The Last Breath Of Reggie Warrington

Chapter 8: What Happened Next...

A cold wind swept the fallen autumn leaves across my path as I walked down the dark alleyway towards my home. I'd been at a party, and although there was no music, I could still hear the heavy beats pounding in my brain. That's when I heard it. An almighty scream tore through the neighbourhood. In the darkness, lights from inside rows of tiny terraced houses flicked on. It was as if someone had turned on one light and accidentally illuminated the whole street.

The scream, gut-wrenching and loud enough to shatter a million glasses. Like a bullet, it pierced my soul and I know, whatever it was. I needed to get out of there and fast, but before I began to run, I glanced over my shoulder. Blue flashing lights glowed from further down the alleyway. My heart slammed into my chest, so aggressively I felt I was going to pass out. Flight or fight and I knew which one I needed to do.

I took a deep breath as my footsteps began to pound against the soft muddy ground. I ran faster than I'd ever run before. Home felt like miles away, but I knew it was only on the next street.

A streetlight flickered outside my house as home finally came into sight. I pushed open the unlocked door and entered the warm house. In the darkness I caught a glimpse of Derek, fast asleep on the settee. I could smell the stench of his whiskey.

I showered quickly and changed for bed, but as I climbed into the covers, my phone began to ring. I picked it up and glanced at the flashing screen. It was my friend Libby.

"It's 3 am Lib!" I said as I answered.

"He's dead! He's dead, he's dead. Reggie is dead!"

"Chloe... Chloe darling, its mum."

My mother's voice snapped me out of a hideous dream. I pushed myself into a sitting position. My room was so dark I could hardly see my mother sitting at the end of my bed.
"Mum? What time is it?"

"It's four in the morning." She said, her voice quivered and I knew something was wrong.

"What's happened?" I spoke, "is it, Derek?"

Mum shook her head, "no darling it's not Derek, he's in hospital. But he's doing well." She placed her hand on top of mine. The coldness of her skin caused me to recoil. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong and it made me feel sick to my stomach, "I've just had Lois on the phone, Indira's mum. She said there's been an incident at the party." She paused and sniffed back tears, "it's Reggie Warrington, I'm afraid he's died.''

Everyone else I knew who had been given news like that, showed some sort of emotion. Crying. Weeping. Wailing. Screaming. But no. I saw this coming and not a shred of emotion did I show. I'd cried enough that night over Reggie when he was alive. Why should I give him the satisfaction of crying now he was dead? I thought about what could have happened. If I hadn't have pushed him away from me it could have been Lois phoning Reggie's mum to tell them that I was dead. That he had killed me. No one deserved to die, but it was self-defence. Him or me. The police would understand, right?

Mum sniffed back tears. She'd know Reg as long as I had, but she didn't know everything. She didn't know how evil he was or how he spoke about her.
"Are you ok?" I asked. It may have sounded stupid, but it was the only thing I could think to say.

She shook her head, "poor boy. Such a shame. His poor, poor mother. She's beside herself. He was her son, her baby, her world." She pulled me into a tight embrace and I could feel her tears seeping through the cotton of my top, "I don't know what I'd do if it was you or any of your siblings. You're everything to me."

"Mum?" I pulled away from the hug. Mum wiped the tears away from her eyes and sat up, waiting for me to talk.

"What happened, Chloe? You were at that party. Tell me what happened."

I took a deep breath. How could I possibly tell my mother that I was responsible for what happened that night? It was me. Chloe. I'd killed him.

"It was me."

Mum looked at me with eyebrows knotted. Her hand moved away from mine
"What do you mean it was you? What happened, Chloe?"

I felt my bottom lip begin to quiver and soon the tears started to flow, not because of what happened to Reg, but the fact I didn't think my mum, let alone my elderly grandma, would ever be able to forgive me.

"It was an accident. I didn't mean to do it. Mum, you've got to believe me." I sobbed into the soft heart shaped cushion with BFF on it, Libby brought me for my last birthday. "He was horrible to me. He wanted me to show him the girl who fancied Ethan. He wasn't like the Reggie who used to play Barbies with me. He grabbed my hair and tried to drag me back in the house. He was pulling my hair out. It was everywhere. All over the front garden. He wouldn't let go, Mum... he wouldn't let go!"

I cried and cried. Mum sat there and quietly waited for me to tell her what happened next.
"I know you, darling, I know what you mean to do and what you didn't. Come on, sweetheart, you can tell me anything. You know that. Tell me, what happened next?"

I took a deep breath. 'She'll believe it wasn't my fault. It wasn't my fault...'

"I pushed him... I pushed him and he fell backwards. He hit his head on the rockery and... and... I thought he was alive and that he would come back and try and kill me or rape me or something. I was frightened for my life. I didn't mean to run away. I just didn't know what to do. I just wanted to come home." The words I spoke turned into a jumbled mess of gobbledygook spouting from my mouth quicker than water from a water fountain. "He's dead... he's dead and it's all my fault."

Mum pulled me into another hug and I cried and cried on her shoulder. I felt like I was a little girl who had lost the only friend I'd ever had. Which was true. Reggie and I used to be best friends, like a proper team. We always had each other's backs, or so I thought, but thinking back to how things used to be, before Ethan came along, made the hate inside me, grow.

It wasn't my fault Reggie was dead. It was Ethan's. Stupid. Stupid Ethan. If he'd stayed where he used to live than none of that night would have ever happened. I'd still have my friend and he wouldn't be laying on his own on a cold mortuary slab. The thought of him laying there made me feel sick.

I pulled away from Mum and I found my eyes being drawn to the photograph of my friends and me at my last birthday party. My 16th. I remembered what Reggie did for it. He titled himself official party planner and spent hours making sure my party was something no one would ever, ever forget. My mother still had nightmares about the male strippers, as in more than one, he booked for me. But the memories I once laughed at, now brought only tears.

Mum pulled the duvet towards me and tucked me up in my double bed. She walked across to my wardrobe and, after rummaging around for a minute, for Stephen. No! I don't keep an ex-boyfriend in my wardrobe. Sensitive Stephen was my teddy bear. Soft and lovely. Always there when I needed him. I couldn't phone or text him, but he was the best teddy bear in the world. Why boys weren't like that was something I would never understand.

I didn't want to be alone that night so mum went into her room and got her duvet. That night she slept on my small settee. She slept much better than me. I hadn't slept so badly in months. Saying I tossed and turned would be over exaggerating. I didn't. I just lay there, staring into space, wondering what horrors tomorrow would bring. I thought about Reggie. I thought about Ethan. I thought about why I'd done. Nothing made sense anymore, but one thing I knew for certain. I wish I'd never been born!

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Authors note.
Now you know me, I don't like putting notes in my stories unless completely necessary and I feel this one is. I'd like to say thank you to my wonderful new friend downrightdelinquents for the lovely comments posted on this story. I'm so pleased you liked it. Hope you like this one as well.

Next chapter coming soon!