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Introduction

I never thought I'd watch my parents die.
But I did.
It was a perfect July day, sun out, no clouds, nice breeze. Everyone was outside, plenty of
lemonade stands on every block in case you got thirsty. People were extra nice that day, shouting
how are you's and nice day isn't it's. Everything was just right.
Or so it seemed.
I was longboarding around the neighborhood with my best friend Cammryn, stopping at a
lemonade stand every once in awhile. When we stopped at the third one, she sat down on the
curb. "We should head down to the park," She said, taking a sip from her plastic cup. "Maybe
Tony's there."
Tony was her love interest and had been the past three years of high school. "I don't
know, all of the skating groupies are going to be there. They annoy the..." I looked around,
noticing the ten year olds running the stand. "The crap out of me." I sighed.
"Even more the reason to go. To make sure no slut is all over Tony." She smiled, then
sniffed the air. "I can smell the fish from here."
I groaned. "But­"
"But nothing," She laughed and threw away her cup then jumped on her longboard.
I got on mine, rolling my eyes and laughing with her. I watched as she rolled along the
pavement, pushing every once in awhile. We passed my house and my parents were on the front lawn, watching my sister Artie hang out with her friends. She just turned fifteen and was hitting
the emo stage very hard.
My parents looked worried as they discussed something. I shook my head as I looked
forward, trying to catch up with Cammryn as she was halfway to the park down the street.
As it came into view, my guess had been right. All of the girls that wanted to nail a skater
were there, in the most showy of clothes, standing in the most seductive of positions. Cammryn
looked back at me and sighed. I tried to find Tony, and when I did, I noticed one of them were all
over him, lovingly touching his shoulder, giggling. But when he spotted us, he almost ran over,
looking relieved.
"How did I know I was going to see you two today?" He smiled, kissing Cammryn on the
cheek.
She smiled back at him and shrugged. "Just wanted to stop by and see the rest of the
boys. The beginning of summer was always our­­" She looked at me, or behind me. Like she'd
just seen a ghost.
I turned around. The rest of the boys was right. There, unloading his bike, was Asher.
Who hasn't been back to since my Freshman summer. I quickly turned around and waved my
longboard at Cammryn then told her I was going home. She nodded and a worried look stuck to
her face. "Call when you get back, okay?"
I nodded, and started to board home, wiping at my forehead as I do when I'm anxious.
Artie was still outside with her friends. They were just sitting in the lawn laughing. When she
saw me she rolled her eyes and looked back at her friends.
I rushed inside, throwing my longboard down in the entryway, trying to catch my breath.
"Hey, sweetie." Mom said, handing me a piece of her cookie. "You okay?"
"Yeah, you look like you've just seen your Nuna naked," Dad paused, shaking his head
wildly. "Tell me you haven't. You don't get that image out for years."
I let out a small laugh and shook my head. "No, I just um... Asher."
My parents looked at each other worriedly. "He's back?" Dad had a stern look, his mouth
making a straight line.
I nodded. "He's at the park."
"Well, you know what this calls for?" Mom said happily. "Ice cream intervention!" She
grabbed her keys. "And the one that's like across the bridge fifteen minutes away, the one that's
really good that we beg your father for but he never takes us because it's 'too far away'." She
smirks at him, opening up the door and allowing dad to go out and she winks at me as I pass.
"Artie, wanna come with us for Andew's Frozen Eatery?" Mom calls.
Artie shakes her head and turns back to her friends. I sighed.
"Any music requests?" Mom says as she stands outside of the car, unlocking it.
"Hold on a sec, Mom," I say, as I start to walk over to Artie. I squat down beside her and
make her look at me. "Stop being ungrateful. We love you and try to make you happy. So stop."
I stood up and walked to the car, not leaving her any chance to make a smartass remark back.
I stayed quiet as the rock station crept into my ears, and stared out the window at Artie as
we pulled out of the driveway. "Have you guys noticed how much Artie changed?"
Mom and Dad looked at each other. "Yeah, we have. We want to talk to her but don't
know how. She barely talks to us at all. We hardly see her for dinner anymore. We have no idea
what to do."
"It'll be okay, mom. It's proabably just a phase."
They both looked back at me and smiled and nodded. Mom reached back and touched my
face. And then I saw the truck. "Mom!"
She tried swerving out of the way and missed the truck. But not the side of the bridge.
Our car flipped upside down and fell roof first down, finally righting itself when it hit the water.
I could feel the water filling up the car, hitting my feet. "Mom? Dad?"
They turned back to me, the car filling up fast, to my waist now. "Just stay calm, Imogen." Mom said, trying to pull the door open. The water to my neck now.
"Mom." My mouth was covered.
She looked back at me as all of us were finally submerged. She looked defeated. She turned to look at Dad, then out the window, then lost it. She pounded on the window, trying to break it.
My vision started going black and I knew it wouldn't be long. Just as I was about to let go, ready to die, someone grabbed my arm and took me out of the car. Then I blacked out.