Lessons

• Hayley Mcintosh, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2021

The sun is scorching and the summer is starting. It’s everything you could imagine. Best friends, no Covid. It’s a dream. A dream you could never think of. Parties non-stop. Ice cream non-stop. And swimming. Charlotte, always partying with friends (it's her favorite thing!) in fact she's at one now.

The lights blind you as they dance along the room like ballerinas. Music blasting out of the speakers as loud as thunder. It's been so long since this life. There's food and drinks, just like every other party. After an hour or two later, the party is finally finished. Charlotte had to head home. She took Ella, Emily and Amelia with her. Charlotte was the only one out of those four who had a license. The road was empty. It was the middle of the night and Charlotte was badly drunk. Not a good mix. Charlotte didn’t realize but, all of a sudden she was driving on the other side of the long road.
Ella screamed, “Get back on the other side you ding dong!” Charlotte tried to get back on the other side of the road…

She swerved side to side, back and forth. Everyone in the car was rocking and rocking.
“Stop the car!” Ella said, worried like a deer being hunted. Charlotte was laughing, she thought it was funny.
“Charlotte, stop…” It went quiet. The car had gone off the road. It was on its side. Amelia. Just sitting there looking around, wondering if anyone else is awake. Amelia. Seeing her phone, attempting to ring the ambulance. Amelia. Looking for the others seeing they are all moaning in pain. She is too. 10 minutes later, this time Amelia's eyes are nearly shut, seeing the faint light of red and blue. And hearing the faint sound of an ambulance siren.

Emily opens her eyes, where is she, why is she here, what time is it. Later she wakes up properly, takes a quick look, and she is at the hospital. She tries to jump up.
“What's going on?” she screamed.
“Help!”
“I need to see my friends.”
The nurse just stood there.
“Well?” said Emily rudely.
“I am afraid some didn’t make it out of the crash,” said the nurse.
Emily just couldn’t believe it.
A tear rolled down her cheek.