Earth No More, Bianca Gray [read with me .txt] 📗

intertwined and then looked up at me.
"I have a feeling that Kate's not here," she whispered. I nodded agreeing, my eyes feeling fuzzy.

ERIC

We ran around the house looking for Lizzie. Finally, I found her in Kate's room. Lizzie was crouched over an unmoving body. Her body was shaking, overcome with sadness. I knelt down beside her and looked at Kate's unmoving body. Kate's eyes were wide open in shock and terror, forever captured on her face. Her blue eyes were glassy with no life in it. Her crimson red hair was splayed out around her head. I brushed some of the hair off of her face. I felt a tear trail down my cheek and off of my chin. The tear landed on Kate's face. Her face was abnormally pale but she was still warm. But the warmth was fading quickly. I looked at her chest, thinking how abnormal it was that it wasn't moving. Lizzie wiped her cheeks and tried to brush the debri off of Kate. When she got to her face, Lizzie just broke down. I put my arm around her and gave her a hug. Eventually just looking at Kate was too much. Hugh loved her so much. I knew someday they were going to get married. And now her future has been ripped away from her by some idiot who decided to bomb all the countries of the world. I started to cry silently. I felt Lizzie shaking. I knew she could feel me crying, too. But does it matter? Her best friend was laying here dead and my best friend's girlfriend was laying there dead. My best friend...Hugh. I looked up to see Haylei and Austin in the barely there doorframe. The breeze blew some of the debri around. Haylei was buried in Austin's shoulder, shaking with tears. Austin just held her and looked at Kate with sadness on his face. Austin was too much of a man to cry in front of anyone but I could see he was just as upset as Lizzie. I didn't know why Haylei was crying but maybe she got to know her before this all happened. Haylei got out of Austin's protective hug and walked over to Lizzie and I. Lizzie wiped away her tears and just stared at Kate longingly. Haylei went to the other side of Kate and held Kate's dead hand. She wiped away some of her tears.
"'Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight'. And Kate was a gentle and quiet spirit. And even in death, she's the most beautiful girl I have ever seen," whispered Haylei.
"Where is that from?" asked Lizzie quietly after a minute or two of us sitting here, sniffling.
"The Bible. One Peter chapter three verse three to four," answered Haylei. I jerked my head up and just stared at Haylei staring at Kate. Lizzie stroked Kate's crimson, shimmering hair.
"Kate always talked about God you know," she whispered to Haylei. Lizzie looked up at Haylei, looking vulnerable for once.
"Do you think she's in Heaven right now?" Lizzie asked.
"I would think so," Haylei answered. Lizzie nodded and then got up.
"Austin! Carry Kate," she ordered Austin. Austin went over and picked up Kate in the bridal style. Then he walked out of the room and down the hall. Haylei got up and brushed off her knees and followed Austin out of the house. So it was just Lizzie and I standing in Kate's room. She looked around and then just stared at me with big vulnerable eyes. I've never seen her like this before. And it scared me a little.
"C'mon Lizzie, let's go," I said quietly. She nodded her head and took my hand as I lead her out of Kate's old room. She stopped to look at everything at the doorway of Kate's room. Then she let go of my hand and walked quickly out of the house. I followed her, a little more slowly. I looked around Kate's room one last time. It's too bad she didn't get to live a full life...I wonder why God chose Lizzie to live over Kate, I mused. I walked out of the house and Austin looked uncomfortable carrying Kate. I mean, she WAS dead. Lizzie took Kate from Austin and put her in a wheelchair that she randomly found.
"Are you comfortable, Kate?" Lizzie asked the dead corpse. Austin, Haylei, and I all kind of just looked at each other. Austin put a hand on Lizzie's shoulder.
"Lizzie...are you okay?" he asked her slowly and carefully.
"Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?" asked Lizzie looking up at Austin. Austin looked at her in disbelief.
"You just talked to Kate," he said.
"So? Are we not allowed to talk to Kate anymore? Just 'cause she's DEAD?!" she cried out, her voice seeming loud in the silence of the destruction. Lizzie collapsed, her body slamming onto the concrete sidewalk. She burst out into hysterical sobs. Austin patted her shoulder awkwardly.
"It's okay, Lizzie. She's in a better place," he said trying to comfort her. No guy likes a crying girl. He pleaded with Haylei with his eyes. Haylei sighed and walked over to Lizzie.
"It's okay, Lizzie. It really is. She IS in a better place, you know. And just carrying around this corpse..." drifted off Haylei when Lizzie glared at her.
"How DARE you call Kate a corpse! This is KATE!" screamed Lizzie. I had never seen her like this in my life. Lizzie slowly got up and Haylei's big violet eyes got bigger by the second. Lizzie looked really mad, like she was going to hit her. Then Austin stepped in Lizzie's path. Lizzie looked kind of hurt all of a sudden, like Austin took Haylei's side. That's when I realized, Lizzie didn't like Haylei for a WHOLE other reason.
"Calm down, Lizzie. Haylei's right. This isn't Kate, it's just Kate's body. She's not in there," Austin said slowly. Lizzie narrowed her eyes at him and then sighed. She went back to the random wheelchair and started stroking dead Kate's hair.
"I just want to keep her for a while longer," she whispered.
"Okay, fine," said Austin, just glad that Lizzie wasn't looking for a fight with Haylei anymore. Haylei looked at Lizzie frightenedly. Then she looked up at Austin, and Austin smiled down at her. She smiled a little back and hugged his arm. Lizzie's eyes narrowed, watching them.

Imprint

Publication Date: 03-13-2011

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To my family and friends. What would I do without you?