Reapers

of all days? I could have stayed in my comfy bed. Oh, how beautiful the thought of you is you amazing, wonderful bed... But no, I chose to

you okay?" Callie, yells

lling myself up to my feet. Great, I just washed this uniform last night. Wi

he quarterback as he stepped up to retrieve the ball. I see it now

hrugged, tossing the death

ze now!" Even when we were kids, Callie always had my back. I stood awkwardly staring at

friend won't be making the football team in the future. She sucks at catchi

is?" Callie growled. "Let's s

y times beating him down, stripping him to his boxers, and tying him to a stak

ponytail from the first workout we did. "Was he raised by monkeys? Who in

pulling her back into formation as

d. I turned and made my way back to my

s was and how badly he needed to get what was coming to him. I stood at the back of the crowd, watching the girls go in. My thumb twitched, I raised

e gym. Just before I reached the doors, something pulled my attention back to the stands from where I was. A guy was standing at the top, he looked like a senior, maybe? His shaggy black hair hung just slightly above his ears. He wore a blue button-up, that hung slightly over his tattered blue jeans. I hadn't s

ckers. "Has anyone seen Jamie?"

k to her normal peppy self. "We have to

two months, right?" I pressed my water bot

ie." She put her hands on her hips for emphasis. "Homecoming is every

n't want to do a homecoming, and I didn't care about the dance or

llie asked, waking me from thought. "Wan

plans," I replied, grabbing

u didn't invite me." Callie p

people come over they don't think I'm a pig," I laughed,

you change your mind and decide I'm bette

, fixing my bag on my shou

nds without catching anyone's eye, surprisingly. My old self would love to get the chance to talk to anyone, to go shopping for a da

oh so well. The trees that hung over me were so thick I couldn't see the sky. Finally, I made it to th

d 'Hannah Summers, Beloved Mother, and Beloved Wife,' and the one on the right read 'Nathan Summers, Beloved Son, and Beloved Brother.' Last year they were all taking a vacation, but

, "What's wrong?

I did so at the kitchen table as he continued, "On the way to the airport, an eighteen-wh

that morning, the day she died. I slid off the edge of the chair and onto the floor staring down at my hands. The tears stung my eyes but hadn't begun to flow yet, and I begged over and over for this to all be just one big mistake, that this was all just a dream, that Nathan was going to walk through that door with that dorky smile on his face and say just kidding and have a big laugh about

-bedroom apartment. He let me have the mas

ll memorial, one that only cons

hat I knew of or any other immediate family members, and I was only sixteen so I couldn't live on my own yet. Neither of my parents kept ties with their families. Sam, though, would keep me on track, and he was good at keeping me sane. For the most part, it had worked out

n's body wasn't even here. The police said his body was destroyed during t

crush on since second grade. The guy is a nut case, I honestly don't see what she sees in him, but to each their own, right?" I sat there in silence waiting for a reply but got none in return. What was I expecting? Them to materialize in front of me this time and just start chatting as if nothing had h

am. I know it was something we shared but I am thinking about getting a job instead. I kno

breath and opened my eyes. The landscape was relatively bare around my parents, so I guessed the land was recently added to the area. It was beautiful, the tree branched off to make long pathways in different directions. The creek ran all ar

was after five. I picked up my things a

niform, heading towards the bridge with a bouq

is way to me from the bridge, "I brought flowers. I

esponse, "I'm sorry I'm late, Blue Jay. They held me up at w

ed toward the flowers

helps me feel her now that she is gone. I took the flowers and helped separate them into three different bundles as we both walk

, he said, "Tom, you were the best friend anyone could ask for. You

sketball with his friend Cade in the front yard. He was very sure he wasn't supposed to help out in the kitchen since he wasn't female. But that evening when dad and Sam came home, we all ran out to the old pickup truck to help bring the

n, full of spirit and wistful humor. I miss your laugh. It made us all laugh along to it." I looked up in tim

spark. I'm so sorry you had to end your life so early. If I could, I would take your place in a heartbeat. I love you Nathan, Tom, and H

at's what he and my dad always called me, since before I could remember. It made m

and I pulled my jacket closer around me. Leaves crunched below our feet. Sam

sked as he scanned

imagination. It's been a long day." He shook his head tiredly and we pushed through the gates and walked over to his police car. I buckled in and peered out the window. I still didn't se