#self:bradin

The night was supposed to be special, they were celebrating and letting their little blue bird out of the nest.  Letting him fly away to make his own story.  Of course it was hard for her, a mix of pride and joy watching her little boy that was far from little now walk across a stage to collect his diploma.  It was like watching him get up using the coffee table trying to take his first couple of steps again.  Her little flower child was growing up and her heart couple burst when he confronted his parents, wanting to follow in their foot steps and go out to the world with his high school sweet heart on his arm.  She was only able to have one baby, though she wished she could have have had her own little pack, a house full of children and love, flowers and love, power to the people, she had her Bradin.  Bradin was her little Blue Bird and meant the world to the young couple who broke away from the norms of their parents.  Running away at a young age but keeping a little home of pure love and peace.  To them, they had everything.

Junie washes the dishes of Bradin’s favorite dinner after sending him off with some essentials he may have needed for his road until they met again.  There weren’t enough kisses in the world she could have given him before he insisted he couldn’t be late and making his way on his father’s bike.  “June Bug?”  Ralph called out behind her, trying to keep a stoic expression though his pale green eyes reddened as he tried to hold back the sting behind his eyes for his wife’s sake.  “T-These gentleman says we have to get goin’ with them...  Th-they say somethin’ happened to Bluey..”  

Somethin’ happened to Bluey.  The shake in Ralphie’s voice echoed in June’s head, making the rest a blur.  Only so many thoughts rushed to the small strawberry blond’s head; He was hit by a car.  He had an accident.  Mugged?  That was plausible, even.  But nothing could prepare her for where they took her.  She was sure they would be taking her to the hospital where she could curse her little blue bird, she told him that bike wasn’t meant for him.  He needed more time to practice, stay in his nest where it was safe. 

The flashing red and blue lights were almost as blinding as the flashing photograph lights from the forensics team.  She didn’t understand what was happening or why they were brought to this old place.  The yellow police tape surely had to be too much!  she couldn’t even hear the detective’s warning of what they were about to see and ignored Ralph’s attempts at going in for her and leaving her in the car.

Instead, she stepped into the now industrial lite room, candles freshly blew out and a mess of rose petals scattered around from people coming in and out.  It took her a second to notice the smear of blood on the ground and walls and another to process what she was looking at.  Blood bursts on the walls from someone being shot... Bradin, being shot.  Smears on the ground, June focused on where Bradin left a clear imprint of his blood soaked hand.  He struggled.  The image of him dragging his body, trying to keep himself from bleeding out, trying to get help?  Trying to survive...  June quickly gasped for breath as she realized she had been holding her breath since she entered.  It hadn’t occurred to her that they had wheeled a table in covered with a large black bag.  Not until she felt Ralph grip her tightly into an embrace.  “Mr. Mrs. Woodz, I know this is hard but we need this body to be identified.”  The officer looked at the couple.

It was clear they were both in their own worlds, trying to take everything in.  The detective carefully unzipped the bag to reveal Bradin inside.  Blood splattered on his neck and chin, though despite the purpling lips he looked like he was simply sleeping.  The sight made the woman gasp for a sudden need of air, it was like having someone hit her with a dumbbell right in the gut.  “Ralphie!”  She clutched on tightly to her slowly graying husband.  Her slow flowing tears now flooded freely, “They have our baby, tell them to get him out of there!”  She cried, gasping for another rush of breath before moving to try and remove Bradin’s body from the bag.  “He wont be able to breath!  Get him out of there!”  She insisted in protest of behind pulled away and her arms being crossed over her chest tightly.  “Ralphie, our baby!  Get our baby!”

Ralph held his June Bug tightly, his attempt at a stone face failing completely.  Hot tears fell from his cheeks as he tried to nuzzle Junie’s strawberry hair.  “He’s gone, Junie.  Bluey is gone.”  He cried into her shoulder.  The couple stood there in a tight embrace as they cried together, June occasionally screaming out in a mother’s pain.  Even in his attempt to be strong for the woman he would gladly die for,Ralph found himself crying out until his chest vibrated with the pain of not having enough breath in his lungs until the detective finally escorted them home.

Even months after the fact, they found themselves in the same position huddled together on the couch crying for their loss.  Nights June would find Ralph curled up in bed crying as he cradled Bradin’s old baby’s blanket.  There was no way to explain the loss of a child.  The wrong in the world when parents had to say goodbye and come to terms with the future of a young 18 year old’s lost for no good reason.