Alone but United

Chapter 6

Carter felt the grogginess of deep sleep disappear, and her eyes widened. Looking at the straight, over the gap where her foot of her bed ends and Tyson's starts.

The bed was empty. Carter almost disregarded this. It wasn't unusual for him to get out of bed and walk around town at night, but his bed was made and untouched when usually it was wrinkled all over the bed. The bed still being neat and tidy means Tyson hadn't touched his bed scenes the morning. This has only happened once before. Carter stood there frozen, fear in her eyes.

"Not again…"

Hearing the sounds of basketball and voices of boys, she ran down the stairs of the apartment building. Once out the door, she saw some of the Ratts that normally hangout with Tyson. Somewhere playing ball, and others on the side of the court smoking.

Walking up to one of the guys she recognized the most, getting engulfed by their smoke she pushed out her words through the thick wall,"Where is Tyson?"

The boy smoking seemed to recognize her,"Why do you care Kat?"

Carter was too filled with adrenaline to even care about the rumors that could start,"Where is he."

The boy blows his smoke in Carter's then laughed,"Did he steal something from ya’s?" Carter patiently waited,"did he steal a kiss from ya," the boy leaned his head forward and puckered his lips.

"That's our boys!" shouted a short boy in the crowd of laughing boys.

Carter grabbed the boy and threw him into the crowd of kids. The crowd of boys split and Carter then pushed him into the wall.

"Where is Tyson." She said in a condescending voice. The boy just smiled and laughed along with the others.

Carter looked around and took in the foolishness of the group,"You can't get me to say anything," he then smirked at Carter.

Her eyes came back to the boy, then she returned the smirk. Carter leaned in closer to him ever so slightly brushing against his facial hair. On her tippy toes, Carter whispered carefully, clearly, and slow into the ear of the rat that was up against the wall.

His joyous smile melted into a worried frown. His eyes once relaxed, widening. Backing away, Carter crossed her arms for his response.

"The oak tree near 44th street."

Carter knew that place and if she was right she didn't have much time.

She turned and ran, leaving behind a group of confused boys.

"What did the Kat say, Raynn?"

"How did she know...she couldn't possibly have known."

Carter ran faster through the alleys and empty streets. Her adrenaline rushing through her whole body pushing her to run harder.

She turned the corner, now the tree was in view. Carter caught a glimpse of the swaying body of her brother. He was hanging himself. His eyes were fluttering, rolling back and his face appeared red-purple. Carter quickly grabbed the stool that he must have kicked over to end himself and grabbed his body tryin to let his blood to flow again. 

She stood there clutching onto his body, not allowing him to leave her to. She suddenly realized the harsh truth that Tyson was too heavy for her. Not giving up, she held tighter to him. Trying to trick herself that the tighter she held him would prevent his spirit leaving her.

Unexpectedly she felt a liquidy substance on her arms, then realizing what it was she dropped to the ground to find the tool that she desperately needed. First the shard of glass cut Carter’s ring and pinky finger, then once she used it on the rope she grabbed Tyson again. Softening the blow of gravity.

Carter looked upon Tyson. His wrists were cut dozens of times covering the old wounds. Carter put her forehead to his. She couldn’t hear his breath, even uncontes he was so ready to leave her and this world.

“An ambulance is on the way mam. What happened?”

“Why Tyson.”

The police officer pushed her out of the way and started giving Tyson CPR.

“He’s gone,”she told herself,”He left me...alone.”

“Mam, what’s your-” the person’s voice fades from Carter and is taken over by the overwhelming anger, sadness, and the sounds of the approaching ambulance.