• I knew a girl who was different from any other girl I knew. This girl wear boy's clothes, rolled in dirt, and spat just like one of the guys. She was mean. She was horrible. She was a bully. I absolutely hated her. I wished her demise on a daily basis. I wanted so badly to shove her off the monkey bars, and hoped that her arm would snap.
    For two bloody years, I hated that girl. Then, something changed my mind. She found my older brother, Lowell, in the park bleeding. He was hurt bad. It looked like a wild animal attacked him. I didn't think he would make it, but she told me everything would be okay. I didn't want to believe her, but I put my faith in her and she stopped most of his bleeding and got help. I was grateful, and I wanted to show it.
    I went to her house and found her crying outside her front door. She was huddled over herself, sobbing. I knelt before her and said, "Sumiko, are you okay? Something happen?"
    I was ten at this time you see, and I couldn't comprehend the meaning of what she said after that.
    "I saw him swaying and I knew he was gone... now I'm left with that monster."
    I found out later that her father hanged himself in the living room.
    A year later, she disappeared. I heard she moved far away. Maybe back to Japan, but I don't know for sure.
    --------------------------
    The smell of cakes and other delicious sweets tickle my nose as I push the doors open to the bakery. I wave to the familiar face on the other side of the counter -my good friend Michael. He's always the cheerful sort. He's always smiling, always helping out others. He's a great person, and I wish I was more like him.
    "Hey Michael. You got my usual? It better be fresh."
    Michael sets down a small bag containing my all time favorite cookies -chocolate chip. "Here you go Tristin." he says with the sweetest voice. "Your brother stopped in."
    "Oh did he? Well, what did idiot have to say?" I let out a low groan.
    Michael attends to another costumer before he answers me. "Lowell wanted you to know he was going to stop by later tonight after Med School. He says he has your medicine."
    "If you see him before I do, tell him to shove it right up his ars-"
    "Tristin!"
    I roll my eyes and fork over the cash, "See ya later Michael. I'll call you tomorrow about our trip back to Bartlett." I exit the building as he says his farewells.
    On my way home, a make a few stops -one at McDonald's, Dairy Queen, and Ihop. Oh and I stopped at Julian's to get my ps3 back. Bugger had it for over a month. But after all that was over with, I decided to cut through the park to make my way to my messy apartment.
    It's dark, darker than dark. It's hard to see -where the bloody hell are all the street lights? I look around and I think I see dim lights, but everything seems blurry, and tinted red. Wait, that can't be good. Why is everything- oh no, not now. I can't have this happen now.
    My hands start to shake and my body aches all over. I feel sick. It feels like someone is squeezing my body with all their might. I feel vomit crawling up, but I suppress it. I fall to my knees and images of a naked woman covered in blood flashes through my mind. I try to shake away, but every time I do it comes right back. I hear someone talking inside my head. Is that me? Am I-
    "Tristin! Oh God Tristin are you okay?"
    I snap out of this sudden spell and glance up to see my brother rushing to my side. Where the hell did he come from? Who does he think he is Superman?
    "I'm fine Lowell, go home."
    "Well it's nice to see you too Tristin. What happened? Do you need your meds?" I watch him fish out a small baggie of pills. He hands one to me -I hate those things, they taste like grass. I pop it into my mouth as he continues on, "Come on, let me walk with you. I want to make sure you'll be okay."
    "Like anything I say in protest will stop you. We live in the same bloody building. Thank God you are a floor under me." I hiss. I glare up at him, ready to spit some more insults his way, but then I notice him staring off. I look in the same direction -I see nothing, but he must because the hold on my arm tightens. "Lowell?"
    "Hurry, let's get out of here." he pauses and begins to lead me out, "What have I told you about cutting through the park... you never know what kind of creepy things -I mean people- are out there."
    I follow like the good little boy I'm suppose to be. I look back, and still I see nothing, but I have this horrid feeling that something is there.