When Ties End

Chapter 1-The Severed Arm

6-23 4:35PM

The floorboards creak each time I step on them, agonized by my pacing. Where the hell is Emily? She hasn't answered any of my texts or calls. I swear, by the time she answers I'm going to kill her.

Since I'm in my living room, I might as well kill time by watching some of The Real Housewives of New York City, such a stupid show. As usual, the first channel to appear is the news, but to my surprise, a caption catches my eye. In bright, blinding red, the caption says, "SEVERED ARM FOUND OUTSIDE OF PINE FOREST." The news reporter's mouth moves soundlessly until I turn up the volume.

    " . . . a female's arm has been found outside of Pine Forest in Ricksville. Her fingers were found with chipping black nail polish and a friendship bracelet." Flashes before my eyes is the exact same friendship bracelet I gave her years ago. The bracelet—no, Emily's bracelet— is covered in a thick red liquid, soaking through the once colorful bracelet. I can barely see the white and black blocks spelling out the word friends. Blood. Even through the TV, I can feel it sink through my nostrils, inflating my lungs. The bitter taste crawls into my down and down my throat. I feel a cold sweat start to fall down on my back, bringing shivers on my spine. My phone slips out of my hands, clunking against the hardwood floors. Quickly, I scramble to pick it up. No crack.

    I hear the last bit of the news reporter talking about Emily, " . . . If you have any information about her identity, please go to your local police station." The screen flashes to another report about drug usage.

Unlocking my phone with shaky hands, I'm about to text my parents about what possibly happened to Emily. But, I then realize they are on a business trip in Hawaii. Oh, I wish I accepted their offer for Emily and me to go with them. Then I wouldn't be stuck in an endless loop of questions about Emily. She wouldn't be dead. I wouldn't be here with my mouth hanging wide open.

Choking back a sob, I run to grab my keys to my black '67 Chevy Impala. I look at the keychain: a locket with Emily and me smiling from ear to ear with blue cotton candy stuck in our teeth; a Harry Potter wand; my name on a tiny license plate; my house keys; and my car keys.

Clutching my keychain tightly, I rush to the front door and open it. There, my car glares back at me, ready for adventure. After I step out, I slam the door with a great thud, shaking the house to its core.

Before I even notice, I'm in my car, starting to drive. Why must it be Em, why not me?  She's gone through enough. Why now when she was finally getting better, finally becoming the Emily I remember?

"Arrgh," I growl in anger.

Ahead the light turns red, and I stop the car to bang my head against the steering wheel. Honk. Honk. Hoonnnnnnkkkkk. Hot tears run down my cheeks.

Sirens circle around my head, creating an agonizing sound. Louder than any of that is the long honk next to me. Sobs escape me. Emily's rubbing my back even though her face says it all. Fear.

"M-mom . . .?"

I tilt my head to see Emily next to me, humming her favorite tune. She looks at me with a big,, happy smile and disappears. When was the last time I've seen that smile?

The light turns to a sickening lime green, and I turn the car to left, heading to the police station.

~~~~~~~~~

I rush up the stone stairs to the ominously gray building and yank the door open. Panting, I run to the receptionist.

"How may I assist you?"