Stillwater Street

1

September 14th 2004. 

No entry.

I fell asleep on a bench. In the middle of Stillwater Woods. My phone still has charge, barely but some. Missed calls, from Malcolm, from Zoe, from Omar, even one from Mom. But none from Max. I told Zoe how Max had been. I fucking told her everything and she still did this. I do like Omar. I just don't think he would ever want to be with me and I don't deserve someone like him anyways. I feel like utter shit. I need to speak to Malcolm. But I can't go home now, I need to wait a bit longer. 

I walk around for a little while, I smell damp, my clothes have been completely ruined by being in them whilst they've also been soaking wet. If I stay in these socks any longer I'll probably get trench foot. I don't know what time it is but I am definitely missing school. I don't care about my lessons but I want to go there to get into a change of clothes before I go home. The carpark at school is full of police cars but I ignore them because it's probably just Anakin with some drugs on him or something. Everyone must be in lessons. I get changed into jorts and a hoodie outside my locker quickly before I hear teachers walking down the corridor. 'Amelia?!' I jump. 'Oh, darling, where have you been?' Mrs Davis grabs me into a hug. 'What is going on?' 'I think we should talk.' I walk to her office and she sits me down. 'You are aware of your brother's recent struggles with substance abuse?' 'Erm, yes... why.' I feel this stupid panicking feeling again and I don't know what to do. 'We got a call today from the authorities Amelia. We are so deeply sorry to inform you that Ma...' Before she can finish, I get up, shoving the chair hard across so it falls over and the leg breaks. It was an accident but I don't have time. I just run. Faster than I have ever run before. I run across the roads, accidentally causing someone to fall off his bike. I jump over benches and small walls. I run through this couple holding hands, breaking them up temporarily, causing them to shout at me. As I run to Stillwater Street, I can see the blue and red flashing lights reflecting off the houses around. I hoped it wasn't for my house but it was. Two ambulances and about five police cars are parked around and then along the road. 'MAX?!' I am screaming at the top of my lungs, I evade people stood in the way and have to duck below them all and scramble between all their legs. 'Malcolm?' I am about to get to my front door but I get stopped by a police officer. 'No entry.' 'I live here, this is my house, please. I live here.' I hold the police officer by his shoulders as he is holding me tight in his arms, I look into his eyes but I can barely see him because of my tears. 'If you do live here Miss, please go and stand over there.' I look to my left and it is Mom, Alistair, Adrian, Zeth and Jake all stood together holding each other, surrounded by policemen. Mom is laying on the floor. Her hands are covering her face and she is sobbing into her hands. The boys are all holding each other. I run over. 'Alistair?' I take his head and lift it so it is looking up at me. His chin quivers and then he bursts into tears. I bring him into a hug and put my arms around all the rest of them as I stare at Mom on the floor and then back at the house.

 The noise around seems to go distorted. 'It's Max isn't it. Max is dead. Where is Malcolm?' No one answers me. I look at the our front door opening. A handful of policemen walk out and I see Max cuffed, his clothes covered in blood and his head down. He gets shoved up against a police car and one officer takes his things out his pocket and hands them to another. I feel myself try to shout his name but I can't. My throat won't let me. Something has gone terribly. A few moments later, I see a few people from the ambulance carry two people out on a stretcher covered in white sheets. I bring my hands up to my mouth. I am in utter despair and disbelief. 

Everything goes silent. Malcolm. That is Malcolm. The 'Ma...' on the phone was for Malcolm. But who else is that. Then it hit me. Zoe. The world starts spinning. I feel myself need to be sick. I lean over and throw up on the ground. I am almost suffocating myself. I see them being put in the ambulance. Everything is numb. I can't cry anymore. I can't speak anymore. I feel myself begin to black out. Everything goes dark again.