The Only Thing That Matters Is the Ending
Seize the Day or Die Regretting the Time You Lost
I wish I could turn back time. Turn back to when my life was simple, easy. It's not like that anymore.
I was 16. My little brother, Charlie, was 6. I loved taking care of him. He was so sweet and nice. We used to go through walks in the park. I'd sit on a bench, and he'd pick me flowers. Granted, most of them were really weeds, but it was a nice thought. I held him and rocked him when he was scared of thunderstorms. I read to him when he wanted stories before bed. I remember the last day we were together.
**
"Charlie! Better get up and ready for school, little guy." I said, walking into his bedroom. I tussled his light blond hair and gently removed him from his covers. He blinked sleepily at me. The little kid loved his sleep. I was sitting on the end of his bed, and he sat up and gave me a hug. I hugged him back. He really was a sweet little kid.
"Okay, Alice. I'll be down in a minute." He said as he got out of bed to find some clothes. I walked out and went downstairs to make his lunch.
As I was just getting done putting the Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich in a bag for him, he came down the stairs, in jeans and an inside out T-shirt. I smiled and helped him right himself. He sat down at the kitchen table after getting himself a pop-tart and started munching his breakfast. I was getting him applesauce. "Guess what we get to do today, Alice." he said.
I turned to him. "What Charlie?"
"I want you to guess." He said, smiling at me. He knew I couldn't guess.
"Uhm, paper airplanes?" I said, putting his lunch in his backpack. He giggled.
"No! We're drawing pictures in art of someone we admire." He said. He was very proud of himself for knowing a word as big as admired.
"Are you doing yours on Mom?" I asked as I started getting my stuff together.
"No, silly. You!" He said, jumping down from his chair and giving me a hug. My heart swelled. I knew it would look nothing like me, but it was a wonderful thought none the less.
I smiled down at him. "You better get your backpack, the buss will be here soon." I told him, ruffling his hair again. I watched him get on his bus, waving to him.
Later that day, when Charlie and I were home, Charlie showed me his picture, which of course looked nothing like me. It was a picture of evidently he and I holding hands.
"See? Here's your long, black hair, and here's your freckle on your chin, and I didn't have green, so your eyes are brown." He said excitedly, pointing to the different parts of the picture. I smiled warmly.
"I'll just have to hang this up in my room! That is if you don't mind Mr. Artist." I said, knowing he'd love that. He did, his face lighting up even more.
"I'm going over to Seth's for a sleep-over tonight!" Charlie said bouncing up and down.
"Awesome!" I said. Seth only lives two streets over, so Charlie usually walks. "I'm going to a sleep-over myself. I'm going to Anne's." Charlie loved Anne. He clung to her leg every time she came over.
"Yay! Sleep-over partners!" He said, holding his hand out for a high-five. I laughed and leaned down to slap his hand.
I got him ready to go. I left first, making sure everything was fine. My mom wasn't home yet, but Charlie was only walking two streets over, and he was going to go in the next Spongebob. "See you later, Charlie!" I called.
"Bye, Alice. I love you." He said running up and hugging me. For the last time.
I found out later that night.
Charlie was walking to Seth's. About one street over, a driver under the influence, hit him head on. Charlie was running down the street, intent on getting to Seth's. The driver collided with him, the force breaking several bones, and he landed, unconscious. The driver, still unaware, ran over him. He was killed.
It's been a year. The picture he drew is still hanging on my wall. I think about him every day. I also know, I will never, ever touch a drink. Not after what happened to my sweet, little brother.
Why would someone drive intoxicated? Why? You're putting lives in danger. Lives of someone's loved ones. I know I'll never forget Charlie, and I'll forever say a prayer for the souls claimed by drunk drivers.
I was 16. My little brother, Charlie, was 6. I loved taking care of him. He was so sweet and nice. We used to go through walks in the park. I'd sit on a bench, and he'd pick me flowers. Granted, most of them were really weeds, but it was a nice thought. I held him and rocked him when he was scared of thunderstorms. I read to him when he wanted stories before bed. I remember the last day we were together.
**
"Charlie! Better get up and ready for school, little guy." I said, walking into his bedroom. I tussled his light blond hair and gently removed him from his covers. He blinked sleepily at me. The little kid loved his sleep. I was sitting on the end of his bed, and he sat up and gave me a hug. I hugged him back. He really was a sweet little kid.
"Okay, Alice. I'll be down in a minute." He said as he got out of bed to find some clothes. I walked out and went downstairs to make his lunch.
As I was just getting done putting the Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich in a bag for him, he came down the stairs, in jeans and an inside out T-shirt. I smiled and helped him right himself. He sat down at the kitchen table after getting himself a pop-tart and started munching his breakfast. I was getting him applesauce. "Guess what we get to do today, Alice." he said.
I turned to him. "What Charlie?"
"I want you to guess." He said, smiling at me. He knew I couldn't guess.
"Uhm, paper airplanes?" I said, putting his lunch in his backpack. He giggled.
"No! We're drawing pictures in art of someone we admire." He said. He was very proud of himself for knowing a word as big as admired.
"Are you doing yours on Mom?" I asked as I started getting my stuff together.
"No, silly. You!" He said, jumping down from his chair and giving me a hug. My heart swelled. I knew it would look nothing like me, but it was a wonderful thought none the less.
I smiled down at him. "You better get your backpack, the buss will be here soon." I told him, ruffling his hair again. I watched him get on his bus, waving to him.
Later that day, when Charlie and I were home, Charlie showed me his picture, which of course looked nothing like me. It was a picture of evidently he and I holding hands.
"See? Here's your long, black hair, and here's your freckle on your chin, and I didn't have green, so your eyes are brown." He said excitedly, pointing to the different parts of the picture. I smiled warmly.
"I'll just have to hang this up in my room! That is if you don't mind Mr. Artist." I said, knowing he'd love that. He did, his face lighting up even more.
"I'm going over to Seth's for a sleep-over tonight!" Charlie said bouncing up and down.
"Awesome!" I said. Seth only lives two streets over, so Charlie usually walks. "I'm going to a sleep-over myself. I'm going to Anne's." Charlie loved Anne. He clung to her leg every time she came over.
"Yay! Sleep-over partners!" He said, holding his hand out for a high-five. I laughed and leaned down to slap his hand.
I got him ready to go. I left first, making sure everything was fine. My mom wasn't home yet, but Charlie was only walking two streets over, and he was going to go in the next Spongebob. "See you later, Charlie!" I called.
"Bye, Alice. I love you." He said running up and hugging me. For the last time.
I found out later that night.
Charlie was walking to Seth's. About one street over, a driver under the influence, hit him head on. Charlie was running down the street, intent on getting to Seth's. The driver collided with him, the force breaking several bones, and he landed, unconscious. The driver, still unaware, ran over him. He was killed.
It's been a year. The picture he drew is still hanging on my wall. I think about him every day. I also know, I will never, ever touch a drink. Not after what happened to my sweet, little brother.
Why would someone drive intoxicated? Why? You're putting lives in danger. Lives of someone's loved ones. I know I'll never forget Charlie, and I'll forever say a prayer for the souls claimed by drunk drivers.