The Accident
by Emma Marsano
It made the newspaper
So get this. There’s this guy, Jonathan, and my best friend Sofia who will just die if she doesn’t get a date with him. I want to help her, but I just can’t! I really am loyal to my friends, but the truth is … I like him too. He’s the picture of perfection: wavy blond hair, flawless tan, stormy blue eyes. Now I may sound just a bit forward, but he is just plain addictive. TEEN SAVES FRIEND FROM CERTAIN DEATH Today, Friday the eighth of February, Willistown High school president Sofia M. rescues friend and classmate Emma in backyard woods. The girls were constructing a tree house for the summer and Emma’s hammer hand slipped, snagging her hand to the tree with a long, sharp nail. Thirty feet above the ground, losing blood rapidly and in excruciating pain, 16 year old Emma was unable to call for help and was promptly rendered unconscious. She was constantly in danger of falling to the ground headfirst and therefore mangling her hand for life. Ten minutes later, her friend returned and was immediately aware that the atmosphere was much too silent. Climbing the branches with increasing anxiety she contacted authorities as soon as she discovered her friend, drenched in blood, and put her in a much safer position. (Continued on page B3) Anyway, let’s just say she owes me a favor… Whenever I think like this, I remember my near fatal disaster last summer. There always seemed to be something not quite right about it, but I suppose nothing’s ‘exactly right’ about nailing your hand to a tree and then fainting. Alright, I’ve made my decision. I’ll go over to Emma’s house this afternoon and ask her… well, we’ll see when we get there. After all, she was the one who had to deal with that accident last year… The autumn afternoon was cold and blistery and Jonathan walked alone through the changing leaves towards Emma’s house. He trudged up the porch steps and knocked three times on the door. Sofia answered. “Oh, sorry! Should I come back late—” The look on Sofia’s face halted Jonathan’s apologetic flow of words. “No, I was just going,” Sofia practically spat. He had never seen her this worked up before. Her icy glare chilled him to the bone. She shoved past him out the door and walked hesitantly towards the living room. Upon turning the corner, he found Emma sitting on the couch, her shoulders heaving with silent sobs. He rushed to comfort her, placing his arm around her shoulders. She looked up as he sat down, a grateful smile dancing on her lips. Her face was streaked with tears, and she allowed herself to be pulled onto his lap. He kissed her then, and after they pulled away they both muttered a goodbye and smiled at each other as Jonathan left. Now to comfort Sofia… no, I can't! I’m with Emma now… but traitorous thoughts of Sofia’s icy stare as she left Emma’s house invaded his thoughts for the rest of the evening, as he struggled through his homework and daydreamed about Emma. One week later, Jonathan was found stabbed to death in his room, the second story window was wide open, and a red leather purse was found directly beneath the window on the ground outside. The murder weapon, a kitchen knife, was located within the purse. After bringing the evidence to those Willistown high students who were familiar with Jonathan, the police were stunned at the simplicity of this murder case. The purse belonged to Emma, and her parents could verify, while in tears, that the knife belonged in their kitchen. The small town didn’t have any program nearby for criminal minors, so the teen was sent to jail to await future arrangements. Sofia visited her friend soon after she arrived at the prison. Emma glanced up once, and then pretended not to have seen Sofia. “I’m really sor--” Sofia started. “No, you’re not, so don’t start on me!” Emma exploded. “That purse they found was the one you borrowed from me for prom last year and you come to my house for dinner so often that the knife might as well have belonged to you.” “Okay, so I set you up, but you don’t understand!” “I think you do! You--” “LET ME FINISH!” “Okay, okay, jeez.” “I was heartbroken. I was under the impression that I had won Jonathan from you, finally.” “How could you think that? That day that you left my house after you finished blackmailing me, he was right there at the door. He kissed me when he came in!” “HE DID WHAT?!” “You heard me." “But he had told me that day at school that he was thinking about asking me out!” “Well, then, why did you kill him?” “Because…because…well, you know…” “No, I don’t, so fill me in.” “I guess I knew what he was going to do once he went in to your house, somewhere in the back of my mind. Also, I wanted to hurt you for not helping me get a date with him, even after all I did for you last year, and it didn’t take a genius to know that you liked him too…” “Yes, you made that very clear by the way that you practically forced me to help you that day you came into my house. I didn’t think you’d actually kill him, I thought you were joking.” Emma paused for breath. “I fully expect you to help my parents bail me out now that you’ve gotten me stuck in here.” “Fine, I guess I owe it to you, but still, after last summer it’s the least you could have done…” “You know I’m sorry! Or at least I was, before you got me arrested…” What Sofia didn’t see as the walked away was the evil, furious gleam in Emma’s eye as she sat in the dark, dank, musty cell. Click here to read or post comments.
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