April 10, 2013
He didn't know what to feel – or how he felt. It was all a mess, his mind, his emotions it was all just in utter disarray. And he couldn't even focus enough to bring himself to calmness. His entire being was just a mess as fine tremors ran through him and tears spilled from slate eyes. Finally, his knees gave way and the blond sank rather ungracefully to the ground.
The day had started out nice, normal even. Alexandre had been going to meet his mother for lunch out at some new place she’d found with her friends, try out their fresh pasta she’d been raving about since finding the place. He’d told Lily and Johnathan of his plans and after handling Cadha had left to go and meet his mother. Parked half a block away from the tall building his mother worked high up in, the firm had offices on the 40th and 41st floors of the glass and steel building, Alexandre had walked from the parking garage to the front doors of the building and into the lobby to wait. Greeting the one at the front desk, someone who had seen him several times in his young life and knew his mother well, Alexandre had situated himself in a chair with a new copy of Vogue magazine while waiting for his mother. No doubt she wouldn't be quite on time, some paperwork, filing, or just crowded elevators being what would keep her tied up a bit. But she would be down and he knew it.
He’d been right even when she’d been almost ten minutes later. She’d greeted him with a hug, as soon as he’d noticed her standing right in front of him. The magazine closed and set back on the table next to his seat he’d offered his arm and accepted her apology and excuse, she’d been caught up with a new secretary who was just learning the ropes, and the elevator had been full so she’d needed to wait for a different one. It was all stuff he’d expected and it didn't bother him, something he assured his mother of.
It was when they’d been leaving the building that it happened – his day shattered into a million little pieces and dust. Aloud sound had pierced the air and as people ducked and screamed he felt the full weight of his mother fall into him, dead weight, and it was with wide and terrified eyes that he’d turned and saw his mother with wide eyes and mouth gaping open in shock, or some silent sound, as blood blossomed in the middle of the cream colored silk shirt she’d worn today. Someone had…shot her.
Her weight was held by him as he shook and watched in shock. People slowly got to their feet while looking around, much like timid animals, and finally people seemed to realize what had happened as cell phones came out. But Alexandre wasn't even noticing those things, they all escaped him, his mind and sight fully focused on his mother even as his knees gave out and he sank to the ground shaking as he held her tightly to himself.
His voice had been dead till now as he finally found it.
“Mom…mom! Please…say something.” She wasn't unconscious; she was just staring though and blinking at him. Watching blood stain her shirt, as he took an account of her fallen form, he finally pressed a hand to the wound while his voice trembled as he spoke. “Mom…please. I need to hear you.” The panic and desperation in his voice palatable as he felt tears fall from his chin and watched them land, moments later, on his mothers face. Finally it seemed she had gathered the strength to talk, and even move, as one shaking hand reached up toward his face. Clutching her hand, desperate for contact and reassurances, he pressed his cheek into her hand as he held tight to it.
“Are you alright…Tink?” It was her attempt to calm and comfort him, using that age old nickname of his. And he felt, more than heard, himself choke on a sob.
“Yeah…” Nodding his head he nuzzled her hand as someone came over, bending low to talk into his ear, and tell him an ambulance was on the way and the cops. All he could do was nod his head even as his mother, always so strong, managed to thank the man. Maybe it was shock which had kept her silent till just a moment ago, he hoped that’s all it had been and that she’d be alright.
As his mother fell silent Alexandre bent low over her, as if to protect her from some unseen enemy – and that’s just what it was really. Some people came, approached, and said things but he didn't hear them. Too caught up in his own turmoil and his thoughts which shifted this way and that, to this and to that, like an ocean whipped into a frenzy by some storm. Why his mother? Who had done it? Couldn't he leave her and find them? Where was the power he had? Not here, it couldn't do anything! When was that ambulance coming?! Was his mother unconscious or just quite again? What was that lady saying to him? He could feel her breath against his ear, it was really uncomfortable, and on and on his thoughts and questions went. It seemed forever before the sounds of sirens gained his attention. They were here…why hadn't he heard them getting closer before now?
Lifting his head, his hair somehow and at some point, had come out of it’s holder and fell about his face in a mess of ash blond. Staring at the paramedics as they showed up he half heard them asking him to let her go and remove his hand from the wound but it was all in slow motion that they spoke and they sounded under water to him. But he did obey, though slowly, and suddenly things sped up and they were moving his mother and getting her onto a board and checking her vitals. He heard numbers he didn't understand if they were good or bad but he tried to remember the numbers only to have them slip away from his grasp.
The cops were there then, when had they run up to him, and he noted some in the background with other people. It seemed like a lot of cops, at least in his mind at the moment, and one of the two at his side was helping him up – or trying to. The other one was talking but he didn't hear a word which was being said, too focused was he on his mother and the medics working on her. Alexandre didn't even notice the tears had stopped or that his breathing was fast and that he still shook badly. His knees went to buckle again but he didn't hit the ground, one of the two cops preventing it, the one who held him helped him past people in the plaza and toward a squad car where he was forced to sit down – not like he was in any shape to fight it.
Seated and shaking he finally was able to mumble out that he wasn't hurt and that he needed to go with his mother, he needed to be with her. He couldn't stay here and could one of them get him to his mother, as he saw in the distance her being hurried on a stretcher toward the awaiting ambulance. He didn't hear the answer but he saw the head shaking and words being mouthed to him. He went to fight it, verbally, as he tried to get up. His legs again giving up and again he was caught, this time before he could face plant.
“Mother!” Like a desperate, needy, and scared child as he reached out toward her as if it would do some sort of good and help him achieve what he needed right now.
The cops’ voice penetrated the desperation and scattered emotions. Soothing and deep…and right in his ear. “We’ll take you to the hospital. We need to question you once we get there, if you’re up for it.”
Nodding his head than shaking it with a mumbled answer of not being ready but going – now. Alexandre was alright when tucked into the back of the squad car and driven off, once the two cops were in the car as well. The drive to the hospital was silent, at least for himself, the cops were talking but Alexandre only caught snippets of what was said. Most of it seemed like comments and things said to try and calm him but it really didn't work, at least he didn't notice his breathing slowing down. He wasn't letting certain things enter his mind, things which soon would infest his mind like a plaque and fill him with nervous – frantic – energy to get things done and ultimately leave him a nervous wreck that would have the nurses either pitying him or wanting to sedate him.
Word count: 1,516
