Tell Me How

I know what you’re thinking. And yes, that was the thing that begun Dally’s change. But it wasn’t the only thing that changed him. What happened to Carry was only the beginning. This is the part of where I start to blame myself. You see no one was there for Dally after that, not even me. But I wasn't like everyone else, not there for him just because I didn't want to be. It was because I didn't know how.

No one ever found John that day. The police searched the entire town and couldn't find him. Dally was pissed.

"That stupid coward, when I get my hand my hands on him, I swear he's going to regret everything he has ever done to me, Carry, and my mom.

We waited two hours in the hospital, before the doctors told us anything about Carry. Dally paced so much in the waiting room that the other people who were in there, left. We were alone. The silence was driving me crazy. I couldn't help but to cry when I thought about what poor Carry might have been going through. When the doctor finally did come see us, he told us that she was in a coma and didn't know when she was going to come out.

"Can we see her," Dally asked, anxiously.

"I'm afraid not," the doctor said. "We're still running some tests on her, to see what's causing the coma. I'm pretty sure it's trauma, but I want to be absolutely certain."

When the doctor left, Dally finally sat down. He put his hands in his face. I put my arm around him and placed my head on his shoulder.

"She's going to be fine, Dally," I said, not really sure if she was going to be fine myself.

"I just keep hearing her scream." Dally sounded like he was crying. "I should have known better than to send her to dad." He was blaming himself. Tears filled my eyes. I knew he was going to blame himself. He always did when something went wrong. But this time he won't get over it. I pulled Dally into my chest and stroked his head.

"Dally it is not your fault. You had no idea John would hurt her like that."

"I still should have know better than to send her down there. You know that man is capable of anything when he's drunk." I didn't know what else to say to reassure Dally, so I didn't say anything. Instead, I continued to stroke his head.

"Where is she?" Dally and I looked up to see his mom, standing in the doorway of the waiting room. Dally got up.

"She's taking some tests," he told her. He reached out to hug her but she pulled away from him with a look of digust on her face.

"What did you do to my baby girl?" Dally looked at his mom like she had just stabbed him. Tears filled his eyes.

"You think I did this," he asked. Mrs. Winston didn't reply. Dally looked pleadingly at her. "Please tell me you don't think I did this to Carry."

Mrs. Winston turned away from Dall and walked out of the door. Dally stood there in the middle of the waiting room crying, defeatedly. Anger rushed through me. How can she think something like that about him? He would never hurt Carry. I ran out of the waiting room after her. Mrs. Winston was a few steps away from the door, leaning against the wall and staring at the opposite one. She was crying silently, but I didn't care. She had no idea how much she just hurt Dally. I was about to let her know. I walked up to Mrs. Winston and stared her right in her face.

"How could you," I demanded. Mrs. Winston looked confused. "How dare you blame Dally for what your stupid ass husband did! You of all people should know that Dally would never hurt Carry! I hope you're happy, cause you just made a terrible mistake. And youre going to regret it!" Without letting her say anything else, I left her standing there to think about what I just said. I went back into the waiting room where Dally was sitting with his hands in his face, crying. I went over to him and put my arms around him.

"I can't believe she thinks I would do something like that," he said. "I would never hurt Carry like that. Never."

"I know Dally. I know," I said. "I don't think she means it Dally. She's just upset that's all. And you're the first person she saw."

I hardly believed myself, but once again I had to reassure Dally.

It was another three hours before we heard from the doctor again. Mrs. Winston had thrown a fit about seeing Carry, so the nurses called security on her and she left.

"She's still in the coma," the doctor said. "But she's finally breathing on her own, so we're hoping she will come out soon."

"Can we see her," Dally asked, hopefully.

"Yes," the doctor said. "She's down the hall in room 313." Dally practically ran down the hall. I had to jog just to keep up with him. When we got to the room, Dally hesitated before going in. I put my hand on his shoulder to let him know I was there and we both walked in together.

Rather than looking sick or hurt, Carry looked calm and peaceful, almost like she was asleep. We quietly approached her bed. Dally leaned down and put his face next to hers and whispered in her ear.

"Carry? Can you hear me?" There was no response from Carry, but Dally continued talking to her. "Carry I am so sorry. I never meant for you to get hurt. Please wake up! Please. I love you, Carry. "

Carry's face was now wet from Dally's tears. He kissed her face and stood up. I wrapped my arms around Dally and hugged him tight, but he didn't hug me back. I looked up at him and he looked angry. I moved back.

"Dally, what's wrong?" Dally quickly wiped his eyes and looked at me.

"I'm going to go find him." He said, angrily.

"Find who."

"The man that I use to call my dad," Dally said. I had forgotten all about John's disappearance.

"Dally, no. How about we go back to your house and try to get some sleep. We'll come back in the morning, when we've had some time to calm down," I suggested. Dally shook his head.

"I am not coming back here or going home until I find that monster, and kill him."

"Dally, please, don't say that. You know you don't mean that." Dally was starting to scare me. I knew that he meant exactly what he said. And given the opportunity, I knew he really would kill John.

"Don't tell me what I don't mean," Dally snapped. "You know as well as I do that he deserves nothing less than death. And I'm going to be the one to give it to him." Dally turned back to Carry.

"Dally, please just lets go home and try to get some rest." I reached out to touch his shoulder, but he snatched away from me.

"Just leave me alone, Allison," Dally said coldly. Tears filled my eyes. Dally was mad at me. He had never called me Allison before. Never. Without saying anything I left the room. Mrs. Winston was standing across the hall looking at me with surprise. I glared at her. This was all her fault.

"I hope you're happy," I said to her.

I walked home from the hospital. It was a long walk. When I got home, grandma was already asleep. I went to my room and stood in the middle of it and looked around. I felt empty, like I had just lost someone close to me. Little did I know, I had. I had lost a really good person and there was no turning back to find him.