out of my room. I sighed and shook my head, standing and looking outside the window. I found myself smiling, staring at the blossoming trees and other plant life. I had this strange sense of...Something. The more I thought, though, the more sure I was of what it could be.
Hope.
( Hey there, folks.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I put a lot of effort into this one xD
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