Chapter 4 - 1.

ℍ𝕠𝕨 𝕀𝕥 𝔼𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕕

In the blackest of nights and the warmest summers, the wind howled, and the forests swayed from side to side. Speeding fast on the freeway with a made up mind, no more mixed sentiments, no more feelings of desolation and nothing, but nothing. Hands on the wheels, feet on the brakes, she let out all the rage of cocaine, heroin and the rest of the drugs overdosed on. Ramming the car into a tree, her head and chest hit violently against the wheel, the only thing heard was her faint breathing and the sound of an ambulance blaring from a distance. She drowned into nothingness and death embraced her.

"A twenty-year-old, named as Kendra Sylvester has been confirmed dead." The journalist said as she pointed to the accident scene.

"As the cops had stated, there's no logical evidence as to what has led to the accident but they're on the way to the hospital for a postmortem" The journalist's voice trailed off.

The Sylvester's family had received the call earlier about their daughter as they rushed out of the house to the morgue. Wails and screams erupted in the hospital as Mrs. Sylvester fell on the floor unconscious.

The next day, friends and family showed up in St. Agnes Cathedral.

"Psalm 23 says: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever,"

The preacher proceeded, "Thank you for being here today. I am certain that the family admits that you don't have to be here. Your presence now is an assertion of your affection and assistance for them. they will remember your presence here for the rest of their lives. Thank you once again,"

"Life is not all about wearing designers, living in a mansion, driving expensive cars, it is not all about the positive and the negative situation that has taken effect In our lives. It is a great grief we feel now that our daughter, relative and companion, Kendra Sylvester left us in this sinful race.

God is here, he is with us and he will forgive Kendra Sylvester of her sins."

"Amen." The congregation chorused.

"Hallelujah." The preacher spoke.

"Amen."

The chorister began, "Rock on a hill, far away stood an old rugged cross

The emblem of suffering and shame,

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best,

For a world of lost sinners was slain,

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross (rugged cross),

Till my trophies at last I lay down,

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

And exchange it some day for a crown,

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true,

It's shame and reproach gladly bear,

Then he'll call me some day to my home far away,

Where his glory forever I'll share,

And I'll cherish..."

The service ended and everyone returned to the deceased home.

***

With his head buried on his palms, tears rolled down his cheeks. What they'd call fun was an excerpt of ruins, what they'd thought was getting high was an embodiment of turning their brains to the worst and jeopardizing the future with the acts of the past.

If only he had known... had he known that this was how everything would turn out to be.

Adams warned his sister, he helped his sister not to fall into that line but he allowed somebody's daughter to walk down that same line.

The aisle that led to nothing but brokenness and there was remedy, it wasn't enough because the body and mind has been drastically impaired. There was nothing like control from the beginning, it was all addiction.

An addiction that started off pretty well and ended pretty bad.

It was easier for him to pull himself out of heroin, alcohol, maybe he needed it at some point because he was a heavy metal singer. It helped him in a way to curb his thoughts and whatever else that wanted to drive him crazy.

He had also secretly fixed himself up with therapy since Allison died and then he did the worst thing.

Adam left Australia to chase his dream, he accepted fame and he thought his life would be much more better. He left Kendra, he left her to deal with the hell he introduced her into, he left her to sort out herself, he left her shattered. Like a mirror broken and shattered into pieces was what he did for Kendra.

And then, she start to heal. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months of living in the mental institution just to get her former life back and gradually she did.

Kendra healed.

And then he showed up and every memories came rushing down like a waterfall. He thought that on seeing Kendra, he could amend things, he could atone for the sins of the past. Kendra forgave him but she never forgot about it.

They were two rivers that were never meant to meet but they did and crashed. The dirt that was not supposed to embrace the clean did, and it became polluted to the very bottom of the clean water, tainted it that it led to death.

Now, the wages of the actions was death, on Kendra's part and for Adam it was everything, his career; he wished he could die.

He prayed for it.

He took the needle injected himself, and overdosed.

Adams died: he bled out from his eyes, nose, ears and mouth with tears, dried on his face.