• Dimitri

    As Dimitri lay there with blood covered teeth, he looked up at the sunless sky and the tops of dead trees; he couldn't move, he could hardly think. If death was another path, why has he already taken it. Life is like the beginning of death, and death is just an end to what was death. Given that he was only a man of 33, he felt it better to die sooner than later. The gun that held his finger prints lay beside him; he coughed. It was too late to rethink, too late to think of it, it was all too sudden. "I should have aimed for the head," he thought, "maybe I wouldn't be thinking about this now." He felt a hand upon his own, he looked down, there sat Dimitri's 9 year old son.
    “Can you read me my bedtime story now, Daddy?” Dimitri’s son spoke in a sad tone.
    Dimitri gave a look of awe. “Your life is a bedtime story, son.” And with his last breath of air, Dimitri whispered, “Don't be like me.”

    Helena

    “Why must Dimitri be so stubborn?” Helena thought to herself. Sure, she still loves him dearly, but he seems to be oblivious to her, it’s almost like their love slowly fades from marriage “till death do they part.” She was driving in her car, she had just left Jon’s house. “If I left for Jon, would the same thing happen between us that happened between Dimitri and I?” Questions as such ran through Helena’s mind like bullet after bullet after bullet. “And what would become of poor Kevin?” Helena widened her eyes. “He’s not entirely stable, he wouldn’t be able to handle a split up between me and Dimitri. Dimitri was indeed a good father, though, Kevin is well behaved. Dimitri could always take full responsibility for Kevin.” She had left Kevin with Dimitri before “picking up some eggs”…a long time for just getting eggs. Dimitri never talks anymore, it seems like there’s always something wrong, but he never mentions it. Helena returned home, she stepped out of the car to feel the cold winter air. The house seemed dead. After reaching the kitchen, she dropped the eggs she actually had to buy with a smash on the floor to see Dimitri now a bloody body in the back yard, holding young Kevin’s hand.

    Kevin

    “Kevin, just go back to sleep, sweetie.” Kevin’s mom, Helena said to him as he arose from his room late at night. A man was pulling Helena into the bedroom.
    “Where’s Daddy?” Kevin asked in a yawn.
    “Oh, Hun, he got caught up at the office…no stop it.” She whispered that last part to the man behind her pulling her into the room.
    “When will he be home, he promised to read me a bedtime story.”
    “Oh, I’m sorry, he’ll read you one tomorrow night, the boss just wouldn’t let him leave.” Helena turned to the man, shutting the door behind her and giggling. Kevin lowered his head and went back into his room. He shut the door, the Buzz Light-year nightlight laminated the room. Kevin tripped over his train set as he climbed back up into the top bunk.
    He picked up Walter, Kevin’s teddy bear, and asked it, “Will you read me a bedtime story?” Walter stared blankly back at Kevin. “Ok, Walter, we can wait for Daddy.” Kevin snuggled himself under the covers, hugging Walter tightly. He fell asleep.
    “Mommy, where are you going?” Kevin questioned as his mother was putting on her coat at the dining room table.
    “I’ve gotta get some eggs, I’ll be back soon.” Helena assured then left the house. Kevin returned to his room, head down low. He still wanted his dad to read him a story, but it wasn’t dark yet, so Kevin waited, playing with his train set. He had seen his dad drinking in the kitchen and fiddling around in all the drawers of his desk in his office. Kevin set up cars on the railroad tracks and made the train crash into them. The usual child play of a 3 year old. It was going to get dark soon. Kevin still wanted his dad to read a story. Kevin left his room. “Daddy?” He called out, already in his pj’s. A loud bang was heard out back. Kevin walked outside in his bare feet. “Yeah, Daddy’s acting out the story again tonight.” Kevin thought to himself in excitement. Kevin rushed over to his dad lying on the ground. His excitement turned to sadness when he saw that his dad wasn’t happy. Kevin sat down next to his dad and touched his hand. His father immediately grabbed it. “Can you read me my bedtime story now, Daddy?” Kevin asked, hoping for the best.
    Dimitri gave a look of awe. “Your life is a bedtime story, son.” And with his last breath of air, Dimitri whispered, “Don't be like me.” Kevin then realized that his farther was dying.
    “Daddy?” Kevin whimpered. With a tear rolling down his cheek, he looked up to the house to see his mother drop the eggs on the floor.

    Jon

    “Is Dimitri gonna be at work today?” Jon asked Helena as she put her shirt back on.
    “No. He took off to spend time with Kevin, because he couldn’t be home last night to read him bedtime story.” Helena responded, now standing up off the bed, pulling her pants up.
    “He still listens to bedtime stories?” Jon asked, almost laughing.
    “His mind develops slow,” Helena responded slightly irritated. “he’s nine but he has the mentality of a three-year-old.”
    “Oh…” Jon trailed off. “I’m sorry.”
    “It’s fine.” Helena grabbed her car keys. “I still gotta go get the eggs” She chuckled.
    Jon got dressed for work, it was almost 3:30, he has to be at work by 4. Jon works with Dimitri at the attorney’s office--a boring job, but it puts food on the table. Jon had suspected Dimitri was rather unhappy. Dimitri rarely shaves, and he doesn’t even notice it. The “boss” always gets on Dimitri’s case about his appearance, because he always comes to work ragged and untidy. If somebody messes up, it always happens to be Dimitri’s fault, the stress is obviously driving him to death. Dimitri was a good guy, he always made the sarcastic jokes that made Jon laugh. Jon felt bad after hearing about Kevin. He didn’t know. If he knew that about their son, he wouldn’t have asked Dimitri to cover for him last night at the office. About a half hour after arriving at work, he got a phone call from Helena. With a sobbing voice Helena cried into the phone, “Jon, thank God you answered!”
    Jon, in shock, questioned, “What happened, Helena?”
    Helena cried for a few more seconds then answered, “Dimitri shot himself!”