Copyright Miranda Hanchar – January 2013 © Published in ‘Torrid Literature Journal’ Volume 5
n also on HubPages -MiriLuvsYah

Andie Mitch-Sal and Patricia Georginson were heading home from school. They were discussing how different school was now that they’d moved up a grade. The homework was harder, but the grade was more fun. Neither girl could believe they were in grade twelve; this was their last year…maybe even their last time to see each other as they both wanted to pursue their dreams.

Both of their families knew each other when they were in high school and still are great friends.

Every Monday night they met for Bible study, and often had dinner together.

“You’re coming over tonight, right?” Andie asked.

“Of course.” Patricia answered, shifting her backpack to her other shoulder.

They kept talking until they were at the cross walk. Andie pushed the button to go across and was not paying attention. A car was coming too fast to stop and Patricia had to think fast. She was scared that Andie might get hit. She yelled at Andie to get out-of-the-way. Still Andie didn’t know what was going on because she put her headphones on: but she heard a car hitting something. Patricia landed on the cement. Andie turned around fast as the noise was very loud. The car driver shut his door, stood there in shock. Andie on the other hand was scared, and speechless. Her best friend was lifeless on the ground. Andie looked at Patricia’s bag and grabbed her cell to call 911.

Andie was gasping for breath; she felt she lost a part of herself.


“Patricia! No! Listen to me. Everything is going to be okay!” Andie was crying and hollering; she desperately wanted her friend back. The driver stood there and out of anger; he took his cell and smashed it against the cement.

The ambulance came and Andie moved out-of-the-way. Not knowing what to do next, she phoned Patricia’s parents and then her parents.

“If she died, I will never forgive myself,” Andie said, as the ambulance drove away.


Both families came to the hospital and waited patiently; they both prayed for Patricia to be okay.


“Mr. and Mrs. Georginson?” the doctor called to them.


“Is my baby okay Doctor?” Mrs. Georginson had red puffy eyes as she spoke to him.


“I’m sorry. She’s not responding.”

“Can you try again?” She was desperate.

Andie was behind Mrs. Georginson and was listening in hoping he can help her best friend.

“We can try again, but there’s no guarantee she will make it,” the doctor went back into the room and started to work on Patricia.

The family formed a circle and was praying; Andie didn’t want her best friend to go. It was their last year together.

After a couple of minutes have passed, instead of the doctor it was the nurse Sherrie who was helping the doctor. She told the news.

“I’m sorry,” Sherrie said, patting Mrs. Georginson’s shoulder.

Mrs. Georginson broke down in tears. “You don’t need to pay for the bill;” The nurse walked away and gave everyone a hug.

Everyone was speechless that night as they still were going over to do a Bible study at the Mitch-Sal’s house. No one spoke a word until Andie broke the silence.

“Stop!” Andie yelled.

“Honey what’s wrong?” Mrs. Mitch-Sal was clueless.

“I killed her. I was listening to my music and not watching what I was doing. I crossed the street and next thing I knew she was on the ground,” Andie cried. She fell and went into a fetal position. Not knowing that everyone was looking at her; Mrs. Georginson was speechless and went over to her.

“Andie- You didn’t kill her.” “I wasn’t watching like I should have. If I did, she would still be here today. It’s my entire fault,” Andie was furious, and wanted this to be over. She wanted this to be a dream but unfortunately she knew it wasn’t. “Things like this happen. I’m not mad; only at the driver,” Mrs. Georginson patted her back and gave a quick smile. “And it’s not your fault.”

Andie was having a hard time believing that and everyone put down their Bibles.

They all circled around her, and put their hands on her shoulder. Everyone started to pray that Andie will get through this tragic event.

Andie cried hard that night. Leaving a wet spot on her pillow, her parents were still up. They were watching the news, until Patricia came on.

Mr. and Mrs. Mitch-Sal both went into Andie’s room, and let her know that the news about Patricia was on TV.

“She’s on the news, Honey. Do you want to see it?” Mrs. Mitch-Sal asked. Her daughter turned around and looked at them.

“Sure.”

Andie went to the couch and the news was reporting the bad event that happened to two girls walking home from school. She saw the driver that was there and she remembered his face. She listened in more closely to what he had to say, and turned up the volume on the TV.

“I did not know that some girls were coming and were about to cross the street. I was talking on the phone when I should not have. I lost control and I was scared and I ended up hitting the girl who saved the other one from getting hit,” He was mad at himself that he hit her; also that he killed a life.

The news reporter asked a question, “Why would you be talking on the phone while driving?”

“I seriously don’t know, but I was being stupid. If the girl’s family that I hit is watching, I’m sorry. If that girl who was saved is watching, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I messed your life up. You girls look like you were friends and I messed it up.”

“What if the family and her friend’s family aren’t watching, what are you going to say to other people who are watching right now about their cell phones?” the reporter asked.

“Don’t have your phone with you, leave it in the trunk or pull over and talk. I should have done that but I didn’t. Now I feel horrible. I killed a life,” The driver looked at the camera and said, the words again for the last time, “I’m so sorry.”

She felt much better as the thought of her killing her best friend didn’t happen after all. She felt some mercy for the man who killed Patricia.

She didn’t want this to go on and let it traumatized her as she saw her best friend lifeless on the cement and not moving. She thought about the times that she was with Patricia. Again, it hit. Tears stroll down her cheeks.

“I’m having a funeral for Patricia at the church tomorrow evening. Her family is coming and saying a few words. Do you want to say anything, Andie?” Mr. Mitch-Sal asked, going to the kitchen as Andie followed.

“I’m not good at poetry or anything.” She sat down on the chair.

“Who says you need to do poetry?” Her dad looked at her. She nodded yes and went back to bed.

The next day, Mr. Mitch-Sal was already at the church; later on in the day, Andie and her mother joined to decorate the inside. Soon enough evening came and Andie was sitting with the Georginson’s and next to her mother.

“We are here today, to remember the tragic event of the loss of Patricia Georginson. Her family, friends, and other people who knew her, has come to grieve. We as a Christian family believe it is not something to be sad about. Where she is now, she will be happier. Yes, we miss her but we will see her again. It’s a time to celebrate as she is with her Creator and Father, Jesus Christ. Please give a warm welcome to the Georginson’s as they speak,” Mr. Mitch-Sal went and sit on the chair as the Georginson’s went up to say their few words.

Andie was nervous as she was speaking after them; she always had Patricia around when she had to talk in front of a large crowd. She was scared she might faint. Knowing her daughter was nervous, Mrs. Mitch-Sal squeezed her hand and looked at her and whispered into her ear, ‘You’ll do great.’

“Everyone knows my daughter and Patricia were best friends; now she has a few words to say,” he looked at his daughter and patted her on the back.

“Hello out there. Um…It feels weird talking up here without her,” she looked at the casket and closed her eyes hard and began to talk more, “Patricia was not only a friend, she was like a sister. She was great to talk to; we shared the deepest secrets and we each had goals. She wanted to be a Fashion Designer and I want to be an Animal Trainer. When she was on the ground lifeless, I thought it was over. No best friend, no one to talk to when I’m feeling upset; but that’s when I got thinking. She’s happy where she is and I need to be happy where I am. I also realized I will see her again. Maybe tomorrow, the next day, in a few days, next year, or when I’m old, who knows. Only God knows when each person is to die and I need to keep going forward. I will always miss her but when I realized she’s in a safer place, makes me, my family and her family…even happier. Thank you for listening,” Andie went off the platform; everyone clapped and stood up.

“Honey, you were amazing. See you didn’t mess up one bit,” Mr. Mitch-Sal said, hugging her. Then Georginson’s and Andie’s mother came over and gave her a hug, too.

“What do I do now?” Andie asked her mother. Everyone was heading down stairs where the food was. The smells of hamburgers drifted up the stairs, which made Mr. Mitch-Sal even hungrier as he rushed down the stairs.

Andie’s mother looked at her and smiled, “Enjoy life…one day at a time.” She paused for a moment, sniffing the smell of the BBQ, “But for now, I suggest we go eat.”

ABOUT STORY: I normally get my ideas from the Holy Bible as well as events in my life or about news online. For my short story ‘So Long Patricia’ has the topic about texting and driving. It’s serious when someone dies in the end because of one’s negligence or if you yourself is texting when driving. It’s a serious matter nowadays, just like drinking and driving.