Story Book

“Holy shit Clarissa are you okay?” Ashley asked frantically as she made her way across her lawn.

“I'm fine.” I muttered trying to ignoring the pounding of hammers inside my skull.

She crouched down beside me, her face held an odd expression as she stared intently at my forehead. Frowning at my drowsy expression she reached a hand out and gave me a tap on the cheek.

“Ow.” I groan swatting her away. I took a better look at her, she was in red checkered pajama bottoms and a black jacket covered her from the night air.

“You have to stay awake. You probably got a concussion. The cut doesn't look deep enough for stitches.” Ashley listed everything off like a pro. Her mother is a nurse at the local hospital which rubbed off on Ashley from a very early age. It hasn't seemed to warn off because as far as I knew Ashley still wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps.

“Come on lets get inside, I'll clean it up.” Ashley said taking charge as she helped me up from the ground, letting most of my weight fall upon her.

“Ouch that stings!” I hissed as she swabbed at my cut with a cotton ball.

“Suck it up.” Were her only words of response, I glared at her care bear shirt.

“I think it was clean fifty cotton balls ago.” I stated annoyed well trying to dodge her hand from coming near my forehead. I sat in one of her kitchen chairs that surrounded her table that was covered in the contents of the first aid box she had emptied out.

“Shh, your lucky it wasn't worse. You might have needed stitches right now.” Ashley replied graving my chin with one hand and with the other she continued to dab my cut.

“Ugh Ashley enough I'm not a test dummy to practice your nursing skills on.” I spat at her wincing at the tiny prickles that lined my cut.

“Stop being such a baby.” Noah spoke as he walked into the kitchen.

“You called him?” I accused starring up at Ashley's red face.

“Yes I did.” Ashley whispered nervously tugging on her care bear shirt.

I softened towards her. She fumbled around as Noah came to get a closer look. Ashley preoccupied herself with searching for the right size band – aid.

“And this is why I don't let you drive my bike.” Noah said starring at my forehead intently. Then glancing over his shoulder he said softly, “Nice job Ash.”

Ashley's back stiffened as she opened the band – aid. Testily she finally spoke, “It would have gone easier if she had stopped squirming.”

Noah looked back towards me quickly hiding the pained look on his face. “So how did you get out?”

“What do you mean?” I asked confused turning my head towards Ashley as she placed the band – aid onto my forehead.

“I was wondering the same thing.” Ashley mused out loud as she threw out the all the garbage.

“How did you get out of the car. Your legs broke, Clarissa. Besides Ash said you weren't completely coherent.” Noah explained watching my expression.

“I had...Help.” I spoke carefully wondering how much was too much to reveal.

“Did the squirrels carry you out?” Noah asked clearly mocking me.

“What type of help?” Ashley asked throwing Noah an annoyed look, he barely noticed.

“Or was it the raccoons? I hear they pack a lot of muscle.” Noah continued not bothered but Ashley's more reality based question.

“Noah.” Ashley said sternly waiting until he down at at her before she said, “Shut up.”

Noah looked back at me impatiently, “Well?”

“I was just lucky.” I answered meekly as their stares started to crawl under my skin.

“Oh yeah, you almost get hit by a car, break your leg. Then you crash into a tree, bash your head. Your totally right we should just chalk it up to luck.” Noah snapped not accepting my answer.

“Fine. It was an angel.” I yelled at them.

Noah looked at me with complete seriousness and then started to laugh hysterically. Ashley paid him no mind, instead eyed me carefully as she said, “Maybe you should take her home Noah.”

“I'm not her guardian angel.” Noah said through his laughs. Even as his words objected to Ashley's suggestion his body was putting it to action.

“Make sure to check on her.” Ashley said as Noah tugged me out of me seat.

“Sure thing, I'll watch over her. I'll read passages from the bible well I'm at it.” Noah replied as we walked towards Ashley's door.

“Thanks.” I said to Ashley as Noah pulled me out into the night sky. I couldn't help but notice her expression, unlike Noah she didn't think my statement about an angel was very funny. She almost looked scared.

“Do you have any idea how much this is going to cost?” My fathers voice rang out through the kitchen. My eyes were glued to the floor, where I had been staring for the past twenty minutes since my fathers return.

“I'm sorry.” I mumbled biting on my lip nervously.

“Yeah well you know what? Sorry is not good enough. I told you to get Noah to drive you. But what did you do? You drove with a broken leg.” His voiced bounced off the pale yellow walls and reached my ears with clarity that made my face scrunch up into a wince.

“I know it was stupid.” I said softly weaving and un – weaving my fingers.

“Your right it was stupid, and as punishment, you'll be needing to get a job to pay for what your stupidity caused.” His words found me as his feet stamped out of the kitchen. I stayed put thinking of his face when he got home to find the car in the driveway and me with my bandaged head.

I saw fear.

Fear I shouldn't have put on him. My mother died in a car accident how could I have been so stupid to risk it? I'm all he has left, to risk leaving him all alone is so selfish. I sat still beside the kitchen table in the hard red cherry wood chair.

I felt the tears weld up. And as my father's door slammed, they spilled over.

“Looking for a job?” Noah inquired walking up behind me from where I sat at the kitchen table holding the local newspaper.

“Yes, I have to pay for the mess I made.” I stated circling different adds asking for waitresses, cashiers, stock, cart returners.

“To bad that angel of yours can't come fix the mess you made.” Noah said humor in his voice. I looked over my right shoulder to stare at him as he took the orange juice carton out of my fridge, taking a gulp out of the carton.

I didn't know what to say. Angels? I don't believe, I've always been one to only believe what is in front of my eyes. But, Ian has been in front of my eyes, I've seen. He might not be an angel but he is something that does not fit into the fabric of this world.

That night I couldn't sleep, besides the fact that I had a killer headache. Angels were clouding my mind as I stared up at the dream catcher. I thought about the dreams, when Ian appears. Next time I'll make sure he answers my questions.

Next time. I frowned, last time I nearly died, the time before that I nearly died. What will I possible have to do to get him to answer my questions? Put my life in danger?

All to answer questions that could be easily summed up to insanity? Am I really willing to put myself on the line, face the reality that if this doesn't work I could leave my father by himself?

The answer came as easily as the sleep that followed.

Yes.

I sat across from my mother curled up in a large dark red cushioned chair. Smiling I listened as she mouthed the words of such beauty as she read from a story book lines with gold.

“The girl was headstrong, in love, and loved by those who knew her.” My mother smiled as she spoke the words.

“The girl was stupid, infatuation with a boy and she tended to put those who cared for her hearts on the line.” My mothers voice called from across the room. I looked over surprised at how fast she had moved, I glanced back to the chair to see her still siting there mouthing the words of the next sentence.

I looked back to the corner, my mother stood their eying me with a sour expression.

“She lived happily ever after.” The women who sat across from me spoke, but I couldn't hear because the women across the room from me spoke as well.

“She died at eighteen.”