Chapter 10

I walked down the street excited to see Scarlet. I reached the curb and Scarlet wasn't in sight. I waited for twenty minutes.

Maybe she already was at school waiting for me.

I ran to the school gate and she wasn't there either. Ring went the bell. I went inside to my first class. I looked at everyone in the hallway. Where is she?

I sat down waiting for class to begin.

"Good Morning class! I need everybody to line up in front of the door."

What are we in like 2nd grade?

"Why?!!" someone shouted from the back of the classroom.

"You'll see when we get there."

We exited the room and made our way down to the auditorium.

Everyone took their seats looking at the brightly lit stage.

Immediately the principal walked onto the stage.

"Morning students. We have come to a sad time here in Rotterdam. There has been crisis between the political figures. Now they rounded up their supporters from the armies, navies, air force and even citizens. People older than you by a few years have been drafted even. I advise all of you to be cautious. Thank you."

I disregarded the announcement. We returned to the classrooms after that.

If you tried to ask me anything about what happened after that, I wouldn't be able to tell you.

I rushed out of the school gates like everyone else.

Where is Scarlet?

I can go visit her! ...I don't know where she lives.

She doesn't have a phone. I don't know any of her relatives either.

I am getting nowhere. I ended up walking home with heavy footsteps.

I opened the door and saw mom waiting for me at the table.

"You disobeyed me."

Oh-No... "H-How?"

"You came downstairs when I told you not to." she answered calmly.

"Now you get punished."

I backed away slowly until I felt the front door behind me. I started panicking.

Dad came in and looked at the scene.

"Need any help?"

"Oh, course dear."

I looked between the sickest people in the world.

"Dear, can you get the rope?"

"Oh, course honey."

He came back moments later with a battered and bloodied rope.

I was once again tied to the ring above me. This time, I was facing the door and my back was to them.

" Dear, can you get the empty beer bottles we collect."

Oh-No. Oh-No. Oh-No. Oh-No.

She lined them up on the table.

"Dear, would you like to do the honors?"

"Oh course honey."

The pain came first then the sound of glass meeting skin. One after the other, they took turns throwing the empty glass beer bottles at my back. I felt my shirt get heavy from my blood and soon after, it trickled down my legs to the floor. After what seemed like hours, it stopped. I felt myself drop after dad untied the rope.

They left. They left me here to bleed to death. I started suffocating. I have to get out of here. I dragged myself to the door. I opened it with one hand and grabbed my forgotten bag by the door.

I stood up. Forcing my knees not to buckle under me. I closed the door. Where should I go?

The first thought was to the park. And that is where I headed. I felt the blood grow from warm and liquidy to cold and sticky. After half an hour of debating if I'll die before I get there, I reached the swings.

"Dilliy?"

Startled, I fell back and landed on my back. I screamed so loud, I am pretty sure my parents heard me.

"Shh-Shh Dilliy. Is gonna be okay. Turn on yer stomach."

I obliged without a single word.

"Oh. My. Gawd. Dilliy."

"I have a first aid kit in my bag." I barely managed to breathe out.

"Ok"

She ran to my bag and flipped it upside down. Everything fell out- including the first aid kit. That is one way to do it. She grabbed it and ran back. She rummaged through it until she found what she was looking for. She pulled out a pair of shiny clean mean looking... tweezers.

"Dilliy, I need you to take off yer shirt."

"Ok"

It was a long process of me grunting and hissing until I got it off. I laid back down.

She pulled out a piece of glass without warning. I screamed the second time tonight. And I am still counting.

"Sorry. Want somethin' to hold onto? Or scream into?"

"Yeah." I breathed out heavily.

She handed me a piece of cloth and I stuffed into my mouth. I gave her a thumbs up.

We spent the next hour of her pulling glass out of my back and me screaming with cloth stuffed into my mouth.

"I think I got all of 'em."

I pulled the cloth out of my mouth and tried to sit up so I can look at her for the first time tonight.

"Don't turn 'round."

"Why?"

"Maybe its 'cuz you got my shirt in yer hand."

I turned a deep shade of red.

"Do you want it back?"

"Does it look like I wanna have yer slober and blood on my body?!"

"How am I supposed to know. You might for all I know!"

I felt she glared daggers at me.

"An' besides, I still need to bandage you up."

And she did just that.

"Pass me yer hoodie."

"Huh?"

"The one dat fell outa yer bag."

"Oh."

I crawled to the bag and tossed the hoodie over my head.

"Here."

"Thanks."

After a minute, "You can turn around now."

She had pulled the hood over her. As if she was hiding it.

"Why are you covering your face?"

"Do I hafta have a reason?"

"Uh...ya."

She shrugged and changed the topic.

"Why did they do dat to you?"

"Why didn't you come to school?"

We both stayed silent.

"I promise to answers yers if you answer mine."

"...Ok."

"You go first."

"OK. Last night I had visitors over and mother told me to stay in my room. I-I heard laughing and it sounded familiar. So, I went downstairs to check it out. Mother found out and that is why mother and father threw-"

"Empty beer bottle at yer back?"

"Uh-huh."

"Who was the person laughing?"

"It was mother actually."

"Really?"

"Ya."

Silence enveloped us.

"Now your turn."

"Do I hafta?"

"Ya."

"Um... it was some family stuff."

"Like...?"

"I was helpin' my brothers pack."

"Why?"

"Cuz they leavin' the house."

"Why?"

She looked up at me and said with empty eyes as if the couldn't hold anything.

"Cuz it's time."

A shiver ran down my bloodied and torn back.

"For what?"

"To do what they been trained to do. To fight fer their fuckin' great country just 'cause some people didn't like things aren't goin' their way... Sorry, I'm rantin' now."

"It is okay."

After that, we got settled into each other, trying to get comfortable enough to sleep.

"Hey Red."

"Hmmm."

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Ya?"

"Can you sing me Lavender's Blue?"

She looked taken back by my favor.

"You sher?"

"Yes."

"Okay.

"Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly

Lavender's green

When l am King, dilly, dilly

You shall be Queen!

Call up your men, dilly, dilly

Set them to work

Some to the plough, dilly, dilly

And some to the pond.

Some to make hay, dilly, dilly

Some to cut corn

While you and I, dilly, dilly

Keep ourselves warm."

After she sang the last word, I knew I was fast asleep.

After that, months passed until graduation from high school came. I remember down to every second I had spent with her. Our friendship grew into something strong. We always were there for each other. She picking me up when I had a 'friendly' fight with my parents, and I always playing with her while others always stayed clear from her.

It was the last week of high school when I was called up.

"Dillian, would you come here for a second?"

"Yes, Mrs. Mathews?"

"The teachers and I discussed your conduct in the school and we came to a conclusion."

"Yes...?"

"We decided to give you a scholarship to the Languish University."

I stood there shocked. A scholarship for me?

"THE Languish University??!!!"

"Yes."

"Wow."

"Would you take it?"

"...I'll think about it..."

"Ok. Here you go."

I took the certificate from her and left the building to see Scarlet waiting by the school gate.

"What took ya so long?"

"A teacher gave me this envelope."

"What's in it?"

"Nothing."

"If she gave ya somethin' it musta be important."

"..."

"Lemme see it."

"No."

Never defy her because she will get whatever she wants. She pinned me to the floor and sat on me when the fragile envelope in her hands, smiling in victory.

I don't want to see what happens next I turned my head to the floor.

"Dilliy, this is uh a...scholarship. Did ya know dat?"

"Yes."

"Were ya gonna tell me about this?"

"Eventually...?"

"Are ya gonna go?"

"I don't know."

"Why don't ya know. This wat ya always wanted. Now ya can be a therapist or physiologist."

"But...what about you? I can't just up and leave."

"Ya. Ya can."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll work hard an' earn money to make an honest livin'."

"..."

"Listen here. I won't be able to live with mehself if ya don't go. So, you go accept it."

"...ok..."

"Good, let's go home."

Tomorrow came and after class, I went up to Mrs. Mathews.

"So, dear?"

"I...accept."

"Splendid, I knew you would. Here."

She pulled another envelope with Languish University written on the front.

"This has all the information. Ok?"

"Yes...okay."

I exited the building and saw scarlet glaring at every child passing her. No wonder she only has me as a friend.

"So? How'd it go?"

"Good."

"What is in the envelope this time?"

"Information."

"So? Open it."

"Now?"

"No. In 'nother four years. Ya open it now! Dummy."

"Ok. Geez."

I opened the envelope extra slowly just to mess with her. He glared daggers at me.

"Ok. Here goes nothing... Congrats! You have been given a scholarship to the prestigious school, Languish University. A bus will come to your city to pick you up, so please be ready. We will leave you if you aren't there. The bus will arrive Saturday at 1pm so please be ready..."

"Stop."

"Yes?"

"Today is Friday, so tomorrow is Saturday. The day of the Graduation which ends at 11 am. Ya are leaving after the graduation..."

"..." She looked so sad... I didn't know what to do.

"... I am not great at math so I don't know how many hours that leave us together, but let us enjoy it while we can. Ok?"

My heart ached so bad. I just wanted to just tear up and cry. To tell her that I didn't want to leave her. To leave her side. To tell her that I-I love h-her. Why? Why won't the words come out?

"O-Okay." I barely managed to choke out.