| Lena And Ashley |
| Ashley was 8 years old when Lena was killed she wrote the following when she was in high school. Lena and Ashley were very close, Ashley liked it when Lena would take her out with her and they would dress alike. |
| Ashley December 17, 2004 English, 1st period |
| Tragedy Away From Home Have you ever experienced the death of a loved one? Have you ever felt that you would never feel joy or happiness again and only sorrow and dismay would remain? I have. It was August 2, 1999, my mom, aunt Michele, cousin Shelly, and I were visiting our relatives in Oklahoma. The air was very humid. The skies were extremely pink, and the smell of smoke lingered in the slow breeze. That morning my cousin and I awoke by my aunt Caroline (who's house we were at). "You need to get up, and get this bed made!" she commanded us. "Yes ma'am" we sighed, knowing that was the only answer she would accept. So we did as she said and then sat on the floor waiting for someone to ask us what we wanted for breakfast. I sat there thinking to myself, 'only two more weeks until we go home.' I was planning where I could go with my cousin Lena, who was back at home in Petaluma. Lena was a very pretty girl with long black hair. She had hazel green eyes, with a fair complexion and medium height. She was thin and graceful. The most polite girl you could ever meet. 20 years of age and she still had a healthy young personality. She was my best friend. I heard the phone ring with it's usual annoying tone. My mom answered it. "Hello" someone was talking. Then "What? What do you mean? That can't be." There was a long silence before I saw tears come to my mothers eyes and then "okay, Ashley and I will be on the next flight home" After hearing this as quickly as I could I put everything of mine into my suitcase and then flew to the front door. I stopped and paused I thought about what I heard and started to cry. Not even knowing what happened back at home I cried. I couldn't help myself. Pretty soon I heard footsteps coming down the stairs that led right to the front door where I was. It was my mom. She sat me down on the stair next to her. She explained every detail to me. It took me a while to realize that the next time I saw Lena, she wouldn't be able to see me. She would be in a coffin with her eyes closed tight. She had been in a car crash. The two drivers had been playing a game of Road Rage. She was the only one wearing her seat belt and she died saving the life of an innocent child. The pressure of turning and curling her arms around the child and the seat belt holding her back didn't work out. Her spinal chord snapped killer her instantly. The next day the four of us were on a plane ride home to the reality of my life without my best friend. |