Writing Challenge Story

Writing Challenge: A character will read someone's diary. A character will be lonely.

As I sat reading my twin brother's journal for hours, I couldn't fathom any of it. I didn't understand what had happened. Everything felt so surreal. My twin brother, was gone. I didn't want to believe that. I wanted to believe that my brother was going to walk into our dorm room laughing and telling me the whole thing was one big joke. Yet, I knew that wasn't going to happen. This was real, and this was permanent.

Dylan was gone. My twin brother. My roommate. My best friend for the past twenty years was gone forever. Dylan was never coming back. I looked around our dorm room. It had been a week and everything was as it had been left that morning. No one had known what was going to happen. Neither of us knew he wouldn't be back.

His history book was still open on his bed where he had been reading it that morning before he had left. His laptop was still sitting on his desk, ready for him to use, though he never would again. I had left everything untouched. I hadn't been able to move anything yet.

I remembered that morning and day as if it were yesterday. Had I known it was the last time I'd seen Dylan alive, I would have savored it. Yet, I had no idea. I was grumpy and annoyed that morning. Now, I regret it. Yet, I regret it vividly.

“Shane. Shaney.” I heard my brother's voice saying. I also felt my whole bed shaking as he jumped on my bed. I knew it was my twin without even opening my eyes. I groaned. It was so early, why was he waking me up. He had early classes, but my first class wasn't until noon.

“What?” I groaned, sitting up and looking at him.

“Do you have your history notes? I'm missing a page in mine and I have an exam tomorrow.” Dylan asked me.

“You woke me up to ask me THAT!” I snapped, glaring at him.

“I'm sorry Shane.I just didn't want to go through your stuff without asking.” Dylan said, gently. He kissed my cheek. Dylan always knew how to make me feel guilty for snapping at him.

“It's okay, Dyl. Hold on, I'll get my notebook for you.” I stated. I got out of bed, stumbling a bit as I woke up some.

“What time did you get to bed last night, Shaney?” Dylan asked, concern evident in his voice.

“Um, 3am. Dyl, please don't worry about me. I can see it in your face that you are,” I said, sighing. I handed him my notebook and sat back down on the bed next to him. I hated when he worried about me, though I knew he meant well.

“Shane, you don't sleep enough. You need to get more sleep. I'm sorry I'm worrying so much, but you're my twin. I'd be lost without you.” Dylan told me. He pulled me into a hug, stroking my hair, gently. I smiled at him and went over to my bed and back to sleep.

I had no idea that those were the last words that would ever be uttered to me by my twin brother. I had no idea the terror and shock that would be felt the rest of the day. To me it was going to be just another day. I planned to go to my classes and meet Dylan for dinner as I did every other day. In two hours my whole life had changed.

“Shane open up! Shane!” I heard someone yelling and banging on my door. I recognized the voice to be that of my best friend, Claude, who lived across the hall. I jumped out of bed and ran to open the door. I smiled, I hadn't seen Claude in a few days. I had been busy with midterms and he had been with his boyfriend. Yet, as soon as I looked at Claude, my smile faded. The look on his face and the fact that he had blood all over his clothes, changed my opinion.

“Claude, what's wrong? Are you okay?” I asked, grabbing my friend into a hug, after locking the door behind him. There was this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that would not go away. I sighed, there was something wrong.

I looked at the clock. It was 11am. Dylan should have been home over an hour ago. He was supposed to wake her up at 10:30am. The sinking feeling in her stomach got stronger.

“Shane....there was, there is a shooting. My roommate came back, she was shot. I tried to save her. She's gone.” Claude mumbled, collapsing into my arms. I just held him, rubbing his back and trying to soothe him.

I turned on the tv. I had this feeling in my gut that something was wrong. Dylan wasn't home and I needed to know where this shooting was taking place. The news anchor said the shooting was near the science building. My heart fell into my chest. Dylan was in that building. He should have been leaving as the shooting took place. That's when I knew it was over. That is when I broke down into tears.

My brother. My best friend. My whole life, had been in that building. He was gone. I knew it. I could sense it. Dylan and I always had this special connection. Now, it was gone. I dialed Dylan's number, and got no answer just as I suspected. Actually, his phone was off. That never happened. In a few short hours my whole life had changed without my conscious knowledge.

I looked down at the journal in my hand. It was the last link I had to my brother. I missed him. I felt so alone and lost without him. It had been a week and I couldn't imagine how I would feel complete ever again. He was my twin. I was contemplating this, when there was a knock at my door and a moment later I looked up to see Claude.

“Shane, what are you doing?” He asked, quietly. He had been my biggest support in the past week. He had been there for me through it all and I was forever grateful. I would never be able to repay him.

“I was just reading Dylan's diary and remembering everything. It actually feels good. Though, I miss him, and I feel a bit alone.” I replied. I rested my head on Claude's shoulder.

“Well, it will be okay. I'll help you through this. You'll never be alone, you'll always have me and all your friends.” Claude stated.

I knew in that moment that he was right. I wouldn't be alone. I smiled at him, and hugged his waist, closing Dylan's journal. We were survivors. We had been through a tragedy, but we were going to survive.