That terrible day all started with a phone call. I laid in bed half asleep not ready to get up yet. But the ring of the home phone continued multiple times forcing me to get out of my cozy, warm bed that I wish I had never left. I went to answer the phone and heard my panicked mother on the other side.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” I replied.
My mom began to explain she was on her normal morning walk with the dogs when she heard sirens coming from behind her. They got louder and louder as they approached. She watched as a dozen cop cars raced down the street of our quiet, little neighborhood. My mom said she got worried that she left the toaster on, and it was our house the cops were coming to. I kind of wish it was our house they came to though.
At this point, my mom made it back to our street and I heard her say the words, “Hmmm. I wonder why they are at Sara’s house.”
Sara’s house? What could possibly be so wrong there for cops to be speeding down a 25 mph street. This must be a mistake, a false alarm. I hung up the phone and felt suddenly awake as I quickly went outside. And sure enough what I was seeing, was true to what my mom explained. A 12 year old little girl should never have to see something like this. My knees began to shake, and my butt hit the concrete on my driveway. I curled up in a little ball with my head turned to the right scared of what was happening. The red and blue lights began to blur my vision, and I was startled by the voice of a lady asking if I knew what was going on. So this wasn’t all a dream. What I was seeing was real. It turned out to be my mom’s friend who lived on the opposite end of our street. I told her I had no idea, but my mom would be here any minute. And she was, speed walking to our house only a couple houses away now. That’s when they took out that horrible yellow crime scene tape and wrapped it around the house and trees.
I waited for what seemed like hours for someone to walk out. To give some hope that my friend and her family were okay. But it never happened. Men with briefcases and gloves walked in and out of the house I had been to so many times before. My hands pushed me up, and I ran into my home. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t wait any longer for the sign of hope that would never come.
My mom eventually got the strength to go down to the house to see what could possibly have happened and she did. You always hear these horror stories on the news but never think it will happen to you. My friend I grew up with for seven years and her family were all dead. Just like that... gone. A triple homicide and suicide? There was no way. They were just a normal family that seemed to be content with life. I was angry at the situation but also at myself. Micayla and I weren’t close at the time she passed, and now I couldn’t do anything to make it better. I wish I could just have one more day with her. Never ever say or do anything to someone you care about that might have hurt them. You never know if it will be the last time you see them. That guilt will follow you everywhere you go and attack you in your most vulnerable of moments.