Young Writers Society

Okay it doesn't have much romance in it at this point but it's definitely coming.

Prologue-

Has someone loved you, but you can’t love them back? Has it ever led to a terrible event- such as murder- that repeated itself continuously in your head like a tape? I look back to that night- the night that someone died because love is a horror movie that gets worse over the years. The talk about that night, two summers ago, is just now beginning to settle down. The house on the hill still sits there overlooking the town. Although still standing it is beginning to fall to pieces. The house isn't alive, though it seems it is. It sits up there away from the gossip and secrets in its own little world, like it judges us not wanting to be a part of the crap that goes on. I still go to the house once a year on the same day that the accident happened. Every time I get too close to the house or even think about it, the feeling comes flooding back into me. Some say the house is haunted, though I don’t believe it. People say when it’s raining and the wind is howling, just like the night of the accident, they see a faint light in the attic window.

All the emotions are almost unbearable. Pain hits me hard in the chest and claws at my heart like a dagger. Everywhere I go, anything I do, it feels like I’m being stabbed again. I just can't forget it. No one knows what happened that night in the dark attic except me, and two other freshmen. I still think it was my fault that the kid died. I was stuck in between. Before the accident people thought I had the perfect life. I try to tell the story over and over again. I just can’t get it out. My therapist suggested writing it all down. My emotions, everything that happened, and what I felt. So here it is the whole story of what really happened that night, the truth not some rumor. It might settle all the questions that I get on my way to school, or the stares I get while I’m in the grocery store. People think I can’t hear the whispers while I’m walking by or when it all of a sudden gets quiet when I enter the lunch room. I’ve been sort of a loner ever since the accident. Maybe this will clear that up and help me out. Maybe?

***

I stared into the darkness; a shady figure was coming towards me. I tried to scream, nothing would come out. It’s like the old saying, the cat had my tongue. I looked at the shiny, pointed object in the figure held in its hand. I tried to back up, anything to get away. Unfortunately a wall stood in my way. There was no way out. Finally my throat opened up and let out an ear lurching scream. The figure was quickening its pace now, ten feet, nine feet, eight feet.

“No, no please no,” was all I could manage. The only thought that was in my mind was- Oh god, I’m gonna die.

***

Chapter one

I jolted awake and sighed as I drug myself out of my bed and switched on my bed side lamp. The nightmare was back, the nightmare that had become reality five years ago. All of the red, blue, and white lights flashing on and off while spinning around in a never ending circle. All of the sirens and screaming people running back and forth doing whatever they could to help. The screaming alone was almost deafening. I remembered the most vivid detail, my mother lying there so fragile like she would break with one touch. I remember the words she said to me, right before she died. I had been crying, well more like bawling but I still heard her, even in my dreams.

“Hayden, I’m going to be with you always, you remember that. Don’t lose faith, and take care of your dad and brother. Mostly your dad he’s going to need help with this. Try to make it easier for him, but only to an extent. Don’t lose your social life because of him try to still have fun. You should take as long as you need to grow up, make sure it doesn't’t go to fast, and I love you and your father and brother. Tell them that.” I’ll never forget that night. I had stood there watching her die. The blood running out of her mouth and any other place imaginable. I had stood there holding her hand until her last breath. Someone pulled me away from her telling me that it was over, I tried to stay with her struggling to get out of the grip that had held me so tightly, the grip that was pulling me away from my mother. I had screamed and fell loosely to the ground.

I shuddered and picked up my cordless phone off my mantle. My fingertips moved from number to number as I dialed my boyfriend’s phone number by memorization. He answered the phone sleep seeping through his raspy voice.

“Hello?” he said and I could tell he was annoyed.

“Adam?”

“Is this you Hayden? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, it’s just, well I had the dream again.”

“Oh baby, are you okay?”

“It was just so much worse than all of the others. I didn't’t know who else to call, it just scares me. I miss her so much.”

“Do you want me to come over? I will if you want me to.” I closed my eyes imagining his strong protective arms wrapped around me cradling me making all of my worries go away.

“No, I’ll be fine. I want you to get some sleep. I’m sorry I woke you up.”

“Oh baby don’t worry about it, anytime you need me just call and I’ll be there. Okay?” I took a deep breath of air and thought of him on the other line, probably sitting in his boxers and trying to hide the sleepiness from his voice. I felt bad now for calling him and waking him up.

“Okay I will.”

“I love you.” I felt my checks redden and my heart flip-flop when he said that, as always. We had been together for over one year and he still made my heart melt and my legs go numb.

“I love you to.” I whispered and then I heard the click as he hung up the phone. I listened to the “If you are trying to make a call please hang up and try again.” message before I finally pushed the end button and set the phone back on it’s charger and walked back over to my bed. I let my feet go out from beneath me and collapsed on my ruffled bed. I just stared at my alarm clock it was six o’clock, thirty more minutes till would get up and start to get ready for school. I would join the drama that occurred day after day every day of the week, no matter how you tried to avoid it, you will get caught up in it sooner or later. Of course with most of the kids at Northwest High School it was sooner rather than later. I drifted off to sleep and was I got awoken what seemed like ten minutes after. I looked at my alarm clock once again and laughed as I noticed it had been ten minutes. I heard as my step-mom, Jenal Marshall, went door to door waking each kid up. First my younger sister Melissa then my older brother Landen. Never me. She always sent in Melissa to wake me up. She looked at me like I was a problem child. My step-mom was a Barbie, to say the least, thanks to plastic surgery of course. I raised my head a couple of inches off my pillow as my door slowly creaked opened revealing a head full of flame red curls. Right on time I thought and moved to a sitting position.

“Hey Mel.” I said folding my covers down off of me. I let my feet dangle down hovering over my shaggy cream colored carpet.

“Hey sissy.” Mel and I were exactly the opposite of quarreling siblings. “Mommy wanted me to tell you to get up.”

“Okay Hun,” I said to her back as she went back out of my perfect room. I leaned over my night stand to turn off my alarm. I looked at the framed picture beside the digital clock. My first love, Adam Wiley. Dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes, and the most blood churning smile ever. A football player, a baseball player, a basketball player, a math whiz and he has a sports car. The perfect guy. Another plus is that he is so sweet and mature, which is more than I can say about the other freshman guys. I looked out my window, the sun was just rising. I could already feel the heat coming from it. We were now starting to have an average of ninety degrees these last few days of school. I raised myself off the bed and took my time walking into the bathroom where I daily perfected myself, as my step-mother would say. I reached around the zebra print shower/bathroom curtain to turn the COLD knob to ON. These hot, humid days I was now taking to cold showers. I stepped over the edge of the bath tub, to delude myself with the cool, refreshing water. My plans today- Go to school, go to softball practice, come home and spend time with Adam. Wow my life is so exciting. Feeling refreshed I turned the knob to OFF and grabbed the towel off the rack. Wrapping it around me I walked to my closet. I went through my regular routine- pick out my clothes, brush my teeth, brush my hair, and rub some deodorant on. What to wear? I grabbed my pink Old Navy tank-top and my blue jean shorts. I took my time getting dressed while I listened to my Now 15 Cd. I looked back at my digital clock, six forty-five, plenty of time to finish up. After brushing my teeth I grabbed my school stuff and made my way down the flight of stairs to the kitchen.

“Hey sweetie.” My dad said from his usual spot at the head of the breakfast table.

“Hey daddy.” I said while leaning over to kiss his check. I dropped my stuff down next to the door, and went around the island to the refrigerator.

“Daddy, can Adam come over tonight?”

“Well your mother and I have a meeting, so you’ll be baby-sitting Mel tonight, but if he wants to come over I guess he can. You know the rules though.”

“Yes, thanks daddy, and its step-mom, she’ll never be my real mom.”

“Yes dear.”

My dad the business man. He works for a huge law firm. He totally trusts Adam. Something about daddy and his father being old friends. I could hear my step-mom coming, her high heeled boats against the hard wood floor where always a dead giveaway. She always knows how to ruin a good moment.

“Hayden honey, you really shouldn't’t leave your stuff in the middle of the floor. It’s just an accident waiting to happen.” She stared at me with the “serious eyes”.

“Whatever.” I said, just loud enough for her to hear.

“Young lady, you need to drop the attitude!” I just stared at her, the hate showing in my eyes. I turned then, afraid of what might come out of my mouth. My real mom had been killed by a drunk driver. My older brother Landen and I shared the hate for out step-mom. She was like the wicked step-mom in Cinderella. Melissa was her child from the marriage between her and my father. Landen and I got the idea in our heads that she just married daddy for his money. I wonder where we got that idea from. She defiantly didn’t want me and Landen in the deal, until she found out if she wanted dad she had to have us too. She hates to admit that Mel has the same untamable red curls as me. Daddy had a red beard before Ms. Perfect before she made him shave it. Sometimes I daydream about the times before my mother died. Back when daddy laughed, when he was full of energy and laughter, back to when he wasn't’t so much a workaholic as he is now. Back when we were happy and content with out lives the way they were. Suddenly the honk of a car horn shook me out of my day-dreaming. I slipped on my flip-flops and grabbed up my stuff.

“Bye Hun.” Daddy said totally absorbed in the New York Times. I opened the sliding glass door and ran out to the black mustang that was waiting for me in our drive way.

“Hey babe.” Adam said greeting me with a quick kiss on the check. “Are you okay now?” He asked me putting his arm around me and backing out of my driveway.

“Yeah I guess. It’s so weird it was just so different from my usual dreams. Anyways, my dad said you can come over but I’m going to be baby-sitting Mel tonight.”

“Okay, so I’m going to pick you up after softball practice?”

“Yup.”

I looked at the road. Adam had to be at school every morning at seven fifteen to do weight lifting to get ready for football. Every morning I would go in the weight room with him and listen to the clanks as weights were lifted up and down against the metal bars. Of course the view was good too, all the bending and squatting going on. It was like a dream come true. From my house it was about eight miles to the high school. School is kind of full of chaos right now. Everyone is still pumped about the mighty mustang’s basketball team winning districts for the first time in thirty-nine years. We pulled into the parking lot; Adam taking a chance sped out, flinging gravel this was and that.

“Ad-am. You’re going to get us in trouble.” I said slapping him playfully on the leg.

“Relax babe. No one’s going to get us in trouble.” He was right I thought as we walked up the concrete sidewalk towards the school doors. Here it comes, another day full of drama. Just Great! We entered the school our fingers entwined together.

***

I looked around the lunch room as I stood in line waiting to get my food. Where are you? I asked myself trying to spot Adam among the clusters of freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Giving up I gave all my attention back to my friends.

“Hayden, what’s wrong with you today? You seem side tracked.” I looked at my best friend, Anna Giddle.

“Nothings wrong, I guess this morning’s fight with the step-mom messed me up.”

“Is she really that bad?” I looked at her not believing my ears.

“Anna, come on. You of all people should know this.”

“Well I’m sorry, but when I’m around her she always seems nice, a little strict but nice.”

“Anna.”

“Fine whatever.” I jumped and twisted around as a pair of arms slid around my waist.

“Hey babe.” Adam whispered into my ear, and then started to nibble at it. I pushed him back some. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just not in the mood for cuddling.”

“She’s been like this all day,” Anna told Adam rolling her eyes. “Are you two going down to the wallow tonight?” The wallow was an old railroad track that used to go over the Muddy River. All the kids discovered it as soon as they hit high school. Entertaining themselves by drinking, making stupid jokes and just talking.

“We can’t, I’ve got to baby-sit tonight.”

“Come on Hayden that little girl is taking over your social life.”

“It’s not like it’s her fault, she’s just a little girl and she’s not that bad.”

“Okay.” She still looked skeptical, but she left it at that. I grabbed my tray off the counter and grabbed my milk before gave my lunch account number to the secretary. I walked over to our usual lunch table and sat at a spot on the end of the table.

“So can you all come out tomorrow night?” Anna asked deciding not to drop the subject.

“Anna, I really don’t know. I don’t think I have to baby-sit tomorrow, I don’t know what Adam wants to do.”

“We might make an appearance. It depends on who we have to see or who is throwing a party.” Adam sat his tray down by me and dug fifty cents out of his jeans pocket for a pop. I watched him walk off and then glanced around the cafeteria. Every group has their own tables. It’s not like we have a clique problem, we all associate with each other we just fall into different groups. There are the popular girls, the popular guys (JV and V sports players), the hick wanna-be’s, the gossipers, and any other type of people you can think of.

Adam sat back down and I spooned around my corn as Anna and Adam started a conversation. I came to attention as my name came over the intercom.

“Hayden Marshall, please come to the office immediately.” The intercom clicked off and I slowly got up off the bench.

“I wonder why you have to go.” Adam asked taking my hand.

“I don’t know but I’ll be back in a sec.” I kissed his check and then headed down to the office. I knocked on the principal’s door.

“Come in.” A deep voice said. I opened the door and stepped in the crowded room. There was a police man, Mrs. Edwards the principle, the superintendent and the consular.

I looked around noting all the furniture in its place, and not a picture was crooked. The people where in various places, some were sitting in the few provided chairs and some standing against the wall.

“Wh-what’s going on?” I asked looking around at the serious faces. “Wh-what happened?”

“Hayden honey, your father has been in a serious accident. He’s in a coma.” I stared at the principal. That’s all I remember before I fainted.