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Chapter 10

I felt the tears gush down my face before I realised I was crying.

"Mum? What are you-?" My speech was broken, the only sound I heard was that of my rapid beating heart. How did everything come to such an abrupt end? "What? Jade?"

"Honey, I am so sorry, but she's-" another hiccup escaped her, "she's gone."

My eyes stung and I felt my mother's comforting arms wrap around my frail body. I don't remember how long my mother consoled me and protected me during my weak state of mind, but it was not until the room grew dark, that I realised the sun was setting behind the curtains. A gentle rap on the door brought our attention back to the present. Doctor Mckenzie peeked his head through the, now, slightly ajar door.

"I don't mean to intrude but if I may, Meredith, we don't have much time left until..." A frown settled upon his calm face as he took in our tear streaked faces. Until what? As I opened my mouth to ask my mother, I felt as if she had read my thoughts.

"Judice," she paused to inhale deeply and regain control of herself. I mentally pictured herself building an emotional barrier, shielding herself from the world and its problems. I could still see the tears threatening to slip down her cheeks as she tried to speak, "Judice, I think it will be better for you if you hear it from me. Alone." I think Doctor Mckenzie understood what my mother was trying to apply as he slowly shut the door. Once again, leaving just the two of us. My mother continued, "I told you this already, but I feel as if I should tell you right from the beginning. On New Year's Eve, you went to a party with Jade-"

"Mum, today is the 31st. What are you talking about? And the party is happening tonight," I interjected, "At Jess' house."

"Please let me finish. Please don't make it harder for me, than it already is." I understood the importance of my silence in that moment, so chose not to question her any further. "You went to Jess' house with Jade and told me that you would come home straight after, by 12:30. Well, that is what you told me at least." She paused for a brief moment while I tried to recall these events, but every time I would think I was grasping onto a distant memory, it would retreat further and further away. "Sweetie, it was close to one when I grew angry, thinking that you had rebelled against your curfew. Oh how I wish that were the case," my mother's eyes seemed to tear up as she continued, "It would have been much better than the reality. But then the clock reached closer towards two and I began to worry. You had never chosen to break curfew before and I thought it strange. I called the police but they didn't go searching for you until the next day. That following day, the police were at our door, mentioning a hunter who had found you unconscious." She gulped back a stream of tears, "you were taken to the hospital but when you woke up, you-" the slight creaking of the door as it opened abruptly cut my mother short from continuing. It was no surprise when I looked up to see the blonde from earlier on walk into the room.
Where had all the manners gone?

"I am sorry to interrupt. I know how important this is," Kris seemed to be struggling to find her words as she slowly shook her head. "Meredith, I think I should talk to you outside."

I hated every single word that woman spoke. Not only was she trying to keep me in the dark from something, but now, she interrupted my mother when I was finally about to find out answers for myself. I was about to argue again, when my mother spoke up.

"No." My mother looked directly at Kris and began to shake her head as she moved her gaze towards the floor, "Anything you have to say, can be spoken in front of Judice. She has a right to know."
I could not help the slight twitch on my lips. My mother was being honest, and that itself, was something to be ecstatic about.

"Ok, but I don't think it would be good for her emotional as well as cognitive state." The lady motioned towards me and my mother remained quiet. I was wondering what she was going to say when she began to nod in understanding. All the joy I had felt from my mother's act of honesty a few moments ago vanished.

"I'll leave you to tell her Meredith," She began to head for the door, "But then I need to to talk to you, in private."

Once she had left, my mother continued, keeping her eyes fixed on the blanket I wore.
"Judice, the next day they found you unconscious in the woods. You were brought to the hospital, but you didn't wake up until three days after." I waited for my mother to continue, this was clearly new to me. Had I just woken up from the unconscious state my mother was referring to?

"Judice, I just, you-"

Wails and sobs and cries. They were the only sounds that escaped my mother but I knew I could do nothing at this point to help her. I would have to be patient with her; she would tell me whenever she was ready. Several minutes had passed, yet, not a single tear slipped past my shut eyes.
Wails and sobs and cries. They were the only sounds I could hear as I silently willed for my ears to block me out from the world I was living in. Jade. No. Something was definitely wrong. We hadn't even been to the party. How could we anyway; it was happening tonight.
Wails and sobs and cries. They were the sounds that became louder and louder in my ears. I felt my heart pick up its pace as the cries turned to pleads. I shut my eyes, allowing darkness to wash over me. I could still hear my mother's cries and I was angered that I was not brave enough to help her.
Then, a peculiar sense flowed through me.
Through my shut eyes, I heard my mother's sobs morph into a different voice. A familiar voice, one I had begun to find comfort in over the years of our friendship. I heard Jade's voice.
My mother's uncontrollable sobs had morphed into Jade's weak whimpers. As I opened my eyes, I felt a gentle wind breeze through my hair and tingle my neck as it blew past. I smelt the fresh grass and shrubs around me, the natural scent filling my lungs with every breath I took, lulling me into a deep blissful sleep.
However, just as I was losing myself in nature's beauty, I heard her pleading.

"Please. Please, don't do this." I opened my eyes once more, to find Jade leaning against a stone, a couple of feet away from where I was sitting. I had only now realised I was hiding behind a fallen tree trunk, eyes peeking out to see the gruesome sight before me. Jade was leaning against a stone, one hand on her stomach, the other stretched in front of her mid-air, as if blocking something from coming any closer. As I turned my attention to who she was fearfully watching, I froze. Standing towards the right of the tree trunk I was using as cover, stood a tall figure.
With every step he advanced towards Jade, I felt more and more hopeless.

A full moon rose high above in the sky, an opening in the canopy of the forest, allowing its light to enter and display the scene taking place before me. Then something sparkled in the moonlit night. I watched in horror, as the figure rose the large knife in his hand towards his face, examining the dark liquid covering it.
Blood.
I averted my gaze towards Jade's hand that was covering her stomach, and for the first time, realised a dark red patch enveloping her entire abdomen and hand. She whimpered when the person took another step forward.

"Please." Jade pleaded. In one last attempt to stop the person from coming any closer, she flailed her free hand around repeatedly, before the figure crouched in front of her, blocking a clear view of Jade, from where I had sought refuge.

"Please...don't." The last words before I saw the person pull the knife farther away from Jade and with one single movement, plunge it straight through her. I saw her body fall onto her side, into clear view, right after I heard her very last cry, cut short.

I closed my eyes.
I began to scream.

I had just seen my best friend's life snatched from her.
By the hands of a silhouette.
And I had chosen to hide.
I could have saved her.
Yet I had chosen to hide.

I closed my eyes.
I began to scream.

It was only until gentle hands began to slightly shake my shoulders, I decided to slowly open my eyes. I was ready to meet my death and look into the eyes of Jade's murderer, but was met with ocean blue eyes.
And as I stared into my mother's eyes, I felt the blanket I was gently tugging on, providing me with its welcomed warmth. I looked around and smelt the same sterile smell of the hospital.
I was safe.
Then I remembered the note hidden safely under my pillow.
Yes, I was safe...but for how long?

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I am a new author so please tell me in areas I could improve.
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