My Dark Prince

Chapter Four

I stir with the cool touch of something wet on my forehead. Most likely a damp rag, which I’m thankful for. My head is pounding. I know I must’ve hit the floor, but my back was cushioned, and I was propped up. Fluttering my eyes open, I’m greeted with another extremely bright light. I squint my eyes, trying my best to shield them from the harshness. I felt a warm hand press to the side of my face and pressure as, whoever it was, pried my eye open. More than likely, it’s Jason, trying to run his own diagnostics of what exactly just happened.

“Jason” I say with a dry throat as I tried to pull my head away. “That’s, that’s bright.”

He releases my face and pulls away his hand, then proceeds to study me with the most sincere look of concern on his face.

With a stern look, he asks. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

He reaches out his right hand to hold up three fingers.

“Three.” I say, a little annoyed he’s treating me like I’m five.

“Okay,” He says, holding up his bright ass pen light. Probably issued to every EMT in the tri-county area. “Alright Rey. Watch my finger.”

He positions his light in his hand and turns it on, then proceeds to slowly move it side to side, aiming the light towards my eyes. After the first ten seconds of looking at the damn handheld sun, my patience is gone. I threw my hand up, nearly knocking the light out of his hand.

“Reigna!” He said harshly.

My name came as a shock to me. My brother almost never used my real name. He always called me Rey. Something was off.

“I need to make sure you’re okay.” He said in a shaky voice, something in his tone was off.

“I’m fine.” I say, my voice dry. “Jason just get the damned light out of my eyes.”

“Are you though?” He asks in a serious tone, barely letting me finish. Shaking his head. “You were out for damn near an hour.”

“Seriously? Jason an hour? I’m good.” I tell him as I tried to sit up. My head is still swimming. “I feel fine.”

Jason puts his hand on my shoulder and lightly pushes me to lay back. I throw my hands up in surrender. I’ll let Jason have this round. I really don’t feel like arguing with him.

“Reigna.” His voice drifted to my ears making my heart ping.

My chest tightened as my brother’s sweaty head came to rest on my shoulder.

“I thought,” His voice started to c***k. “I thought, I had lost you too.”

He sounded so heartbroken. The sound in his voice was something similar to desperation. I could feel a wetness forming on my shirt where his face was. I almost didn’t notice it. Was he crying?

“Lost me too?” I asked dumbfounded. My voice was still hoarse. “What do you mean?”

His whole body tensed at the question. He sat back on his heels to look at me with tears in his eyes. It didn’t fit his personal character. Immediately, my eyes start to sting as the tears start welling up. I sit up rubbing them from my eyes, quietly studying Jason in silence.

“What happened?” I ask him as he averts his gaze from me. “What’s wrong?”

He sat in silence, as still as a statue. For a second, I wasn’t even sure if this man in front of me was even Jason. He was so out of sorts, not like him at all. He always seemed so… in control. But the man before me looked lost. Lost in thought. Lost in his emotions.

“Jason,” Natalie’s voice came from the other side of the coffee table. “You need to tell her.”

Looking at her now, she seemed just as distraught as Jason. Her eyes were something worse than bloodshot, her cheeks and nose were beet red, and I couldn’t help but think she’d been crying.

“Tell me what?” I ask her. Him. Whichever wanted to answer. I look back and forth between both of them. Neither spoke a word. It was so quiet you could hear a pin if it had dropped.

“Well?” I ask them. Still nothing.

Jason takes a deep breath as if he was defusing a bomb.

Me. I am the bomb. He was studying me as if any second I could blow.

“I got to go.” He says, his voice barely stable.

“Ummm, okay?” I say sarcastically. “You’re both crying because you have to go? Am I missing something?”

“They’re gone, Rey.” Jason said. His tone drained off all his natural comical arrogance.

“What? Who is?” I ask, blinking. This is all so confusing. And irritating. “You’re not making any sense!”

“Mom and dad, Rey!” He said almost choking on his words.

“You can’t be serious?” I say, looking to Natalie for confirmation. “This is some kinda sick joke, right?”

She looks at me with tears welling in her eyes, she shakes her head but says nothing.

“They’re gone, and I have to go… identify their bodies.”

Those words seemed to suck the breath right out of me. And suddenly I forget how to breathe normally. I gasp for air clutching the couch. Tears started to spill down my cheeks as I truly process what Jason had just told me.

Mom. Dad. Gone. And Jason has to go identify their bodies.

“Um. I- don’t- can’t.” I say fumbling over my words, as I try to pull myself together. “I-I’m going with you.”

A sigh escapes Jason's lips as he shakes his head.

“No Rey.” He says swallowing hard. “I can’t let you come; it’s not going to be pretty.”

“What do you mean I can’t come?!” I raise my voice.

“A semi didn’t see a stop sign. The only reason I got the call was because they found dad’s wallet in the ditch and recognized the last name and put two and two together.”

The quietness settles back in.

“And one more thing.” He says.