Guilt consumes my body as I glance at the puppy I loved. I know I made fun of him, called him a squirrel, and rolled my eyes at him in the beginning. But I now realize that we shared something together—we both loved Trinity. Even though he was a puppy, he protected her with his entire life, and now, that’s all gone. In the blink of an eye.
“Why?” Trinity sobs out in her hands.
Her hands grab her puppy, and his body is limp in her arms as she cradles him helplessly.
“Simba? Boy, please wake up.” Grief is thick in her voice.
His tiny head drops backward in response.
Everything about him looks lifeless; there’s nothing left in him. Trinity’s chest rises up and down roughly now. She’s panicking right in front of my eyes, and I don’t know what to do. I can’t think straight. My vision blurs as I drop beside her, knowing she needs me close.
I scan her face desperately, collapsing completely when I find big tears full of emotion running down her cheeks.
“Why?” she breathes out. Her voice cracks in a broken whisper. She tilts her head to the sky and croaks out, “Why?”
Elijah comes up beside her. Tears stream down his own face as he takes Simba away from her arms. She drops her arms in defeat when he staggers back with the pup.
“I’ll take him home for you,” he whispers. “You shouldn’t have to see this.”
Turning around slowly with the pup in his hands, he winces when the deep color of scarlet covers his hands, arms, and shirt.
It looks like something bit him. Poor Simba. What a way to die, all alone in silence, hoping someone finds you.
Looking over at Trinity, I find her still crying in her hands. Her brown hair drapes around her in a canopy. What scares me the most is her once-brown eyes look black, and the white orbs are red.
She looks drained of life.
Licking her lips, she lets out a laugh that screams pain. “What did I do to deserve this?” She gestures with her hands wildly. “How come another thing that I love died? He was murdered,” she stammers loudly. “Just like my fucking dad, killed right under my nose. All alone.”
My hands shake as I watch her break down.
She swears up to the sky countless times. “God, just kill me already.”
Every bone in my body freezes, blood turning ice cold. I stare at her.
God, no. Please no.
That one sentence breaks me apart. I pull her into me and hold on tight, as if she were being taken away from me because it feels like it right now. She cries into my chest, shaking me as I stare straight ahead, shocked.
“Why?” she whispers repeatedly, her voice muffled by my chest. “Leonidas, why?”
How am I supposed to answer this poor girl? I don’t know the answer myself. Why does the world do the things that it does? It’s cruel—that’s why. It watches as it tortures us. Laughs as we drop onto our knees and give up.
I won’t let this girl give up. If she does … then I do. Simple as that.
She gently pulls away from my body. I watch her intently. Her red eyes meet my own.
“Why do I feel like I’m dying? It’s like I’m grieving my own death. Why does awful stuff keep happening to me?” she stammers. “Why can’t I have things I love? Why do they always disappear, leave me behind?” Every word that leaves her mouth gets louder.
“Leonidas …” Trinity trails off softly. Her sad eyes find my own, and I look wordlessly over at her. “I’m scared.” Her hunched-over body shivers. Wrapping her arms around her torso, she cries harder now.
I’d rather die than see anything bad happen to Trinity. I might not love a lot, but when I do, I give everything I have.
“Why are you scared? I’m right here with you. I won’t let anything bad happen to you,” I say strongly and wipe a tear off her face.
She leans her cheek in the palm of my hand and shakes her head, which leaves me in confusion. What is she trying to say?
“I’m afraid of myself.” A broken whisper leaves her lips. “I’m afraid that I’m going to do something to myself.”
