MIA

THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING

The same conversation had passed between us for years. It was always the same, her accusations of my sacrilegious attitude, condemning my desire to work. Cadence was always hurried away when mother lectured me, made busy with some menial task. On this particular day, she stood in the middle of her room stripped down to her underwear, moving her body like a contortionist in order to mirror the shapes she saw plastered on the billboards.

"What are you doing?" I interrupted softly, handing her the silk robe that lay discarded atop her mantlepiece. 

"No one is ever going to marry me, are they? That's why mother is so desperate for you to find a suitor because she knows that no decent man would have me".

"Don't talk like that".

"I'm bigger than all the girls in my class", she said quietly, hands resting on her abdomen. I knew she hated the small swell of her stomach, but it was a source of joy to me. The curve of her stomach meant she was not going hungry, like so many others. The slashing of my own rations was worth it when I saw that slight bump. 

"You're perfect", I said finally, pressing a kiss to her temple, "Look at your beautiful blonde hair, it's beautiful. I've never met someone with a prettier smile". She caught my eye in the mirror glass, a slight frown burrowing into her forehead. 

"I'm not like you, Mia", she said, "I don't want to be a part of the revolution. I just want to be normal, be the same as everyone else. That's the point isn't it?"

"Sometimes", I whispered, smoothing away the gentle frizz of fringe that curled onto her forehead, "We all need just a little individuality"

"Mother found the report you hid", Cadence said quickly, diverting the conversation as her cheeks flushed nervously.   "She knows you failed Maternal Studies". It was the only subject that mattered to our mother, she thought it in indicative of the life we would live.

Our conversation was disrupted as Remie bolted up the stairs, her hair windswept and dishevelled, "Mia will never pass that class", she interjected. "You won't believe what happened, we need to get to school". Her eyes darted to Cadence, unwilling to frighten her with whatever tale she wanted to tell.  

We hurried down the familiar track to school, dipping our heads respectfully at the Masters who passed. My mind was racing as I surveyed the building, searching for an indication of some great incident. The Recreational Centre looked untouched from the previous days activities, carbon dioxide bubbled persistently through the water distiller, soft music filled the air, and the old potted plants remained deep in their dredge of dehydration. Ebert, our fondly named guinea pig ran riot on his wheel - he was the only non slaughter animal in a sixteen mile radius and he was fair doted upon. It looked the same as any other day, except for the chalk outline that had been hastily sketched over the matted carpet. It was a female outline, young. She must have been one of our peers. 

"Someone died? At school" I whispered, as we crouched behind a bookshelf "How is that possible?"

"Not just anyone, Margaret Simmons". I exhaled forcefully, blinking away the tears that threatened to spill. She wasn't my friend, but she was kind to me and we were acquainted. 

"Who killed her?"

Remie shrugged, adjusting the glasses that perched on the tip of her nose,"The police aren't treating her death as a homicide. They're saying she took her own life. She's the mayors daughter and this is the first suspicious death in years, they don't want to alarm the public". She cut herself off quickly as a police officer paused a few feet in front of us, scrawling in his notebook. 

"Maggie didn't take her own life", I breathed, gazing at the slender silhouette that had been ingrained into the flooring, "I knew her, my mother did her laundry every other day. She brought me strawberries and sometimes we would go to the swings together. I knew her, she would never kill herself".

"They're saying that they found a gun in her locker", Remie murmured, "Which is ridiculous because we have to walk through the metal detectors everyday, they clearly planted it". I caught sight of a lone Sergeant sitting behind a computer, logging in the details of his investigation and began making my way towards him, exposing our hiding spot. "Don't do something you'll regret", Remie warned, hurrying to match my stride.

"Sir?" I asked, "A moment?" Grunting, the heavyset man rose to his feet, a clump of frothed cream from his coffee entangling in his overgrown moustache.

"This is a closed investigation, ladies", He said sternly, "You shouldn't even be on the premises". 

"We're students here", I interjected. 

"I can't advise you any further than the official release has detailed", he insisted. 

"With all due respect, Sir, Margaret Simmons was a friend of mine".

"The, I'm sorry for your loss", he droned, "Do you require further assistance?"

"I'd like to give my testimony", I said shakily, "I knew Maggie and she would never kill herself. Why would she? She was planning to apply for Evolution and if she failed there were plenty of men who wanted her hand. She was excelling in her classes and was never without a friend".

"There are no testimonies for this case", the officer persisted, "It is a very clear cut situation of suicide. It is simply tragic to have lost someone so young to the pull of such horrible egoism but she made her choice".

"And what was her motive?" I protested, "Where's the evidence".

"The evidence?" He repeated, "A gun was found in her locker, behind a pink folder".

"That's impossible", I interrupted, "We have to walk through metal detectors before going to class every morning, how did she get through if she had a rifle? Actually, I had Maternal Studies with her yesterday, we stopped at her locker. I would have noticed an unconcealed gun". The office man growled, shimmying a manilla file across to me. It contained only a few documents within it and a big, 'closed' stamp bled into the cover.

"Your eyes lie", he snapped, "Tell me, what does that stamp say? Go on, read it to me".

"Closed", I muttered, "I just don't feel like you've given the case the time it required. Traced the delicacies. Have you even considered the possibility that this was a deliberated murder?"

"We have considered all feasible leads", he said abruptly, puffing out his chest like a bullfrog, "Listen, your devotion to your friend is admirable but the professionals have reached a conclusion about her death. If you want to run around playing detective then by all means, however, I will not engage in such foolish speculation. Good day to you, ladies. My sincerest apologies for your loss".

"They don't care", I muttered as Remie guided me through the back doors, "They just want the problem to disappear, they don't want justice for her".

"What can we do?" 

I motioned to the reporters scattered around the lawn, poised with cameras. "I'm going to make a statement, we can tell them what we know". 

"Are you crazy?" Remie asked, "As far as anybody is concerned we know nothing. Do you want to be arrested?"

"They may be able to intimidate you into silence but not me. I'm telling Maggie's story".