Love Me Back to Life Read online

  Love me back to life

  by HMD AND OLGA CARRIES

  Copyright © 2015 HMD and Olga Carries

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means – except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews – without written permission from its authors.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by authors.

  Copyright © 2015 HMD and Olga Carries

  All rights reserved

  Chapter 1 - Reappearance

  "Mom, dad, I'm home!" I yell into the house as I drop my bags in the foyer.

  It feels good to be home, after being away for two years. Even though my parents can get on my nerves, I've missed them terribly.

  "Emma!" They both shout as they emerge from separate rooms of the house: my mom from the kitchen and my father from the living room. I smile as they engulf me into a hug.

  "It's so good to have you home," My mother tells me softly as she squeezes me tighter. Breathing is becoming a factor.

  "Can't. Breathe." I force out the words as they both grip me tighter.

  "Oh sorry," They pull back and say at the same time. I can't help but chuckle.

  "Emmmmaaa!" My little brother Tyler yells as he sprints down the stairs. The biggest smile appears on my lips. Out of everyone, I've definitely missed him the most.

  "Hey buddy," I Scoop him up into my arms and squeeze him tightly.

  "Can't breathe," He gasps out and we all chuckle.

  I shake my head as I put him down." How you been Ty?"

  "Dad got me a whole bunch of games for my birthday and mom got me a bike, you wanna see Em, you wanna? Huh? Huh?"

  "Slow down there Ty," I laugh, nodding my head. "Of course I want to see, just let me go get changed okay?"

  "Okay." He nods, before running off, up to his room.

  "Same old Ty I see," I say to my parents as I pick my bags up from the floor.

  "Of course." My parents smile.

  "Let me get those for you honey, I know it's been a long trip."

  "That's okay dad," I wave him off. "I've got them. I'm gonna go get freshened up."

  "Okay sweetie, dinner will be ready in a couple of hours."

  "Okay," I nod and smile, making my way up to my room.

  I can feel my parent's eyes on me as I ascend the stairs. I know they've missed me as much as I've missed them, probably more. So I'll give them a few days to adjust.

  I sigh as I push open the door to my room, dropping my bags at the door as I walk into the room a little. It feels like it's been forever since I was last here. Two years may not seem like a long time, but a lot can happen in two years. I sit down on my bed as I look around my room.

  A smile appears at my lips when I remember some of the times my friends and I had in this room, before that day when everything changed...

  -

  "There's no way those are real, look at them." McKenzie shouts at the television.

  "Can you be any louder?" George asks, quirking a brow at our friend.

  "Well I'm just saying..." She shrugs.

  "You know that's not a valid argument right? Cause technically you didn't just say anything." George rebuttals, I laugh and shake my head at my friends.

  "Why don't you can it Williams? How about that? Is that a good enough argument for you?"

  "That's not-"

  "George, you're not gonna win. Just let it go." I advise him as McKenzie turns her attention back to the television. I'm not even sure what we're watching. Some trashy show McKenzie turned it to, just so she could complain.

  "Why are we watching this again?" George asks with a raised brow.

  "Cause its quality television that's why." McKenzie replies, not looking away from the television.

  "Right," George shakes his head.

  I smile as my friends continue to make snarky comments to and about each other for the rest of the day until it was time for them to leave that night.

  -

  "Em, mom says dinner's ready," Ty tells me, poking his head in my room. I sit up on the bed and look at the clock on the night stand. I must have fallen asleep, it's after eight now.

  "Okay," I smile at my little brother. "Tell mom I'll be down in a minute."

  "Kay," He smiles and takes off.

  I sigh as I get up from the bed and make my way into the bathroom to shower. I take a quick shower, knowing I didn't have much time.

  "I'll be back in a while," I say to my family as they sit around the dinner table, waiting for me I presume since no one is eating yet.

  "But dinner honey," My mom motions to all the food on the table, all of my favorites no less.

  "I'm not really hungry," I shake my head. "I ate on the plane. I'll be back in a couple of hours," I can tell my family is disappointed but there's something I need to do.

  "Okay sweetheart, well I'll keep a plate warm for you in case you change your mind."

  "Okay," I nod as I grab my keys and head out the door.

  -

  As I sit in my car, I know I only have about a half hour before they lock up... I didn't think this would be so hard. I've been here before, but not since...

  I take a deep breath as I force myself to open the door and get out of the car. As I make my way to my destination I can already feel the tears building.

  I stop, contemplating turning around.

  No.

  I have to do this.

  I need to do this.

  I force myself to keep walking, to go where my heart is telling me to go, where it needs to me to go.

  When I get there, I drop to the ground, the tears falling freely now. It's been almost four years; you'd think things would be easier by now.

  Not better, I don't expect them to be better... just... easier and maybe just a little less painful. But no, I hurt just as much as I did four years ago.

  I lean against the tombstone as I try to calm myself.

  "Fuck!" I exclaim, slamming my fist into the tombstone I’m leaning against.

  "Um, excuse me," A voice startles me. I fall back, leaning against a tombstone. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." She trails off, biting her lip. I stare up at the blonde haired blue eyes girl, as she contemplates her next words. "Here," She hands me a pack of tissues, but I decide to wipe my face with my shirt. "Or that works," She smiles a little.

  I don't say anything as she looks around me at the tombstone I'm leaning on, before looking back at me.

  I stare at her as she sits down across from me.

  "I used to come here every day when my brother first died four years ago, thinking it'd make it easier, like if I came to see him every day it'd be like he wasn't gone at all. But I was fooling myself." She stops and shakes her head. "It didn't make it easier at all. If anything it only reminded me of all the things I missed about him: his laugh, his smile, his inability to spell even the simplest of words correctly." She smiles at the memory. I push myself off the tombstone as she continues to talk. "It never really gets easier if I'm being honest, but I know I'll see him again one day so it makes it just a little bit less painful."

  "I'm sorry about your brother." I tell her as I wipe the stray tears.

  "And I'm sorry about..."

  "My best friends," I fill in the blanks for her.

  "Friends?" She questions, looking back at the tombstone with George's name on it.

  I nod. "George and McKenzie," I point to the tombstone right next to his. Her face contorts like she's searching for the right thing to say but can't find it.

  "Well you'll see them both again one day." She finally settles on and
gives me a sad smile.

  I have to admit, I'd never thought about it this way and to do so did make me feel just a tiny bit better. I take another look at their tombstones before getting up from the ground and helping the blonde to her feet.

  "I'm Grace," She holds out a hand for me to shake.

  "I'm Emma," I tell her as I shake her hand.

  "Nice to meet you, Emma," She smiles as we turn and head towards the gate.

  "You too Grace," I return the smile.

  "So, I guess I'll see you around then?" She says taking her keys out of her pocket. "Unless you want to give me your number," She adds after a moment and my eyes go wide. "I mean... no..." She shakes her head. "Not like that, I was just saying you know in case you needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to talk to cause I don't make it a habit of going to graveyards and picking up girls. Not that you're into girls or anything I'm just saying that I have a really nice shoulder and oh my God I'm shutting up now." She shakes her head as she rolls her eyes at her rambling. I actually found it quite adorable. "God that was awful, almost as bad as the pick-up line 'come here often?'" She continues to shake her head. "I'm gonna just go." She thumbs towards her car. "It was really nice meeting you Emma."

  "Here, let me have this," I tell her, taking her phone from her hands and programming my number in it. "Call me when you've calmed down." I smile. "Nice meeting you too, Grace." I tell her before getting in my car and driving away.

  -

  "Emma," I hear my mother call to me when I enter the house. I place my keys in the bowl by the door before heading into the kitchen. My mom is sitting at the table, probably waiting up for me.

  "Hey mom," I say as I sit down at the table with her.

  "I'm trying to understand everything you're going through, I'm trying sweetie. I know the past few years have been hard and you're dealing the best way you know how, but you gotta let someone else in. And that someone doesn't have to be me, or even your father, just someone... okay?"

  "Okay mom," I nod. I know she's only being a mother.

  These past few years have probably been as hard on her as they've been on me, especially since it's been a little over two years since I've even been home.

  "I promise I'll talk to someone."

  "Last time you said that, you went and talked to a recruiter to join the army Emma." She raises a brow at me. I can't help but chuckle at her.

  "I promise it won't be anyone like that. Kay?"

  "Okay," She nods as she stands from her chair. "Goodnight sweetheart." She kisses me on the forehead before making her way upstairs.

  My phone buzzes in my pocket and I don't have to look at it to know who it is. I take it out and read the text from an unknown number.

  'It's Grace, you know from the cemetery, we just met an hour or so ago. You put your number in my phone.' I smile and shake my head at the blonde. She's even flustered over the phone.

  Like I met another person at the cemetery this late at night.

  'Anyways, I don't know what you're doing tomorrow or if you even want to hang with me but my friends and I are having a little beach party at The Row and then a bonfire at night. Um... you're more than welcome to come. Just you know, let me know if you want to. K well goodnight.'

  I smile as I write my reply. 'Yeah, that sounds cool. I'll be there. Goodnight Grace.'

  'Great!' I get back less than ten seconds later. 'I mean, that's cool.' I get less than a second after that. I chuckle again, stuffing my phone back into my pocket.

  I head up the stairs, stopping in Ty's room to kiss him goodnight. I really did miss him. I shut his door behind me and head into my room. Flopping down on the bed, I stare up at the ceiling until I drift off to sleep.

  Chapter 2- Bon Fire

  "The party of the century, hardly," McKenzie scoffs as we walk into Jackson's house. "There's only like a hundred people here."

  "Only?" I turn to my best friend with a raised brow.

  "Yeah," She shrugs as we make our way further into the house."

  "To constitute as a good party there has to be a least three hundred people,” George rolls his eyes. "McKenzie’s rule."

  "You know you look extra gay when you do that right?" McKenzie asks our friend with a serious look on her face.

  "No,” George lips twitches. He hates when McKenzie says that.

  "Whatever you say,” McKenzie shrugs, brushing past George and disappearing into the crowd.

  "Why does she always do that?" George thumbs in the direction McKenzie just disappeared.

  "I wish you two would just get together already,” I roll my eyes, following McKenzie's actions.

  "Seriously!" I hear George yell to my retreating figure.

  -

  "Mom I'm headed over to The Row, I think I'm gonna stop by Mr. and Mrs. Williams's first though,” I yell into the kitchen from the foyer, grabbing my jacket off the rack.

  "I was just cooking lunch, Emma,” My mom says, emerging from the kitchen. "It's your favorite,” She adds for good measure.

  "Chicken and Rice?" I question.

  "Yes, unless you have a new favorite. Was there something else you wanted me to cook because I can whip something up it's really not a--"

  "Mom,” I cut her off, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's still my favorite mom, trust me. Can you save me a plate? I just made plans with a friend. I don't really wanna be late."

  "A friend?"

  "Yes mom, her name's Grace,” I answer with a playful eye roll. "I am capable of making friends, mom."

  "I know honey, I wasn't..." She pauses shaking her head. Oh no, I made her feel bad. I didn't mean to.

  "I was just jo--"

  "Have fun baby,” She leans forward, kissing me on the cheek. I'll have you a plate in the microwave."

  "Mom I--"

  "I know,” She nods and gives me a small smile.

  Nice going Emma! I mentally berate myself for being such an idiot.

  My mom is only trying to help and I know the subject of my friends isn't something she really likes to joke around with. The thing is... I haven't really talked to anyone or gone anywhere in four years. After the accident I got my GED, joined the army and haven't really looked back.

  I feel bad that the only time I came home to visit in the past four years was two years ago, when my dad was in the hospital for a work related injury.

  The army has given me tons of leave, I just never take it. Honestly, I didn't see the point, and if it was mandatory to take it, I would just go somewhere like Alaska or something.

  I need to be anywhere but here because being here hurts too much and reminds me of what's missing.

  "I love you mom,” I tell her as she turns to walk back into the kitchen.

  She stops, turning to face me with a smile and replies, "I know darling, I love you too,” She gives me another quick kiss on the cheek before scurrying off into the kitchen. I sigh, turning to grab my keys off the table. I hate how stupid I can be sometimes.

  -

  I can count on one hand the amount of times I've seen the Williams's since the accident. I wouldn't know what to say. I'm here and their son isn’t. It's not far really. George was a far better person than I ever was. If anyone deserved to live, it was him and McKenzie. Neither of them deserved this.

  I've been sitting in my car for over an hour now, I don't think I have the guts to go in, to confront them. The last time I saw them was at the funeral and even then I had nothing to say.

  What can I say? 'I'm sorry that I'm still here when your son is dead?' 'I'm sorry for your loss?'

  No words will bring him back and nothing can ease the pain of losing a child, I know this.

  I close my eyes tightly, trying to push everything from my mind. Trying to gather up the courage to do what I know needs to be done. To tell them how amazing their son was.

  But I can't.

  I sigh as I turn the key in the ignition to start the car. I take one more glance at the Williams home as I pull away. In the upstairs window
I swear I see a silhouette looking out the window of George's room. I drop my head against my seat.

  “I'm sorry George,” I whisper as I drive down the street.

  -

  "You made it,” Grace smiles as she approaches me on the beach. I'm not too sure if I'm up for this anymore.

  "Yeah, I'm sorry I just came to tell you that I can't make it."

  She arches a brow at me. "You drove all the way out here just to tell me that you couldn't come?" She questions, scrunching her brows.

  I narrow my eyes, realizing how ridiculous that must have sounded. "Essentially,” I reply.

  "Okay,” She nods, grabbing my hand. "Come with me,” She says as she pulls me further down the beach.

  "Grace, where are we going?" I ask as we walk further from the group gathered on the beach.

  It's a little after six now so the sun is starting to set. I forgot how beautiful the beach could be at night. It's been forever since I've been here, well since I've been anywhere really.

  "It's just a little further down,” Is all she says as she continues to pull me even further from the group.

  "You're not trying to take me to a secluded area to kill me are you?" I question, half serious. I mean I did only meet this girl yesterday. I don't know anything about her.

  She stops walking, turning to face me. "Yeah,” She smiles and turns around, pulling me again.

  What!

  "What?"

  "We're here.” She drops my hand. I turn, taking in my surroundings.

  "Where is here exactly?" I question, arching my brow.

  A small smile plays at her lips as she sits down on a rock.

  "My brother used to bring me here every day when I was a kid. We'd play in that cave,” She points behind me. "He'd try to teach me to surf and when I kept failing over and over he'd show me how it's done, but mostly he was just trying to impress the girls that were watching. And at the end of every night we would watch the sunset together. We did basically the same thing every summer for almost six years and yet everyday was still a brand new adventure,” I study her face as she talks about her brother, they were obviously really close.

  "Grace I'm not sure what--"