Devil

-39-

-Esla-

It had been exactly seven days since I had last seen Goddess. I was taking my shower and getting ready to start a vlog on my half charged phone when Kiersten shot me a text.

Bestie 🤪🤪: Esla... I didn't wanna start ur day off like this 😔

I immediately became serious, somehow being able to sense, even through my phone, that something was up with my best friend Kiersten.

Me: what's wrong?? ❤️

I started getting ready for the day, deciding today wouldn't be a YouTube day. I was excited and a bit nervous to go back to school, but the people could wait to hear about my most likely eventful day.

Bestie 🤪🤪: Ms. Orange died today

It felt like time slowed, then tears came to my eyes. Not sweet Ms. Orange that I had just talked to the other day. The one who had plans to live a happy life after her uneventful miscarriage. The same older lady with the type of spunk that was mixed with wisdom. She couldn't be gone. She had seemed healthy...and she was going to move out. I shakily forced myself to type.

Me: how did she die? Was she still in Texas or Jamaica? I don't remember when she said she was leavin 😖

Bestie  🤪🤪: tx I was barely awake when my mama told me she heard gunshots. She was shot during a break in. The crooks took off with everything of value since she had the boxes labeled. She was shot in the breasts and head eleven times.

I started laughing because I didn't know what else to do, then held myself as I tried to control the tears streaming down my face. At this rate I wouldn't get ready on time, and I'd be late for school. Why would someone do something like this to a poor old lady out of the blue?

Me: it was probably someone who knew she was moving and hadn't sold the place yet. Maybe was watching her house or something or cause she was an older woman 😞

Bestie 🤪🤪: I just wanted to be the one to tell you so you wouldn't find out over the news. I had talked to her just yesterday and she mentioned that you had came over the other day ❤️ that's why I thought to tell u cause otherwise I wouldn't even had known u still remembered her

Me: yea, I remembered her well... I'm gonna get ready for school. See u there ❤️❤️

Bestie 🤪🤪: see u there ❤️🥰

With a heavy heart I got ready for school, trying to look as put together as I could manage. I didn't want to walk in there with a sullen face and people think that I'm affected about whatever Thomkeesha could be saying about me or other people.

No baby, these tears were all for a dead woman.

A kind woman who still had a life ahead of her.

I barely spoke to my mother as we headed out the door. She looked at me curiously as I grabbed my lunch. "What's wrong sweetie?" She probably thought it was because I felt guilty about lying to the cop about the time I had been kidnapped since she knew the truth. Or maybe she thought it was regular teenage moodiness.

The dams broke loose and I collapsed into her arms.

"She's dead," I repeated over and over.

"Who, Esla? Who?" my mother asked. We hadn't made it out the front door yet to leave for school so my father looked up from the newspaper he ordered every Sunday, that he was just now reading on a Monday,  and came to see what was wrong. I watched him through blurry, tear filled eyes as he came and hugged me too.

"Shh, it's okay baby girl."

"Ms. Orange died in a robbery," I told them through sniffles, trying to regain my composure.

Who could do something like this to her? Matter of fact, who would? My mother's concerned gaze softened as she rubbed my wet cheek. "Ms. Orange was a kind old lady. She's in a better place now, Esla."

"Are you sure you want to go to school today, sweetie?" my father asked, the scent of waffles wafting from his mouth. My mother shot him a look that said "why encourage poor attendance" but my father ignored her. "No, I need to be there for Kiersten. She saw her more. They were neighbors," I added, as if they didn't know the older woman as well as I did. I'm sure out of my sight they would grieve on their own as well.

Eventually we made it out the door, running ten minutes late and I text Kiersten that I'd just meet her in class and told Jashaea I'd see her at lunch.

Rest In Peace Ms. Orange, I thought sadly, heading off to PISSH.