A Thousand Feet Per Second

accompaniment

“Ginger!”

Madelyne Jinks spun around, her mahogany hair billowing around her. She hadn't heard that name since she graduated four years ago. She hadn’t heard that voice since her sister committed suicide four years ago.

“Emma?” she asked softly. “Emma!” she yelled, catching sight of her sister’s short, scarlet hair.

Madelyne began to run after the moving figure that was her sister. “Emma!” she yelled again.

Strangers passed by in a blur as she ran past them. None of their faces registered as she ran around them and farther into the crowd.

Madelyne lost sight of her little sister as she ran out of breath.

Tears running down her face, she turned around in several circles as she yelled Emma’s name.

Madelyne thought she caught sight of the scarlet hair again and began to chase her little sister once again. “Emma!”

Some gave her funny looks as she ran through the crowded sidewalks, calling the name of a dead girl.

__________

I woke with a start, sitting up quickly and looking around wildly. My legs were tangled in my soft blue sheets as I searched the familiar surroundings of my room for a girl with scarlet red curls.

I slowly began to breathe normally again as I untangled myself from the sheets. I felt the tears prick at my eyes. I squeezed my eyes shut as I tried to stop the tears from flowing. But then I remembered that today was the four-year anniversary of her death. I wrapped my arms around my knees before I just let myself cry.

Gabrielle shoved my bedroom door open and walked in like she owned it. “Maddie! Time to get up, you have early call-ins and we have no classes today!” she shouted as she pushed my clear blue curtains away from the window.

That’s the thing I love about Gabrielle. She doesn’t give a shit about what anyone thinks, except for me and her family. She does whatever she wants and doesn’t think about it.

My tears had nearly stopped by the time she barged into my room, but she must have seen the stains on my cheeks.

“Oh, Maddie honey, what’s wrong?” she asked, sitting down next to me on the bed.

I opened my mouth to speak, but found that I couldn’t without crying again.

Gabrielle looked me in the eyes before she spoke. “Today’s that day, huh?”

All I could do was nod and fall into her arms.

Gabbie held me and whispered comforting words to me until I had calmed down again.

"C'mon, honey. Let's go down to the Midnight Pear; Bettie Aerin should have something special for you and I'm sure the rest of the crew will want to see you," she said softly.

I nodded as she helped me out of my bed and pushed me towards the shower.

"Go get a shower and then we'll head out," she said softly.

I walked numbly to the bathroom and stripped off my clothes. Turning the shower on, I stepped into the water and resisted the urge to turn the water to blistering hot.

After cleaning my hair and body, I grabbed my towel. I wrapped it around my body before walking into my room.

Gabrielle had laid out an outfit for me. She probably knew that I wouldn't be thinking straight today.

I pulled the bra and underwear from the pile and threw them on. Walking over to the mirror, I surveyed my body.

Two long scars ran across the flat of my stomach. I ran my fingers over them and sighed.

"Oh, Emma," I whispered. "Oh, stupid me."

A cluster of scars traced along my left shoulder as I turned in the mirror.

"This year will be better," I told myself.

I turned on my heel and walked away from the mirror. I dressed, leaving the sneakers next to my bed. I did my hair up in a loose bun after walking into the bathroom.

I went back into my room and slipped the sneakers on.

"Ready to go?" Gabrielle asked, poking her head into my room.

I nodded again. "Yeah," I replied, grabbing my purse.

Gabrielle smiled sadly. "C'mon, chicka, let's get moving," she said, walking to the front door.

I followed her slowly. I knew she was so on-the-move just to keep me up during the day, but it was still getting on my nerves a little.

Gabrielle opened the front door. "After you, my dear," she said with a flourish of her arm.

Okay, that made me laugh.

It was just a normal day in the hustling and bustling city of New York.