I remember that day so well. The sun was bright and the grass was glistening as it was every morning when I started 1st grade at my elementary school. I was with my best friend, Judy. We have been inseparable since birth; basically joined at the hip wherever we went. For example, from the first day of preschool until that day, we only interacted with one another. We were just… what's the word? Comfortable around one another from what I remember.
That day at recess, I took a minuscule break and hurriedly rushed to the drinking fountain while she dribbled the soccer ball near the road. As I gulped down every drop of the cold hydrating liquid from the rusty nozzle, I began to feel rejuvenated. When I took my last sip, I heard a deafening scream- a scream that would haunt me for years on end. Time slowed as I turned around to witness a scene that no 6-year-old should ever see. I vividly remember Judy lying lifeless on the black, cold, unforgiving street with a car parked in front of her no more than 3 feet away from her body. I remember the taste of my saliva as I gulped down cries and screams that were threatening to explode from my mouth. Her bright pink ball went bouncing and flying down the street. Without another glimpse towards the ball, I knew it was gone and never returning –along with Judy.
They've explained to me countless times that it was an accident, that she chased after the ball when she accidentally kicked it into the street. Regardless of the same heart wrenching explanation and the countless times they try to show me the recording of her tragic demise, I never made it past her painful, deafening scream.
Ever since Judy left me, I was home-schooled. Why? Well for lack of a better reason, I was frightened; afraid of what everyone else would think of me. I had an insecurity that would never leave me.
Years after the death of my best friend, my parents would try to comfort me by saying, "We understand son, but you need to move on." Of course they understood. Everyone can 'understand' but when you relive the same feelings of guilt and agony every single day of your life, you start to conclude that everything is your fault. Soon, every breath you take is filled with wonder –thoughts of what you could've done to stop it. They expected me to just forget about it? No. You don't easily forget something as tragic regardless of age.
Fourteen years later, I'm a twenty-year-old manager at the local cinema. Being a junior in college, the hours are manageable and the monthly pay is enough for my necessities. It's a bummer, because now I have to actually attend school. I could have taken online courses, but my instincts were inflamed with this strange feeling that I needed to attend classes. So once the application was sent, time seemed to fly by. Fourteen years since the accident the pain from that experience has begun to dull with each day. The memories have been pushed to the back of my mind as I'm occupied with grouchy movie goers and greasy, buttery popcorn all over the floor.
One Friday, I went to the local grocery store to pick up carrots for my mom. She absolutely loved carrots in her soups.
Organic… Organic.. Ah there it is. I thought to myself as I grabbed the container and began to walk towards the only available cash register in the seemingly empty store. $7.26?! Since when have carrots become so expensive? Maybe it's because their organic? I asked myself. As the debate on modern day prices on carrots raged on in my head, I didn't notice that I was in the front of the line.
"Sir?" The lady cashier asked me. "Sir?" She asked again.
Is there a shortage on carrots maybe? Or is it just this economy?
"Sir!" She yelled at me. Her exerting voice interrupted my thoughts and made me blink madly, my brain tried to catch up to my surroundings. Despite all of my body's calibration, I seemed to loosen my grip on the container. I quickly swiveled my head as I watched it fall in slow motion towards the linoleum floor. Almost comically, I leaned down to catch it, grabbing it a split second before impact.
My head popped up from below the register, and even then I still stumbled holding onto the plastic container.
"Hi, uh Hi!" I said as I tried to scramble my words together.
"Hi!" She said as she began to smile. "Nice reflexes!" She complimented me.
"Uh thanks it runs in the family I suppose. Here ya go." I said as I handed her the container. She swiped it through the scanner with a boop and bagged it.
"That's… $7.26! Wow what's up with the pricing!" She exclaimed.
"That's exactly what I was thinking!" I explained back to her as I handed her the 10 dollar bill I had in my pocket. "Is this your first day?" I questioned.
"That obvious?" She asked.
"No it's just that you seem pretty shocked for someone who works here." I answered.
"Well, at least somebody agrees with me on the prices!" She commented as she handed me back my change.
"Yeah definitely." I chuckled. "My mom would like you."
"Does she hate the prices of organic carrots as well?" She jokingly asked as she punched some numbers into the computer.
"Oh yeah, she's a big carrot activist. I never see her much because she's always out petitioning." I joked with her.
She laughed with a snort, causing me to laugh with her. Afterwards she paused, her face showing hints of contemplation.
"It's Nick." I said as I held my right hand over the bagging station signaling a hand shake, while my left hand unhooked the bag holding the carrots.
"Nice to meet you Nick. It's nice to finally know someone from around here." She said sheepishly, while shaking my hand.
"Oh yeah? You not from around here?" I asked her.
"No, I grew up out of state. I just moved here, and It's really weird not having any friends." She answered as her eyes lowered down to the floor. Her shoulders bounced with an awkward chuckle.
"Well, congratulations Carrots on making your first friend." I said with sarcastic smirk as I put the change in my wallet. She giggled at the pet name."If it makes you feel better, I think i'll become a frequent shopper Ms..."
"Hopps, Judy Hopps." She said with a warm smile.
It can't be… I felt like I swallowed my tongue, like my stomach flipped, like my heart ripped into thousands of pieces. "Noice toe meet you" I replied with my tied tongue and a forced smile before I rushed out of the store. No. She is at the Rosewood Cemetery. I've seen her grave thousands of times… I argued with myself. But she looked just like her….
I found a bench near the store and sat down. I could see "Judy" through the glass of the store, scanning countless items that people needed. No. I pulled out my phone and called Judy's mom. I sat there tapping my foot rapidly making my leg shake profusely. I could hear her deafening scream and her lifeless body clouding my mind. It began to fill me, so much that I almost didn't hear Judy's mom yelling at me through the panic and the hyperventilating.
"Nick?! Nick what is it!" She exclaimed. Usually when I called her, it's because I was reminded of Judy in some sort of way, so no doubt she thought I was freaking out -which I was.
"I saw her." I mumbled out.
"Breathe. Calm down. What did you see?" She questioned me.
"Judy. I saw Judy." I said in an annoyed tone.
She paused, then tragically she answered,"Nick… she's gone."
"No she's not. I just saw her." I told her. "You've been lying this whole time." I said as I began to sob into my hoodie. "Why were you lying?!" I yelled in a hostile tone, causing people to turn their heads towards me.
"Nick. Nick calm down…"
"NO! You need to tell me everything right now!" I yelled.
She was tentative, but intimidated by my fear. "Okay I'll explain everything." She paused. "She was alive after the accident."
My heart dropped. Feelings of buried anguish and hopelessness began to fill inside me."Oh god." I said as I felt my nose began to drip. I sobbed louder. More people looked at me.
"She's been in witness protection for years." She paused again. "Once I divorced her dad, he would threaten me constantly since I got full custody of Judy. He would always say that he would take her." Her breathing became ragged as she heard my despair. "We saw him on the footage Nick. He tried to kill her. He was the one driving the car! After that he disappeared, and the police told me to keep her isolated from her other friends in case he comes back. What else could I have done? I made it look like she died so he would leave us alone." She said frantically, only getting out the necessary information and not elaborating on it.
"You lied to me." I barely got out due to my sobs.
"I wasn't going to let him take my little Judy." She answered harshly.
"I need to talk to her."
"No Nick. She..." She paused again. With a deep breath she finally responded, "She doesn't remember anything about you or the life you two had before her accident. Who knows if he's been watching you. If you try to talk to her, then you put her at risk for her father. You need to leave her alone."
"I can't talk to her because of the slim chance that he will come back!" I yelled angrily.
"Yes Nick. If he found out, then he would abduct her! Hurt her!"
"You've ruined my life! Don't I deserve to be happy? huh?" I asked her rhetorically. Then I thought, Maybe I don't deserve to be happy. "Don't I?" I asked her seriously now.
"Of course you do Nick! I've seen you grow up from such a terrible thing. I know that you're a good kid. Maybe you're happiness just hasn't been found yet. Regardless, I need you need to promise me that you'll leave her alone."
"I can't!" I yelled.
"Nick no. Think about what you're doing. Liste-"She said as I cut her off by ending the call.
I sat there on the bench wailing. My hands clutched as I tried to stop crying. What was I going to do?
I need to talk to her… But she doesn't know me.
I sat there pondering my next action.
Almost an hour later, I got up and sprinted towards the store, wiping my eyes and nose in the process. Always being the character to dive in without thinking, my plan was to create a plan later.
The carrots bounced against my leg as the bag shifted back and forth from the momentum of my sprint. Panting like a dog, I jogged to her checkout aisle as she finished another sale.
"Hey Judy!" I said through my panting and wheezing, somewhat hesitant to talk to her.
"You know my name?" She questioned me."On second thought, you look familiar." She joked. My heart skipped a beat. Does she remember me?
"I uh, just purchased some carrots." I feebly answered, not understanding her joke due to the seriousness of the battle going on in my mind.
"Oh right! The Carrot Boy! How can I help you?" She asked me with a friendly smile.
"Umm…" I stood there. My palms were sweating, my eyes bloodshot and my heart beating at 100 miles a minute.
"Are you okay?" She asked me with genuine concern. "Your eyes are all red. And you look like you've seen a ghost!" You're not wrong.
"Uh yeah I'm fine Carrots I just…" Now or never… "It's just you forgot to give me my receipt." I answered with a grin and a sniffle.
"Oh crap, I'm sorry! It's my first day after all!"
"It's no problem!" I replied as I wiped my eyes from the tears.
She's safe. That's all that matters to me… She frantically typed something into the computer next to the register, going through countless purchases throughout the day. I stared at her eyes as they scanned the computer monitor. The same one's I grew fond of from when I was little. I noticed how her nose twitched when she pressed a key, how she bobbed up and down in anticipation and how she proudly grinned when she finally found my receipt, cherishing her tiny victory over the inanimate object. All the little things she did made my heart soar, making me question if I should at least remind her of me. I'd only bring up bad memories. Maybe were both better off without each other.
And as the thin paper came out from the printer with slightly wet ink jotted down all over I realized something. Even if she doesn't know me, I would still be here.
"Here you are, Carrot Boy!" She said confidently while handing me the warm receipt. I looked down at it, seeing 'Organic Carrots 7.26'. I smiled back genuinely, knowing that she was still here even if she didn't know me.
I smiled with a reminiscent grin as I placed the paper in the most secure section of my wallet. "Thanks Carrots... I uh, I really needed that."
"It's no problem. I've never seen anyone so worked up about a receipt Carrot boy."
"Oh it's-"
"Nick! I know. I remember."
Once upon a time 2 years ago, I was struggling with my English grade. My teacher made a deal with me, and told me to write a story for extra credit. Long story short, I got the extra credit and an A in the class. I never posted my story or shared it with anyone except my teacher, who loved it. I never knew when I wanted to post this or which characters I wanted to use, but after watching Zootopia I decided that the characters I wrote were very similar to Nick and Judy. Anyways, I have too many stories that I need to work on, so I figured this would be a one shot since I almost never finish what I start. This will probably be updated for grammar and dialog, but I really just want to get it out right now. I hope you enjoy!