Broken: Emily's Story

12

I push open the front door. I enter the house and close the door behind me. The clock by the T.V. reads 4:00. Dad'll be home in an hour.

I go towards my room and see my door is open. I start to panic because I thought I had closed my door when I left. I cross to my room and flip my light on.

Everything looks exactly how I left it. Well, almost everything.

There's a box on my desk. There are no labels, just a regular brown box. I open it. Inside is a neatly wrapped box. The wrapping paper says Happy Birthday. Was it my birthday today? I can't remember. Maybe it is.

Shrugging, I unwrap the box and open it. Inside is a phone. I think it's the new one, I don't know. I immediately wanna throw the fucking thing across the room.

This thing could've saved my sister two years ago. I could've saved my fucking sister. Instead, I had to run to the hospital. All because I didn't have a fucking phone.

I put the phone on my desk, next to the number I've had for almost a year. I walk out of my room and into the kitchen to make Dad dinner.

When was the last time I ate? I should probably eat. I'm just not hungry. I make my Dad stew and then look through the cupboards. We didn't have much else. Just mostly what Dad ate.

I find a jar of applesauce. I get a clean spoon and then head back to my room. I set the applesauce and the spoon on my desk and stare at the phone.

Somehow, I find myself texting. Hi, is this Eric Hendelwood? to the number. I get a message back saying, Yes, who is this?

I stare at the phone debating whether to type back. Eventually, I send, It's Emily. He sends back, Oh hey! Finally find a use for that number? I send back, Yes.

He says, Well, it's about time. Any particular reason you have a phone now?

I think it might be my birthday. I don't know.

You don't know your own birthday?

I do, I just haven't celebrated in a couple of years. I kind of gave up on it.

Oh.

I stare at the screen, not knowing what to say. The screen times out. I put the phone on my desk. I stare at the picture of me and Ellie. I sigh. Maybe if I had had a phone sooner, things would be different. Maybe things would be happier.

I get up and go into Ellie's room. It hasn't really changed. It's just really dusty. I pick up her stuffed fox off the floor. I sit on the floor, hugging the fox and stare at a poster on her wall. It's an anime we had both loved. The poster featured the four girls, each ready to battle.