Page 172 of Voices
“Am I dead?” I ask looking up at the sea of stars above us.
“No. Well, not yet. Come.” He holds his hand out for me.
Sliding my cold hand into his warm calloused one, we take a step towards his cabin, but the light shifts, and we walk out onto a cliff overlooking a huge body of water. I don’t recognize this place but something about it is peaceful.
“Where are we?” I ask as we take a seat on the edge of the cliff, feet swaying in the breeze.
“This is where you decide if you want to stay here with me and Skylar or return to Shane.”
My eyebrows hit my hairline. “You know about Shane? How?”
He doesn’t say anything as he tilts his head with a sorrowful look.
Swallowing thickly, my eyes sting as I realize what he’s saying.
“Y-you’re d-dead,” I croak.
“I am.”
“H-how? When?
“About a year now. I went to visit a friend in Nashville, ran into your dad who was on a business trip, and…never made it back home.”
“A-and Sky?” Hot tears slide down my cheeks.
I haven’t seen him since his family moved shortly after we became friends in third grade. My father was so mad that I brought a boy home to play video games with. He shouted atSkylar that he wasn’t welcome in our home and that I don’t need friends.
Uncle Lewis nods sadly. “I know you probably don’t remember or maybe you just didn’t see it, but Skylar’s gay. He wore bright clothes, make-up, and loved to dance. I know those things don’t make you gay, but your father saw him as a threat. So, he took care of the problem.”
I do remember how Sky looked and acted but his personality is why we became friends. I didn’t know he was gay though.
“How-”
My body suddenly jolts violently, causing me to double over.
I try to catch my breath but then it happens again, shocking the shit out of my chest.
Breathing heavily, I turn my head to ask what just happened and see that Skylar has joined us.
“They’re trying to bring you back,” Skylar says looking out over the cliff. “Your time is almost up.”
Another shock has me gripping my chest as a flash of Shane crying flints past my eyes.
“You need to decide if you want to go back and have a life with Shane and his family or spend the rest of eternity up here with us.” Uncle Lewis rubs my back. “The choice is yours, Sprout, but you better make it fast because you’re dying.”
Do I want to stay here? There’s no more pain or fog in my head. No more beatings from my father, no more mystery pills from my mother, no more belittling from Benji, and no more Conrad.
But that also means I won’t ever hear Lily’s laugh again, I won’t be a part of Matt and Ryder’s stupid arguments or be able to silently judge everyone with Asher.
No more Shane. His smile and those mesmerizing icy blue eyes. The way he puts me and my mess first. His body. His smile. His loyalty to his friends. His family. Me.
Can I let all that go?
My heart hurts thinking about never being loved by him again. Never fully feeling safe unless I’m wrapped tightly in his arms.
“I-I can’t stay here! I need to get back to Shane!”
Uncle Lewis smiles. “You only get one life, Charlie. This is your second chance at making it yours. Go live the life you deserve.”
