by Nancy Allan
The roaring engine and squealing rubber was all but on top of us. I pushed myself up in time to see the truck grill bearing down on us. Tara was running toward Brenna.
Brenna had pushed me so hard she had lost her balance and was stumbling toward me. I reached for her hand. She was right in front of the oncoming truck now!
Our fingertips were only inches apart. Then, there was a sickening thud and her small body flew up into the air. She seemed airborne for an eternity as the three of us ran to catch her.
But we weren’t fast enough.
Brenna hit the ground with a sickening thud. I collapsed beside her, screaming, “Call 911. Hurry!” Tara and Celeste dropped down next to her, both of them struggling with their cell phones.
There was a loud crash, a shriek of twisting metal, and an explosion of breaking glass. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the truck slam into a parked car. The driver door flew open and Mako jumped out. Our eyes met briefly, and I saw in his the sheer hatred that can only exist in the sickest of souls. Celeste’s father called it, The Darkness—the evil within a person that can destroy life itself. Crip immerged from of the other side of the pickup, and the two of them fled.
In shock, I looked back down at Brenna. Her skin was so colorless, it was almost translucent. She panted, barely able to breathe. Her eyes stared skyward. “Brenna, please, Brenna,” I pleaded, “Don’t leave us. Fight for life. P-l-e-a-s-e!” I touched her forehead and kissed her. If I could have had the power to change anything, it would have been that moment and everything that led up to it.
Life is so precious and I feared so for Brenna’s that I knelt there almost frozen, overwhelmed with anguish, and sick with worry. I knew the time had come for me to do everything I could to end the bullying.
Looking up at Tara, I saw tears streaming down her cheeks. I heard Celeste praying softly beside me. Finally, I heard the ambulance.
They took Brenna away and we three stood there in silence, dumbfound and riddled with grief. On the ground in front of me was the yellow rose that she had clipped to her hair. I bent to retrieve it.
It was perfect. Unblemished.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
That evening we held a candlelight vigil for Brenna outside the hospital. I could think only of her pain and her struggle ahead. I desperately wanted her to graduate, go to the prom, meet the guy of her dreams, go on to college, and travel like she had planned.
I knew her parents and family were inside the hospital with her, supporting her. The doctors had done everything they could and were confident Brenna would recover.
Lighting a candle for her, I carefully placed it below her picture. Celeste and Tara did the same. Others joined us, and soon there was a long line of lights flickering in the night.
Within the hour, a crowd had gathered, and soon it seemed that most of Mount Olympic had come out in support of Brenna. Among the students were a few teachers and parents. Many of my former classmates approached me and whispered condolences. Some actually hugged me. I couldn’t process this. Did it take near loss of life for people to realize what’s important in this world?
Someone said that Mako and Crip had been arrested and charged.
Finally. But it had taken a near tragedy for that to happen. I doubted The Darkness within Mako would ever be extinguished.
I stared at the photo of Brenna’s lovely face, and whispered, “Get well, Brenna. We’re all here for you.”
A strong hand warmed my shoulder and I heard Justin say, “Ashla.” I leaned over and rested my head against his chest and his arms closed protectively around me. “She’s going to be okay, Ashla,” he said and held me tighter.
So much had happened in the past months. A year ago, I would have reveled in being seen with the hottest guy in Washington State. It would have meant everything to me. Now, looking around, I saw many students gazing at us in wonder, but they couldn't possibly know what it took for us to finally be together.
My feelings for Justin are deep and sacred.
I felt him looking at me and glanced up. His eyes locked on mine. "Are you doing okay?" His voice was hushed . . . his eyes full of concern.
I nodded.
I am so grateful to have Justin standing beside me. When he returns to hockey in a few months, I'll be there . . and when he scores his first goal I will cheer loud and long!
I gave my heart to Justin months ago, with no regard for the outcome. What our future holds, I can’t be sure. But I can dream and I can hope. I remembered Dell’s words: We just take the ride. We don’t build the train.
I feel differently about my family now. I am keenly aware of how very much my parents mean to me. They supported me through the darkest hours of my young life, never doubting me, their love and respect encircling me like a cocoon. Even my grandmother and I have seeded a new relationship, spawned by deference for one another.
I have such loyal friends that one of them had almost lost her life to save mine. Her friendship exceeded all boundaries. Remembering the yellow rose that I had plucked from the ground only hours ago, I reached down and gingerly lifted it out of my backpack and placed it next to Brenna’s photo.
As I turned back to Justin, he put his arm protectively around me, and I thought of how happy it would have made Brenna to finally see us together.
Justin and I were standing quietly side-by-side when a movement caught my attention. Dell stood not ten feet from us . . . his dark eyes absorbing me. He wore the usual black jacket, dark t-shirt, and jeans. Our eyes met, and recognizing the tenderness in his, I was reminded of his feelings for me. A strange sadness seeped through me. He gave me a slight nod—not a goodbye—but something different, something more powerful, a message that I could not grasp. Not then.
I broke from Justin’s embrace and started over toward Dell. He stepped backward. Fearful he would leave, I called out to him, “Dell, wait. Don’t go.” But he disappeared into the night.
Also by Nancy Allan:
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
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