Bonita’s POV
The ambulance came right after Cliff left. I saw Parker jogging closer to me who was looking down to my wound.
“Shit Bonita! We have to go now”
“No! I’m waiting for Cliff”
“Why?”
“There’s a bomb inside. He said he’ll be back.”
“Bonita, listen to me. We have to go no-”
“No! I’m going to wait for him! He said he’ll be back!” I pushed Parker away as the tears came.
“You have a gunshot wound bleeding for every word we speak! Cliff would not have wanted this!”
A useless sob escaped my lips as I observed my surroundings. Sirens were wailing through the air, the bustling of boots on the streets. Shouts from police officers mixing with the chaotic atmosphere.
“Please…Just leave me” I was sure that I was now pale as I see the blood now completely soaked on my clothes. The pain felt excruciatingly unbearable. But I needed to wait. I have to see Cliff.
I tried to move but the sharp sting of pain caused me to wince. I clutched onto my wound as I sat up. Parker assisted me silently, he seemed to get that I didn’t want to argue anymore so he remained quiet.
In the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar looking limo haulting to a stop. Blonde hair highlighted from the black atmosphere and as he turned to face me, I saw the green of his eyes matching the trees nearby.
He ran to me and engulfed me in a hug. He kept on muttering on how sorry he was before he pulled away.
“Bonita, we need to go. The bomb is about to go off, we have to get you to the hospital.”
“Please- Just leave me alone if you won’t let me-”
“Everybody take cover-”
Two bodies collided with me and pulled me to the ground. Glass breaking and the smell of fire and gas rippled through the air. I forced myself to get up from my position but they kept me in place.
I pushed them one last time and my eyes blurred with tears I try so hard to hold in.
The pillar of fiery smoke and dust, still boiling up from where the bombs had gone off far underground, was being violently agitated at the bottom. A series of new flashes broke out, lifting and spreading the incandescent radioactive gasses, and then a great gush of flame rose.
I let the tears fall freelly
The tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down my face. I feel the muscles of my chin tremble like a small child and I look toward the building, as if the light could soothe me.
“No. No!–this can’t be– h-he’ll be back and–” My voice broke and I shattered to the ground. Palms down to the grass as I cried myself out.
Garfield lifted me up as I kept on crying, my skin crawled and the next thing I knew I was disorientated on the floor with his nose literally touching mine. I felt sick, everything was a little blurry. I knew I was on the wet grass beneath me, my limbs sprawled all around me.
His voice soothed me, as if lulling me to sleep. I gently graze his shoulder, wanting to say more before my eyes grew tired and darkness blinded my vision.
****
“We have to tell her.”
“You do it”
“Why only me?”
“Because I don’t want to upset her”
I am conscious, though my eyes aren’t open. I don’t want to open them. Opening them would be admitting that the happenings of yesterday, which seem so terrible, I’m not sure if it was a dream or an illusion, opening my eyes would be admitting that what happened was real.
I see white. Surrounding me in a small space. Two blurry shades of black standing in front of me.
“F*ck you” Rough hands gripped on my shouders and shook me violently.
“What the hell?” My eyes shot open, startled by the sudden action.
“Sorry… This blonde made me do it”Parker pointed to Garfield who was glaring at him.
“Look who’s talking. You’re blonde too man” Garfield backfired and huffed.
“Where’s Cliff?” I croaked out and took the glass of water next to me, as I finished the bottle, Garfield kept looking down and ignoring my gaze.
“Garfield?What happened to him?”
The door flying open cuts through the silence in the room. His eyes scanned the room until they found mine. I furrowed my eyebrows, he came in closer,his eyes tight and worried.
My heart pounding with every step he took. Why was he making me worried? Has something happened?
“Is Cliff…okay?” That was all my voice could muster. His lips moved, but he couldn’t look at me, he was hiding something that I needed to know.
“Please, I need to know”
“Bonita please-” Parker tightened his grip on my arm. My teeth clenched, irritated by this game of pity for me. They don’t need to pity me. I deserve to know the truth.
“I deserve to know the truth. I caused all of this. It’s all my fault, you don’t have to pity me!” Tears were now on the edge of my eyes. Trying my best to keep them before I hear what I’m not expecting.
“I have some food for you Bonita-” I turned to look at him with a glare pasted on my face. He took it as a sign to keep quiet before he kept the food back to the paperbag.
“If you won’t speak…then what I’m assuming is correct” I turned to look at them one by one. Not even one was now brave enough to meet me in the eye, they were all keeping me insatiably hungry to hear what happened to him.
No one wanted to satisfy my hunger. So I had to speak for myself. I had to say what thoughts were now making my head spin.
Until Charles knelt down, looking up to me while his hands in both mine. His eyes pleading me, as If what he’s about to say was going to kill me.
Maybe it can
“The bomb went off as soon as I ran out. He told me to go and take his father, he said he’ll make it. He even told me to say that he loves you and he’ll make it out alive for you. My brother and him were still fighting, that was the last time I saw them before the building lit up in fire…” He chewed on his bottom lip as he hesitated to continue.
“I’m sorry Bonita, but I’m afraid Cliff didn’t make it out in time.”