Maria La Muerte

We all stood around Maria’s lifeless body, not daring to say a word. Maybe we all were too shocked. Maybe we just didn’t want to believe what happened...or rather admit what we had done. The party downstairs was more than lively blasting Shakira, unbeknownst to the dilemma the birthday girl had found herself in.

Laura was first to break the silence. “Did we just...d-did she just--”

“Yes,” Estefania interrupted. 

“B-b-but is she breathing?” Laura mustered, she was never cool under pressure. 

“Does it look like she’s breathing pendeja?!” Estefania again interjected. Despite always being the rebel in our group, it was evident she too was panicking. 

“Aye Dios,” Laura looked as if she were about to break into tears. “Guys, I can’t do all this. I’m sweating and I never sweat. I feel like I’m going to faint. Shit-- why did you have to drag me into all this Estefania!”

“Excuse me! DRAG you into all this, Maria has always been a bitch and she got what she deserved. Right Amelia... Amelia?” Estefania and Laura turned to look at me. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears and my hands were on my tight chest.

I began to remember the moments leading up to Maria’s death. Using the upstairs bathroom before being ambushed by a drunk Maria, the alcohol made her more intolerable than usual. Her yelling violently and incoherently while shoving me into an empty room. Closing my eyes while doing my best to keep her blows away. The constant punches coming to a halting stop. Two screeches and a bang, followed by silence. 

When I cautiously opened my eyes, the sight before me was horrific. My best friends Laura and Estefania were now present in the room and laying on the ground was Maria. Blood trickled down her head indicating that the earlier bang I had heard was the impact of her head hitting the corner desk. 

Dressed in her pretty pink dress and large tiara, Maria looked eerily similar to Carrie. The blood only worked to further sell the image. 

“Sorry guys.” They both stared wide-eyed at me. “Sorry, you two need to get out of here.”

“WHAT?” They simultaneously shouted. 

“I-It’s my fault. I was looking for trouble.” 

“Looking for trouble? Amelia so you talked to  Bryan. So he’s Maria’s boyfriend, or at least was.” Estefania glanced at the corpse. “She shouldn’t have tried to assault you! And we defended you, and well things ended badly.” 

Laura sighed deeply before saying, “It was an accident, it’s not like we meant for things to go down this way. But Amelia if anyone was looking for trouble it was Maria.” 

I remained silent. Were they trying to convince me Maria deserved to die? I began to cry, my mind swarmed with all sorts of emotions. Anger. Annoyance. Sadness. And humor? I began to laugh. After momentarily staring in shock, Laura and Estefania joined me. 

“We...just...killed…Maria Flores!” I wheezed out. 

“Oopsie,” Estefania choked out. 

“I guess I’m now valedictorian!” Laura exclaimed. We laughed again remembering how Maria always bullied Laura for being below her in class rankings. 

“Second is as good as you’ll ever be so long as I’m around.” Estefania mocked Maria’s favorite insult.

“Guess she’s not around anymore hahaha,” Laura teased. 

Again we laughed and laughed. We were in a terrible situation and humor seemed to offer some comfort. The truth was Maria Flores was the worst person alive on the planet, of course until a few moments ago. Maria was a chameleon, hiding her worst traits from those she desired to keep around and lashing out at unsuspecting victims. Laura, Estefania and I were her favorites. Maria loved to consistently measure her success against us. In her eyes, Laura would never be as smart. Estefania would never be as popular. And I would never be as beautiful. Maria was the matriarch and the student population existed to serve her. In a twisted way, Maria’s death was a service for the greater good. 

Once we calmed down, the reality of the situation again rendered. 

“We just killed somebody...” I breathed out. 

“Not just anybody...” Estefania continued. 

“But Maria Flores.” Laura finished.

“Maybe we should call the police?” I suggested.

Estefania looked as though I had grown a second head. Scoffing, she said, “You’re joking right! We can’t tell anyone about what just happened. Much less the authorities! Look, maybe we can, I don’t know... hide the body?” 

“Ew I am not touching that!” Laura yelped.

“Jesu Cristo Laura, no grites! You want the whole neighborhood to know that we just killed Maria Flores!” Estefania shouted. 

“We? No no I was not a part of this! You’re the one who yanked her away from Amelia!” 

“Well she tripped over your leg, causing her to hit her head on the muebla!” 

I tried to intervene, “Look guys we already--”

“No lo puedo creer, now you’re going to start pointing fingers. Well look I can also point fingers, POINT POINT POINT.” Laura began to poke her fingers at Estefania, each point more exaggerated than the last.

“Get your bony, manicured fingers away before I--”

“UGHHhh.”

We all froze, staring at each other wide eyed.

“Ouch. W-what happened?” The voice came from the corner.

“Maria?” We all whispered in unison, too much in disbelief to declare what we hoped to be true.

“Who? Ouch my head is killing me.” 

Maria, still slouched against the desk, brought her hands to her head. Laura, Estefania, and I looked at one another before celebrating that Maria was in fact not dead. 

“Gracias Dios, gracias!” 

“Perdoname, voy ir a la confesión. ¡Te lo prometo!” 

“Gracias!” 

Not once did I imagine being in Maria’s presence would bring such great joy. Especially once the paramedics wheeled her away. Before she was placed in the ambulance, we made sure to bid her well.

“Feel better Maria, happy birthday by the way.” I exclaimed. 

Once the flashing red lights faded down the block, we all breathed a sigh of relief. 

“I can’t believe we thought she was dead,” Laura whispered. 

“Good thing we found her before she could’ve been. Alcohol can really damage a person.” Estefania exclaimed, sticking to the story we set on telling.

“Overall, memorable party.” I smiled.