Marissa

I thought we would be okay… I truly did, or I never would have brought my friends along. Jayne had tried to talk us out of it, and she ended up getting the worst of it. I was the one that invited her in the first place… Cameron is going to lose a leg. She had always loved running, and now, because of me, she would never run again. And Lena… paralyzed from the neck down. It’s all my fault…

Cameron

I can’t believe Jayne is gone. There is just no way… any minute now she’ll walk through the door and laugh at us for believing the EMTs. I might be losing my dream to run, but that’s nothing compared to what Jayne lost… Marissa blames herself, but it’s only partly her fault. I was the one that convinced Jayne to come with us. It was me who begged and pleaded, telling her how much fun it would be. It’s all my fault…

Jayne

I should have done more to persuade them to stay home from the party… Now I’m gone, and Lena, Marissa, and Cameron are permanently injured. I shouldn’t have let Cameron convince me to go. If I wasn’t going, Lena wouldn’t have gone. And she would be completely fine right now, with me to talk to and hang out with. None of this would’ve happened. It’s all my fault...

Lena

I’m the one who let them all down… I’m the one who was picked to drive us back home. The car crash, the death, the pain, the sadness… it’s because I wasn’t able to move quickly enough. Jayne is gone forever because of me. We’re all injured because of me. This has to be a nightmare… I can’t… It’s all my fault…

Marissa

We’ve all been sitting in a room. The Empty Room, we call it. Everything is blank and empty, though not quite as blank and empty as we are. All of us just stare at the walls. Nothing. We should have left that party the second we heard that someone brought alcohol. None of us had a single drop, but that didn’t stop anyone else. It just so happened that some of the people at the party lived in the same town as us…

Cameron

None of them cared that they were drunk. None of them cared that they might injure or kill someone by deciding to drink and drive. They somehow weren’t able to wait a few hours before driving. None of them cared. None of them cared, and now Jayne is dead and we’re all permanently injured. Marissa hasn’t spoken a single word since the crash. She just writes, which is a miracle because her arms and collarbone are broken.

Jayne

Those dumb boys… We were near the river, almost to town. I don’t remember much about the crash. It’s all a blur. I remember a jarring bump right where I was sitting, and then we were rolling. Over and over, over and over. Stupid, stupid boys… We rolled straight into the river. I was pinned beneath the car, unable to talk or move. Water slowly filled my lungs. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Cameron dragging herself to shore and calling an ambulance.

Lena 

I was stuck in my seat, and I couldn’t feel anything from my legs or arms. My head was far above the water, so I could breathe. The car was jammed between two rocks. Cameron was sitting on the riverbank calling someone. I felt an intense pain in my head. I yelled, trying to tell them about Jayne. Cameron managed to grab Marissa and pull her out. Again I yelled, but the rushing water drowned my voice. The pain increased, and everything went dark.

Marissa

Cameron and I couldn’t see Jayne.

Cameron

I thought she had gotten out further down the river.

Jayne

Everything was turning black, and I could feel my life seeping away.

Lena

An ambulance arrived, and people pulled me out of the car.

Marissa

Lena had been yelling something about Jayne. She was knocked out, but she woke a few seconds after being rescued. She frantically yelled something about Jayne being under the car. The rescuers went back into the river to get Jayne. We all knew, deep down, that Jayne was gone. It was all my fault.

Cameron

Marissa and I were rushed into an ambulance. Lena was put into a different ambulance. Jayne was not put in an ambulance. Marissa and I cried out in pain. My leg felt horrible, and my bone was sticking out. Marissa’s arms looked odd. It was all my fault.

Jayne

I knew I was dead. I could tell that I had closed my eyes for the last time. I could only hope that my friends had gotten off better than I did. Hopefully they don’t blame themselves for my death, because, really, it was all my fault.

Lena

Something was definitely wrong with me. I couldn’t feel a single thing below my neck. The EMT tried to calm me down, but I could tell that she was worried. I could only imagine what shape the others were in… I couldn’t believe we crashed… It was all my fault.

Marissa

We were asked what happened more times than I could count, but I was too upset about Jayne to speak. I was too upset to feel ashamed for staying at the party. I never spoke a word, I just let Cameron and Lena do the talking. I nodded when it was needed, but even now I will not speak. I miss Jayne a lot… it’s completely my fault...

Cameron

None of us thought about the fact that the boys didn’t check to see if we were okay. We didn’t even know who they were. Luckily, a camera on a nearby shop caught the license plate. They will be punished severely, I’m sure. I miss Jayne. I miss her a lot… and it’s all my fault...

Jayne

I wish I could talk to them… but I can’t. If I had just been a bit more stubborn, then maybe… No. I’m not going to spend my time constantly thinking of ‘what if.’ I’m dead, they’re hurt. That’s that. I still wish I could see them. I miss them a lot… It’s my fault...

Lena

I am so tired of answering questions. I just want to rest. I am constantly bombarded with people. I don’t know why the hospital lets the press come in… I shouldn’t complain. At least I’m alive. I just can’t believe this is happening to me, to us. Jayne was my best friend… I really, really miss Jayne… It’s all my fault...