door latch and then was outside the car. Lily looked up at her and she swore the woman could see right into her heart.
Is it true?
The old woman nodded in return.
‘Oh my God,’ Briar said, her knees hitting the lawn as her will to stand vanished. ‘It’s real. It’s really . . . true.’
Her parents were at her side now.
‘Mom? Dad?’
They all collided in a big hug.
‘I’m so sorry, Briar,’ her father said, touching her hair. ‘I never believed . . .’ He raised his head to look over his shoulder at the woman on the porch.
‘Not until tonight.’
Hearing her dad so emotional shredded Briar’s heart. As she tried not to cry, the screech of grinding metal catapulted through her mind, followed by piercing screams. The nightmare again.
She began to shake, her stomach nauseous, her head pounding.
‘Get me inside,’ Briar whispered, clutching her stomach. She refused to die on her family’s front lawn and give the neighbours something to talk about. She could hear it now:
Did you see that Rose girl? Just belly flopped on to the grass like a dead carp. Got cursed, I heard. Can you believe it?
Her mom helped her into the house, through the front room and past the kitchen where a mound of tissues sat on the table next to three empty cups. As they made their way up the stairs, there was
muted conversation behind her, Reena and Lily talking about something. Her friend’s voice was trembling, bordering on panic.
Once Briar reached her room the nausea had passed and with her mom’s help she stripped off her make-up.
‘I don’t understand,’ she said, staring at her mother’s reflection in the mirror. ‘Why me? What have I done to anyone?’
‘It isn’t your fault. It never was.’
Briar’s anger burned brighter. ‘Why didn’t you tell me? Why wait until today? I could have done . . . . things.’
‘I just couldn’t tell you,’ was the soft reply.
Oh, God.
She could rage at her mother until midnight, shout and curse about the unfairness of it all. Then what? She’d just be leaving all the pain on her mom’s shoulders.
Mom has enough.
Briar sighed and donned her favourite
I’m a Princess
nightshirt. It seemed the right choice.
What will they bury me in?
Probably that sunny yellow dress she’d worn to church last Easter. She could still remember that day because she’d seen Joshua there, minus his
parents. He’d made sure to sit a number of pews away, maintaining that required distance. What would he think when he found out she was dead?
Her mother was strangely calm now, loaning strength to her daughter. In her own way she was helping Briar get through this final night with dignity.
‘I love you, Mom,’ she said.
‘I love you, too. I am so sorry this has happened.’
Standing behind her, her mother combed Briar’s hair and braided it just like she had ever since Briar was little, making soothing noises as she did so. When their eyes met in the mirror,
her mother’s were brimming with tears.
‘Who did this to me?’ Briar asked.
‘Someone who was very angry. Someone who couldn’t forgive,’ her mom replied. ‘It is not important who it was, Briar. She will be punished for the rest of her
life.’
She?
Her mother finished the French braid. Out of habit, Briar smoothed it with her hands, admiring the intricate weave.
‘What’s this?’ her mom asked, pointing at the charm bracelet.
‘Ah, a birthday present.’
Please don’t ask who gave it to me.
‘It’s very nice. Did you have a good time . . . at the party?’
Just tell her.
‘I found out that . . . Mike’s been spreading lies about me. He’s telling people we went . . . all the way.’ Briar held her breath, waiting for
the reaction.
Her mom touched her cheek. ‘I know, honey. I heard about it.’
‘What?’
Oh, crap.
‘Does Dad know?’
Her mom shook her head. At least that was some good news.
‘I didn’t believe it. You’re smarter than that. You always have been. I haven’t given you
Is it true?
The old woman nodded in return.
‘Oh my God,’ Briar said, her knees hitting the lawn as her will to stand vanished. ‘It’s real. It’s really . . . true.’
Her parents were at her side now.
‘Mom? Dad?’
They all collided in a big hug.
‘I’m so sorry, Briar,’ her father said, touching her hair. ‘I never believed . . .’ He raised his head to look over his shoulder at the woman on the porch.
‘Not until tonight.’
Hearing her dad so emotional shredded Briar’s heart. As she tried not to cry, the screech of grinding metal catapulted through her mind, followed by piercing screams. The nightmare again.
She began to shake, her stomach nauseous, her head pounding.
‘Get me inside,’ Briar whispered, clutching her stomach. She refused to die on her family’s front lawn and give the neighbours something to talk about. She could hear it now:
Did you see that Rose girl? Just belly flopped on to the grass like a dead carp. Got cursed, I heard. Can you believe it?
Her mom helped her into the house, through the front room and past the kitchen where a mound of tissues sat on the table next to three empty cups. As they made their way up the stairs, there was
muted conversation behind her, Reena and Lily talking about something. Her friend’s voice was trembling, bordering on panic.
Once Briar reached her room the nausea had passed and with her mom’s help she stripped off her make-up.
‘I don’t understand,’ she said, staring at her mother’s reflection in the mirror. ‘Why me? What have I done to anyone?’
‘It isn’t your fault. It never was.’
Briar’s anger burned brighter. ‘Why didn’t you tell me? Why wait until today? I could have done . . . . things.’
‘I just couldn’t tell you,’ was the soft reply.
Oh, God.
She could rage at her mother until midnight, shout and curse about the unfairness of it all. Then what? She’d just be leaving all the pain on her mom’s shoulders.
Mom has enough.
Briar sighed and donned her favourite
I’m a Princess
nightshirt. It seemed the right choice.
What will they bury me in?
Probably that sunny yellow dress she’d worn to church last Easter. She could still remember that day because she’d seen Joshua there, minus his
parents. He’d made sure to sit a number of pews away, maintaining that required distance. What would he think when he found out she was dead?
Her mother was strangely calm now, loaning strength to her daughter. In her own way she was helping Briar get through this final night with dignity.
‘I love you, Mom,’ she said.
‘I love you, too. I am so sorry this has happened.’
Standing behind her, her mother combed Briar’s hair and braided it just like she had ever since Briar was little, making soothing noises as she did so. When their eyes met in the mirror,
her mother’s were brimming with tears.
‘Who did this to me?’ Briar asked.
‘Someone who was very angry. Someone who couldn’t forgive,’ her mom replied. ‘It is not important who it was, Briar. She will be punished for the rest of her
life.’
She?
Her mother finished the French braid. Out of habit, Briar smoothed it with her hands, admiring the intricate weave.
‘What’s this?’ her mom asked, pointing at the charm bracelet.
‘Ah, a birthday present.’
Please don’t ask who gave it to me.
‘It’s very nice. Did you have a good time . . . at the party?’
Just tell her.
‘I found out that . . . Mike’s been spreading lies about me. He’s telling people we went . . . all the way.’ Briar held her breath, waiting for
the reaction.
Her mom touched her cheek. ‘I know, honey. I heard about it.’
‘What?’
Oh, crap.
‘Does Dad know?’
Her mom shook her head. At least that was some good news.
‘I didn’t believe it. You’re smarter than that. You always have been. I haven’t given you
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