In the Beginning Ch. 5

After sitting there for a second, I started to check his wrist for a pulse. I thought I felt one, but I wasn't sure, so I checked his neck. There it was, a faint pulse. I smiled, and pulled at his shirt, trying to find the place where he was bleeding from. I lifted his shirt, and there was a gash from his left side to his belly button. I could see his insides coming out, and I panicked. I took off my shirt and used it to try to stop the flow of blood. 1

Gabe ran back in and held the shirt on Jay's stomach while I held his head up. I was terrified, and I remember praying, "Please God, don't let him die. For Trudy and for me. Please don't let him die." Apparently God wasn't available, because my prayers weren't answered. 2

When Trudy came to, she rushed over to Jay and started crying again. Her tears mixed with the blood, and ran to the floor, creating pink swirls in the sea of red. "Oh God, Jay, please don't leave me. Please...I love you so much, please don't die."3

Even as Trudy begged him not to die, his pulse weakened. His eyes fluttered, and he looked at Trudy. He opened his mouth, and said his final words. "Tru?"4

"Yea, I'm here Baby. Thank God you're awake."5

"I'm so cold."6

"I know. The ambulance is on the way. Hold on Jay. Please, don't leave me alone."7

"I don't think the ambulance is gonna make it, Baby."8

Don't say that. Don't tell me that. Don't give up, Please, just hold on."9

"I love you Trudy. You know that."10

He moved to touch her face, but didn't have the strength, so he rested his hand in hers. She took his hand and pressed it to her face, smearing more blood and tears on her lovely face. Tears poured from my eyes, and I begged Jay to be strong.11

Jay blinked and grabbed my hand with his other one. "It'll be ok. Don't blame Caleb. I love you Trudy. Brady, take care of my girl. You're like my sister. I love you too. Trudy, don't forget me, ok?"12

"I won't. You aren't going to die, I can hear the ambulance, just another few seconds, please, just hold on a little longer."13

Before she finished her sentence, Jay was gone. Trudy fell on him, still holding his hand, and rocking back and forth. I touched her shoulder, and she looked at me, her face covered in the blood of the only boy she had ever loved. There were little lines of white where the tears had cut into the blood. She had black makeup mixed in with it, and she looked like she was going to die then and there. 14

She fell on me, still holding Jay's hand, sobbing into my lap, smearing my skirt with more blood. I held her like that for an eternity, or so it felt. In reality it was only a moment.15

The paramedics rushed in, and found what I'm sure was a strange sight. Four teenagers covered in blood, A girl with dark blond hair, covered in blood, sitting in a bra, holding a girl who was drenched and sobbing. Both girls holding the hand of a boy who was obviously dead. A handsome boy who was holding a bloodstained tank-top on the dead boy's stomach, and the floors covered in blood. 16

"What happened here?"17

I answered for Trudy as best as I could. "I'm not sure. We came back about 5 minutes ago. I found her holding onto him and crying. I took off my tank top and pressed into his stomach where there was a gash while Gabe called for you. He woke up for a little bit, and then he died about 30 seconds ago."18

"Let's take him to the hospital."19

So we went. Trudy and Gabe and I got in Gabe's car and went to the hospital. After about half an hour, the doctor came in, and told us that Jay was alive for now, but he wasn't going to make it. After that, Trudy passed out, and I cracked. I laid my head on Gabe's shoulder and sobbed until I drifted into an uneasy sleep. 20

I dreamed in black and white and red. I saw the scene, heard Jay's voice calling for me to follow him. I saw Jay and Trudy the first night they got together. I saw Caleb cutting Jay's throat just before he proposed to Trudy. Everything swirled, and Jay looked at me, holding his neck. "Brady, help me." He reached for me, and I woke up screaming. 21

Gabe held me for a moment, and then we decided that we should sleep in Jay's room, not leaving until he was gone, because we wanted to spend every moment with him since we knew we'd never get another chance. We sat down in the room, still soaked in dried blood.22

Jay's mom came in for a second, saw Jay, and asked us, "Are you all staying?"23

"If you don't mind, Ms. Born," I told her, praying she wouldn't make us leave.24

"Not at all. I'm leaving since you're here. If you need to get in touch, Leave a message for me at my hotel."25

"You know Jay isn't going to make it, right? Don't you want to spend time with him before he dies?" Trudy asked, incredulous.26

"You were the only person he ever loved. Besides, He wasn't my son anymore. I haven't even seen him for a year. I don't care."27

She turned on her skinny stiletto heel and walked out of the room. Trudy, Gabe and I stared at her like she was an alien with 45 arms. About 2 minutes after she left, Jay's dad came in. 28

"What happened," asked Mr. Rafferty.29

I told him what I saw before we left, and then I told him about what happened when we came back. He listened, but didn't seem too concerned. After a few minutes, he even looked out the window, as if he was bored by what happened. My anger got a hold of me and I lost my cool.30

"Your son is dying. Don't you even care?"31

"This will teach him that it isn't right for him to disobey me, and act like a fool in public."32

"You cold, worthless, vindictive bastard. He's not going to learn, he's going to die. Just leave. He deserves better than to have a whore and a drunk for parents. He was decent, and you are unworthy. GET OUT!"33

Mr. Rafferty nodded and left the room, adding, "You deal with him then. You take care of this mess."34

We never saw him again. Jay died about 15 minutes later, after holding on for eight hours. Trudy woke up in time to hold his hand and watch him breathe his last.35