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1627 Words
“She was too head strong for that Matt I knew her she had her head screwed on.”
“Maybe but guys do weird things to your head and twist you into believe I guess in everything that they say autumn. He may have convinced her that it was safe and I wasn’t.”
“Maybe.”
“I’m sorry Autumn I know this is hard for you but we need to put it into perspective.”
“Maybe another suicide more kids forgotten.”
“You don’t have to forget them Autumn, just refer to your photos for the good times.”
“I guess, but, It’s not it’s just…”
He looked at her for answers. “Just what?”
“Nothing.”
“You can tell me Autumn, I’m here to help not judge so please.”
“It’s nothing just if the swimming weren’t bad enough the carting well and Halloween.”
“Okay slow down, take a deep breath and tell me what happened and what your concerns are. Let’s start with the swimming and move on to the others.”
“Okay. We’d all met them at the pool my friends were surprised that I’d even turned up. I wasn’t going he’d twisted my arm into joining them I hated going swimming with them they acted so childish and they were that day dive bombing into the pool the life guard taking a crack at them to act more sensibly he chose to ignore him.”
“What happened Autumn?”
“We all went on to the boards me him and Rudgey. They made sure I went first I wasn’t to sure but he said it’d be fine and they’d dive in after me. I pulled myself to the top unsure if it was wise to be up there at all. I walked to the edge dumb I know but they were on the steps so I thought I never knew they’d got on the board all I remember was falling and their faces I didn’t even know he’d gone in after me. I was lucky Matt if I hadn’t’ve took to the water like I did I would’ve been dead.” She said, tears falling off her face. “I woke in hospital he was by my bed. He told the life guard had pulled me out and tried to resuscitate me I came round and slid back into unconsciousness and that they’d all been banned from the pool.”
“Did you tell the police?”
“He begged me not to he’d already been in trouble with them he didn’t need an asbo.”’
“You still should’ve.”
“I couldn’t he made damn sure he was there when they came to talk to me I lied to them. I said I’d lost my footing though we both knew it wasn’t the truth.”
“You still should’ve told them Autumn unless you were scared of them.”
“Everyone was Matt, we’d seen what they’d done to those who chose to grass on them. I wasn’t ending up like them.”
“You okay Autumn?”
“Yeah just it didn’t stop there the go carting incident was the next?”
“Tell me what happened with your trip go carting.”
“I just wanted to be normal and he ruined it.”
“Who?”
“Taylor.”
“Oh.”
“He promised that it would be just us, he promised me one weekend alone with him no one else but us, no friends.”
“So he lied to you?”
“It felt that way. We went into the city go carting. I was just so happy it was just me and him then they turned up.”
“His friends, you mean.”
“Yeah. I mean would one weekend without them killed him?”
“No it wouldn’t have.”
“They’d dragged my friends along with them, they were almost as pleased as I was. We all got kitted up and got into the carts. The beeps went and we began to lap that’s when it all started to go wrong. Rudgey pushed Taylor’s cart into mine several times they crossed another he clipped Taylor’s and he went into mine. I lost control and the cart flipped. I can’t remember much it was all fuzzy. Sam rushed over and got me out before the cart blew. Sam went mental and I passed out. I woke in hospital Taylor begging me not to tell my mom what had really happened.”
“And did you?”
“No, the police closed down the track, they said the breaks had been tampered with which caused the explosion.”
“So did this Sam do it?’
“No, he’d never hurt me we were like brother and sister.”
“So, do you think Taylor did it?”
“Maybe. I was never sure, he always seemed jealous of mine and Sams friendship. So did Rudgey.”
“He could’ve done it. It could’ve been either of them Autumn.”
“I guess.”
“Why did you put up with this guy, Autumn?”
“Because I loved him.”
“He clearly didn’t feel the same to pull a stunt like that. He could’ve killed you.”
“I know, but he didn’t.”
“You should think with your head not your heart.”
“My mom always said that.”
“She’s right Autumn. This guy had serious issues, so did this Rudgey by the sounds.”
“Maybe.”
“So what happened after the accident?”
“I went into a coma. Taylor was there everyday well that’s what I was told after I came out of the coma.”
“Did he fell he had to cause he caused it and felt guilty about it, or because he anted to make sure that you didn’t trellis anyone the truth?”
“Both I guess. He just seemed relieved that I’d woke and I’d promised to lie for him.”
“So what did you tell the police?”
“Not a lot just what I could remember. Taylor’s car hit mine and Rudgey’s hit his.”
“Did they say what they thought went wrong?”
“They just reckoned it was a race gone wrong at first, then they visited me again informing me that the break cables had been tampered with and I was lucky that I’d been pulled out and was alive.”
“Did they ever arrest anyone?”
“No. There were no finger prints.”
“So it was made to look like a professional job.”
“That’s what they reckoned. Sam was so angry that I could’ve died. If it wasn’t for his quick thinking I could’ve been. The track closed down they closed it as hazardous forcing Sam and Jack out of jobs.”
“Whose Jack?”
“The guy Sam worked with.”
“Could he have done it?”
“I don’t know. I just want to forget Matt me and Taylor, well I loved him and my mom made it quiet clear he wasn’t right for me. I disagreed you must think I’m a fool.”
“No not at all. We all fall in love Autumn, we all have to make mistakes to learn by them.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t after the pool.”
“So why did you stay with him he seems to much trouble to be even bothered with.”
“He said it wouldn’t happen again.”
“Then it did?”
“Yeah Halloween.”
“Why stay with him, Autumn?”
“I loved him. He was different when we were alone. I guess he had something to prove to them, prove I wasn’t holding him back.’
“You should’ve left him Autumn.”
“It wasn’t that easy Matt. I tried he turned it around so I wouldn’t. He made damn sure I’d stay around.”
“I’m sorry Autumn.”
“It’s okay. I just got into deep and I couldn’t get back out. I loved him and he left me alone to pick up the pieces making everyone around me hate me.”
“So tell me a little about what happened Halloween.”
She looked at him nervously.
“Me and my friends met up with Taylor and his for Halloween we were all dressed up we all went to the school disco they all thought that it would be cool to sneak away and to go into the cemetery on Halloween at midnight. Me and my friends were fourteen, they thought it would be fun to tell ghost stories and go into the cemetery. They all disappeared we all went in splitting up. He came out of nowhere someone came at me with a scythe. I had no idea where my friends were, I screamed and ran he followed. I broke my ankle and had severe concussion from the blow to my head.”
“So who was was following you?”
“I don’t know Taylor was there when I came round no one else. He took me to hospital I couldn’t hardly talk. Sam picked us up, they argued about his foolishness. Mom was pissed she wanted me to stop seeing him.”
“At a guess you didn’t.”
“No he made sure I didn’t I’d forgot all about it. Well I tried to until the guys asked me to join them Halloween.”
“What happened. It must’ve been really bad.”
“Nothing much.” She looked at him.
- Writer
