20 Reasons to Let Go

[ Reason Six ] - Sunrises

Needless to say, they never made it to the grocery store on that fateful night.

Cady pulled at her now torn knit leggings. Rubbing her tear stained face, she tried to wipe all evidence of this night from her body. It was no use. Even if she did manage to cleanse her body of everything that had just taken place, she knew that within her heart and soul she would never be the same.

The thought pained her. She would never be the same.

Never be the same.

Never.

It was horrible. The Kendal she had grown up with, the Kendal that loved her backyard swing-set and the Kendal that never ate the crust off her sandwich, was gone.

When would this nightmare come to an end?

She tried to imagine a life ahead of her just like she had always wanted; living in a beautiful stone cottage beside a lake, raising a family, and taking every Sunday off to hike.

It seemed impossibly out of reach.

About two feet away, Kendal stood up. In the light of oncoming morning Cady could see that her best friend's face looked about thirty years older than it had when the night had first begun.

Holding out a gentle hand, Kendal helped Cady up from the cemented side walk. She had stopped crying, and her expression was numb and unfeeling.

"We should call the police and stay with the body until they arrive." Cady suggested, pulling her phone out of her pocket and feeling as though she was always the first to speak.

Kendal ruffled her short brown hair, awkwardly glancing around. When she looked back at Cady, her bright eyes were fearful, "Cady. I killed that girl."

Cady gave a little nod.

"It was an accident. It was dark and I was afraid." Kendal stepped forward, closer to Cady. "However, I find it strongly unlikely that the police are going to care just how dark it was and just how afraid I was."

"Maybe not but-"

"Cady. I'm covered in blood and I just killed a girl. Please, do not argue with me on this one." Kendal's sudden dominance was intimidating, and Cady shivered.

She slid her phone back into her pocket.

"Thank you." Kendal breathed.

Feeling a rolling sensation in her stomach, Cady nodded sadly. She then bent down and forcefully pulled the long knife out of Leyla's gut.

Kendal made a sickened face, disgusted by what she was capable of.

"There." Cady said simply, tucking the knife into her inside coat pocket. "No murder weapon to be found."

"You're good at this." Kendal remarked, slightly disturbed.

Cady laughed darkly, "Too much Criminal Minds, I suppose."

Wincing at the lightly-humored joke at such a difficult time, Kendal started back towards her house, Cady at her heels.

Walking up the porch steps of her Victorian home almost felt like a dream to Kendal, and she could feel her spine tingle as she turned the doorknob. Glancing right, then left, Kendal raced up the stairs and to her room. Cady did the same.

Shutting the door ever so silently, Cady rifled through Kendal's clean clothes as Kendal snapped her blinds shut and tore her bloody and matted ones off.