LOUISA AND Will seat side by side at the tether, as they watched the ‘The Nutcracker’ ‘ Ballet. It was a spectacle, but twice, the girl realized that the principal dancer took a few trips, though she continued dancing beautifully. That however, bothered Louisa.
Once Ballet finished, the pair return to the Grant House, where Louisa, decided to tell Will what had bothered her in the theater. ”if that dancer was stumbling, why she did not stop dancing?” asked Louisa, then, Will smiled at her and said.
” There is no mistakes in the dance, Clark; it’s not like in real life. ” And added ” if you stumble, you continues to dancing and so on.”
Louisa Emma Clark, still couldn´t believe what had happened. Even after all the effort she had done to push Will out of suicidal thoughts, that man was determined to take his own life. In a way, Louisa could not blame him, after all, must be horrible to stay in his position, dependent on everything and everyone to live. On the other hand, William had so much to give and could not give up so easily.
Stubborn as she was then, Louisa decided to go back up to Traynor’s House, for one last attempt to make Will change his mind. She had no time to lose. The next day earlier by the morning, she took the first bus and goes to the Grant House, in hope to find Will there, so they could talk. Sure, Louisa did not expect a fairy tale, Will would not just say that he loved her and everything would be fine; on the contrary, Louisa was ready to scream and cry and swear, if it were necessary, as long as in the end, he decided not to kill himself.
Meanwhile in his room, Willian Jacob Traynor, found himself alone, sitting in his chair, as he studied his new plan. Technically, he had given up going to Dignities, but the desire to end his life, yet still dormant within him. In the end, he was determined to kill himself; but not the way he had planned before.
”I didn’t expect you to come” he said, upon seeing Louisa´s reflection on the window ”what are you doing here?”
”I think…” she started ”that we need to talk” she said ”Will, I came here in a last effort, a last effort to make you change your mind” Louisa was determinate
” you are indeed a very stubborn girl, Clark ” he sneered ” I cannot understand why you still want to stay in this hell of a city. You should use your stubbornness get out of here, before you see yourself working at the museum, cleaning the public toilets”
”Will, look at me” Louisa ignored his impolite comments ”I just want to talk” she said, but when Will Taynor turn his wheelchair at Louisa’s direction, making her freeze in her spot.
”where did you get this?” asked the shocked girl. It happened that Will was holding tight the handle of a pistol, ready to shoot it in any direction, including his own chest.
”the gun? It´s actually a pistol, 38 caliber, like those that were used in the army” Will explain ”I bought this is York, six years ago, in an antique shop … Works well; I already tried it a few times. I always leave it loaded in case of emergency”
”why do you want this gun, Will?” Louisa asked, half knowing the answer ”are you going to shot yourself…” she stated, then, taking a step backwards, she turned to the door ”i´m going to call someb…”
”stay right where you are, or are you shoot you” Will interrupted her
Louisa was trammeling with fear, her boss, the man she tough to love, was not saying any sense, he was mad and she was afraid he would do something irresponsible
”you need help, Will” was the only thing Louisa manage to say, when her voice comeback
”I need help?” The man furrowed his eyebrows ”what make you think I need help?” he growled ”you do not have to think about anything, because you do not have mind to think! You are finished; you wasted half of your life in this HELL!”
”g-give me the gun, Will” she breathed, trying to be strong. Will was pointing the gun to her
”give me the gun Will” he mocked her ”you are not in position to give me orders Clark, I have a gun in my hand and you have nothing, any creative thought” he shook his head
”please, Will, give me the gun” the girl asked again and in response Will moved his finger toward the trigger. Louisa went pale and starts to make a silent pray in her head.
Then, all of a sudden, taking by a courage she didn’t knew she possessed, Louisa threw herself on top of Will and held the gun, trying to take it from his hand.
Furious, the man in the wheelchair, fired a shot, but the bullet hit the nearest wall. Without giving up, Louisa tried to jerk Will´s arm out of the arm-resting from the chair. However, despite of his tetraplegia, Will had enough strength on hand, enough to hold the handle of the gun and prevent Louisa took off to him; even then, the courageous girl did not give up trying and such an effort, did both come crashing down on the floor. Will was on top of her.
”GET OUT OF HERE!” he shouted, now, pointing the gun on Louisa´s face
‘No” she cried. At this point, she already had tears coming out of her eyes
”Get the hell out of here, Clark!” the older man shouted again
”that wasn’t your fault you suffer that accident, just happened! Follow with your life Will”
”LIFE? WHAT LIFE? I DON’T HAVE A LIFE! I CANT MOVE, you understand? I´M STUCK IN HERE!”
”than pull the trigger and end with everything!” Louisa shouted back ”you are write, we are both stuck in here, we can´t leave this hell of city! So let’s end up with this, pull the trigger, you crippled son of a bitch!” with that, Will press the gun in Louisa´s head, but didn´t shot fire.
”you don’t want to die, Clark” he said, calmly
”neither do you”
”give me a reason, Clark, why shouldn´t I kill myself?”
”you dance…” she stammered, looking frantically at Will and the gun in his hand ” you dance better than anyone I’ve ever seen. ” She said, ” and you are a good poet too, I … I took the liberty to read some of the poems that you were writing on the computer, they are amazing”
” I thought you didn´t enjoy poetry, Clark ” Will gasped out
”give me the gun, Will” she said again, but the man doesn’t let go of his weapon
”what you suggest me to do now, Clark?” Will seemed much calmer ”what I’m going to do now?”
if you stumble in dance, you continues to dancing and so on” Lou remembered what he had told her in the night of the theater
”are you asking me for a dance, Clark?” Will manage a small smile and relax completely ”you got to let me know…Should I stay? Or should I go?” he hummed, finally dropping the gun down. Carefully, Louisa, manage to help him to ”roll” to her side, but before she could say another word, they heard rushed steps coming in the direction. It was Nathan, who had listened the gunfire and Will´s shouting. Thanks God, will´s parents were not home.
”what happened?” he asked confused
”apparently, Clark here saved me from making a mistake” Will said pointing toward his gun ”could you two help me here?” he said
Once Nathan and Louisa helped him back into his wheelchair and Nathan checked if he hadn´t broken anything in the fall, Will seemed to be much more relaxed, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
”you want some tea, Will?” Lou asked weeping her tears, trying to compose herself
”I think a tea would be a very hard step right now, Clark” he answered ”no, I think a Jack Daniels would just fine”
A few hours later, when she had make sure Will would be fine, Louisa return home, happy, in a way, to have finally managed to make Will change idea. She loved him for real and he being an interesting man, it would be a shame if he committed suicide.
In the next four days, Louisa, not came back to the Grant House, after all, in despite of having manage to get Will to change his mind, the girl was somehow traumatized after having a gun pointed to herself, so, in fear of have another experience like that, she preferred to stay in her house, protected.
It was only on the other day, that Lou received a e-mail from Will, where he thanked her in a short way, how thankful he was to her for showing him there´s always a life after the end of the tunnel.
” As I told you, Clark, you are the only thing that makes me want to get up in the morning. And you have shown this a few days ago, when save me from myself. You may know that you also made me a completely different person in these last few days” He wrote in the message ”Now, as thanks, I want to invite you to spend the day with me in London tomorrow, I’m sure it will be a pleasant experience”
With a smile in her face, Louisa answered the message with an ”I will be delighted to join you in this adventure in London”
Things will be certainly change from now on, thanks to her persistence, they danced, they stumbled, but they continue dancing and so on.