You left the bag at school, and I thought I should bring it

You left the bag at school, and I thought I should bring it

“You left the bag at school, and I thought I should bring it” I glanced onto her hands smattered with a navy bag pack realized it was mine. I walked toward her grip the arm of the bag our hands touched; her skin was very warm I wondered where she has been. I lifted my eyes, and she was glaring at me with her brown eyes I asked mine to the ground not to give her satisfaction though I didn’t know there was brown I felt stupid even to notice all I wanted was her to be gone as soon as she came.

“Is that a bruise in your nose” I snatched my bag from her and placed it on my desk. I slipped my hands back to my grey pockets (I sigh clenching my jaws)

“Was that all.”

“And what happened to your hair…lord is that dark or brunette.”

“Was that all.”

Her eyebrows lifted and rose a light smirk stared at me for some time “oh wow” she sighs glanced morosely at the wall holding onto her waist “you know what it best if I leave” I stalled my tongue with a mute gazing at her as she attempted on leaving. I slipped out my hands on my pockets ought to the door, suddenly she retrenched her footsteps and turned toward my presents and said “you know what….no that not all” my forehead twitched; I gazed at her ominously watching her face warmed up for the first time emotions surfacing in her wrinkled forehead slightly wetting the corners of her big eyes

“Why do you hate me so much.”

(My tongue folded my mouth barely parted)

“I brought your bag walked three miles asking door to door at the neighbours asking where do you live but from all I get is was that all.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

“oh wow” (her eyes wetted) another door slam in my face

“I don’t understand why you keep doing this to yourself.”

“Does it ever occur to you that because I care” (I slept my tongue with my lips closed staring at her)

“is it because I’m not good enough” (she threw her arms)

“or what is it because I’m black.”

(I clutched my eyebrows my body warming up) “what, you know that not true.”

“than what is it…..what that missing….is it your mom.”

My heart pounded whilst my skin flushed; glaring at her

“Is it because of her- you are stressed about her, I saw her puking at the park the other day….”

“It best if you leave now.”

“Is she sick, what wrong with her maybe I can help?”

My steam warmed up. I felt my head getting heavy as if a truck just hit me “we don’t need your help why don’t you leave” she kept going on. On while I repeatedly yearned for her to leave, every alphabet she spoke from her lips pricked beneath my chest. I thought if I open my mouth I will cough needles and my chest will cut open like I was nothing .”Stop it” she went on, my head started to fizzle and my vision blurred; her words echoed after I’ve heard the knock on the door I don’t know when feet walked toward her leaving my desk, hurried toward her I watched her shadow stepped back as I grip her by the neck pushed her against the wall so hard that I felt her hands clutching my wrists countless times she had hard grips as a girl I thought. A smirk almost rose from my cheeks her struggles brought me pleasure; it the way she deserved to be served to shut her mouth, my nails sank in her neck I felt her veiny throat gagging between my thumbs. Thomas….Thomas, I heard the scream next to my right ear, slowly my hearing coming back to my ears Hastily I felt like something shifted in my chest by the time I started blinking my vision bolted halfway from blurry I don’t even know what i was doing, I don’t even know where was i. I blinked few times by myself realizing I wasn’t seeing anything except a shadow I even thought ive lost my sight. Rapidly the vision cleared and I saw some guy’s face in front of me……his eyes were reddish wide open just like his mouth was – grasping for air, pale in his white skin along with his lips as if he never ate for days. I looked at my hands and witnessed them locked in his neck realizing I was strangling him, rapidly I let him go and his body just dropped on the floor like a bloodless luggage that was only leaning with my hands. I dazed glaring with my eyes wide open my eyes reported a shadow next to me and I looked sideway and Ray standing at the corner of the door, her back pasted on the wall with a daze shattering in her eyes. My chest rose and lied flat as I breathed looking in the floor thinking I must have blacked out. I slowly stepped back and thoughts took me back in the class and the familiar face realizing it was Mitch on the floor. I heard the door handle ranching; Ray is trying to open the door but Mitch’s body is horizontally on the floor and it blocking the door to be wide open “Ray” (I walked few steps toward her) “leave me alone, don’t touch me, don’t you dare touch me” she tapped my hand that wanted to touch her arm; I watched her muddle her eyebrows, her eyeballs wetted screaming fear toward me – she finally squeezed her self in that small opening and shut the door behind her, that sound lingered in my ears frequent times I felt like there were telling me so many things. I gazed on the floor still dazing at what has fallen upon me as I kneeled down emotions surfaced looking at his chest without a sign of breathing my exhales changed and started being loud ‘tears covered my eyes I don’t even know where to begin and I’m stranded. The door handle ranched and made a sound; I lifted my head looking at the door it bounced back not opening I don’t even remember locking it. “it me Ray” I astounded further staring at the door I rose from my knee and footed over him and unlocked the door – opened it as she quietly walked in and stood by the door her eyes first glanced on the floor and then looked at me with a softer gaze unto her brown eyes that looked a bit terrified but more steady “you cant do this alone” I looked unto her glances for a while and gazed on the floor kneeling down “have you checked his pulse” I rose my head looked at her biting her nails while the other hand was on her waist seeming impatient.

“No i……I haven’t’

“”Then”” (she pointed with her hand) I than touched his left arm placing my thumb and did the same in his neck

“Is he alive?”

(I looked at her) “I’m still trying to read”

(She exhaled biting her nails) “How much does it take for you to read?”

My heart pounded fast pressing my fingers deeper in his wrists, my knees weakened washed by the patience, I’m still waiting – my patience seem so wasted. I looked at her with the distraught and said “No” she asked “why do mean no, check him again” I sat on the floor, held my head while the other hand leaned on my knee like a burden

“I’ve did check him, you saw it”

“so, what do you mean with that……is he dead”

She rushed to him kneeled down and placed her head on his chest, she unbutton his blue short sleeved shirt stripped him in his chest and placed her ear again, I waited as she quietly lied there listening; by the time she woke up her hands were shaking and stepped back cling at the corner of the door covered her mouth with a terrifying look on her face “oh my God….. he’s…. he’s” she kneeled down at the corner and glared Mitch on the floor her lashes tumbling in desolation. I silenced for some time looked on the wall as quietness walked in the room for a little, we both aren’t speaking by that time for a little while. I eventually stood up walked toward my desk picked up my phone next to my books (the screen lightened up it startled my iris) since it was getting dark in the room and the curtains weren’t open.the wide thin numbers in the screen showed reporting it was 5:45 pm (I sigh punching the numbers) “wait what are you doing” I looked over the door my forehead clashing “I’m calling the ambulance what else?”

“Whoa, whoa wait……you cannot do that we can’t involve anyone else right now”

“What does that suppose to mean, the guy needs help if we call the paramedics right now maybe they could save his life”

“What do you mean – the guy is dead you’ve checked his pulse, we! Have checked him he is dead! What else is there to know?”

“Are you a doctor? Or what – are you suggesting that we should keep him here”

She sighs, closure her hands together while she calmly looked at me with wetness in her eyes and lowered her voice “you are confused and shocked I get that…..we all are, we both are but if paramedics get’s here, cops get’s here and you will be arrested for murderer…..do you want that?” I silenced for a while lowered the phone in my ear glaring at her as my eyes wondered to my desk and looked at her

“So, what should we do?”

(Door slams) I placed the phone on my desk, minded my steps while I listened thenext sound “what was that” she whispered.

“It probably winds I doubt my mother would have showed up at this time”

“What time does she usually shows up”

“Around six she should but she won’t”

“What makes you so sure she won’t?”

(I sigh staring at with agitation) “she won’t….. that all I know she won’t….so, what should we do?” she stepped toward closer; first peeked her nails and whispered even more “I think we should burry him” I stepped back my eyes locked reading if she meant it, I held my neck turning my back walking away from her.

“This is the only way not get caught”

“I can’t believe you just said that”

“We don’t have a choice”

“We do have a choice. I’m not burying anyone and that that”

I sat at the edge of the bed my body warming up thinking all these skeptical images in my head her statement keeps knocking back and forth

“You thinking it that simple to just burry someone?”

“of course, it not simple it hard, you think this is nice for me?”

“I see you watch too many movies, this – this is real life you don’t just burry people”

“Okay fine you’ve made your point so……what are you suggesting?”

“Unless….”

“Unless what?”

(I whispered) “Unless we carry the body into the trunk and leave him in the sidewalk will than soon call out for help and we won’t have to watch our backs for the rest of our lives worrying about his last remains”

(She nodded biting her nails) “And how will we make sure it doesn’t come back to us?”

“It won’t I know”

“How?” she pried.

“I know it won’t I will make sure of it”

It was 6 o’clock by that time when I came back to the basement before we could be ready, I told her we should look for anything that forensics would look for. She touched his hair curled her fingers in his sculp and lured out the tiny blond hair piece with her shaking hand; threw it in the trash bag. I touched his short scotch pants felt a hump in his right hip and pulled out his phone in his pocket; a five-meter flashed screen flashed up in my hand luckily there was no pattern. I scrolled down reading his instant messages, my face warmed up gazing at his walls. When it was all done and dusted, I took the car keys in my pockets they waffled in my hand and then it hit me she than asked “you do know how to drive right?” I stalled to utter and said “No I don’t know how to drive” she slightly dazed though I could not see much of her face because it was dark in the room by that time ‘I just sensed by her delayed figure of speech “it okay, I do know how to drive” I astounded “are you sure?” she replied with a yes. She showed her right hand; I placed them at the palm of her hand with a bit of doubt we than both kneeled down I saw her hands shaking touching Mitch’s shoulders her fingers jolting in his shirt as if she’s touching ice “you don’t have to do this you know this right” she haul up her head glanced at me quietly. She touched Mitch’s shoulders less shaky and firmly “you hold by the feet and I’ll hold by head” I declared. We then swapped places we carried him quietly out of the bedroom, I surveyed the lounge and upstairs and we footed to the front door, we placed him down and went outside to check if it was safe; it was dark enough so it was. We than instantly carried him to the garage it was already open I have come back twice from it when I left to the basement. We than closed the trunk after we sited the body, torch lights indicated at the back, the yard and the trees at the foyer showcase the perfect cut as the wheels steered the grass she surveyed both mirrors with a firm grip in the steering wheel, the car left the gate and we were on the road. The speed was sixty – cIalm and steady, my glances looking at the speedometer and the fuel Gauge seemed tricky but enough I wondered if she checked; they wind up to her noted posture seemed sure and less shaky looked like she knew what she was doing we haven’t break anything yet so we were alright. Somehow her eyes ran passed the front mirror and our glances clashed, her well lashes flaunted directly at me with a one caption of a blink looking Hazel at the dark I immediately glanced sideway to the windscreen watched the suburbs window lights sideline to the windscreen peered Montagu street the cars driving sideways we could now see the corner we talked about (I exhaled we looked at each other) “should we stop?” she asked. “not yet, I think there are too many people here, keep driving a little bit more” we soon found the spot and the car parked at the grass by the sidewalk she instantly attempted on leaving the seat holding the door handle (I rapidly touched her right shoulder as she turned and I touched her hoody but it got sloppy for it to lift my seat was a bit distance from her she touched her hoody) “it okay” she said. Our hands touched and my hands suddenly ran halted like shivery has ran to my blood for a while, I quickly it backed off she then went out in the car, my hands touched my hoody as well and I followed. We both went out in the car. my heart is pounding so fast I cannot feel my fingers (the cars passed blinding us with lights) I looked the other way instead and unlocked the trunk. It bounced open ; Mitch’s body cleared wide in the open we both first got a little timid and held him rapidly lifted him out of the trunk glancing sideways and placed him at the grass quickly we ran to the car open the doors and locked them. Our chests are rapidly breathing throughout I took the phone from my tracksuit pocket speed dialed the ambulance; my hands are shaking

“Hi…. uhm I, I just found someone at the Montague street, his on the sidewalk and I suspect his not breathing”

“Sir who am I speaking to”

(I silenced stalled to declare anything)

“Sir are you still there”

“yes…. uhm, I’m Brandon……my name is Brandon please hurry up I live at the….” ( I looked sideway over Ray’s window I couldn’t see it was too dark) “nearby the food market at the Montague street his lying there, please hurry up” I promptly hung up and the car drove off. my hands are quivering I slipped the phone into the pocket as the wheels steered further away. I pressed the button, the window glass shuffled at the bottom and the wind blew in my face my eyes just went closed listening to it dashing throughout my sculp ( Is this real……is this really the life that I was meant for) the blocks passed by in front of my eyes, I inhaled that air closed my eyes again leaning to the seat fading with that air. I opened my eyes and we were at home routing to the garage; the car pulled over and the we both went out to the car, I walked forward opening the door, quietly closed it back and walked in. I puzzled seeing like she has never came back at all, it was too quiet and the other car was still not in the garage “Mom!” I called out gazing upstairs I thought of going upstairs but then I let it go went straight to my bedroom feeling a headache. I opened the door and she closed it after walking toward my bed and sat at the edge, she stood nearby the door we both had never said anything to each other ever since my glances are peering at the carpet floor without a slightest blink “you can help yourself out” she than requested “can I first use your bathroom” I replied “sure” she than opened the door I tremored and looked at her disappearing to the hallway my feelings got concerned and left the bed swiftly took the towel on the chair remembering that there was none at the bathroom. I walked to her path and quietly waited for her outside I could hear the tap water running my concerns were too deep I shrugged the towel wondering what am I doing. The door opened and she stepped out of the bathroom and she looked by me; I iron the towel and rose my hand toward her politely “here” I said peering at her wet face “thanks” she slightly rose a light smirk took it and went back. After few seconds she came out with hoodies folded in her hands on her clothes on. The door made a swaying sound the heels knocked on the floor I squinted and saw Mom at the hallway. I eased my back away from the wall and Ray just stopped walking I looked at her looking as hassled as I was. “Mom” she pressed the switch and lights lightened up at the passage “why are the lights are off” (she paused deep staring as she came toward looking neat and sophisticated on her lavish red coat untied and a bottle of red wine in her hand it was still full so she was sober I so hoped) “oh I didn’t know you had a visitor”

“Good evening Mrs.….”

“Mrs. Cooper but you can call me Mom” (she smiled precisely approaching a hand shake)

“Oh my God you are – so gorgeous, what your name?”

“Thank you…. Ray Claymont”

“I’m so honored …. I hope you don’t mind this….” (She waved the bottle of wine)

“This is just for a celebration……my co- worker is pregnant…..oh well, let say I got kicked out at my other job but atleast this one got good news, Thomas why didn’t you tell me you have a girlfriend”

(We awkwardly looked at each other)

“No, she’s not”

“She’s not?” (She puzzled)

“Yeah, we just friends” (she added)

“No, we not friends, she’s nothing we just classmates who happened to do an important assessment”

“Oh” (she stunned)

Ray glared at me and said “wow, nothing?” (She abruptly trashed the hoodies in my hands I astonished) “it was nice to meet you Mrs. Cooper but it dark now I must get home” she instantly walked away leaving me on the spot, I fast walked behind her to the hallway “Ray what now” I gripped her arm and the Temper brew in her skin

“why are you following me we not friends you said it”

“I was just telling the truth”

“and for you to tell her that I’m nothing, you told your own mother that I’m nothing? You know the least you could have done was to at least say that I’m no one”

“what’s the difference?”

“The difference is – nothing is lower than a warm but I’m a human…. not some thin air that you can call nothing”

(I saddened)

She promptly opened the door “Ray I’m so….” (door slams railed in the house) I stood there morosely bent my head to the floor and eventually looked sideway and my mother was still standing at the hallway and listening. I walked to my bedroom and slammed the door back; covered my face feeling like punching anything in front of me. In that night I had another terrifying nightmare; I tripped and fell in the woods my breathing is grasping through my chest, i see it coming toward me and rapidly I woke up breathing heavily as if I was running. I sat all night in bed couldn’t sleep again, I rose from my bed the images about Mitch’s face keeps playing in my head, I grabbed my t-shirt since it felt a bit cold that night chose to visit the kitchen and made some coffee (I steered the milk for some time glaring at the coffee I finally took a sip and the mug burnt me) “ouch!” I got mad and left it at the kitchen counter and went back to my bedroom again and sat there for hours at my desk pondering. The sunrise and I went back to school the next day and unfortunately arrived late, everyone in my class giving me this weird peering that hair cut wasn’t helping I guessed. I sat on my desk eased my bag started thinking about a good lie to cover my absence in case he asked “it good having you back Thomas” He lowered his ball pen to the board glancing at my desk, I sat uneased expecting another questions but luckily he never said anything after and continued writing. Things weren’t the same anymore I had to feel my body constantly uneased thinking about last night over and over until this girl next to my desk touched my arm (Vickie) I still remember when she introduced herself the other day “It good having you back indeed Thomas, I was getting worried” she flirted her wide smile with a red lipstick made her teeth extremely white, powdered face she almost looked pale I didn’t notice much of her description it was exhausting even to glimpse

“I like your new hair cut” (yeah whatever) I spoke in my inner head.

“have you heard about Mitch?” I tremored and started paying attention and said “No…. why?” she replied “The principal told us the news this morning…. Mitch was found in the Montague Street in Brooklyn ditched at the sidewalk but luckily alive…” I astonished “who ever did that is cold hearted, ditching somebody? Especially a student, that hardcore”

“Did you just say his alive?” she nodded “yeah” I pried “Mitch is alive?” Her face strange out “Yeah that what I just said” I eased my face made it pleasant “great” I uttered; gazed sideways with utter shock at the same time felt like my shoulders was finally at ease (Mitch is alive) it kept bouncing in my head. The moment I went out in class around lunch time all I wanted was to see Ray and tell her the news but I was only to find out she was never at school; not that I asked I just waited next to her class even to her locker but she never showed up. The next day the same thing happened…. she never showed up at school even the day after she didn’t and my marks started dropping at school, I couldn’t sleep nor eat at first I thought it Mitch’s case roaming at school but no it wasn’t, it was something else. I would seat at the desk and find myself lost in the assignment seeing nothing but her face, her flowery scents, her presents it was as if she will come at my behind and continue to nag me……but she didn’t, she never came by; I fixed my shirt on my chest felt like my body warming up I placed the pen and rose on my desk; walked toward Mr. Lettsworth Table, his head lifted seeing me coming “Sorry to disturb you Sir can I please walk out for a minute ?” he took off his spectacles “But we about to start a test in this moment” I exhaled peering at him “what’s going on with you ,your marks are dropping excessively” I glanced sideway bluntly looked back at him “it fine you can go” he said. I promptly left his table headed to the door and walked out , I paced down the hall way passing classes door to door all of them were closed; I stopped by the fourth one and gazed upon it, I could hear the teacher speaking inside it promptly touched the door handle and opened it the class automatically got quiet with audacity I went straight to the lecturer on the board she lowered her ball pen, the green notes were prudent on the board and looked sideway glanced at me holding onto her scrap book “Thomas” I rose my eyebrow surprised that she knows my name I wonder what was I famous for ….. for being bright or my orchestrated racism either way I never cared at all what she thought “I’ve came to see Ray” she puzzled but we are in the middle of a test” she gazed at the desks, they ran across hers (my chest warmed up peering at her she was also looking at my direction but as soon our eyes clashed’ she continued writing “I need to see her” she strange out “can’t it wait” I persistent “No, it can’t it urgent” she looked over her desk “Ray you are urgently needed” (she rose from the chair, placed down her pen and left her desk. I walked out and waited for her outside she soon came out of her class and closed the door behind her. her arms folded and leaned on the wall; had long black braids this time, hanging over her shoulders and asked “what do you want”

“I needed to see you, where have you been it been four days that almost a week”

“And you disappeared for three days I still never know where you went and suddenly when I do it a problem” (she finally glanced at me with bergs under her eyes)

“Oh so it like that now?”

“It always been like this”

(I exhaled closed my eyes for a little while and pierced my eyes on hers) “Look….. I’m not here to fight all I want is to know where have you been – I was worried about you”

(A smirk lifted on her cheeks shaking her head) “Oh wow – congratulations Ray he cares!

I silenced for few seconds, exhaling “and I’ve only came here to tell you……..Mitch is alive”

She paused and stopped surveying her eyes sideway and looked at me “Mitch is alive?”