Laura

• Kate Western, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2008

The girl was laughing. It had a ringing sound.
“Hey Laura!” I turned around and saw John, and I knew at once that he was there for a reason. “Give it a rest, John, she’s sick of you badgering her!” I called. John turned around.
“Jack!” He said furiously. “What’re you doing here, spying on her?” He laughed, cruelly and evilly.
“No.” I said. I tried to stall him for as long as I could, making up an answer. “I was posting some letters. I stopped at the park to rest for a bit. My house is on the other side of the hill. Number 56.” Uh Oh. Big mistake. Why in the world would you want to tell your mortal enemy where you live? And John, he didn’t give up easily.
Laura laughed again. She was watching the snow fall, singing happily and laughing. It made me want to faint; the noise was so pretty.
Laura collapsed on the ground she was laughing so hard. It was plain that she hadn’t a clue we were there.
I watched her for a bit. Her hair was smooth, blond, with pretty red bits in it. I had a sudden desire to go up and touch it; but I fought the spell.
John was watching me, now. “Do you love her, pretty boy?” He asked. I shook my head silently, that was such a big lie.
“Well I love her too.” John answered. His words frightened me.
“And she belongs to me, not some ugly person like you.”
I was so angry, I wanted to hit him. I didn’t even notice a bullet being shot, right at Laura. She fell to the ground, and lay in the snow. My world was spinning, and then I was gone.