-Normality
-On Three Accounts
The notebook shut in a ruffle of bent pages, Jamie was breathing hard,
resisting the urge to test her heartbeat.
“Sorry,” Amber said, sitting next to her, “I didn’t mean to scare you or
anything.”
“No…it’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” Jamie answered. Amber hadn’t scared
her, but for a split second Jamie had heard somebody else’s voice. A voice
that couldn’t have really been there. A voice that was lying in a hospital bed
somewhere.
“I watched the case today,” Amber said quietly.
“Was it entertaining?” Jamie asked.
“No. Not really.”
“Darn.” Jamie looked down the tunnel until it faded. Eaten by darkness.
“Was it for you?” Amber asked. There was an edge of anxiety in her voice.
“Was it what?” Jamie asked, keeping her voice as distant as Amber.
“Entertaining.”
“Oh yes. You haven’t lived until you’ve sat for five hours tapping your foot
to the beat of a professional liar trying to get you thrown into juvie. It was
awesome,” Jamie couldn’t control herself anymore, she ranted as Amber’s
eyes widened. “You know what, kill me now, and the you can see for
yourself how fucking fun it is.”
Jamie’s eyes locked on Ambers. Ice cold on warm caramel.
“Jamie,” Amber said, “I would never kill you.”
“Why not?”
“Because, you’re my best friend.”
The ice melted and tears began to make their slow decent down Jamie’s
face. Amber saw them and pulled Jamie in for a hug.
“They all want to get rid of me,” Jamie said into Ambers shoulder.
“One day they’ll all look back and wonder what form of stupidity allowed
them to get rid of you, the world wont do well without you.”
Jamie picked her head up, “Have you been reading?” She said, attempting
to joke, but failing miserably.
“Every night,” Amber said.
“I want to show you something,” Jamie said slowly, cautiously. She slid her
hand over the notebook in her lap. Fraying at the edges, a symbol of her
life.
***
but seeing as there are no fonts I'm using colors. The darker red is Amber,
Lighter is Jamie. End note
Dear Jamie,
There is so much I wish I could tell you right now. So
many things I wish I had known, wanted to pick up on. I wish you had
trusted me sooner. I wish I had acted, then maybe this whole situation
would be different.
I want you to promise me something tonight, and
remember it for the rest of your life. Never give up, never let the dark
consume you. You’re so much better than you give yourself credit for.
I don’t know if there’s anything I can say to help,
maybe you’re too far gone. Maybe you would love nothing more than to curl
up in yourself and pretend it’s just one of those twisted dreams where
everything makes sense. This is no dream, you’re not going to wake up
and realize you’re safe. Honestly, you’re not safe, Jamie, not from
yourself.
If ever you find yourself alone, think of me. If ever
you have the courage to act, come to me. I’ll be here. I’ll always be here.
Amber
We made a pact tonight. Never to drift apart, never
to abandon the other. Put like that it sounds so cheesy. Maybe being heard
is more than just telling, but about understanding, knowing that there’s
someone out there to hear and you’re not just screaming to air.
I’ll be there tomorrow, whatever it takes to help.
Somebody has to know that there are things nobody thought humans were
capable of, things that we wish we could erase from the world. But there
isn’t. Somebody has to be there to spread the truth.
So let the truth be told.
____________________________
Chapter Order:
30:2
33
33squared
30:3
