Escape by Jessica Pham (polar express read aloud txt) 📖

Prologue- This can’t be happening to me. Why does this always happen to the people I love? Why?

 Carrie and I were lying on the bed, bored out of our minds. “What should we do?” I asked. “Uh, I don’t know… Hey, isn’t John having a party tonight?” She asked.
 

“Yeah.” I replied. “Well then, come on!! Get yo lazy ass off of that bed and lets go get ready!” she yelled as she jumped off the bed.

I laughed, and walked into my walk- in closet. “Hmph. What should I wear?” I asked her, since she’s the fashionista. She walked over to where I was standing. “Hmm. OOH! I KNOW! You should wear this!” she exclaimed. She had picked out some bootie shorts, black fishnet tights, a black tight shirt, some black Converse, and a plain black hoodie. Yeah, I like black, she knows me so much.

My name is Kristen and I’m 18 years old. Right now, it’s Sunday. Thank goodness, I hate school. You have to choose the right group to hang out, or else you’re a loner. Carrie over there, hangs out with the ‘in’ crowd. She’s probably the only non- stuck up person in the group.

We met in kindergarten. I was being bullied by a snobby rich girl, and at that time, her family was poor, and she was gorgeous. She still is. She walked up to the snobby girl, and pushed her away. “Stop it! That’s mean!” she had said. And we were best friends ever since.

I know I’m the kind of person who strikes you as emo, and I am. Cassie was the exact opposite.
She’s bright, sweet, caring, and popular. I guess the only reason I was accepted into the ‘in’ crowd was because of her. And because she refused to let me go. She’s one of those people who everyone liked.

So the other people had no choice but to accept me. But I see them look at me like I’m a freak.

Which I guess I am too. Cassie had light blond hair. So light, it looks white. She’s about 5’3 , she Scottish, and had a perfect tan.

I have jet black hair, chopped into short layers, done by yours truly. I put it up in a bun most of the time. The other times, I let it hang in my face. I’m 5’7 and I’m all- American. My skin is pale white, I don’t bother getting tans, I think they’re a waste of time. I have brown eyes, Cassie had bright blue eyes. I painted my nails black, she did her nails yellow. She just has that really bubbly personality.

We walked down the stairs and she grabbed the keys. We got in her car and she drove to John’s house.
By the time we got there, it was around 8. and the party was already loud and packed.
Cassie and I walked into the house and passed a bunch of people passed out on the lawn, the couches, you name it.

The people who weren’t passed out or vomiting their brains out, were either dancing their butt off, chugging beer, playing pool, or making out in a corner. A typical teenage scene, if you ask me. This isn’t my scene at all though; I would rather be sitting at home, reading a book and listening to music or something.

I looked around, trying to find Cassie, but she was nowhere to be found. Great, not I’m going to walk around with nothing to do. I should probably go home. I turned towards the door, but then I remembered that Cassie was my ride. I sighed and looked at the ground , trying to avoid attention. I also had a couple of shots. I started stumbling, and ended up walking into the schools biggest bully.

“Hey, watch it bitch!” he yelled, pushing me to the ground. “Dude, isn’t that Cassie’s friend?” one of his friends asked. “Shit, it is!” he gasped as Cassie stumbled into the circle that formed around the bully, his friend, and I.

She looked at me on the ground and her eyes widened. She turned to the bully, “Matt, did you do this to her?” she slurred while pointing a wobbly finger at me. She didn’t let him answer and turned to me, “Did he do this to you?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but my brain as all foggy. “You know what? Imma deal with you tomorrowwaah. I’m tired. Leggo Kris, c’mon.” she yawned.

“Dude, she let you go!” someone in the crowd yelled, surprised. She once beat a guy up, broke his nose, and sent him to the hospital. Just for slapping me and calling me names. And lemme tell ya, he weighed a ton and she didn’t even get a scratch.

She grabbed my hand, and we both stumbled out the door.

I knew I should’ve driven us both home because I was less drunk than her, but she insisted that she drove.
Her eyes were half closed, but when they closed, she would jerk herself awake.

Neither of us saw it coming. One moment the intersection was clear, and free of cars, and the next, the truck crashed into us, hitting the driver’s side. The force of the truck was so hard; the car tumbled to its side. None of us had our seatbelts on either. Cassie turned to me, her head was so bloody, and I could barely see it.

She gave me a weak smile.

And that was the last thing a saw before I fell into a deep pool of blackness.

Pain. I felt it everywhere, everywhere but my left arm. I lay there, and it all came crashing to me. The party. The truck. The accident. Cassie.

“No, no. NO!” I yelled. I twisted and turned frantically. I squeezed my eyes shut, “No. CASSIE!” I sat up really fast, causing my whole body pain. My eyes were blurry, but I could hear someone calling my name and telling me it’s ok and gently laying me back onto the bed. As my vision cleared up, I saw that the person was my mom. I was in a hospital. “Mom, where’s Cassie?” I asked. Her eyes welled up with tears, she covered her mouth and shook her head. My eyes widened, “NO! This can’t be happening! Not her too! No!” The monitor started beeping like crazy, and doctors rushed in the room. “Ma’am, I’m afraid you’re going to have to leave.” the doctor said in a soft, but firm voice. My mother nodded and walked out of the room.

I lie there, gasping for breath, and tried to calm my nerves down. My heart ached, and it felt like someone stabbed me there. “We’re going to have to keep you here over night.” The doctor said. I just nodded my head.
My eyes started stinging, as tears rolled down the side of my face. I turned my body so that it was facing the window. “Poor girl. She’s gone through a lot.” a nurse said. “Yes, I know.” Another said. I tuned out and stared out the window, and fell asleep.

The next time I woke up, my mom was asleep beside my bed. She looked so young, and innocent. If I didn’t know her, I would’ve thought she was only 32, and living her dreams. But I do know her, she’s really 46, and I know how much pain she’s been through. She tries her best to suck it up, for my sake, but I hear her crying herself to sleep every night.
 

I slowly push myself up to a sitting position, trying not to wake her up. I do though, and she lifts her head up and looked at me. “Honey…”

“I’m ok mom, don’t worry about me.”
 

“You’re all that I have left! I have to worry about you!” she said, I could tell this was going to turn into an argument. I didn’t feel like yelling at someone, so I just layed back down and fell asleep.

When I woke up, my mom was shaking me awake. “C’mon sweetie, the doctor said you’re free to go.” I silently got up and walked to the car.

I opened the door and sat down. My mom started the car and drove to our house. We drove in silence and I stared out the window, thinking about how unfair it is for Cassie to die. Why does it have to be her! It could’ve been me. It should’ve been me. I should’ve been driving, instead of her. This is all my fault! My mom looked at the rearview mirror with a sad face.