One Step Ahead.

I slowly unlocked the door of the home I had once shared with my two best friends. I walked the halls of the home where I tore the head off of Acelyn’s Barbie doll in the 4th grade, the home I lost my virginity in and the home where I lost everything I ever loved, but also gained so much more.

I was now twenty four years old. It had been five years since the massacre that once plagued my home. In the year that Alesana terrorized Raleigh over fifty innocent lives were lost. I lost my best friends Ellie and Acelyn, but I also discovered the love of my life: Shane.

As I placed my purse and keys down on the entrance table near the front door I remembered Ellie and Acelyn’s last day. I remember racing back to find Ellie dead, and trying to confront Jeremy. I remember the words Acelyn said to me the day she died. It still haunted me to this day, even though I know that she sacrificed so much for me and Shane in the end.

I sighed as I walked into the kitchen and pulled out some hamburger and started making dinner. As I made the hamburger patties I flashed back to when Jeremy had almost taken my life.

I had been sitting in this very kitchen, my eyes were stained with tears. I knew he was coming for me. I didn’t know when, but I just knew that what ever happened tonight all the terror this place had ever seen would be over. I was alone, and I had no where to run.

I walked to the back door and screamed out into the night. Jeremy came from the shadows, an evil grin plastered to his face. He slowly walked towards me. Every inch, my heart would beat faster.

“So you decided to stop being a coward?” I asked breaking the silence that had settled between us. The tension was thick, I could barely breathe. He smiled at me, the blacks of his eyes growing in the darkness.

“Never was a coward. I am here to finish you, just like Ellie finished herself.” he sneered. “So that you could live.” he stepped closer to me. “You know… Acelyn is off playing martyr to save your ass as well. What do you think of your friends?”

“Nothing!” I screamed. “They did what they had to. But you know what? FUCK YOU!” I clenched my fists tightly. The corner of his mouth twitched; he was growing angry. “You have no idea what they went through! Ellie is dead, Acelyn went psycho, and your friends took innocent lives ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!”

He rushed at me then, punching me in the face. I bent over as his fist connected with my stomach and groaned. “You’ll regret ever messing with me,” he growled. He took a knife from the back of his pants and laughed manically.

He grabbed my arm tightly and pulled it behind my back. He sliced my wrist as I yelled out in pain. Tears began to fall down my cheeks once again, I was going to die. I had no way out of this.

I fell to my knees as Jeremy staggered back and whispered out Ellie’s name. Some how he had dropped his knife and it was know laying inches from me. I quickly grabbed it and staggered to my feet.

“Your going to die like your friends!” he yelled at me as he lunged towards the knife. I closed my eyes and held onto the knife for dear life. I felt his body collide with mine and the knife dig into his flesh.

I heard a rough grunt as he stopped in his tracks. My eyes opened; my hands were covered in his blood. He staggered back from me and fell to his knees. I could hear sirens blaring in the distance as Jeremy finally laid down to die. I could hear him gasping for breath as his lungs filled with blood. I slowly slid down to the ground near a tree and tried to catch my breath.

Red and blue lights flashed in my eyes. I could feel someone pull me into their arms, they were strong and I felt safe. I couldn’t hear clearly all I could sense was that someone was yelling. I couldn’t walk… my legs felt like jelly.

I could feel my body being lifted and carried out to my front yard. I could hazily see my neighbors standing on their front lawns as they watched the scene unfold in front of them. I was gently set down in the back of an ambulance as the paramedics looked over my wounds.

“TRINITY!” I heard screamed from the crowed. I looked up to see Shane pushing through the crowd and cops as he ran towards me. When he finally reached me he grabbed me in his arms and kissed me so fiercely on the lips, I visibly shuttered.

“Never, ever do that to me again you go it Trin?” he whispered harshly to me. I nodded my head as he once again kissed me on my lips. “I love you way to god damned much to lose you.”

“I love you too Shane,” I whispered oh so quietly, but I knew that he had heard me. We stayed there until a paramedic came and said that they wanted to take me to the hospital for over night observation. Shane nodded as he climbed into the ambulance with me and the paramedic closed the door behind us. I watched as my home disappeared behind me, and the life I used to know end forever…

I was shaken from my memories from laughter and tiny feet running down the hallway. I turned around to see a little running at me with the brightest blue eyes I had ever seen since Acelyn’s.

“Mommy!” she cried as she lunged at my legs; grabbing onto them tightly. “Daddy says he’s going to tickle me!

I laughed at myself as I bent down and kissed her on her forehead. “Now why would he do that?” I asked as I saw Shane walk into the kitchen slowly.

I watched as he gestured for me to stay quite as he snuck up on her. “BOO!” he yelled as he grabbed her up into his arms. She screamed and giggled wildly as she tried to escape.

“No Daddy!” she would laugh as he tickled her little body. I watched as he laughed and finally set her down on the ground.

“Why don’t you go get cleaned up for dinner Acelyn?” he said as he gave her a kiss on her forehead. She nodded and scampered off to the bathroom as Shane turned to me and took me into his arms. “Why, hello there beautiful.”

“Hi,” I laughed as he lightly kissed me on the lips. I could never get enough of Shane, that was probably why I was pregnant with our second child already. I had yet to tell Shane this of course. “Baby?”

“Yes?” he answered as he looked at me smiling. I smiled back at him and wrapped my arms around his waist.

“I have something to tell you,” I said as I laid my head onto his chest. I could feel his heart start to breathe faster underneath his shirt. “I’m pregnant.”

He gasped lightly and pulled away from me. “Really?” he asked excitedly. I nodded at him; a giant smile plastered on our faces. He kissed me deeply, his arms wrapping tightly around my body. I smiled into the kiss and knew that this was best time in my life.

If I had never moved to Raleigh I would never had met Ellie and Acelyn or Shane, and my only regret was that Ell and Lyn would never get to meet my babies. I had named my daughter after them. Acelyn Eleanor Crump is her name and she was born one year and two months after my best friends died.

Ellie and Acelyn were laid to rest 5 days after their deaths. They were placed next to each other and Shawn; Acelyn’s love placed beside her. It was a dark and rainy day, the sky seemed to feel my sadness. Acelyn’s last will and testament was found within her pocket the day she died by the coroner. It stated that it left Shane and me everything. The house, and shit load of money I didn’t even know she had. It said to buy and lambo and name it Babe; in which we did. It now sits in our drive way, and is used every time Shane feels like he needs a little danger in his life. It also stated to donate ten thousand dollars in her parents name. We did that and so much more, we donated over one million dollars to local charities and even started a charity of our own.

I learned that Acelyn had taken all of Shane’s past onto hers and made it possible for me and him to live the life we do now. Without Ellie and Acelyn Shane and me wouldn’t be where we are today. They had given up so much for me, I loved them so much and missed them so much to this day.

A tear slipped down my cheek as I remembered my best friends. “What’s the matter babe?” Shane asked me.

“It’s nothing,” I smiled. “I am just so happy and I miss them so much.”

“I know hunny,” he held me tighter. “But they are both in a better place now, Dennis is behind bars for life appealing after appeal to try and not get the lethal injection. Peezee, Jake, Shawn, and Jeremy are all gone. No one will ever hurt you or anyone ever again. I promise you that.”

I smiled at him again as his lips once again gently touched mine. “I love you Shane.”

“I love you too baby,” he said as he kissed me again and pulled away slightly.

We could hear Acelyn’s little feet running back towards the kitchen. I smiled at myself as I watched my baby girl run into the room and smiled at Shane and me. I loved her so much, and I knew that she would just love her new baby brother or sister.

“Hey, baby girl. You ready for dinner?” Shane asked as her took hold of her hand. She nodded as he lend her over to the dining table. I watched as he took her into his arms and set her into her highchair, placing her plate of food in front of her.

I walked over with Shane and I’s plates and sat down at the table. I sat and watched my little family eat their dinner. I smiled knowing that my husband and I were as happy as can be. And I also know, that where ever Acelyn and Ellie were that they were watching my little family and my baby grow. I also knew that they knew that I always thought about them and they would always be remembered. Now and forever.

“Love you Ellie and Lyn,” I whispered beneath my breath. “I’ll miss you.”

I closed my eyes and listened to my daughter talk with Shane. I smiled to myself and knew that everything was good.