Fatal: Part 1 (The First Snow)

Chapter 19 (Trigger Warning)

"Okay. Guys, I'm sorry, but we've gotta reschedule practice. C'mon, let's go." Chris says.

"Chris, honey, maybe you shouldn't - "

"No, Mom. I'm going. I have to see if she's okay." Chris says, on the brink of tears. He too was now shaking.

"All I was going to say was that maybe you should let me drive." Chris' mother says, "You're in no shape to."

Chris pauses, then nods.

x

Sophie held McKayla's hand. McKayla was awake. She'd been awake, and was now talking to the police.

"Why didn't you tell anyone what was going on sooner?" One of the officers asks.

"Well after I found out what really happened to my dad, I just...didn't want the same thing to happen to anyone else that I cared about." McKayla says.

x

"I-I don't know, Chris. It was really bad crash. W-what if, what if she d-doesn't m-make it?" Carlie asks through tears as they walk into the hospital.

"No, don't talk like that, baby. She's gonna be okay." Chris says, not sure if he even believed his own words.

x

"Okay, McKayla, I want you to listen very closely." One of the officers starts, "Since your friends have interacted with our suspect, that means that they too are in danger."

"I was afraid you'd say that." McKayla says, "What do we do?"

"Well, we have to keep them as oblivious to the real situation as possible so that the suspect doesn't feel the need to go after them as well. Make sense?"

"I think so. But how will that be done?"

The officer sighs, "Well, since there was no evidence of another car hitting you, and there will be news reports wanting a story on the crash as well...in order to keep everyone safe, your friends and the media will be told that this was a suicide attempt. Your friends will be questioned. They'll be asked things along the lines of if they've noticed a history of depression with you, if any of them saw this coming, and so on. And, you and your mother will have to act like that's what happened - at least until we catch the suspect."

"Why do you keep calling him a suspect? You know he did this!"

"McKayla." Sophie says.

McKayla sighs, then looks back up to the officer, "Do whatever you have to do to keep my friends safe."

x

"I've tried calling Jamie. He won't answer." Kelly says.

Everyone was sitting in the waiting area now, waiting for at least some news on McKayla or her condition.

"Maybe he's already here. I'm sure Sophie would have called him." Angelo says.

"He must be so devastated." Carlie says.

Chris doesn't say anything.

A police officer approaches them, "You kids are here for McKayla McClain?"

"That's us." Kelly says.

"How is she?" Chris asks.

"I'm gonna have to ask you kids some questions." The officer says.

"What? Why?" Carlie asks.

"Relax, this isn't an interrogation. I just need to ask you a few questions about Miss McClain. You see...this car accident that Miss McClain was in...well, it was no accident."