Where Everything Fell

I often recall different moments of our friendship together. It just is something that is my go to topic to think about when I am busy wandering the empty parts of my neighborhood. Todays story I thought about was when we decided it would be quite funny to pull our long black hair in front of our faces and hide behind doors to scare people. That was a funny day.

Thinking about more calamities that were caused by us, I realized that it was getting very late. The sky turned into a dark deep shade of purple while the north star was beginning to fade in. It wasn’t good to be out here in the night. Especially this night.

I turned my head and started running towards my apartment just a bit from where I was standing when I bumped into someone. I ended up pushing that person into a lamp post. One half of my brain was freaking out because of my stupid limbs, but another side of my brain was laughing uncontrollably. It reminded me when she and I accidentally did that to each other in our sophomore year of high school.

Excusing my immature thoughts, I hurried frantically towards the person that I noticed was wearing a long dark cloak. “Hi, um, are you okay? I am so very sorry. If you need any assistance, I can call an ambulance for you if you want!” Oh, how very dumb of me. I didn’t need to be paying money for an ambulance. Plus, I doubt that the person was seriously injured. I mean, come on? A lamp post impact to your forehead? It can’t be that bad, for I had experienced it an unreal amount of times.

As I was about to help the figure up, they swayed me away. They mumbled something that was inaudible, so I pardoned. “I didn’t hear that,” I started to speak, but they just stood up and walked away swiftly.

“What was that all about?” I thought, but then I excused it and hurriedly made my way back home. I didn’t need to be in this place longer than I needed to. It would be too emotional for me anyways. I don’t even know how I can tolerate it with all of my jumbled thoughts swarming and fighting for my mentality. I was stronger and smarter than that. That was what one side of my brain was telling me. Even if I didn’t seem like it, another part told me.

___

The next thing I knew, my hair was all over my face while drool made its way back into my mouth. “Disgusting, Amber. You absolute idiot. Get up.” But I didn’t want to get up. I fought my thoughts until they retreated back into a dark corner of my mind. “Finally. I can sleep.” I just closed my eyes when her shrieks filled my mind. The frightening image of her fighting against the blue waves of the creek. The creek that was just a bit away from the empty parts of my neighborhood. The whole 20 minutes in which I was looking for her and found her like that- too late to save her.

I screamed and jolted up against my bed causing my bed springs to unfold their symphony. I forgot that when my jumbled thoughts aren’t swarming my brain, those images of her last breath are. The last breath of Sophia. My best friend. Without noticing, I started to cry. “Amber, this isn’t the time,” my thoughts clearly said. I already felt a little better as my strange thoughts began to fill my brain.

I stood up and made my way to the bathroom to fix myself up. Today was the day that Sophia died. Today marked her 2nd year of being gone. And it also marked the 17th year of our friendship. Yesterday was her 19th birthday. She was only a month younger than I was, but she still died first.

Changing the course of my train of thoughts, I decided since it was Sunday that I would go to the library and read. Because that is just what I like to do. It welcomes me into another setting, time, and an adventure that takes my thoughts away from my best friend doing silly things with me or my best friend…

“It’s already 11 A.M. You best get going.” I sighed and decided to listen to the only partly sane part of me.

_____

“Yes!” I hissed when I finished one of the most brilliant books I’ve ever read. I’ve been meaning to read that book ever since it came out just over a month ago. My town’s library had gotten a plethora of copies today, and it was such a swell surprise! “I’m finally caught up. Ooh, and I can finally shove in Lucas’ face that I’ve read it before him!” I whispered with a little too much air.

Just then I heard someone say my name. In a nasty way. It came from behind me. Stupidly, I turned my head back towards the book shelf. I sighed and then I peeked behind the bookshelf I was sitting at when I noticed… “Lucas!”

He jumped out of his seat and dropped his book. He looked at me frantically reaching to pick up his book, but I reached it first. It was the same book that I was reading! In utter surprise, I dropped my copy of the book which he picked up and looked at me in utter surprise. Looking around trying to find a way we could insult each other, we both shouted at the same time, “I read it first!” A little too loudly.

We looked at each other silently and worriedly knowing what was to come. The little old librarian was going to come to us and say while waving her little finger, “Oh, Lulu and Sophie,” and then make us give the books back trying to sway us into the nonfiction section.

Lucas looked at me and mouthed “3, 2, 1” as we gently placed the two new books on the book cart nearby. Just a millisecond later, we jolted. We ran all the way out of the massive library down to the park nearby. We started laughing uncontrollably. Without realizing it, Lucas held out two oranges and we decided to have a small picnic there on those small benches.

It was a good time. We kept on telling jokes and pranking little children until I pulled out my phone and saw that it was now 4:00 P.M. My expression softened as I looked at Lucas now tying the shoes of a 4-year-old. As he finished, brushed off his pants, and then turned to look at me, I asked, “Should we go see your little sister?” His expressions softened, but he nodded, and we made our way to the creek.

We walked hand in hand to the place that we despised the most. I would have to conquer my thoughts just this one time to not break down thinking about Sophia. I looked around and then realized that Lucas, staring straight ahead, was right here next to me. Sophia’s brother that was just a year older than her. Someone that shared the same pain as me.

“Lucas, we were just playing hide-and-seek. I- I couldn’t find her, and you couldn’t as well. Then we heard her shrieks. She- she could never swim,” I started to say, stuttering.

Lucas looked at me sweetly while his eyes were saddened and spoke, “You never stutter.” I looked at him unbelievably. Before I could comment on his reply, he continued, “You’re right. She could never swim. I don’t know what happened that day. She must’ve tripped over something. She drowned as a result. I still to this day do not know where her body is. It’s frightening.”

I nodded and closed my eyes sensing that we were almost to the creek. Opening them, I saw that we had passed the last building and now were at the edge of the forest. Lucas and I helped each other over twigs and other obstacles while holding onto each other tightly. We didn’t want to trip or fall over anything even though we did know how to swim.

Just a moment later, we were at the creek. It was deep and scary. Very scary. Lucas and I sat down just far away ensuring that we wouldn’t fall, but also close enough so that we could talk about our best friend.

It was an average day, but this moment was special. Even though she was gone, we would never forget her. We exchanged stories all the way from before elementary all the way to the day where everything fell. It was getting late. “Lucas, we should make our way back to our apartments. We have college tomorrow.” He nodded and he then plucked two flowers, gave one to me and then threw one into the creek. 

As I was about to throw it out, he stopped me and smiled. “It’s for you.” I returned the smile and as we were about to walk back, a figure stood there. As they lifted their cloak away from their face, my heart sank. Lucas and I stumbled back gasping.

Sophia, our best friend, stood there and whispered, “You finally found me.”