Sleep

After school

We all look over at Jackie and Heather to make sure they aren't physically killing one another. But they aren't. Instead their heads are turned to the source of the scream. It was Tracy Sawl.

Tracy Sawl had blonde hair that always seemed to fall perfectly to her collar bone. She was skinny and the type of person that cared about appearances. Tracy Sawl was best friends with Centia and Julie. She was also the other most popular girl in school. Tracy, Julie, and Centia all hung out with only each other, and everyone wanted to hang out with them. Tracy was often dramatic, so she might have just been screaming like she got her legs sawed off just because she broke a nail, or even just chipped one. But it turns out she had fallen off the monkey bars and landed on her foot weird and probably broke it. Our teacher tried to get our attention and get us inside, but we were all crowded around the side walk by the fence, watching the ambulance take Tracy away.
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Dear Tracy,
I don't know you very well, we never
really talked. But even if we're not besties, I
wish you the best recovery. Get well soon.
Sincerely,
Kate

I signed my name in my favorite pen, where the ink was liquid, and not the sticky ink. This was the type of pen you bought at hallmark, not a dollar store. I loved the easy flow of the pen, but I had to set it down because you couldn't draw a picture for a homemade card in pen. I liked when we got to make cards especially since we didn't have to do schoolwork, it was nice to have a break.

I set my card on the front table of the class right after I finished a drawing of a rhino saying get well soon. Another thing I liked about making cards was that I've been told I was quite the artist, and people always complimented my drawings. But Jeanne got the nice penmanship. I did not.

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I slumped into my bed, feeling like a sack full of jello. I groaned a swatted my arms to state that I was not happy. I felt cranky and tired and looked like an angry figurine. Jeanne was over at Centia's. I did my homework. Homework! Even if all it was was decorating a folder, homework on the first day of school was like putting an angry bull in a china shop. It is a bad idea. As a matter of fact, homework is a bad idea. I like the kind of homework where the only reason you have it is that you didn't finish it in class and not the kind you can't do in class.

I drew a cartoon elephant with a small pink gauzy hat, with pink flowers that had yellow centers. I drew a very fancy camel that had one of those sun hats women from the 1930s or so would wear, with the gauze that went over your face. I drew bloodthirsty evil eyed birds perched on a branch, foxes darting from trees, rabbits on a comedy show with chewed carrots leaking from there mouths, a squirrel laughing with its eyes popped out, a girl on a swing, and an owl in mid flight. I could get lost in my drawing world, taking weeks to get out.

Jeanne entered the room. She looked a bit different, standing taller, smile sassier. There was another thing I couldn't quite place in my mind. I brushed my hair out of my face and greeted her with a sideways head. All she did was grin.

The doorbell rang a tune that was the high pitch of a mouse and had 2 long notes. I scurried downstairs and poked my head around the wall to see who was at the door as my mom answered it. Blonde hair pulled back in a bun, with a violet scarf draped around her tan neck. A beautiful charm bracelet decks her left arm, with tens of charms, twelve of which had beautiful birth stones, the biggest one was a garnet for January, when she was born. She spoke in her soft, floaty, accented voice, which I will admit, I'm jealous of.

" is Jeanne here? she forgot this," she holds up a bracelet that I Immediately recognize. Pearly blue beads with a small dolphin on the middle by 2 small lily charms. Jeanne and I each got one at Myrtle beach, South Carolina, we would always go there to visit my aunt Marci and uncle Drake. Aunt Marci gave us each one of those bracelets on fair day. Fair day was like Creek fest at home, but it was even bigger, and had a huge Ferris wheel at least half the size of the London eye. A sad thought crossed over as I was reminded that aunt Marcie was dead. Glassiness covered my eyes as I thought about her funeral at Reeves church, with the dark curtains covering the windows. I was glad she got cremated instead of put in a fancy casket. It is very hard to see your relative right in front of you, but know they aren't actually there. Alive. Staring at a cold lifeless form, the skin getting paler at the minute. I shivered myself out of that thought, pinching myself several times. Then I realized that Centia was watching me with curiousness, making me blush and walk away.

I went back up to my room to think my thoughts privately. Thinking again of a lifeless form in a violet satin draped casket. Everyone putting a shovel of dirt over the casket, over the lifeless form that gets paler and paler. Stop it I thought taping my head in frustration, and pinching my arms, but it was difficult to rest my mind.

____________________________________

The lifeless, faceless form revisited me in my dreams sending me bolt up in my bed after letting out a loud scream. I felt my forehead. Steaming hot and covered with sweat. I took a few deep breaths and leaned back down. After closing my eyes, I diverted my thoughts to myrtle beach, but that only lead to thoughts about my aunt, leading to the casket and the lifeless form.

Eventually I fell back asleep. A calm dreamless sleep.

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Sorry I haven't updated in a while.