~a tragedy and a true story~
Sunday November 14th, 2010. That was the day my life changed forever. The story of how I lost my best friend in the whole world.
There I was, lounging on the couch watching yet another episode of Desperate Housewives. The taste of beef jerky and Big Red was full in my mouth as I munched away. The sun was awake, but still low on the horizon. The weather outside was beautiful, the clouds slowly floating by, I could imagine people laying out making them into shapes.
Hours later, though it seemed like only minutes, the phone rang. I looked at the time, 1:05 pm.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Hey stranger, you busy?" asked my best friend, Murphy James Wolfe. We had been best friends for as long as I could remember. We met because we had something in common, we were both social outcasts. Me by being my awkward self and him because he practically taught himself in home school (his favorite book at 7 years old was "To Kill A Mockingbird"). We would spend endless time together, having countless sleepovers, vacations, and trips to our favorite park. I returned back to the conversation.
"Not really. Just chillin, watching tv. Why? What's up?"
"We're going to the movies in an hour, get ready." this felt weird, like bad deja vu. I was compelled to say no and tell him I was busy later, but I didn't. 'It's my best friend, I'm just being paranoid and ridiculous' I thought to myself.
"I don't have any money." Why did I say that?
"You don't need any, I'm paying."
"Okay, fine." I sensed I would regret this, but I brushed the feeling off.
"Be there in an hour."
"M'kay, bye."
*
As we walked out of the Northwood's Movie Theater, the smell of popcorn and ICEE lingered. It was about five in the afternoon, and it still felt as if the day just started.
"That movie was freakishly lame. It was a total nerd movie, and the special effects sucked." I commented.
"Such a critic. We could go see another movie."
"Ok, sure. When?"
"Right now. I believe that movie you wanted to see starts soon."
"You've gotta be kidding me. Right now?"
"Do I look like I'm kidding?"
"No, I couldn't. You've spent enough of your money already."
"You know how I feel about that. Money is just an item that is temporary. Memories, now those can last a lifetime or more."
"Yeah, okay. You're right."
"Yes! Let's go."
*
The sun was setting this time as we walked out sipping root beer through Redvine straws. We had to wait almost an hour for MJ's dad to come pick us up, but neither of us minded. We laid out on the concrete head to head, began making shapes of the clouds, and even stars when they appeared.
"Hey Murphy, what's today?"
"November 14th, why?"
"I don't know, just curious."
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"I'm not sure, I just have an odd feeling that something really bad is gonna happen soon."
"Don't worry, as long as I'm here, I'll never let anything go wrong, I'll never let anything bad happen to you." Just then his dad pulled up in his big white Chevrolet truck. I always loved that truck.
*
As the truck cruised along the dark, silent, empty roads (we were taking the scenic route), MJ and I chatted away in the back. The radio was playing when a song came on and we both paused.
"Wow, Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. This is one of my favorite songs. It makes me think about you." As he said this, MJ's dad pulled out at an intersection, preparing to turn left when the light turned red.
As MJ looked over at me, while singing the song with me, he got really nervous. He could barely make out a small pair of headlight speeding toward us, or so I guess.
I don't quite know, how to say, how I feel. I blushed.
"Hey, Uh... Will you switch seats with me? I don't have any leg room." MJ stuttered.
"Um, sure. I guess." and I got unbuckled. As soon as my buckle unclipped MJ practically threw me over him, to the seat behind his dad (who was looking at us quite puzzled). He then pushed me with his entire body, guarding me from the opposite side of the car. I was curled up underneath him, the window above my head and his forehead pressed against it.
"MJ, what's wrong with you?" I choked out.
"I love you Bex, I always have."
I need your grace to remind me to find my own. This played as he pressed his warm lips against mine. He kissed me, but it wasn't a normal kiss. It felt like a kiss meant for the day we would say "I do."
If I lay here, If I just lay here, would you lay with me and just forget the world.
Then came the impact. the other car, a 2008 Cadillac DTS, slammed into the passenger side going almost 60 mph, killing its driver instantaneously. I screamed and cowered into MJ's chest, holding onto him. My heart pounded, the song still played, and tears escaped my eyes. I felt a warm liquid dipping on me as the window above me shattered, glass raining down, and the entire truck jolted. I looked down to see a bright red liquid had covered and spotted my white t-shirt. MJ was breathing heavily, I cried, closed my eyes, and held on. His dad threw himself out of the truck the moment it stopped and dialed 911. I stayed with MJ and just cried.
"It's okay, we'll be okay. Everything is going to be alright." I whimpered. "I love you too Murphy"
*
Within half an hour we were questioned and answered by medical personnel, firemen, and police officers. MJ couldn't breathe well, he had lost a lot of blood, as shown on my shirt. The tears wouldn't stop coming. He was taken to the hospital; the driver of the Cadillac was taken in a different vehicle without sirens. The truck had survived other than the dent and broken window. We drove to the hospital quickly. We both ran in.
"What room did they take Murphy Wolfe into?" his dad yelled.
"To the right, just down the hall, second to last room on your left." the old lady honked.
*
MJ was put on life support, having suffered major head trauma and shattering the front of his skull, causing additional brain damage. We waited in the room with him for hours. He was dying, I knew it. I didn't let go of his hand for a second.
"Mr. Wolfe?" the nurse called as she walked in.
"Yes?" he answered. I looked up through the curtain of hair that surrounded my face, the tears still streaming, as I squeezed MJ's hand.
"I'm so sorry about the accident. Your sons condition, however, is fatal. He received major injuries to both his brain and skull, and suffered large amounts of blood loss. We have tried what we can, but his injuries are beyond repair. I'm so sorry, you're free to stay as long as you'd like, but he may only have minutes left. Feel free to call if you need anything." she then walked out, MJ's father following the nurse out to call his mother, who at the moment was in Washington state visiting family.
MJ laid there for awhile longer, barely breathing, suffering.
At exactly eleven-thirty-six PM on November 14th, 2010,
Murphy James Wolfe was pronounced dead from brain damage.
The moment his heart stopped, I felt as if mine did too. I cried, and a big part of my insides died. I hugged him one last time, kissed his cold, hard lips, and slowly and carefully removed the amulet he wore everyday from his neck, knowing he would want me to have it. I could still hear the song in my head. All that I am, all that I ever was, is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see.
As said by Murphy himself, "When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure."
R.I.P.
M J W
2-14-96
11-14-10
Son
Brother
Friend
I love you, and I'll never forget you.
~Love, Always and Forever, Your Bex
