Death among the Living
I wake up to the sound of an ambulance being sent out from the hospital, sirens blaring out the sound of an emergency. Our apartment is just down the street from the hospital, and right across the street from Clemente Elementary. The sun pours in from the outside; the sounds of the city greet me. I stare up at the high white ceiling, there is a chipped white pipe shooting up in one of the corners, near it is a crack encasing the pipe, and the window screen is torn out. I shake off my drowsiness and climb out of my bed; I walk a few steps in my small room and reach my dresser. I take out some of my old clothes, because mom and I have yet to go school clothes shopping yet, and sit on my bed to get dressed. Something moves under my covers, I remove the covers and it's just Dune. Dune is this stray puppy my mom and I found in the dumpster near the apartment, his grey spots contrast with his white coat, and his black ears twitch with the spring wind. We felt sorry for the dog because we were told he was deaf and to add on to pressure our land lord does not allow dogs in the building, but dune doesn't bark so they would never know.
My mom hollers for me to come into the kitchen. I open the door to see mom pointing at out cat, who is chasing one of the many roaches in the complex.
"Get your damn cat before he eats that thing and dies from poison!" She shouts at me while pushing pepper away with the broom. I pick up the cat before he can swat at the pest with his small white paw.
"Breakfast is on the table, but take out the trash, and grab the paper and be quick about it or you'll be late." She smiles and laughs as she says it. I smile and walk out the back door, which intern leads to a set of stairs. I make my way down and come out to a pathway where out trash cans sit. I dart around and come up the "Front Porch" stairs and grab the paper.
"Why good morning Kelsey!" Shouts Mrs. Myers from her small garden, with a sweet tone. "Good morning Mrs. Myers. What are you doing up so early?" I ask sitting on the stone ledge of the stairs. Mrs. Myers's grey hair catches the sunlight. "Tending to my garden as we elders do. Why don't you stop by later and help? Afterwards we can have some tea and crumpets and watch "I Love Lucy". She says looking up at me with a smile.
"That would be great I'll stop by after school. I'll see you later Mrs. Myers. Have a good day!" I run into the house without another word. I drop myself down into my chair and begin to devour my breakfast. Afterwards I grab a cup of coffee and step out into the hall the out the blue door of the building. The suns bright rays warming the cement under my feet I sit on the stairs as my mom waters the potted plants we have sitting out front.
"What time is it Kelsey?" she asks sarcastically looking up at me itching her nose, the dirt from her glove transferred onto her face. I begin to laugh as I look down at her I see she is serious. "7:45. OH GOD I BETTER GET TO SCHOOL!" I shriek as I run back into the complex I grab all my stuff and spring past mom. I freeze come back and kiss her check. "Have a good day and don't forget the gate is closed!" she shouts after me. There is no time for me to open it so I decide to attempt to scale it. It was a success, I land on my feet. "Thank god for that zumba class." I pant to myself and run down the sidewalk and around the corner, then walk into the school. Yes, I live down the road from my school sad yes, bad not really.
I walk through our blue steal double doors, and I am tackled by my best friends