Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
The whimpered cries in the back seat came to a stop. I turned to see Elijah who was covered in broken glass with cuts all over him. “Eli,” I sobbed, trying harder and harder to get out of my seat.
They were quiet.
So quiet.
Too quiet.
Cry, Elijah.
Make a sound, Gabriel.
Move.
Please.
Moan.
Grumble.
Anything!
Say something!
“No, no, no,” I sobbed, tugging on the seat belt. My head hurt. My heart felt as if it was going to leap out of my chest.
Once the seat belt finally let me go, I reached over to Gabriel and checked his pulse. His heart was still beating.
With pain stinging my whole body from the impact of the second car, I forced myself to climb into the back seat beside Elijah to check on him. The broken glass sliced my hands as I fell into the seat. “Elijah, wake up. It’s me. It’s Kierra, okay? You’re okay. Hey, wake up,” I cried, checking for his pulse.
Cry, Elijah.
Make a sound.
Move.
Please.
Grumble.
Anything. Say something!
Breathe, Eli. Just breathe.
Nothing.
There was nothing.
I choked on my next breath as I fell over Elijah’s body. My world began to crumble into a million pieces as I held his little body in my hands.
“Help!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “Help me!” I cried out to anyone who might’ve been around, to anyone who may have heard me. “We need help! He’s just a kid! Help us! He needs help! We need help! Please,” I sobbed uncontrollably as I held Elijah in my arms.
My face fell to his chest, searching for his heartbeat, searching for any sign that he would be okay. I sobbed into him as I whimpered repeatedly, “Please help.”
22
Gabriel
Present Day
As Kierra finished telling me the story, her whole body shook and tears poured from her eyes. I stood there, shocked by the words rolling from her tongue. I couldn’t fantom what she was telling me.
A brother?
I had a little brother?
That was too bizarre for me to even wrap my mind around. How was that even possible? Why would Mom never tell me about this?
It wasn’t until Kierra pulled out the photographs from her purse and began to show me actual photos of me, her, and Elijah together that I fully began to believe her. I felt sick to my stomach as I flipped through the photographs. Dozens and dozens of the three of us, laughing together. Dozens of pictures showing me the truth of my brother. My little brother.
Fucking hell. I had a little brother.
How…?
Wait…?
“What?” I said, tossing a hand through my hair. “And my mother told you to stay away from me?”
“Don’t blame her, Gabriel. Before the accident, she already struggled with worry. She was constantly afraid of something happening to you due to your father’s passing. That fear only grew after Elijah was born. Then, after the accident, she fell apart. It was too much for her.”
“Too much for her?” I huffed. “She erased my memories pretty much, making sure they stayed gone. If I’d never run into you, I would’ve spent the rest of my life never knowing about Elijah. So forgive me for not being so forgiving of her.”
Kierra grew quiet, not pushing the topic. Truthfully, I was in a state of shock from the whole situation, but that didn’t dismiss the fact that I could see the hurt in Kierra. The level of guilt she’d felt over the whole thing. It wasn’t as if she wanted to abandon me; she’d felt she had no choice.
Still, I wonder what I would’ve done if the situation were flipped around. Would I have listened to her parents if they told me to stay away? Would I have left without trying everything possible to reach out? Or would the guilt and depression of the whole accident have been so traumatic that I would’ve buried my head in the sand and run as far as I could from any memories of what happened?
“Thank you,” I whispered, clasping my hands together. “Thank you for telling me the truth. I’m sure that wasn’t easy.”
“It was the worst thing that ever happened, Gabriel, and if I could, I’d turn a million clocks back to change the outcome. If I could, I would’ve switched spots with Elijah. I wished it were me. I still, to this day, wish it were me and not him.”
“This is a lot to process.”
“Yes. I get it. I don’t want you to feel pressure to keep talking to me, either. I understand if you want space, and I’ll respect that. I just wanted you to know the whole story.”
I thanked her once more. “But I think perhaps you should go. I have a lot going through my mind right now, and I’m not sure how to process it.”
“Yes, of course. Not a problem. Just…if you need anything, you have my number.”
I stood as she did. “Yeah, for sure. Good night, Kierra.”