Oblivion
By Lily Parasiuk
It was the beginning of the summer before 10th grade. I had just moved out to a small town in Ottawa. My dog Lucy, an Australian Shepard, and I had been exploring the forest behind our new home when we came upon a small stone bridge arching over a river. As we crossed I stepped in something sticky. When I looked down I saw a red stream sweeping around my feet, I looked up to see a boy laying on the bridge crying. I ran to that bloody boy not thinking or knowing what to do. He was covered in the sticky red, it was hard to tell where it was coming from until I saw the blade. The red stream was gushing from the X’s cut into his wrists, flowing like a waterfall. I tore the bottom of my shirt into two strips and tied them over the waterfalls. I tried to sooth him as I called the hospital but all he did was cry until he finally passed out…
My name is Alice Varin I am 16 years old and this is how my life turned to shit.
1 year later I have known my bloody boy for a year since I found him and his red stream on the bridge, his name is Justin Birmingham. Today we sit on that same bridge, but this time he holds me as I cry and we watch the river flow beneath us, letting its tranquil speed soothe my wracking sobs. My family was murdered a week ago. My four year old sister and my loving parents all killed by some unknown person while I was out partying at some club at 3AM. I turn to my bloody boy and hold his face in my hands with a look of sad tranquility resting in my eyes.
“I love you.” I say with a sigh as I look deep into his eyes. He seems stunned as I say it, my eyes flit away from his face after a moment while my hands slip from his face. He doesn’t say it back, but he catches one of my hands as it slides from his face and he holds it there while using the other to lift my chin and make me look back into his eyes. “I… I love you… too…” He says with a grin spreading across his face, I give him a little smile and kiss him passionately. “We need to go…” I say, the smile falling from my lips. He nods and grabs my hand as we hop off the rail of the bridge and start back towards the house. He knows I can’t be here alone, but I, we have to go back so I can get changed for my family’s funeral.
I stop as we enter the clearing where my house stands looking perfectly normal, as if it were any other summer afternoon. As I walk inside a chill runs down my spine, I haven’t been here since the day after the murder when I came to get some clothes so I could stay at a friend’s place. I walk up the stairs to my room without looking around. He keeps tight hold on my hand and follows me without comment. As we get to the top of the stairs Lucy dashes through the front door, I haven’t seen her since that night and thought she’d run away. She’s thin but looks like she’s been eating squirrels from the blood on her muzzle. I wrap her in my arms and get a big wet kiss up the side of my face. Bounding down the stairs with Justin and Lucy at my heels, we walk into the kitchen, he grabs the dog food as I find the large metal dog bowl. I take the food from him and fill the bowl to its maximum capacity and place it on the floor in front of Lucy, she attacks the food the moment it hits the floor. I take Justin back to my room and walk straight towards my closet, I hesitate before opening the doors then clutch the handles and thrust them open. It looks exactly the same as it did when I left. I grab my black dress and stockings and close the doors. I start to undress then remember I’m not alone and look over at Justin. He has a stunned look on his face. I tell him to turn around and sit on the bed, when he complies I proceed to change into my dress. Looking for my shoes, ignoreing the unzipped back of the dress, he walks over and zips it for me. Once my shoes are on we walk down the stairs, hand in hand, towards the front door. Lucy is waiting, Justin runs into the kitchen and brings back a damp cloth to wipe the blood off her