Teen Ink- short stories

Family: Shoes by the washer

My mother always knew when my sister had come home because her shoes were by the washing machine-until that one night. I was awoken by a knock on our front door. I laid there in bed as I heard my mother answer it. What could someone want at 3:47 a.m.? I wondered. Soon I found out.
My older sister had been in a car accident. I quickly said a prayer and pulled on jeans. I sloppily put my hair up into a ponytail and grabbed my shoes which were by the washer. I looked at my younger sister's teddy bear lying on the couch. I should bring it, I thought, so she can think of home. Nah, I thought, deciding against it. Mom called me, and we left for the hospital.
When we arrived, we were told to stay in the waiting room. The same officer who had come to our house asked to see my parents alone. I remember sitting and staring absently at the TV. My thoughts began to whirl. What if she's in a coma? What if she has broken legs and needs a wheelchair? I would gladly push her around, maybe knock her into some furniture while im at it.
I looked up as the officer came back into our room and asked my younger sister and me to follow him. We went to a room with a small sign: Family Room.
When we went in, the officer shut the door. My mother looked at me with her tear-stained face and said only two words i will never forget:
"Becky died."
I sat down. I was in shock. I sat there for a long time. Then I began to cry.
It took us months to find out what had happened, and we're still not really sure. All we know is that becky had been worried about coming home late and hadn't wanted to call for a ride, afraid my parents would be mad. So she found a ride with some friends. All seven packed into a small car and my sister had to sit on someone's lap. The driver was drunk and ran into a telephone pole. Becky died instantly.
To this day, I'm still confused and sad. I ask God why. Didn't he know that Becky was my best friend? Sometimes I stare at the empty spot by the washer where my sister once put her sneakers and think sadly that her shoes will never sit there again.