Low on Time/Issue 4

This is issue four of Low on Time, entitled: What About Now?.

Issue 4; What About Now?
''An eleven year-old Haley sits on her swing set outside of her little red house. She was wearing a outfit of all pink, and her mom stood behind her. Her mom pushed Haley on the swing, slowly. Her mom looked broken, like she's been crying all night. Haley couldn't help but just look at her. Haley herself look exhausted, like she hasn't slept.''

''"Mommy, why did you and daddy fight last night?" asked Haley, innocently.''

''"Did we keep you up? I'm sorry." she said, sympathetic, rubbing Haley's head.''

''"But," Haley paused, looking at her mom's facial expression. "why were you fighting about Amanda?"''

''Her mom looked at her, before pushing her on the swing again. "Let's just say, daddy did some things he shouldn't have, with Amanda." she said, trying to be indirect as possible.''

''This didn't help Haley's confusion, so she just kept asking questions. "Is that why Amanda is so quiet?" she asked.''

''Her mom broke into tears, and just nodded her head yes. Haley took the tears of her mom to decide to stop talking, and just swing on the swing set some more.''

''Inside the house, Amanda lied on her bed, crying. Her dad ran in, and pulled her off of the bed, onto the pink-covered floor. Rage was in his eyes, as he pinned the young girl onto the floor.''

''"I told you, this was our little secret. Why'd you go and tell fucking mom?" he asked, rage filled in his voice.''

''Amanda was scared, she didn't know what to do or to say. She just continued to cry.''

''"Good, just cry. You know what you did was wrong, right?" he asked.''

Amanda nodded her head, quickly, hoping her dad would get away from her.

''"Now you don't mention this to anyone. Are we clear?" he asked.''

''Amanda again nodded her head very quickly, and her dad let go of her, standing up, and leaving. Amanda just lied there, tears rushing down her face, not wanting to get up.''

Haley and Paul stood in the hallway, looking at each other. Paul looked down, not knowing what to say.

"I'm sorry." he said.

"It's over and done with now, but she hasn't talked since. Not to me, not to anyone." Haley said, as the two continued to walk down the hall.

"Don't worry, she'll come around... eventually."

"I'm just scared she might try to kill herself one day."

Paul pulls Haley to him, hugging her. "You don't have to worry about that." he said.

Haley looks up at Paul, and kisses him. "I know, I can't help but think it might happen."

"You should try talking to her."

"You think I haven't tried already?" she asked, surprised.

"I know, but the more you do it, the more she knows you care, and for people in that state of mind, it'll be a nice reminder." Paul said.

"Ok, I'll go talk to her... again." Haley said.

Paul kissed Haley on the forehead, and Haley started to walk down the hallway. Paul walked the other way, and Tyler came around the corner, holding a baseball bat and wearing a blue, collared shirt and jeans. The two walked over to each other.

"Sup, man?" Tyler asked, shaking his hand.

"Why are you so formal today?" Paul asked, smiling.

"Man, I'm doing this baseball fundraiser, you should come."

"Why would I go? That's going to probably suck so badly." Paul laughs over the idea of it.

"Yeah, that's why I need someone to come with me!" Tyler retorts.

Paul laughs, and pats Tyler on the back. "Nah, man. I'm good" he said, walking the opposite direction.

''A 16 year-old Amanda sits on the edge of her bed fiddling with a kitchen knife in hand. She is dressed in all black, and looks nervous. She puts the knife to her arm, and slowly starts cutting herself. She moans in pain, but keeps going, wanting to end her suffering. The door suddenly swings open, and Haley walks in.''

''"Do you know where my--" she pauses, seeing what was happening. "Amanda! What the hell?"''

''Amanda doesn't say anything, but just looks at her, stops the motion of the knife. Haley, in a state of panic, rushes over to her, and takes the knife out of her hand, before Amanda has time to react.''

''"Amanda, what were you thinking?" asked Haley, in a mixture of anger and a tiny bit of compassion.''

''Amanda just sits there, looking down on her bleeding arm, the blood starting to fall onto the bed. "What would mom say?" asked Haley.''

''"Mom's dead!" Amanda snapped back. "We're left with dad, who's fault this is."''

''Haley is taken back by this, mostly because she hasn't heard Amanda talk in more than two years. Haley drops the knife, the blood splattering on the floor. Haley walked over to a cabinet, and found a white tank-top. She walked to the bed where Amanda sat, who only watched Haley. Haley sat down next to her, and took Amanda's arm, wrapping the shirt around her arm, so the blood stopped from going onto the bed.''

''"Why don't you tell me what happened?" Haley asked.''

''"While-- while you sat high in his arms... he hated me." Amanda paused, looking around making sure her dad wasn't anywhere near.''

''"It's ok, he's at work. You can tell me." Haley said, in a compassionate voice, that she wasn't even used to.''

''"He-- he raped me, ever since I was, like ten." Amanda said, her voice trembling, not feeling comfortable telling anyone, even if it was her sister.''

''Haley was shocked, to say the least. She hugged Amanda, and whispered, "It's okay." That hug lasted a good minute, before Haley let go of her sister. "Does he still do it?" she asked.''

''"Only when he comes home drunk-- there's nothing I can do." Amanda said.''

''"Maybe not, but I sure as hell can do something." Haley said, standing up.''

Owen and Violet sit in an internet café, about a mile off campus. The two had their drinks, and were at one of the tables.

"So, tell me..." Olivia said.

"Tell you what?" asked Owen, taking a sip of his drink.

"Who's the lucky lady?" she asked, smiling.

"Something tells me you already know the answer to that." Owen said, nonchalantly.

"Oh, come on. There has to be someone!" she said, her voice getting progressively louder.

"There isn't..." he said, pausing to take a sip from his drink. "I've been focusing on school, I really don't have time."

"Then make some time!" she protested.

"Oh, come on..."

"Don't 'come on me'!" she interrupted. "You need to loosen up, go out and have some fun."

"We have that huge test tomorrow..." he started, trying to avoid it.

"No. I won't take no as an answer!" she said, playfully.

"Come on..."

"Fine." she said, looking at him and smiling. "What about now?"

"Fine." he said, giving up.

Olivia and Dylan were at Dylan's dorm, watching the basketball game, as "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye played in the background. The game was Bobcats vs. Knicks.

"Come on, let's go Bobcats!" Olivia said, getting all excited.

"No girl, Knicks are going to destroy." Dylan said.

"Oh really? I can bet Walker will be outplaying Felton."

"That's the only advantage they have. Knicks win in all the other categories."

"Wanna bet?"

"How much?"

Olivia thinks about it for a little bit. "Twenty dollars."

"Fine, you're on." Dylan said, shaking her hand.

Ike sat in his dorm, holding a wallet. He opened it, and Trent's ID was in it. Ike smiled, and went through how much money was in it, an easy $1,000, plus some gift cards. Ike put his hands up in victory, and took the money out, putting it in his back pocket.

Sean, Kira, and Harold sat in their dorm, and turned on the TV. An emergency broadcast was being sent through all the stations. The three looked at the TV, shocked.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Kira.

Harold and Sean looked to each other and back at the TV. They were showing New York City, how everyone was in a hurry, running away. A news reporter looked at the havoc before joining the crowd, and shortly after, so does the camera man.

"Damn, we should've turned it on sooner." Sean said.

"Why were all those people running?" asked Harold.

"Terrorist attack?" Sean asked.

"I-I don't know, all I know is whatever they were running away from... it's huge." Kira said, still watching the cameraman running.

Kelly and Jake were playing checkers to pass the time, they had an hour to waste until the next class started. Jake looked across the room and saw a beautiful painting of the Eifel Tower. He got up, and Kelly watched as he walked to it. She smiled.

"Did you draw this?" Jake asked, looking at Kelly and pointing to the painting.

"Yeah, I did." Kelly said, who looked over-joyed that someone was recognizing her work.

"This is amazing. I used to live in France, so I've seen this a lot, and this is spot-on." Jake said, looking at it,

"You're making me blush." she said, happily.

"I wonder how much this would cost. If I was an art vender, I'd buy it."

"You're such a charm, you know that?"

Jake turned around, smiling, "I've been told."

"Art is much better than fucking math! You come here after class, I'll give you some lessons."

"I'll definitely consider it." Jake said, his attention back on the painting.

Amanda was sitting in her dorm, reading "Speak" still. The door opened, and she looked up, seeing Haley walk in. She looked back down, going back to her book. Haley sat down next to her, and Amanda looked at her, putting down the book.

"Yes?" Amanda asked.

"I'm not here to beg you to talk to me, but I'm here just to say, if you ever need someone to talk to, or something, I'm here." Haley said.

"I'm fine." Amanda protested.

"I know, I'm just saying if you need me, I'm here."

"Thanks, I guess." Amanda said, picking up her book again.

Haley rubbed Amanda's head, and got back up, going over to the kitchen.

Jeremy, Trent, and Isiss walked outside of the hospital, Trent still holding his hip. After being questioned by the police about who stabbed Trent, they were released from the hospital.

"Are you okay?" asked Jeremy.

"I'm fine." Trent said.

"Really? Last time you said that you passed out." Isiss reminded him.

"Well, I'm fine... this time I know it." Trent says as he feels his back pants pocket to grab his wallet, but it was missing. "Fuck, where's my wallet?"

"Did you drop it in there?" asked Isiss.

"No, I don't think so."

They start hearing screams coming from the hospital. The three turn quickly, and see a swarm of people starting to flood out of the hospital. It was like a bunch of single mom's on Black Friday.

"What the fuck?" asked Trent, as they watched the people run towards them, and away from something else.

Credits

 * Kelly Gay
 * Olivia Bell
 * Jake Munoz
 * Dylan Adams
 * Kira Fulton
 * Sean Solo
 * Harold Morgan
 * Tyler Blake
 * Paul Alexander
 * Ike Dennis
 * Jeremy Flynn
 * Trent Jones
 * Isiss Rivera
 * Violet Middleton
 * Owen Horne
 * Haley Dixon
 * Amanda Dixon

Deaths

 * None