Pushing My Limits

The next few hours consisted of myself crying to a dark hole of sleep, sirens, many questions, and a lot of answers. I found myself awakening the next morning with Chris at my side, Mom leaning against me, and Dad on the floor. Everyone else must have gone to their rooms during last night's episode.

It's hard to believe what had happened these past months. Seven months had passed, and we almost all got away with it.

Two murders.
Two lost souls.
One mental patient.
One beloved friend.
One murderer.

It all lead to two funerals and one large court case. Elliot's suspected of killing at least six other girls besides Elizabeth and Danielle. And he almost got away with it.

Elliot walked into the hospital, the nurses thinking he was Chris. When he met with Danielle he blocked the door. She tried to escape and fend for herself, explaining the various cuts and bruises on Elliot's body. He won, however, with a gun in his pocket.

Hearing the gunshots, doctors rushed to hear the commotion, fearing a suicide. When they couldn't get the door open, they panicked. At this very same moment, the DA approved the plea to let Palm Springs police take Elliot into custody. With our own police force still twenty minutes away, Palm Springs police reached the hospital within minutes. They found Danielle's room, after figuring out the situation with Elliot, and broke it down.

Elliot wasn't found in her room, but after a two hour search, was found hiding as one of the patients in a empty room in the hospital. He was taken into custody in Palm Springs, and after two hours of interrogation, was transported to the Orange County Prison.

Danielle clung to her life for two and a half hours. For a while, the doctors believed she could actually pull through. They sent her off to surgery, feeling optimistic, but she never returned. Complications arose- something to do with the way the bullet was lodged in her ribs. They tried to save her, but somehow couldn't.

Before she was sent into surgery, Danielle requested a piece of paper and a pen. They only thing she begged for as she nearly bled to death. She quickly scribbled something before leaving it with her belongings and being wheeled into the operation room.

I had set to appear in court, because I was the only witness besides the two guys who had heard me scream that one night. I didn't want to see Elliot again, now that he knew I had sung like a canary. I would have to sit many hours before Elliot, and I wasn't looking forward to it.

The day before the court hearing, Danielle's parents had approached me. When given Danielle's possessions from the hospital, they found the note. After reading the few words, they knew it wasn't meant for them, "Something tells me this was for you," Her mother said softly as she handed me the paper. She bid her goodbyes before leaving me to the small ripped paper.

I didn't look at it, and I vowed not to think about it until after the hearing. I slept in peace that night, much to my surprise, but woke up restless. I dressed in the new clothes I was supposed to wear- dress pants and a black blazer. Dad, Mom, Aunt Michelle, Uncle Brian, and Chris all went with me to the hearing. Chris was chosen to testify, as he had brought me to the party and took me back to the hotel.

"All rise," We did so and the judge walked in, wearing his thick black robes as he sat down. We were seated and Elliot was told to stand, "In the case of Elliot Turner versus Kathrine Sanders, Elliot Turner is accused of the murder of Elizabeth Greenway and Danielle Cordova, the rape of Elizabeth Greenway, Danielle Cordova, and Kathrine Sanders, and the added murders of several girls over a period of three years."

When I turned to walk up to the stand, I was met with Elliot's harsh eyes. It was the first time I had seen him since this whole thing had started. He was worn out more, and not as clean as before. He was dressed in the nicest clothes he owned, a button down shirt and dress pants. His hair was greasy and longer, as if he hadn't cut it since the tour, "Kathrine Sanders, do you promise to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?" Someone had asked and I agreed before our lawyer approached me.

"Kathrine, have you ever been raped?" He asked and I nodded. "Is the person responsible sitting in this room?" I nodded again, "Could you point to this person?" I nodded and pointed at Elliot, avoiding his eyes, "Have you ever been involved with sexual activity before this man?" I shook my head, "So you swear that you were indeed a virgin before Elliot Turner?"

"Yes," I answered.

"So it would be safe to say, the only person you've ever had sexual relations with is Elliot Turner?"

"Yes."

"Did you witness the raping of Elizabeth Greenway and Danielle Cordova?" He asked and I nodded, "Did you witness Elizabeth be murdered?"

"Yes."

"How did Elliot murder Elizabeth Greenway?"

"He beat her then stabbed her," I replied and he nodded.

I was released back to my seat beside Chris when Elliot was called to the stand. He sat there with a smug look on his face. I had no idea why, because his fate was already sealed. His lawyer approached him and turned to the jury, "Elliot, were you the only male present with the girls?" He asked and Elliot shook his head. I went to object, but Chris reached for my hand, "Who else was with you, Elliot?"

"My brother Chris," He smirked.

"That's a lie!" I yelled but was forced to sit back down. My lawyer stood up and pulled a file from his suitcase.

"Your Honor, I had Chris' alibi here, and it clearly checks. Chris was with the presence of another girl and this is her statement."

"Continue," The judge pointed to Elliot's lawyer and he nodded.

"Elliot, who took Kathrine home?"

"Chris did," He replied as the jury talked amongst themselves.

"I have no more questions," The two sat down in their assigned seats as Chris held my hand. Their plan was to convict Chris as well as Elliot, but it wasn't right.

Lawyers talked with the jury and as soon as it started, it was over. The jury quietly left the room to discuss what was happening. I was worried for Chris, but everyone assured me it would be alright. The jury was gone for a good two hours, reviewing everything and taking in all the evidence.

Finally, we were told to stand and the jury followed back into the room. It was eerily silent once all movement stopped. Chris laced our fingers together and I closed my eyes, hoping and praying Chris wouldn't be put to blame, "In the case of Elliot Turner, we find the defendant..."

I was numb as the words rang through my ears, "guilty...guilty...guilty." Convicted for all accounts of murder and rape, we wouldn't see him for life. Joy consumed me and I felt the arms of my father lift me up and spin me around, Mom was beside him and I grinned at the sight of her old wedding ring on her finger.

"Mom's moving back in with us," Dad told me and I looked to her, she held a smile on her face and I felt that everything would be alright.

My family was back. Mom and Dad rarely argued, and we were the picture perfect American family. Dad had gone on tour and I stayed with Mom and continued my classes on line. They were protective of me, but I didn't take it for granted. They cared, and I knew nothing would ever happen to me again.

In case you were wondering, once the tour ended, Zacky had his bank account back up to their family's standards. Vengeance University started to sell on tour and in Hot Topic and Tilly's in every mall in America. Gena had found another job styling celebrities.

Alexandra never went back to modeling school, but decided to give acting a try. She decided to take homeschooling with me so we could be together and help each other achieve good grades. Alex eventually started to open up her feelings more about giving up her child. She started traveling to different high schools to speak to kids about the hardships of becoming pregnant and making the right choices. She's received awards and such for all the teen girls she's helped out of depression due to their teen pregnancies.

Mark became the teacher he always wanted to be, but left Mounce Prep to teach at Huntington High. He was on a mission to give great educations everywhere, and not just flashy private schools. He learned to open up about his pride in being gay and he felt safer without Elliot around.

Chris moved from Anaheim to Huntington and became a close family friend. He was there the day they put Elliot into the state penitentiary and was by my side through it all. Dad and Jacoby had apologized for making assumptions of him, but he didn't mind as long as I was safe. He's still a roadie, and leaves me whenever Dad goes on tour. He's a personal assistant to Avenged Sevenfold now and handles a lot of their business on tour.

As for me? Well, I've been catching up on all the classes I failed, but have been doing well. I'm happy with my parents, and it feels as if there was never a divorce in our family. Occasionally, all of us will take a trip down to San Diego to use Mom's old house as a vacation home. We often take Alex and she's become my best friend over this hard time. We help each other and finally we've both let go. I've accepted the fact that Elizabeth and Danielle are dead and aren't coming back. It took a lot of help, but I also realized that I did everything I could, and given the circumstances I couldn't have saved them. I was finally at peace with myself, and felt it as soon as I stepped out of the courtroom.

That day that convicted Elliot, I left the courthouse but didn't forget about the note that Danielle had written. I kept it with me and I slowly opened it and read it. I've kept it with me all this time, and I even have it framed in my room so that I will keep it forever. I keep it on the wall by my door, so every morning when I wake up I see her handwriting and it reminds me. That note had changed my life and had made me a better person. With those simple words, life had become easier for me, all because in the best writing Danielle could possible write, she wrote seven words that I would never forget. It was the reason why I would think about Elizabeth and Danielle every day of my life until I died. It's the reason why I pray to them to answer my questions, instead of a God I'm not sure even exists. Because I know they'll never forget me- no matter where they are.

"Thank you for not forgetting about us."