Young Writers Society

"Julie! Julie! Come see the roses! " Lora knocked on the door rapidly. The door opened. Julie stood their, blinking sleep out of her eyes. Her hair was dark, and her skin was fair. She was barely a year older than Lora. 

 "Lora, it's so early! And my mother and father would worry!" Julie said .

 "Oh, come on. Let's go play! You can't be that tired!" Julie sighed and went back into her room to change. When she came back out, Lora grabbed her hand and dragged her outside to the garden.

 " Woah! Slow down! " Julie said, but she was giggling. 

 "Just look at these roses! There so beautiful!" Lora cried. They slowed to a stop as Lora gazed at a particularly pretty one. She reached out to touch it, but stopped and turned back to Julie.

 "Wanna play tag?"

Fifteen years later...

 "Aren't these roses pretty?" Lora asked. Julie nodded slightly, but kept walking. Her eyes were glazed, and Lora doubted she was listening. "Are you ok? You've been acting off all day."

 "Its... Nothing." She said. Lora gripped her hand.

 " You can tell me. " Julie pulled away.

 "Its nothing."

 They walked in silence. Julie started to relax.

 "I need to tell you something," Julie said.

 " What? "

 "I'm getting married."

 After a brief moment of shock, a grin spread across her face.

 "Really? I'm so happy for you-"

 "We're moving."

 Loras mouth hung open. Her heart seemed to stop.

 "I'm sorry, I really am. But it's always been my dream to see the ocean." Julie said.

 Lora couldn't listen to another word. She turned and fled, not thinking about where she was going. Her heart thumped against her chest, and tears threatened to fall. The path swerved into the woods, branches got caught in her hair and she lost her shoe. But Lora didn't care. How could Julie do this? For a boy!?

Lora tripped on a root. She was covered in scratches and mud, she couldn't hold it in anymore. She cried. She cried and cried and cried. She wailed and shook. It must have been a hour before someone lifted her to her feet and lead her into a small cottage and a bed.

 "Drink up, dear, you'll be okay." Lora looked up and met the eyes of a elderly woman, her hair was gray and her eyes were a warm brown, she was holding out some tea for Lora to take. She reached forward for the tea, warmth spread through her as she held it in her hands. But she didn't drink it.

 "Now, tell me what happened."

 Lora opened her mouth, and words came flowing out. She shivered as she told the story, but her tears dried out. 

The woman sat still before she spoke. "I lost a friend to a boy, too, once." She stared off into the distance, "My greatest regret is I didn't do anything about it. She died, you know." The woman stood up and rummaged through her cabinet for a moment before pulling out a small bottle with a honey colored substance.

 "Pour this in her finances drink, and your friend will be yours again." The woman dropped the bottle in Loras outstretched hands.

 "Use the entire bottle. It won't work, otherwise."

 Lora stared at the bottle, a malicious grin spread across her face. She remembered all the times Julia came home late, or couldn't hang out. How has she not noticed this before? But it didn't matter now. 

 "Thank you, Mrs?"

 " You can call me the Witch of the Roses. " The woman said. Lora hugged her and left with her spirits higher. Guilt would come. But Lora was to overjoyed to think straight.

Then, Lora crashed right into Julia, the bottle slipped from her pocket and rolled to Lora.

"I-" She started,

"Don't apologize, I'm the one whos sorry, I was going to ask if you wanted to come to out celabration tomorrow." Julia picked up the bottle, she looked at it, confused

Tomorrow. She thought

"Oh- Oh, of course. Sure." Lora slid back.

"Whats this Lora?" 

"Nothing!" She grabbed the bottle from her friends hands.

 "I got to go, my moms calling me..." She waved and ran towards her house. Guilt had begun to crash her joy. But I need to do this. Lora thought. If I don't do this, I'll lose Julia. 

Lora set the bottle on her shelf. She checked her wardrobe for some nice close, she found a light blue dress, it wasn't fancy, in fact, it was quite plain. But it was better than nothing

Lora slipped into a night gown, blew out the candle, and fell asleep. Her dreams were restless, she saw a man lying dead, and Julie on top of him, screaming at Lora. How could you? When Lora woke up, She felt uneasy, but her dream had faded from her memory.

Lora cleaned herself up as much as she could, and put the bottle in her pocket. Perhaps she would get the chance to speak to Henry at the wedding.

A knock came from the door. Lora opened it, and Julie was standing there.

"Ready to go?"

Julie had a dress that was a deep blue, she was wearing a pearl necklace and hair up. Of course she has to look nice. Lora thought bitterly.

"Yes."

Julie smiled, they walked towards the party, Loras cheeks burned. 

"So, I just wanted to say sorry for, you know." Julie said.

"I'm sorry for freaking out." Lora lied. Julie smiled.

"I'm glad your not mad, we can still write, and visit once every one or two years." Julie said,

More like once every three years.

"Henrys really nice, I think you'll like him. He'll be a good Father." She rubbed her stomach nervously.

Lora stopped and stared.

"What!?" 

"Nothing!"

"That's why the marriage was so rushed, wasn't it?" Lora said coldly. Julie shook her head. But Lora made up her mind. This marriage needed to be stopped, now.

The party was small, both sets of parents were there, and Henrys siblings were too. There was only the odd friend or two. Lora made her excuses to Julie and casuly made her way to Henry.

"Hello, you must be the lucky fiancé."

Henry had a round face and nose, he had dark skin and brown eyes, his hair was messy, but he made it look good, he smiled at her.

"Hello, are Julies sister?" He asked.

"No, I'm her best friend."

"Oh, you must be Lora, Julies told me all about you." Henry said. Lora clenched her fists.

"Yes, yes I am. I wanted to congratulate you." A young girl walked over to them, she was holding a tray with some drinks on them.

"Drinks?" She asked.

"Yes please." Henry said. Lora her bottle out.

"Would you like to try my moms secret recipie? We always put this in our drinks." Lora asked.

"Sure." Henry took the bottle and poured a drop in his drink. Lora couldn't help but smile as he took a sip and the gagged.

"Uh!' He looked at Lora. "I mean, interesting?"

"Glad you like it." Lora said coldly. She turned and joined the dancing. It was a hour before she heard the screaming. everyone backed away, Lora couldn't help but look. Henry had collapsed on the floor, unmoving. 

"Henry!" Julie ran to him, she desperately put her ear to his heart, she gasped, then cried.

"Who did this?" She shouted, everyone looked around nervously, when a bottle rolled out from his pocket. Julie took one look at it, a before shouting in both anger and shock

"Lora!"

Evreyone stepped away from Lora, Julie locked eyes with her.

"Did you do this?"

Lora didn't say anything.

"Can you look into my eyes and tell me that you didn't do this?"

No, no she couldn't.

Julie took a step back. "Get her." 

No, NO!

Lora felt hands grabbing her, pulling her somewhere, before she knew it, she was thrown into a cell, tears fell from her eyes. she cried. She didn't eat, and when the day came she was before the judge, she was a wreck.

"Lora RubysDauther, acused of attempted murder-" The judge began.

"Attempted?"

"Henry Yarn didn't die, he fell into a coma. he's making a recovery as we speak."

Lora gaped at the judge. she'd not only lost her friend, she failed at saving her from that one, horrid boy. He only used a drop, didn't he?

"I think we can agree to a lifetime in the dungeon, any objections?"

There were none.

Lora should have cried, but all she felt was shame. How could she?

"Five years, she didn't succeed, and I think she's learned her lesson. She has lost her only friend" Julie said coldly. Lora gasped asJulie walked over to her.

"I'll forgive, but I will never, ever, forget." Then she turned and left, leaving Lora standing there, her friend gone, forever. Just what she deserved.