Uncanny Valley

2

   It was my best friend from a lifetime ago, my-
"What in the hell do you think you're doing here you punk son of a bitch?"
   Now, let me explain. How could girl with the scowling, murderous expression on her face be my soul mate and best friend? It started what seemed like centuries away,  when I was a plucky, geeky, young freshman in some suburb in Ohio. She had an affinity for Star Wars, I had an affinity for Star Wars, bleh bleh. There was this lame cult of friends we were all in. We were bonded like glue until one fateful evening.
   I would trade anything to go back and fix my god awful mistakes when I was young and stupid. Her, I, and the rest of our entourage of friends were sneaking out to drink some Smirnoff in a parking lot because we were juniors and we were stupidly brave and rebellious. We were tipsy and joking around, then one of them blacked out.
Oh god oh god.

Now, I was 16 and didn't know what to do, so I was scared shitless on the spot. It was my fault. It was all my fault. I kept blaming myself because I brought the drinks, I pressured this poor kid into drinking. I had no idea what was going on, and it was the first experience out of my sheltered suburban life.

He had a brain aneurysm and died on the spot.

Good god.