A Long Way by Jennifer Baldwin

**Hey, Jim, where did you day that party was going to be this weekend, again? Ican’t remember,’’ I called to Jim MacIntyre in the Raven Heighta High School cafeteria.

“John Arnold’s, on Fifth and Main, Saturday,’’ he answered, shouting to make himself heard over the jin of the noon time rush. ‘‘I thought you wern’t illowed to go.”’

**I wasn’t, but my parents were called away on jusiness for the weekend. So, I thought, what the iell, what they don’t know can’t hurt them’ right?

**Robyn! Glad you could make it!’’ John yelled yver the music when he opened the door. I could mell beer on his breath. I walked into the room and iccepted the beer handed to me, gulping downa nouthful.

**Hi, Robyn!’’ I heard omn each side of meas I ushed my way through the crowd. I feltan arm slip round my waist. Spinning quickly, I almost spilled ny drink on my boyfriend.

**I thought you weren’t allowed to come?’’ Mark ranklin shouted into my ear.

**My parents are away this weekend.’’ He grinned, eading me towards achair. Sitting down, he puiled 1¢ onto his lap. For the next few hours we sat like hat fdrinking and laughing and talking to our friends. .tabout midnight, someone came over, holding outa igeratte.

“Here, take a drag,’’ he shouted, too loudly. I faved it aside, grinning.

m1 quit.’”

“Oh, come on, it’s only a cigarette,’’ he insisted. “Okay,’’ I relented. ‘‘Just one.’’ I reached for the igarette and took a quick draw and started to cough. Tguess I’m not used to smoking anymmore,’’ I iid, as everyone started to laugh. I took a few more rage and coughed again. It was funny until every-

g started to get distorted as my chest started to lave. | gripped Mark’s arm. ‘What’s happening to e?’ lasked myself.

Robyn?’’ He asked, ‘‘aAre you okay?’’ My

t began heaving harder as I gasped for air, »byn? Quick, someone, getadoctor, FAST!"’ he

September 26, 1991

Imaginations

yelled. Everyone stood there, paralyzed. “‘NOW!”’ He shouted. Someone ran for the phone, then every- thing went black.

‘*Gosh! What happened!’’ I asked, confused, as I rubbed my head, standing at the edge ofacrowd of people. I asked a sobbing girl next to me what was the matter, but insteadd of answering my question she turned to the person mext to her as though I wasn’t there.

**They say she’s dead!’’ she sobbed.

‘Dead!’ I thought. ‘My God, what happened?’ I made my way through the crowd, squeezing through every gap I could find. I finally made my way through.

‘Mark? Why is he crying?’ I asked myself. I sat down and put my arm around his shoulders. He acted as though he couldn’t see me, like I wasn’t there. Then I glanced at the body, glimpsing the face as the ambulance attendants zipped up the bag and I saw myself lying there,- cold, motionless, lifeless. ‘‘This can’tbe happening!’’ I screamed asI jumped up. **1’mnotdead!’’ Noone turned my way. I waved my hands in Mark’s face, no reaction. He jumped up and grapped the guy who had given me the cigarette.

**What did you put in that thing?!’’ he demanded, gripping the guy by the front of his shirt.

**Just a little hash, man. I didn’t think it would hurt her!’’ He stood there shaking as his eyes fol- lowed the attendants carrying the stretcher out of the house.

**T should kill you for this,...”’ Mark screamed, throing the guy to the floor and running out.

I ran out of the house and walked home to find a police car parked in the driveway.

‘*This is all a bad dream, that’s all!’’ I tried to convince myself as I walked up the driveway.

‘*No!’’ [heard my brother, Chris, yell as he sat down and began tocry.

‘*Son, where are your parents? We have to notify themright away,’’ I heard the officer ask gently.

‘*They’re not here,’’ he whispered hoarsely, lifting his tear stained face. ‘‘They’ve gone awway for the weekend. She wasn’t supposed to be at that party. She never told me she was going.’”’ He cried harder, letting his head fall to his arms again. I never heard the rest. Iran away, crying. Going through the back way, I went upstairs to my room, Throwing myself on my bed, I cried in convulsionss.

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