Chapter 6: The Playground

About three days later Caree, Christie, and Alyssa walked into the hospital. "Third floor, room three-C," The lady behind the desk said flatly. Caree skipped up the steps to see her friend. Bridget had a broken leg, three broken ribs and a broken arm.

"You seem to be in a lot of pain," Caree said.

"No, I just itch real bad," Bridget said. Everyone laughed. Bridget winced in pain. "Please… don't make me laugh," she said in a tight, quiet voice.

"How did you fall? Sharon told us your pants caught on the escalator but I wasn't sure…" Caree's voice trailed off.

"I don't remember. I remember falling and saying some last words but don't remember how I fell," Bridget said.

"Well I'm never going on escalator again!" Caree stated.

"How's Sharon?" Bridget asked. She strained not to wince in pain with every word.

"I don't know. She hasn't left her house since the incident," Caree said.

"I think she feels bad. On the way home she kept on crying and saying that she could've saved you. She was afraid you were…" Christie choked out, unable to finish her sentence.

"Don't go over there Caree. That girl comes straight from a horror movie," Bridget said with a shudder.

"Brit she's not that bad. She's super nice to me about this whole thing," Caree said.

"Caree, I don't want you getting into trouble!" Brittany said breathlessly.

"Well I guess Sharon is kind of strange…"Alyssa admitted. Caree sighed. Bridget all of a sudden let out a huge yawn.

"Well we better get going. You need your rest. We'll be back as soon as we can. Promise." Caree said as she and her uninjured friends headed out the door.

Forgetting Bridget's plea Caree rode her bike to Sharon's house. She quickly went up the steps and rang the doorbell. Sharon answered the door. "Hey Caree. I thought you'd never come by after what happened," Sharon said in her sweet quiet voice. She closed the door and walked down the driveway with Caree.

"Don't worry Sharon. We're friends. I couldn't let you just sit in your house the rest of your life!" Caree said with a small nervous laugh.

"Caree, tell me. Who is your best friend?" Sharon asked staring at Caree.

"Sharon, as I said before, all of my close friends are my best friends. I don't think it's fair to choose between them," Caree said. "Do you want to go on a bike ride?" Caree asked, trying to change the subject. "Actually… hold on, wait here," Caree said, while running next door. She rang Alyssa's doorbell. Alyssa answered within a couple seconds. "Me and Sharon are going on a bike ride," Caree said. "Want to come?" She asked.

"Can we get Ryan?" Alyssa reasoned.

"Only if we can get Chris," Caree answered. The girls ran over to Sharon's house laughing.

After they got Chris and Ryan they all headed to Christie's sub. Caree rang the doorbell. "Hey," Christie answered. She didn't even wait for them to ask, she just tore her coat off the hanger, yelled to her mom that she was going on a bike ride rushed outside. "You and Alyssa just had to bring them along, didn't you?" Christie joked looking at Chris and Ryan.

"Maybe," Caree answered, her pale freckled face turning red. The friends pedaled down Walnut deciding what they were going to do.

"Let's just hang out at the park," Ryan suggested.

They stopped at Great Oaks Elementary. "This is where everyone hung out in fifth and sixth grade. We used to think it was the best place on earth," Caree explained to Sharon.

"Gosh I haven't been her in forever," Christie said looking around. Her and Caree turned around quickly when they heard a loud scream coming from on top of the play equipment where Alyssa, Sharon, Chris, and Ryan were sitting. The scream was quickly cut short. Caree and Christie studied the top of the playground equipment. Alyssa… where was she? Caree looked down at the ground and began to scream.

Alyssa was lying on the woodchips face down. The blood was already beginning to puddle underneath her. Caree, Sharon, and Christie all rushed over to her, yelling to the boys to go and get help. Caree and Christie carefully turned Amanda's body over. Woodchips were sticking out of her skin. Christie started taking out the woodchips while Caree checked for a heartbeat. Sharon was sitting next to Alyssa's still, bloodied body, crying uncontrollably. "What happened?" Christie yelled.

"I don't know!" Sharon answered. "I think she just slipped. But…"

"But what!" Caree and Christie screamed at the same time.

"I… I think Ryan might have pushed her," Sharon said quietly, tears streaming down her horrified face.