By 19th Waver SuYeon Lee

"It's like umm about 7 or 8 years after the book ends. A future story."  - SuYeon Lee

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Holden trudged the last two miles home. He saw the stars sparkling in the pitch dark alley. They were the only things that were shining. He didn’t look at the sky, though. He didn’t feel like it. He didn’t feel like looking at the stars either but he had to because the puddles reflected them. He sighed when he approached the front door. The door creaked as Holden slightly pushed it open. The living room was dim with one of the light bulbs dangling from the soggy ceiling. The stinging scent of sweat prickled his nose. He hesitantly stepped in a few feet and peeked into the bedroom. “Watcha doin’ there.” Holden hurriedly turned back to see who the voice came from. “Who da heck are ya?” The voice said. A short, plump man was standing in front of the fridge. He had no clothes on. He had some scars on his face and a tattoo on his arm that said ‘PEACE’. Holden sighed. “Holden? Is that you?” said another voice. Holden turned back again and saw Mrs. Caulfield rubbing her eyes. She stumbled out of the bed slipping on her night gown. “Did ya just sigh at me ya sunuvabitch?” The man hollered at Holden. He stomped towards Holden and 5punched him in the stomach. Holden groaned and collapsed on the floor. “Dave! Please. Don’t..” Mrs. Caulfield ran to the man and grabbed his arm. She squeezed his hand. “Show some respect, jeez.” The man dragged Mrs. Caulfield to the bedroom and slammed the door. Holden, lying on the cold, damp floor, glared at the door. He stayed there for a while, waiting for his stomach to feel better.

A door creaked open behind him. Phoebe poked her head out. “You feeling alright?” she asked, hopelessly. “Sort of.” Holden didn’t look back to Phoebe. He got up on his knees and crawled towards the couch. It sort of collapsed when he sat on it. He didn’t really care. The sound of slapping and moaning came from the bedroom. Phoebe rolled her eyes and said, “Is that Rick?’. Holden said, “No. She’s got a new guy again. Someone called Dave or somethin. Ever since dad…” He tapped his fingers on the couch with his other hand around his stomach. It still hurt a lot. “That goddam bastard.” Holden murmured. “Where’ve ya been? It’s half past two already.” Phoebe said, pushing her bedroom door wide open. “I got the chop, so I had a drink widda guy I met at the pub.” “Wudda ya planning to do now? Work in a shoe factory?” “Maybe. Maybe not. And stop talkin like that.” Holden glanced at the floor with his eyes half open. Then his eyes got enormous when he discovered a piece of used-up rubber. “What tha hell in that on the floor?” He asked, trembling. “Oh, that? I forgot to pick it up.” Phoebe said, stepping out of her room and picking the rubber up. She skipped past the couch that Holden was sitting on and put it in the bin. She turned back at Holden and saw him shaking. “Is that…mom’s?” Holden asked again, trembling even more. “Nah. That’s mine” Phoebe said. Holden stopped tapping his fingers. He couldn’t stand it anymore. He felt a sudden rage surge from inside. Inhaling deeply, Holden barely got up on his feet and dragged them towards the front door. He stood there, running his fingers on the doorknob. “Whereya goin?” Phoebe hollered from the living room. “The rye field.” Holden murmured. He turned the doorknob and shoved the door open. A gust of freezing wind penetrated Holden’s aching stomach. He stepped out and felt the wind slapping his face. He pulled off his red hunting hat and stared at it for a while. Then he threw it away saying, “Nothing to protect anymore. F@@@ that shit.” The hat landed on the cold asphalt road. Light came from the end of the road. It became brighter as it came closer. Holden suddenly leapt to the ground. The light crashed into him. It faded away as Holden lied there on the cold, hard ground. He felt dizzy like he was dreaming. He stretched his hand for the hat. He grasped it with all his might. Then he started to feel dizzy again and lost grip of it. He lied there, his eyes open, seeming to look at the red hunting hat.