By: Tayona Bodden
As the chauffeur goes up the driveway, I roll down the window to see what is going on. I look at the white mansion with such awe. How could this have happened! When the car stops, I run outside at full speed, dodging the yellow tape guarding the house, only to be stopped by a burly man in a uniform.
“Whoa there,” he says. “Where do you think you’re going? Didn’t you see the yellow tape?”
“What’s going on? Why are you guys at my house?” I say. The man is about to answer, but is interrupted by a deep, loud voice.
“Bring out the bodies!” the voice boomed.
“What bodies,” I yell in panic. “What is going on?” The policeman looks at me and could see the worry in my eyes. He hesitates for a moment, not sure what to tell me.
“May I ask for your name first?”
“It’s Tally. Tally Diamonds. I’m the daughter of Joice Diamonds and step-daughter of Henry Diamonds. Where are my parents?” I say stumbling with a yell on the last sentence. He looks down at me and back to the bodies. The expression on his face appears as though something heavy is resting on his shoulders and will soon be a burden on mine as well. He takes a deep breath and lets out a sigh.
Looking back at me he says, “I am sorry to say, but your parents are dead. They were found in their room, I believe, in a pool of blood.” Tears burst from my eyes and I fall to the ground as if my whole world has crumbled. I pause for a moment and look at the bodies. I run to them and lay my head on my mother’s limp bodice.
“Wake up! You can’t be dead! Mom, Dad do you hear me? Wake up, for the love of God! Please wake up,” I scream shaking them uncontrollably. I stop and weep over them. I am pulled away and forced to sit in the porch chair until I am calm. The men and women start to pack up and leave. About twenty minutes later, they are almost finished and I am pacified enough to roam around the scene, grief clenching deep in my heart. I look back at the house, wondering how I can take care of myself alone. All of the workers are on vacation for a month and Bryce, my step-brother, is at college. It’s hopeless. I grab my phone from my school, plaid satchel and call Chase, my boyfriend. But as the phone starts to ring, I see his car pull up on the side of the road, not to interfere with the investigation going on by the police.
He rushes out the car with a sigh of relief. “Thank God! Are you alright?” he says, checking for bruises or marks on my body. I hang up the phone.
“Yes, thank you for your concern, but why are you here?” I ask in curious tone.
“Well, I heard about the news and rushed over as soon as possible,” he says trying to calm down.
“How did you ……… never mind,” I brush off the question. “I am so glad you’re here. I feel so abandoned right now.”
“You won’t have to anymore. You can stay with me until you figure out what to do next. I don’t want you to stay here alone especially with that killer out there.”
“I have no problem with that, but don’t you think it’s unseemly for a fifteen year-old girl to be living with an 18 year-old guy.
“You’re turning sixteen next month. No, less. Twenty-eight days and 5 hours.”
“Chase,” I say with a stern look.
“Fine you’re right.”
“If you’re worried about me this much, I’ll just call my Aunt Helen to take care of me,” I say assuring him all will be well.
