Wildcat

1

I tuck my reddish brown hair behind my ear as I slam the gym locker door. My friend Maddie sidles over to greet me and we begin the long walk home in the rain. We exchange very few words and it's obvious how rocky our friendship has been lately. Ever since my mom got a job at a high paying law firm and we moved, Maddie and I just can't connect. When we reach my house, I mumble an awkward 'goodbye' and Maddie lopes off.

I reach my hand for the back door of my house and twist. It won't open. This is really weird, because my mom always leaves it unlocked. I walk around to the front door and find my mom, hastily dressed in a raggedy t-shirt and jeans, rushing out the front door. It looked like she hadn't even taken a shower. My mom is struggling with two suitcases, and I recognize one as my own.

"Mom? What's going on?" I yell as I rush over to help her shove the recalcitrant suitcases into our SUV.

"I'll explain on the way," she breathes. I hop into the passenger side and my mom floors the gas pedal before we can even get our seat belts on, and her stormy gray eyes are flashing tearfully.

"What's going on, mom?" I demand again.

"Well, we've been evicted," she explains, "I lost my job about a month ago, and we just... ran out of money."

I shake my head disbelievingly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

My mom looks at me pitifully. "I didn't want to hurt you hon-"

Our car swerves on the damp street. A crowd of people tailgating merrily at the football stadium turn to watch as our SUV careens into oncoming traffic. A child screams. My mother, petrified, yanks the wheel off to one side. I cling to the armrests for dear life and my mom tries to brake. The car hits the curb and is headed straight for a large weeping willow beside the sidewalk. Bracing myself, I wait for impact.

Bump.

We run over something right before the front end of the car crumples against the tree. Stunned, I look over at my mother. She seems okay, if a little dazed.

"Melody, I'm so sorry," she wails.

She looks so strange. Tears stream down once-glowing almond brown skin. I have always known my mother to be a strong, if a little harsh, woman. Now, it looks as if she's gotten twenty years older in a matter of seconds.

Suddenly, I remember the 'bump' I had felt just before we crashed. Jolted out of my reverie, I checked again to see if my mom was okay and slowly exit the car.

Like a ghost I stumble towards the back of the car. A crowd has formed around... something.

Or someone.

I push my way through the thickening crowd and emerge in the center.

A teenage girl lays sprawled on the damp grass. A trickle of blood taints the fresh, green leaves. Head spinning, I gently turn the girl's head to face me. Dainty lips, pale skin, and green eyes, widened with shock reveal themselves.

I have seen these features every day for the past ten years of my life, yet I almost don't recognize them. All the color has left the cheeks, all the sparkle gone from the eyes, and the life escaped from the lips.

I let out a choked sob as I push closed the lids of Maddie's eyes, shutting off the lifeless orbs from the world forever.

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Hey y'all!!! This is my first non-fanfic story on Wattpad (check out my Eragon fanfic too XD), so be sure to give me ALL THE FEEDBACK YOU HAVE!! <3 Thanks for reading!

Btw my chapters are short, but I publish fast so don't be disappointed ;)