Going Down In History

Two weeks.

It's been two weeks exactly since I was released from the hospital. Two weeks and three days since that fateful night that never seems to escape my mind or thoughts. Two weeks since Chris came back into my life. And it's been two weeks since the day Chris and I made plans to leave. That day was today.

My bags were packed. I knew our destination, but it seemed so far away. Only a few more hours and we would be in the beautiful skyline of New York City where Chris could start out new. Since no court date was brought up or set, Chris's record is clear, New York was just far enough and big enough that the news of him running off with one of his students would reach. Hopefully. I would apply for a University there and start my new dream of being a photographer. Only a few more hours.

Chris was gone, getting some things that he would need, including a moving van to attach to his car. I was on my bed, making pictures in the bubble design that plastered the ceiling of our tiny one bedroom apartment. It seemed empty without any thing on the furniture, soon that would all be gone too.

I sighed and pulled myself from the bed. Maybe a walk would kill some time and clear my mind about what was going on. I grabbed my jacket and paced along the familiar streets of San Diego, one last time.

Everything was finally going right for me. Joey was in a mental ward for Schitzophrenia and Mulitple Personality Disorder. I had a psychiatrist lined up in New York for the week after I arrive there, for a few months until everything I need to be sorted out is.

I turned down an alley way I've walked through tons of times on my way to work. I paused and leaned up against the wall, breathing in the clean night air and looking up to try to find stars that didn't exist through the light pollution.

I heard footsteps coming my way and didn't pay any attention to them. All I could think about was how my life was going to turn out. In only a few hours we would be on our way. Chris would do all the packing and all I had to do was be there.

The footsteps got louder and slower. That was when I finally took the time to look to see who was coming and I couldn't believe my eyes. A knot I'd felt so many times before formed in my throat and tears welled up in my eyes. This couldn't be happening, not now. Not ever.

He walked toward me with a slump and a look in his eye that could only indicate he was up to no good. I took a step back away from him. I saw something shiny in his hand and only then did I realize the severity of the situation that lay before me. I was in deep trouble.

"So you're leaving with your shit boyfriend are you?" His voice was sarcastic, but it wasn't his voice. It was colder with a bite to it. He sounded absolutely insane. He was absolutely insane.

"What does it matter to you? How the fuck did you get out of the Ward?" I took another step back in fear, I didn't want to run in case he used what he was holding.

"Wasn't hard, if you know who to talk to." I saw him shrug and grin. I gulped down the knot in my throat and turned my head around to see how far I was from the entrance to the alley way.

"What do you want?" I asked dryly, calculating how I was getting out of this situation.

"You know. If I can't have you then so be it. I don't see the point of anything anymore. Especially you." He laughed and brought the gun up. I screamed and closed my eyes. I knew what was coming.

A shot was fired, but I felt nothing. I knew I was dead, but why was there nothing at all? Why was I still standing. I opened my eyes to see everything. Joey's dead body laying on the floor of the alley. A giant gaping hole through one side of his head and half of his skull missing on the other. It was over.

I ran to find help. Anybody at all. I screamed at the first person I found and they quickly pulled out their phone to call the police. Seconds passed and I heard sirens coming and everything else was a blur.

Chris was called and he showed up. His arm draped around me and he pulled me into a hug. The police asked me questions which I answered without a doubt. They wanted me for more questioning on who the boy was, but I told them all I knew.

An hour passed and I was free to go with out anymore questions. I sat in the passenger's seat of Chris's car, the trailer behind us, thinking. Just thinking.

It was all over. I felt selfish for thinking this, but I didn't have to worry about Joey anymore. The pain he put me through, the doubt and the confusion. It was all gone now. I didn't want him dead, but he was now finally out of my life for good.

Everything I wanted was now at my fingertips. The perfect life, the perfect boyfriend and I didn't feel any doubt at all. This was it. This was my life and a new chapter was starting in New York. Everything I wanted was here. And everything that I didn't want was gone. I was free, Chris was free and, in his own way, Joey was free.

I didn't have to worry about anything anymore. My life would go on without a hitch and I was the captain of it. I was going to start new.