The Accident: Based On A True Story

Chapter Thirty

Because Sarah was always busier than Eric, my school had his phone number on file as well as our house number. Because it got destroyed in the wreck, they no longer had a cell to call. It's part of the reason I haven't been caught yet.

It's Sunday and the town is either at church, a birthday party, or eating with their families. That's what everyone does every Sunday. As of lately, there's been things of food on the doorstep from people who are wanting to help. Meatloaf, pies, cakes... Everything I find disgusting. Its nice though but I end up just throwing it away. I never understood the whole giving of food. I guess its so you don't have to worry about cooking but who's worried about eating during times like this?

I notice that we get less and less food from neighbors as the days go by. As the accident becomes less fresh in everyone's mind, I can't help but to think that Ryan and Summer will be forgotten soon. It makes their deaths even harder. The faster it's forgotten, the more real it becomes that this isn't going to get any better. That they won't be coming home.

I miss hearing Summer say the same story over and over but in different ways. Or the way she used to have me do her hair.

"Bunny ears or mouse ears?", I'd ask Summer.

Bunny ears were pig tails on each side of her head and mouse ears were buns on each side of her head. Her hair, like mine and Ryan's, was naturally fine. Lots of strands but each one really thin.

I miss when she would forget to shut the back door so Charlie would run in. Usually I'd be the only one chasing him to get him back outside because Ryan would grab a dog treat and have Charlie chase her around the house. It used to make me so mad... I miss it though.

I miss when Ryan would help me decide on what to wear.

"Eww, no.", she would say as she scrunched up her face.

"What about this?", I'd ask after trying something else on.

"Better. Still ugly, but better.", she'd reply. 

Our taste in almost everything was so different but I knew that was her way of saying, "Good. Go with that."

I miss when we'd fight over which movie to watch. She'd always choose something with superheroes or something with cops and detectives. Her favorite shows were Supergirl and NCIS. She hated my stuff as much as I hated hers. My choices always involved some kind of love story like The Notebook or A Cinderella Story.

Actually, the last time we watched The Notebook, she laughed during the whole thing as I cried. She always had a weird way of dealing with death but that's just who she was. She wasn't crazy and I only found that out after googling it. Apparently, a lot of people laugh. I just had to make sure my twin wasn't a psychopath.

I, also, miss her loud chewing and gulping. I wanted to kill her every time she ate. Is it just me or does that bother you too?

"God gave you lips for a reason, Ryan. Use them. Close your mouth.", I'd tell her.

"So yesterday-", she'd begin to say something.

"Did you not just hear me?", I'd ask.

"No, I did. You said to use my lips. I am. I'm talking.", she'd add before continuing to be the chatty Kathy she was.

... I guess what they say is true. You don't really know what you have or how lucky you are until one day you wake up and it's no longer there. All you have are photos that stand still in time and memories that will become more distant with every hour that passes.

I wish I could have had the chance to be a better sister. To not pick on her for her love of comics and swords. To not fight with her over stupid things like who's dirty clothes were whose on our bedroom floor. To let her borrow my allowance when she wanted those stupid POP figures of Dr. Who...

...To tell her how much she meant to me.