Tears Of Grief

• Baily Wang, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2010

“I didn’t mean for it to happen. I thought she saw me coming…” Her words trailed off into silent despair. She was oblivious to the bright spotlight on her, the two emotionless interrogators staring down pitilessly at her. The only thing she was aware of was the dark desperation of what she was now…a murderer.

The same tormented grief welled up in the girl as she slumbered down the snowy path, her black coat wisping against the snowflakes, yet her face stark-white from drawn out sorrow and guilt. On both her sides were slabs of smooth marble, reflecting the grey sadness they held. The girl stepped off the path into ankle-deep snow, and knelt down before a stone. She touched it, wincing. Wincing from the cold memories it brought.

“Sophie Whittam, 23, female, charged with manslaughter.” She paid no attention, face numb, body stiff from shock. The officials stared at her expectantly, but she couldn’t see them. Sophie could only see the world two days ago, blood from the limp body…staunching the pure snow.

Sophie wiped away a snowflake from the stone, and traced her cold finger over the engraved letters that summed up the corpses’ life. ‘Joy Buffey. Born: January 17th 1983. Died: April 3rd 2004.’ Joy. How ironic. She had destroyed Joy in a single instant. Sophie felt the pain of disbelief well inside her again, freezing all emotions and thoughts. She… had killed Joy. She couldn’t cry. She couldn’t even move. It hurt to.

“You ran over Joy Buffey. It was an accident?” Sophie pushed down the shock as far down as it would go, and nodded her head briefly. “I…thought she would get out of the way. Why didn’t she?” One of the interrogators peered at Sophie, and his face softened a little. “You don’t know her, do you?” Sophie shook her head, a twitch. The man sighed. “Joy was an orphan. No family…no friends. She was miserable.”

Sophie knew that no-one blamed her for Joy’s death. So why couldn’t she let go? It still hurt to think about anything related to that day. Sophie hadn’t driven a car since. She had stopped going outdoors. Today was the first time in weeks. Yet she couldn’t let go.

“Well, you’re free to go now.” Sophie nodded, stood up and turned to go, her body still stiff yet shaking. “You know…it’s not your fault.” Sophie nodded dumbly, still shaking. “We recently found new evidence. It was a note…” Sophie turned around slowly, not caring. It was still her own fault. Nothing had changed. But then he said it…those words…
“Sophie…it was a suicide note. You didn’t crash into her. She threw herself into your car.”

Sophie staggered, as she heard her own memory for the first, proper time. Her guilt and sorrow splintered and her body was free again. Free…She lifted her head up to the winter sun and cried, crystal tears dropping into the snow, the sadness leaking out.