Other Side of the World

It was morbid. Oh god, it was morbid. The sound of the ambulance’s sirens blared throughout the neighborhood, stopping in front of Liam’s house, red light hitting the trees – and occasionally, her. Everyone curious went out to look, but the area was restricted now. She was in a restricted area. And somewhere, she could hear her aunt’s hysterics, yelling at the officers that she was under her care.

She couldn’t do it anymore. She really couldn’t.

Staying in U.S. was difficult. Moving to Australia was even more difficult. What little peace she yearned back in her hometown was crushed. She didn’t know how to rebound. She couldn’t do it anymore. There was no single way optimism or luck existed. Not right now. Not for her.

Belle wasn’t looking at her. The both of them avoided eye contact after that incident. Haley just couldn’t feel anymore.

How stupid. She thought she could just run away from her problems and move to Australia to make them go away. She never felt so hateful towards herself – why was she so immature and stupid? Why?

Her lips parted, inhaling the cool air. She loved the air in Australia, she always did, ever since her mother brought her here on family vacation when she was 6 years old. But now the air she loved so much reeked in the scent of blood.

And the images came flooding back in her mind.

That was right. They were going to Liam’s house and rang the bell but no one answered.

“Let’s just go,” Haley whined. “What if his parents are the only ones home and we’re bothering him with our incessant smashing of the doorbell?”

“Damn it, that Liam,” Belle said, pouting her lips. “He can’t be out now,” she said, moving over to the window at the side of the door. Haley sighed.

“What do you expect? He’s got a life you know.”

Belle pressed her forehead against the window, squinting her eyes. “Hello?” She belted out and placed a hand over her head as she peered inside. It was almost comical, seeing her expression changed that fast, that significantly.

“Oh ew, did you look at something weird? I knew he was the type to have a fetish of some sort,” said Haley, reaching for the container of biscuits that Belle dramatically dropped. Whatever it was, it must be something so shocking.

Belle blocked her.

“What gives—” Haley began but stopped when she saw Belle look pale as a ghost when she walked briskly past her and started to turn the knob of the door vigorously but it won’t budge. “Belle, what’s wrong?” Haley said, sounding panicked.

“Liam!” She screamed, tears started to appear in her eyes. Haley didn’t dare look through the window. She backed away slightly, her breathing grew ragged. What was going on?

“We’ve to get inside somehow!” She said in a flurry as she grabbed Haley along to go to the backdoor. Belle didn’t realize it but Haley was resisting a tad. Whatever it was, she had a feeling she would be better off not knowing. When they reached the back of the house, oddly enough, the backdoor was unlocked.

Belle rushed them along to the living room.

“Oh my god.”

Haley was the first to get to Liam. She dropped to her knees and rolled him over and the sight was giving her the chills. Belle was rooted to her spot, eyes wide in shock. “What should we do?!” Haley exclaimed, her fingers went to check for a pulse.

“Call the ambulance,” Belle said, looking around. “Hales, I—I left my phone at home. Where’s yours?”

“What?” Haley said. “Mine’s missing! Remember? Along with my wallet too?”

Belle turned around and said, “I’m going to search for one. I think I saw one when we passed through the kitchen.”

“Please hurry,” Haley said, her hands still on Liam’s arm. It was then she realized that his sleeve was wet and damp with blood. He was barely breathing and Haley didn’t know why. Was he dying?

Oh my god, was he…?

“Liam,” she said feebly. She didn’t know what else to say. She just wanted him to say something back. And he did. She just didn’t hear it the first time. He said her name. She assumed it was good that he still could recognize her. “What happened?” She whispered, her lips trembling. She was so clueless and she felt so helpless. She wondered what she could do to make things better but all she did was cry.

“I’m sorry,” she could hear him say repeatedly. “I’m sorry.”

His left eye was shut close, and it was as if his eye was bleeding over the huge bruise on his cheek. She closed her eyes tightly and cried harder. Why was he apologizing?

“Don’t do this to us, Liam. Please don’t do this to us, please,” she pleaded, “please be okay.”

She wrapped her hand around his. He was really cold.

“I…sorry. I’m sorry, Haley. All I could…think of now i-is how I pissed away my life,” he said, chuckling. That chuckle made him doubled over in pain as he spluttered and coughed out blood. Her jaw clenched, trying to ignore the pain that shot through her hand as Liam gripped it tighter and tighter – not ready to leave.

“Don’t say that,” Haley screamed, frustrated. “Don’t! Liam, don’t. You’re not going anywhere.”

“I can’t…I don’t think I can hold…”

She could hear Belle’s voice screaming over the phone – hysterical. Belle appeared briefly as she paced through the kitchen. Haley could see her hands clenched so hard on the phone that her knuckles were turning really white.

“…Haley.”

“I’m here, it’s alright. I’m here.”

He closed his eyes and smiled. “I-I know. I just wish that I was smart enough…I was…smart enough to realize that you have been here all t-this time,” he whispered, his voice raspy. “I wanted…to. I wanted to…tell you but I…didn’t have the…”

More coughs, more blood spilled on his already messy shirt.

When he was coughing up, Haley put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He laid in her arms limply, his hair tickled her neck as he rested his head on her shoulder. “I…stole it. I’m sorry.”

“Shut up, Liam. You’re not making any sense right now, just shut up,” she said, sobbing. “You can tell me everything later just don’t talk right now.”

He shook his head weakly. “You…have the right to k-know.”

“Liam!” She scolded but at that moment he started convulsing slightly. “Liam,” she said again. He managed to reach inside his pocket briefly for some reason that Haley refused to comprehend and placed his hand on her back.

“I-I caused you hell, didn’t I?” he laughed. “I…just really, truly like you and I didn’t…know how to deal with it. I’m just so…sorry.”

Belle came at that moment and went behind Liam’s back and touched his shoulder lightly, apologizing profusely over and over again for the unfair treatment she had been giving him. He told her not to be soft on him now and to tell Aaron that he was really sorry. He also apologized to Belle.

“I’m so sorry,” Belle said for the umpteenth time. “Liam…Liam?”

Haley already knew. That was why she went numb several minutes ago. Because she literally could feel his last breath on her skin. It was the most horrific thing she had to experience in her life.

The medics came 5 minutes later, their face showing sympathy at the three friends huddled together – with one of them happened to be lifeless.