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Death Becomes You
Consequences of Changing Fate
Chapter Two
Life went on after Chandler, Annie, and I witnessed the death of a stranger. None of us spoke of the incident. We couldn’t watch television shows like Criminal Minds or CSI without having horrific nightmares. Most nights the screams of the young girl with the stranger didn’t wake me up anymore. Annie and Chandler moved on, but I still asked questions about the man in the dark trench coat with lightning in his eyes. My brother still denied his existence, blaming him on a vision created by my imagination while Annie gave me a small break. She said she believed me, but I could see the doubt in her golden hazel eyes.
The second time I saw him, the man in the long trench coat, he wasn't so tall, but the coat still floated as did his feet. This time I was closer. I was fourteen when the accident happened. Winter set into our little town early. The days were shorter. If there wasn’t a drought, I’m sure there would’ve been snow on the ground.
Annie just got her drivers’ licenses the day before; it was about two years late, but she managed to finally pass the test. She insisted that Chandler come for a ride with her in the hand-me-down, rusted, blue Ford her sister passed on to her after school even though he always walked with me. Dropping me off seemed like a logical deal breaker, I guess. I wish I would've objected. The light leaving her golden eyes like it left the afternoon sky was too much, too violent, as the car landed from its seven spin death spiral.
Nothing ever scared me as much as that accident. Annie should’ve hit that deer, but she wouldn’t. She swerved. The curb was too steep. She snatched the wheel, and the beat up old car went flying. My brother grabbed her hand and held it tightly before his head hit the passenger’s side window. He couldn’t tell, but I could see the blood matting his hair.
Chandler faded into the relief of unconsciousness after the third spin while I began to panic. Adrenaline coursed through my body, not allowing the darkness to relieve my pain. I watched as a chubby old man with a comb-over and khakis stumbled down the embankment. Light washed over his concerned features along with sharp beeping noises before he shouted into his phone. “I need help! There are three kids; two of them aren’t moving, but I can see this one’s eyes.” His voice was breathless, high pitched, and fast paced; it hurt my ears just like the screaming when I was seven. I wanted to tell him to shut up, but I couldn't. The words choked me as the familiar trench coat glided toward us.
This time I could see fancy, expensive leather shoes. His features weren't sharp this time. From the angle in the car, he looked so much shorter, or maybe my growth spurts over the last five years made me see him that way. Annie gurgled, a reflex from the blood pooling in her mouth, as he got closer. The chubby man seemed to get more frantic with each step the trench coat took. I was surprised and amazed that the crisp leaves didn't crackle under his feat. Curiosity over took my senses when the chubby man didn’t glance at the man in the trench coat, even as he reached the trunk of the car.
When he was close enough to touch Annie, I found my voice as he reached out, taking something just above her body. I peered into his cold eyes, billowing like winter thunderheads. "Who are you?” I questioned, my voice cracking around each syllable. Those cold, stormy eyes turned toward me, widening. I thought it must've been fear that caused his wide-eyed response, but the longer be stared at me the more I recognized shock on his long, regal features. He didn't speak, but he shifted his eyes to Annie...and Chandler. "Wait...” I trailed off begging for his attention, but it was ripped away from me by the massive amount of approaching sirens.
"It's about damn time," the chubby old man barked while bouncing on the balls of his feet. I imagined him jumping and flapping his arms like a baby bird trying to fly, not quite making it off the ground. The trench coat dropped something just over Chandler before its owner vanished. My brother gasped for air before his eyes flickered open. A grimace that I let myself believe was supposed to be a reassuring smile crossed his features before he faded again.
I knew at that moment, I somehow managed to change my brother's fate. I saved Chandler's life! But I didn’t know what repercussions could take place. I didn’t know what fate had in store for a broken soul. What consequences could the man in the trench coat produce for Chandler, for me? The fear sank into my bones as I watched the men cut my brother and me out of that beat up, rusted, old Ford.
Life went on after Chandler, Annie, and I witnessed the death of a stranger. None of us spoke of the incident. We couldn’t watch television shows like Criminal Minds or CSI without having horrific nightmares. Most nights the screams of the young girl with the stranger didn’t wake me up anymore. Annie and Chandler moved on, but I still asked questions about the man in the dark trench coat with lightning in his eyes. My brother still denied his existence, blaming him on a vision created by my imagination while Annie gave me a small break. She said she believed me, but I could see the doubt in her golden hazel eyes.
The second time I saw him, the man in the long trench coat, he wasn't so tall, but the coat still floated as did his feet. This time I was closer. I was fourteen when the accident happened. Winter set into our little town early. The days were shorter. If there wasn’t a drought, I’m sure there would’ve been snow on the ground.
Annie just got her drivers’ licenses the day before; it was about two years late, but she managed to finally pass the test. She insisted that Chandler come for a ride with her in the hand-me-down, rusted, blue Ford her sister passed on to her after school even though he always walked with me. Dropping me off seemed like a logical deal breaker, I guess. I wish I would've objected. The light leaving her golden eyes like it left the afternoon sky was too much, too violent, as the car landed from its seven spin death spiral.
Nothing ever scared me as much as that accident. Annie should’ve hit that deer, but she wouldn’t. She swerved. The curb was too steep. She snatched the wheel, and the beat up old car went flying. My brother grabbed her hand and held it tightly before his head hit the passenger’s side window. He couldn’t tell, but I could see the blood matting his hair.
Chandler faded into the relief of unconsciousness after the third spin while I began to panic. Adrenaline coursed through my body, not allowing the darkness to relieve my pain. I watched as a chubby old man with a comb-over and khakis stumbled down the embankment. Light washed over his concerned features along with sharp beeping noises before he shouted into his phone. “I need help! There are three kids; two of them aren’t moving, but I can see this one’s eyes.” His voice was breathless, high pitched, and fast paced; it hurt my ears just like the screaming when I was seven. I wanted to tell him to shut up, but I couldn't. The words choked me as the familiar trench coat glided toward us.
This time I could see fancy, expensive leather shoes. His features weren't sharp this time. From the angle in the car, he looked so much shorter, or maybe my growth spurts over the last five years made me see him that way. Annie gurgled, a reflex from the blood pooling in her mouth, as he got closer. The chubby man seemed to get more frantic with each step the trench coat took. I was surprised and amazed that the crisp leaves didn't crackle under his feat. Curiosity over took my senses when the chubby man didn’t glance at the man in the trench coat, even as he reached the trunk of the car.
When he was close enough to touch Annie, I found my voice as he reached out, taking something just above her body. I peered into his cold eyes, billowing like winter thunderheads. "Who are you?” I questioned, my voice cracking around each syllable. Those cold, stormy eyes turned toward me, widening. I thought it must've been fear that caused his wide-eyed response, but the longer be stared at me the more I recognized shock on his long, regal features. He didn't speak, but he shifted his eyes to Annie...and Chandler. "Wait...” I trailed off begging for his attention, but it was ripped away from me by the massive amount of approaching sirens.
"It's about damn time," the chubby old man barked while bouncing on the balls of his feet. I imagined him jumping and flapping his arms like a baby bird trying to fly, not quite making it off the ground. The trench coat dropped something just over Chandler before its owner vanished. My brother gasped for air before his eyes flickered open. A grimace that I let myself believe was supposed to be a reassuring smile crossed his features before he faded again.
I knew at that moment, I somehow managed to change my brother's fate. I saved Chandler's life! But I didn’t know what repercussions could take place. I didn’t know what fate had in store for a broken soul. What consequences could the man in the trench coat produce for Chandler, for me? The fear sank into my bones as I watched the men cut my brother and me out of that beat up, rusted, old Ford.
♠ ♠ ♠
I hope this chapter does the first two chapters justice. Time flies when death is involved. I'm also trying to decide on setting an update day for this story since I'm working on a lot of writings right now. But as usual, thank you so much for reading and subscribing. Comments are much appreciated, and often returned if you let me know which story you want read. Have a great night guys.