All I could think about was life with one person for the rest of my life. I was standing at the jewelry store talking to the clerk about the perfect ring. I was too nervous to even speak. I guess the clerk noticed me staring at a ring, so she pulled it out.
“Good choice. I can see the question is going to pop soon.” she stated.
“H… How did you know?” I stuttered dramatically.
“Oh please. I see guys like you here all the time. So, is she special?” It seemed like this whole conversation, was read off of a script.
I started smiling “Yeah, she’s something.” I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. “I haven’t seen her for weeks because she has been in Australia. She is a reporter and is writing a story about new animal discoveries.” The words just kept flowing out like a waterfall. “Sorry, I’m mumbling on, aren't I.” I finally stopped myself.
“No, it’s fine.”
The ring was perfect. It was a silver ring with a gold spiral roping around the center diamond. It reminded me of Jessica because she makes me dizzy from her charm.
“That’ll be $10,366.87 please.” she giggled.
I realized I was staring into space. “Oh, sorry. Uh… How much?” I said shaking my head.
“That’ll be $10,366.87.” the clerk repeated.
“Wow.” Is all I could say. How much money do I need to make a girl happy? “She better say yes.” I laughed, pulling out my credit card.
I walked out of the store when Jessica called. “Hey Soy!” she shouted. I’ll be home in only sixteen more hours! About to board.” She announced.
“Okay I’ll see you soon, thanks for charging my phone with your long distance calls.” I said sarcastically. She laughed
“You're welcome. See you soon. Miss you.” She hung up. I couldn’t wait to see her again six weeks is six weeks too many. I harbored great feelings for her, and I want to see her again.
I pulled into the airport wearing the nicest suit I could find. Not like it was clean, it was in that giant mound of laundry near the machine. Once again it was six weeks, and I didn’t bother to learn how to use the laundry machine.
The airport was a mad house. There were people shouting across the building “Harry! Terminal four is over here!” There were kids screaming and crying “But mom!” I couldn’t concentrate on which way to go. Eventually I found my way to the correct terminal, and I held up my sign that said Miss James, and I held a bouquet of white roses (her favorite) in my other hand behind my back.
People started rushing out of the plane. They were hugging children, kissing husbands. There were some who just kept walking with no one to say hi to. There were three business men who looked like they were all sea sick. After about 30 people exited the airplane I finally saw Jessica. She didn’t know I was coming, so at first she didn’t see me, but then I held out the flowers and I saw the most beautiful smile I could ever think of. Her pearly white teeth shimmered as she ran towards me. I hugged her and picked her up, spinning her in circles. I heard a bunch of “Aw!” and “How cute!” I didn’t care what others thought, this was the longest we have ever been away from each other and it was the best thing to hold her in my arms again.
I brought her out to the car and all of a sudden I couldn’t breath. I saw a cemetery across the parking lot. My hands were shaking and I was sweating bullets. “Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay everything will be okay.” Jess opened the passenger side of the car, and helped me in.“It will be okay, I’ll drive.” She assured me. Jessica is the best, she knows just how to fix anything.
   

“SAWYER!” My mother and father screamed running after me. It was dark and I was only in my pajamas.
That day was rough, Three kids jumped me in the alley way on the way home. It was the same three that bully me at school everyday. I always came home with a new bruise or cut on me from those guys. Lately it has gotten worse, The other day they stole my $300 dollar bike. My father could care less
“It builds character. Learn to fight back, it is your bike first of all. I’m not your personal body guard. Learn to take care of yourself.” I tried to get my bike back, but it only made it worse. They beat me up today, I had broken my arm climbing the fence to get away. I had had enough. I was done, so I packed my bag and ran away.
The air was cold and crisp. Every breath was a sudden shock of ice running down my throat. I was almost out of the neighborhood where I found myself at the cemetery. It was not a nice cemetery. It was never taken care of, it was all beaten up and vandalised. I hated this place I felt shivers down my spine every time I walked near it.
“SAWYER! please come back!” My parents exclaimed.
“Why? Not like you would care if I fell off the face of the Earth.” I shouted back.
“No Sawyer, we love you very much, why would we ever want that.” I couldn’t believe they had the guts to say that.
I was ready to throw something at them. “It builds CHARACTER!” I said mocking my father.
“Get back here right now!” My dad’s head was gonna explode. I was just as mad as he was. There was a piece of broken flower vase lying next to “Peter J. Houten” grave stone. I picked a couple of pieces up and started throwing them. “Stay away from me!” I threatened. “I’m done with this! I’m done with all of it!” I threw one more piece. It hit a tree that had a bunch of bottles attached with string. They fell. I heard screams and cries for help. Why am I so dumb, my parents were standing under that tree. “MOM! DAD!” I ran towards them. I couldn’t see much in the dark cemetery. I walked up to them. They were lying cold on the ground. I never planned on what happened next. “Mom? Dad?” I said between sobs. I fell to my knees right next to my mother. Her hands were colder than ice. I held her hand to my cheek and I cried. I cried for hours. It was the worst pain I could imagine.

We pulled up to the house, and didn’t even make it to the garage before she fell. “Jess!” I said in panic. “Are you alright?”
“No.” She said gasping for air. I quickly rushed her into the car and laid my foot on the gas the entire ride to the hospital. I wasn’t completely aware of the rode and I swerved out of control trying to dodge an oncoming semi.
When we finally made it to the hospital, I opened the passenger car door and carried her inside. Everyone was staring at us wide eyed, “Please help.” I asked turning to the nurse, All I saw was a rush of people putting Jess into a gurney and running away from me.
A few long hours later the nurse came out. She spoke with no hesitation at all, as if she was used to it. “Honey, I have some unfortunate news to tell you. Jessica is in a coma.”
“What? How? Why?” I stuttered.
“We don’t know what happened to her to be in this state, but we are trying our best to figure it out.” She didn’t seem to positive, “Does Jessica have family or friends that we should contact.”
All of a sudden my heart dropped, we don’t have any friends and our only family is her sister. I completely despise her sister. She was much older than Jess, She never cared about her sister. When their parents passed from a terrible car accident, they gave all their inheritance to Jessica because Candace was not untrustworthy. She totaled four cars, has been arrested for armed robbery, is broke, is a highschool drop out, and can’t get a jobs. All she ever does is bully Jess for money, and Jessica just gives it to her. All she ever says is “Family looks out for family, and some day she will do the same for me.”
I thought about what Jessica said for a while and I finally called Candace. “Hello?” She said after the third ring. I cleared my throat “Hey Candace, um… I’ve got some bad news.” I announced.
Eventually Candace came running through the hospital doors “Where is she? Is she okay?” She screamed.
“Calm down.” I said under my breath. “Why are you so worried anyway.” I asked
“She’s my sister!” She yelled. But then I got it. Candace knew if something were to happen to her sister there would be no more money coming her way.
The nurse walked out smiling. “I have good news and bad news.”She announced. “We know how to help Jessica.”
Of course the was going to be a catch “And?” I asked, the nurse sighed
“Insurance doesn’t cover the treatment.”
“How much? I’ll pay anything.” I was hoping that it wouldn’t be too much.
“It is gonna be at the least of $30,000 dollars per treatment, and it might be more everytime we give her another one.” I sank in my chair.
“I’ll pay.” Candace pulled off a diamond ring filled with jewels. “Mom gave it to me when I was little.” She commented. “She gave it to me when she was in the hospital, she told me that someday this ring would be used for good use. And I guess that is today.”
“Thank you.” I grinned.
“So the treatment?” I asked, turning to the nurse.
“In the hospital charts There was a man named Peter J. Houten who experienced the same symptoms.” The nurse stated. Peter J. Houten, why was that name so familiar? Then it hit me. Peter J. Houten was the same man with the broken flower vase on his gravestone.The room all of a sudden started spinning. I was sweating buckets. “Are you okay.” The nurse was staring at me funny. I nodded and sprinted to the bathroom.
I sat on the floor for about ten minutes, when Candace came walking in. “Hey, you okay?” She wasn’t worried at all.
“Yeah I’m fine.” I wasn’t fine. I was seeing the images race through my head.
I woke up still sitting in the hospital waiting room. “Good morning.” The nurse said snickering at the drool on my chin. I quickly wiped it off turning red. “You can go see her now.” I bolted down the hallway.
I sat in the room for about a week, only leaving to go get food.
“Sawyer?” I heard a small groan, so I looked up to see Jessica staring back at me.
“JESS!” I’ve never been so happy in my life. I pushed the little nurse button and all of a sudden I was rushed out of the room. I called Candace right away, and once again she knew exactly what I was gonna say.
“She’s awake? I’m on my way!” she exclaimed.
The nurse told Candace and I that Jess can go home in the morning. I was so excited I almost lost it. “Thank you Peter!” Candace shouted not realizing what she just said.
I saw the images again running around in my mind like a giant rubber band ball coming unleashed. I felt shivers down my spine. I felt like I was running through the himalayas. I quickly ran into the bathroom again only this time it was longer. The images wouldn’t stop “Mom? Dad?” I heard it over and over again. “Get Away!” It wouldn’t stop. Things went black. I woke up laying on the bathroom floor. I walked out, and it was already 11pm. I was out for five hours. I just slept in the chair of Jessica’s room.
“Morning.” Jessica was standing over me in her clothes, all ready to leave.
“That was fast.” I commented grabbing my jacket. I helped Jessica into the car. I have never smiled so big in my life. I sat in the car, and put the key in the ignition, but I didn’t start it. “What?” Jessica giggled.
“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?” I said, thinking about tomorrow’s dinner. (my proposal)
“Only about a thousand times.” She smiled. I drove home, glancing over at Jess every once in awhile. “Why do you keep doing that?” She asked.
“Because…” I saw black. All I saw was more, and more black. I saw so many images. I saw my dead parents, I saw my bloody hands, and I saw Jessica laying in the hospital. I woke up in shock. Sweat was dripping from my forehead.
“Hey, it’s okay.” There was a nurse standing next to me holding a damp towel to my forehead.
“What happened?” I asked in pain all of a sudden I remembered being in the car with Jess. “Wait…” I looked around “Where is Jessica.” I panicked.
“You were in a car crash.” The nurse started. “You ran a red light and hit an oncoming semi. You managed to be okay, but Jessica suffered a severe brain injury when being defenestrated, and she didn’t make it. I’m sorry.” The nurse gave me a hug and left the room. I didn’t know what to think. I was in shock. Why do I kill everyone I love? I couldn’t believe how stupid I was. Candace walked in, in tears.
“Come on, I’m driving you home.” She helped me up and I looked down to see a cast on my leg. I was too mad to even care.
Have you ever felt like you were drowning, and you didn’t know which way was up? Do you know what it’s like to feel so lost, you think lost is found? Well, that's exactly how I felt. I felt like I was gonna drown. I walked in the house so angry with myself. I knocked a stack of books to the floor. I threw Jessica’s camera across the room. I kept destroying things. A few chairs were broken and the statue is now three statues. I picked up another small item to throw, but I didn’t let go. I fell to the ground in tears. I opened my hand to see I was holding a small blue box. I opened it and shut it right away.