The Friends

Chapter 6

Once inside, the girls found themselves standing in front of a massive in ground pool. Beautiful, plush lawn furniture with brightly colored umbrellas shading all the lounge areas, were strategically placed to provide just the right amount of shade for the midday sun. The girls stripped down to their underwear and all jumped in. Suddenly Tracey screamed.

"Ann looked at Tracey, "WHAT'S WRONG? ARE YOU OK?"

"Yeh, yeh sorry, I looked over at Karen and I thought she was being attacked by this big hairy animal in the water. Then I realized it was just her weave."

"See this is why when I get my hands on you Tracey, you're gonna be screaming for real," said Karen as she splashed water over in Tracey's direction.

Ann started laughing and they all started cracking up. Then Ann just happened to look over towards the sliding patio doors that led to the entrance to the house and saw an old woman standing there with a telephone in her hand. She was shaking and was obviously scared. When the friends all turned their focus on the old woman, each one froze with mouths wide open. The old woman finally spoke.

"You kids get out of my pool. Get out of hear NOW! I just called the cops and you all are going to get into big trouble."

The friends got out of the pool as fast as they could. Slipping and sliding, they managed to grab their clothes and started running and dressing at the same time while heading for the gate. The old woman moved as quickly as she could towards them and managed to get a hold on to Ann's arm. They tussled a little bit. Then Ann finally shook the old woman off, when she did, the old woman fell to her Knees. Ann started running again towards the gate to catch up with Karen and Tracey, but something made her look back, when she did, she saw the old woman on her knees clutching her chest. The old woman's mouth was wide open, and her eyes were bulging. Ann stopped running, turned around, and started running as fast as she could back to the old woman. By this time the old woman was lying on the ground. She was unresponsive and not breathing. Ann called to Karen and Tracey. When they heard Ann's voice scream they also came running back. All three now stood over the old woman's body in shock.

"She's not breathing, said Ann."

"Oh, shit, what do we do now? The cops will be here soon, said Karen. There gonna think we killed her. We gotta get out of here. Come on guys let's GO!

"No! We have to try and help, said Ann. Tracey, do you remember the CPR we were taught in gym earlier this year?"

"Yeh, Yeh, I think I do. Do you think it will help?

"I don't know, said Ann but we have to try. Karen, get the woman's phone call 911 while Tracey and I do the CPR.

Karen agreed. Tracey and Ann worked as a team performing the CPR. They took turns with the chest compressions and blowing air into the old woman's lungs through her mouth. After a few minutes had gone by the friends heard that familiar sound that is almost a constant in their neighborhood, the sound of the EMS sirens letting folks know they're on their way. No sweeter sound was ever heard at this moment for the friends, because the thought of this woman dying and what it would mean for them was a paralyzing fear they did not want to face. When EMS arrived they immediately took over while Ann told them what happened to the old woman. A short time after that, the police showed up. The old woman had reported a break in and gave the description of three young black kids. When the cops showed up and saw the condition the old woman was in, then looked at the three black teenagers in front of them, they immediately read the friends their Miranda rights, arrested all three to bring them down to the precinct for questioning by the detectives and maybe get a confession. The old woman was still being worked on by EMS as they put her on a stretcher and loaded her into their ambulance heading straight for the nearest hospital.

As the friends were being led away, each one in their own police car. The vision of the EMS workers working feverishly to keep the old woman alive, was a vision in their minds they would never forget. No other thoughts in their minds were powerful enough to interrupt the possibility that if the old woman dies, their lives would be over before they even begin. The magnitude of what they had just done, the breaking and entering and the possible death of the old woman, lay heavy on their minds as they were taken to the precinct for questioning. Most likely they would be charged with the old woman's death. They all believed that the old woman must have died in the ambulance. Breaking and entering coupled with a murder charge, would mean the end of their lives. This single thought kept going over and over in their minds.

*********************

The detectives at the precinct spoke to Ann, Tracey and Karen individually. They tried to convince the three of them that things would go a lot easier for them if they would just confess to a robbery that just went wrong. All three friends chose not to speak unless they had representation. Because of this the police charged them with breaking and entering a long with assault. If the old woman died, the girls would now have manslaughter added to their other charges. Hopeless was the mood the three friends were in at this time. Since this was a Friday their arraignment was set for Monday morning. The girls would now have to spend the weekend in jail, unable to see their parents until that time.