Young Writers Society

Michelle and Allan arrived at their lawyer’s office, on schedule, at 3:00 in the afternoon. Janet was already there with her lawyer, and when Michelle saw her, she had an awful flashback of the night that Jason died. She remembered how hysterical Janet had been. Even then, that woman had tried to accuse her.

Michelle and Allan sat down around a table with their lawyer, Janet’s lawyer, and Janet to discuss the situation.

“Explain to me clearly the charges that your client is bringing against mine,” Michelle’s lawyer began, addressing the other lawyer.

“My client is suing yours for damages done to her car, and for the extreme psychological trauma she had to endure as a result of a road accident with your client’s son,” the other lawyer replied calmly.

“That accident killed my son!” Michelle screamed suddenly, slamming her hands down on the table and leaping up from her chair, “Shouldn’t I be the one suing her?” She hadn’t planned to react this way, but hearing the absurd charge again made her lose control.

“I was driving responsibly,” Janet returned icily, “The accident wasn’t my fault. What was your son doing riding his bike in the middle of the highway at night? He could have just as easily ridden on the bike trail or even on the shoulder. I just came around the corner, and there he was. I didn’t have time to stop.”

“I don’t know why he was on the highway,” Michelle returned in a strained voice, “But you can’t hold me responsible for this!”

“You were the one who didn’t teach him properly!”

“That’s ridiculous! Most of the time, he did ride on the biking trails! I don’t know why he was on the highway, but you can’t blame him for being irresponsible! My son was a good boy!” Tears started to come to her eyes again, and she dashed them away hurriedly, angry at herself for starting to cry at a time like this.

“Well, someone has to compensate me for everything I’ve suffered,” Janet argued, “That experience ruined me!” She shuddered. “Don’t you get it? I’ve had to see a psychologist every week since it happened! Who will pay for my counseling bills?”

“You think you’ve suffered?!” Michelle cried, “Try burying both your sons within a few months of each other! That’s right, my other son—the only child left to me—died too because he couldn’t handle the grief of his brother’s death! His death is your fault too! They’re both all your fault!”

For an instant, a look of horror flashed across Janet’s eyes, but then it turned into anger, and she jumped up to face Michelle. “Don’t try to blame me for that!” she shouted, “It’s your son’s own fault that he killed himself—and it’s your other son’s fault that he died from doing something so risky! It’s not my fault, I tell you! You can’t know what it’s like to suddenly see a teenage boy’s neck break right in front of your face! I almost crashed and died right there, and I’ve never been able to get that image out of my head! I have breakdowns all the time! I can’t sleep without nightmares! I keep going to the psychologist, but the counseling is hardly helping, and my husband even left me because he couldn’t stand me anymore! You can’t know what that’s like either—you have your husband right there supporting you! Who’s going to pay for this? Who’s going to pay for everything I’ve gone through?”

“If you think what happened isn’t your fault, how can you think it’s mine?” Michelle spat, “I wasn’t even there! Maybe you should just get over your so-called ‘psychological trauma’ and stop whining—because no one close to you has died! You can’t sue me—I was hurt worse than you!”

Janet sat down. “Well, I am suing you,” she said coldly, with a kind of satisfaction in her voice, “I’m suing you for $100,000.”

“What?!” Allan shouted, but Michelle was dumbstruck. She stood there silently for a few moments, then abruptly, she turned and ran from the room, grabbing her purse as she went.

Michelle ran through the hall away from her lawyer’s office, as fast as she go. She could hear Allan calling after her, but she only ran faster, not wanting him to catch up to her. That woman doesn’t care at all about what happened to me! she thought, She can only think about herself! She doesn’t care that two people died because of this!

Making it to the door of the building, she jerked it open and ran outside. She sprinted down the sidewalk a little ways, then quickly turned into a narrow alleyway and collapsed, panting, with her back against a brick wall. Opening her purse, she took out the black straw doll and lifted it in one, trembling hand. She stared at the doll, her heart beating faster and faster. With this, I could send that woman to Hell, she thought, She would disappear…she wouldn’t be able to sue us. Gritting her teeth, a gleam of hatred coming into her eyes, she told herself, That woman deserves to go to Hell. She doesn’t care about anyone but herself. And she killed them—she killed both of them! That can’t be forgiven!

Breathing heavily, Michelle pinched the end of the red string between two trembling fingers. She was going to do it. She was going to pull it. She didn’t care if she would go to Hell too—she had to avenge her sons; she had to protect Allan from losing all that money. That woman can’t be forgiven! her mind screamed at her. She began to pull at the end of the string.

She can be forgiven, said another voice. Michelle froze. Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, said the voice.

Then why don’t You send her to Hell instead of having Jigoku Shoujo do it? Michelle argued.

It is not yours to know whether she is destined for Heaven or Hell, replied the voice, Only know that I have already paid the vengeance due to you.

But what have I done wrong? Michelle asked, I’m not like her!

For one thing, you desired to murder her, the voice pointed out, But I have forgiven you for that, and for every other sin you have committed against Me.

“I believe You have,” Michelle whispered aloud, surprising herself. Intense shame washed over her, but it was immediately replaced by hope and gratitude. “Thank You…Jesus,” she said, and in that moment, she felt that her heart had changed.

As she said this, Enma Ai suddenly appeared, her red eyes seeming to glow in the darkness of the alley. “Return the doll to me,” Enma Ai ordered softly, holding out her hand, “You are no longer able to go to Hell. You are no longer able to curse a person.”

Gratefully, Michelle returned the black straw doll to Jigoku Shoujo. The desire to pull the string had completely vanished from her heart.

When Enma Ai took the doll, it immediately changed back into Wanyuudo, the old man with the red scarf. Wanyuudo’s lips stretched into a wide smile. “Hmm,” he said. Looking down at Michelle, he remarked, “Perhaps what we’re doing can’t stop that Person’s plans after all.”

Enma Ai didn’t respond to this. Instead, she simply said, “Let’s go,” before turning and silently walking away. Wanyuudo followed her.

When Michelle came out from the alley, they were gone.

“Michelle!”

Michelle looked up to see Allan running toward her.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Smiling, Michelle replied, “Now I am. But I need to speak to Janet. Privately.”

Allan looked concerned. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea…” he began awkwardly.

“It’s all right,” Michelle assured him, “I won’t argue with her anymore.”

Allan stared at her like she had just sprouted antennae. “What happened to you?” he asked incredulously, “Just a minute ago, you were screaming your head off.”

Without replying, Michelle walked past him. She went into the waiting room of the building and found Janet there. “Can we talk for a while?” she asked gently.

Janet eyed her suspiciously. “You didn’t go out to get a gun, did you?” she inquired sardonically.

With an effort, Michelle smiled. “No,” she replied, “I just need to tell you something…please.” She can be forgiven, she repeated to herself, She can be forgiven.

Janet decided it would be safe enough to talk with Michelle privately, and they went back to the lawyer’s office alone, closing the door behind them. Once there, Michelle hesitated, suddenly unsure how to say what she needed to say.

“I…” she began, and then faltered. Janet looked at her with curious, judging eyes.

Michelle steeled herself. She had to say this firmly and certainly. “I forgive you,” she said.

Janet was astonished. She stared at Michelle for a few seconds with an open mouth, completely at a loss for words. Tears formed in her eyes, but she seemed to be trying to hold them back. “Just so you know,” she said in a trembling voice which seemed to be trying to keep its dignity, “I haven’t been seeing a psychologist because of trauma over what I saw. It was actually because of the guilt I’ve been dealing with.” Without waiting for Michelle to respond, she left the room.

~

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~

The next day, Michelle’s lawyer called her to tell her that Janet had called off the lawsuit. As she hung up, Michelle smiled, amazed at how happy she was. She felt that she understood Janet’s feelings now, and she thanked Jesus for what had happened. She wasn’t really sure what was next now that she was a Christian, but she guessed they would be able to help her at that church.

Settling down on the couch, Michelle looked through a photo album of Samuel and Jason. She felt a little stab of pain in her heart with each memory, but this pain wasn’t greater than she could bear. Though she didn’t know if she would ever get over their deaths completely, she no longer hated anyone because of it. And that…that was peace.