“Let’s take a walk. I’m getting cold sitting still.”
We wander around the park, remembering more tumbles I had taken. I hadn’t thought of myself as clumsy, but all these memories hitting me at once are making me reconsider.
“Oh my God, is this still here?” Dana runs over to a paved part of the park and I stroll over after her, seeing the hop-scotch lines that have mostly faded on the ground. Dana throws her handbag to the side and immediately starts to jump along it.
“I haven’t done this in years!” She smiles as she gets through it, making it to the end. “Here, you try, Zoe.”
I drop my bag next to hers on the ground and wonder if any other twenty-one-year-olds in the world find themselves playing hop-scotch on their birthdays. It doesn’t matter, I’m having fun and I can still jump through it like a pro.
“Over there is where Drew first asked me out, remember?” Dana points to the large, plain patch of grass where the boys would always play football after school.
“Yeah, and you turned him down pretty harshly!” I can easily remember how it all went down.
“I wasn’t mean about it!” Dana protests.
“You said that if he was going to want to date you, then he had better come up with something better than a casual offer of taking you to the movies.”
“Well, I had just read some really romantic novels. I didn’t want to settle for less than what I deserved.”
I roll my eyes at her. “I had to do some serious research for him, you know.”
“What do you mean you had to do some research?” Dana narrows her eyes at me.
“Well, I could see the poor guy was devastated that you turned him down and it was obvious that he liked you a lot.” I shrug. “I just maybe stole a book you just finished with and read the ending to figure out what you might think is appropriate for asking out material.”
“I thought he was just being romantic!”
“He was! What fifteen-year-old boy wants to sing you a song that he wrote for you in front of a group of other kids while giving you a rose and being on his knees?”
“So he wrote the song, not you?” She looks uncertainly at me.
“Of course I didn’t write the song! I just gave him some ideas about how he could win you over.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why help him?”
“Because I thought he was sweet.”
“And because, as my best friend, you pulled the ‘I know what’s best for you’ card?”
I smile, happy to get out of this discussion. “Sure.”
“Well, okay then, I guess I can forgive you since it did kinda work out for the best.”
“You mean, I totally made up for you teaching me how to read upside-down?”
Dana laughs and then looks like she’s contemplating something really difficult, her finger tapping her chin. “I guess so.”
“Well, thank you so ever much.” I roll my eyes at her again and we continue to walk around the park.
***
We stay a long time, reminiscing over old times, until the clouds really set in and the sky begins to turn dark. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. We leave the park, heading home, and I feel myself relaxing. There is no surprise party and no need to worry about anything. Today, I’m not going to die at a party in front of Dana, Mom and a bunch of other people I hadn’t been able to see properly.
Dana pulls up into my empty street and turns into my driveway. We both immediately notice Mom’s car is not there.
“That’s typical. She promised she would be home so we could have dinner together,” I complain.
“She is probably just getting something. She’ll be back.” Dana sounds sure of her words.
I have a feeling she is at the office. She has been busy all this week, on the phone non-stop and distracted whenever we spoke. If it’s even possible, I would swear she spent more time working than usual.
“Yeah, maybe.” I’m disappointed in her. How can she miss dinner with her only daughter, on her twenty-first birthday? A meal that is quite possibly going to be the only chance she’ll ever have to spend with me? In her defense, I suppose she isn’t aware of that fact, but still.
“I’ll come in and wait with you until she gets back.”
“Don’t you have plans with Drew?” I ask, feeling deflated. I unbuckle my seatbelt and open the door, letting the chilly air into the car.
“Just the usual ones, he can wait.” Dana shrugs easily.
“He might be waiting a while,” I warn.
“Come on.” Dana gets out of the car.
“Maybe we should all just go out to dinner since my Mom is obviously not going to remember our plans.”
“Don’t be silly. She’s probably cooking you your favorite meal and forgot some ingredient. Just think how upset she’ll be if you bail on her.”
How can Dana not know my mother by now?
“Come on, I’ll wait with you and she’ll be back before you know it, I promise.”
“Fine.” I walk over to the door and struggle to find my keys in my bag. Considering it’s one of the last things I used, it’s hiding right at the bottom, underneath a scarf, a beanie and other pointless clothes I carry around, hidden amongst enough coins to give someone a concussion if I used the bag to hit them over the head. I really need to go through it properly.
I open the front door, letting Dana move past me first. The house is empty. The kitchen is quiet. There is nothing cooking in the oven and the table isn’t set. It’s bare, as if it doesn’t expect anything important to be happening tonight.
“Dana, you might as well just—”
“SURPRISE!”
I nearly jump out of my skin in fear and shock. My eyes race around the room and there are at least fifteen people cheering and clapping around me who have jumped out of nowhere. I hear more voices from outside in the backyard. I feel cold and shaky all over. How can this be happening? How soon until I die?
“Look at her; she’s as white as a ghost. We definitely scared the crap out of her!” Jeff Lindly, my boss's boss, calls from the hallway where he’s leaning against the wall. Jeff is here?
“She’s just surprised is all, that’s the whole point, right?” Mom walks towards me and puts her arm around my shoulders. “Happy birthday, sweetie.” She kisses me lightly on my forehead and walks back into the kitchen. She pulls out platters of food and starts giving them to people who are also waiting in the kitchen.
“What? How?” I’m still shocked. Why is this happening to me? Why didn’t I just go away on a holiday or something to avoid this? I look down at my clothes and wonder again if they are the same as what I had been wearing in my dream. Would going up and changing them now mean my dream will change, too? Can it be that simple?
“Ruth and I talked and we decided that you were so insistent on not having a party that we should just throw you one. I knew it was most likely because you wouldn’t know who to invite, but look at all these people here, Zee, they’re all here for you.” Dana squeezes my hand.
I do look around then, noticing family I haven’t seen in years and I assume that is now probably why Mom has been so busy all week. She’s been trying to find everybody. There are also a lot of people from my work here; lawyers I hardly know and most likely partners that I definitely don’t know.
“Why are people from my work here?” I whisper to Dana, my mind already racing ahead to Joel.
She ignores me, already moving away as Drew calls out to her while waving a bag in her direction.
“Dana!” I try to grab her, but she disappears into the crowd and I get stuck talking to a cousin that’s twice removed or something; all I know is that I’ve never even heard of her and she is a hugger. Four hugs later, I’m able to move away from her. I look around suspiciously, realizing my murderer is most likely already in my house.
***
The night wears on and everything appears to be going fine. I have spoken to some
long-lost relatives—ones that weren’t huggers—and while it’s nice to see them again, I know if I survive this night, I probably won’t keep in touch with any of them.
My dreams are usually right on the mark, but me being killed? Shot, no less, seems crazy. I haven’t seen anyone here that looks like they’re harboring any hatred for me or a person who could be hiding a gun. Is it possible I have my dream wrong? I haven’t had one for years. What if they aren’t correct anymore? Then, what is the meaning behind Joel’s dream?
I look carefully around the room while trying to stop a new panic attack from coming on. Dread fills my entire body and I know something is wrong, something is about to happen. I quickly leave to go outside, feeling claustrophobic inside. I should have run out of the house, I should have run and not looked back. Instead, I’m ushered by people outside and into my enclosed backyard. The fence makes me feel just as claustrophobic as the walls inside.
“Zoe!” Dana calls out my name and I jump when her hands touch me and she brings her arms around me for a hug. “Are you shaking? Silly girl, go inside and get changed if you’re cold. I did.”
Dana pulls away and I look down at her beautiful, cream dress that’s definitely the same one she had on in my dream.
“You can’t still be in shock over this, come on! It’s a party! Try smiling!” Dana pushes my arm and passes me a drink.
“I’m sorry, Dana.” Large tears fall down my face.
I’m going to be killed in front of all these people. Why didn’t I do more to stop it? I should have told Dana about my dream. I could have even simply said it was a nightmare. She would have known not to throw the party. I should have left. I shouldn’t have just wasted this week doing nothing.
“Zee, talk to me. I know something is wrong. I didn’t push on Monday night because I knew you would tell me in your own time, but if it’s upsetting you this much, then please talk to me. I love you and I hate seeing you upset.”
“It’s too late.”
“It’s never too late. Look, I’m positive this is about Joel and that’s why I invited him here tonight. I know you guys haven’t had the best start, but I’m sure you can get it back on track. Just give him a chance.”
“Joel is here?” I look around for him. I need to talk to him, to ask him about his dream. What if he knows who kills me? What if he’s here to try and stop it?
“He must be somewhere. I haven’t seen him yet, but promise me you’ll sort this out, whatever it is. I hate seeing you upset.”
I nod to her that I will and watch her move in to hug me just as a loud explosion erupts around us. Everything moves in slow motion and I know the sound is a gunshot. My dream is happening right now.
My legs collapse from under me and Dana and I both go down. My hands tighten on Dana’s dress and an intense pain shoots through me as I look down at her dress to see a deep red spreading over her. My grip tightens further and my heart stops beating. Dana gasps for breath as she slowly moves away from me and her entire body collapses down on the ground. My heart breaks seeing her in pain and I scream out her name. The horrible truth crashes down on me and tries to suffocate me, making me dizzy. I haven’t been shot. Dana has.
Hands roughly pull me aside then and Drew leans over Dana and holds his hands against her chest. He pulls off his shirt, holding it over her stomach, calling out for help, but everyone around us is panicking and crying. Mom rushes out with a phone that she is yelling into. Dana reaches out and touches Drew on his cheek with her bloodied hand while he leans over her, begging her to hold on. She manages to hold her hand there for only a moment before her arm falls idly to her side and she closes her eyes.
My world crashes down around me then and Drew breaks down in tears, holding onto Dana.
Either I’d been wrong all along or my inaction put Dana in danger. The only thing that’s truly obvious right now is my best friend has been shot and I was warned and didn’t do enough to stop it from happening.
My eyesight blurs as I wildly stare at the crowd of people surrounding us. Who fired the gun? Who shot my best friend? I can’t make out anyone properly and no matter how much I wipe my eyes, more tears come in their place. My ears work fine, though, and I hear one thing over and over again.
“Joel shot Dana.”
Chapter Seven – The Confession
My senses slowly come back to me. First, the pain in my heart is sharper and then the voices become louder. Screaming. I hear Dana’s name called out over and over. The scream sounds so hollow and tortured it darkens my soul to hear it. I’m slow to realize it’s me who’s screaming.
I stretch my hands forward to touch her face. She doesn’t move from my touch. My hands are covered in her blood and I stain her pale face with it. She still feels warm. That’s a good thing, right?
I look up at Drew and I only see devastation on his face. He is heartbroken and it forces the pain in my heart to feel even worse. How can this be happening?
“Out the way.” Paramedics have arrived and they push Drew to the side. While one tends to Dana, one looks over me. My eyes don’t move from Dana’s prone body and I’m too numb to care when the paramedic in front of me looks me over. I’m sure from all the blood on me I look like I’ve been hit, too. I see police milling around us and I assume they have Joel already.
Joel! Joel shot Dana! Why?
The paramedic is asking me something, but I don’t hear it. His words don’t make sense to me. The man working on Dana calls out and the man in front of me leaves; in a blink of an eye, he is back with a gurney. Another blink later and Mom has her arms wrapped around me with a warm blanket covering my shoulders. Everything is moving too fast. Another blink and Dana has been moved onto the gurney.
Blood spills over the stark white sheets now under her and a puddle is left on the ground where she was. There is so much blood. How can someone as small as Dana have had so much blood inside her? How can she survive having lost so much?
I try to keep my eyes open. I lose too much time when I close them. My vision blurs and my eyes sting. I try not to blink. I don’t want to lose sight of Dana, but without my permission, my eyes close. When I open them, I see the man who has stayed with Dana the entire time is up on the gurney with her. He is leaning over her while performing CPR. She’s not breathing. The other one is wheeling them out and they brush past me as I try to follow.
“Let them go. She’s going to be okay, Zoe. Everything is going to be okay,” Mom whispers in my ear, but I hear the fear in her voice.
I let my eyes close and I don’t want to open them. I’m not sure I ever want to open them again.
When I finally do, things are moving faster. A police officer is trying to talk to me, but I don’t remember how to speak. Another blink and I see Mom arguing with someone, behind her cameras are flashing over the scene left behind in the backyard. At one point, they take my photo, but I just close my eyes. I count dozens of people I’ve never seen before around our house, all wearing uniforms; many are talking to the guests of my party.
I’m overwhelmed by everything and I purposely blink, hoping to find myself somewhere else. It works, sort of. I find myself in my bathroom. Mom is slowly undressing me and placing my bloodied clothing into a clear bag. There is someone else with us, a woman who is speaking softly to me. I don’t understand what she is saying. Mom is talking, too, but even her words sound jumbled to me. Nothing matters, not now.
I blink and then I’m alone in the shower. I don’t know how long I’ve been standing in here. The water is hot and it scalds my body. My skin is pink from the heat when I turn the water off and step out of the shower. I grab my towel and slowly dry myself. I hear voices outside. One is Mom. I understand their words this time. I wrap the towel around my body and slide down onto the ground, leaning my head against the shower screen.
“We recommend you find somewhere to stay for the next few days, perhaps another family member’s or a friend’s house.”
“We’re not leaving here, this is
the house I shared with my husband and I am not leaving him.” Mom sounds hysterical.
“Ma’am,this house is now a crime scene—”
“My house is no such thing. Nothing happened here, only outside. We won’t go out there,” she snaps.
“You really should try and find alternate sleeping arrangements. Your daughter and yourself have just gone through a big shock and staying here—”
“We are not leaving. Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to tend to my daughter. I will bring her to the station tomorrow morning so she can give you her statement. Right now, she needs to rest.”
There’s a moment of silence before the man gives in. “Of course, ma’am.”
I hear footsteps receding and, once they’re gone, Mom opens the bathroom door.
“You’ll catch your death sitting on that cold floor like that. Let’s get you dressed,” she coaxes me to stand.
“Dana?” My voice sounds funny to my ears, hoarse and quiet.
“Don’t think about that just now, sweetie. Come on, you need some rest.”
“Dana.” I try to sound more forceful and I manage. I grip onto her arm, which is still trying to keep me standing.
“I’m sorry, she lost too much blood.” Mom leans forward, her hip leaning heavily against the basin and I slide out of her hands and down on the floor. She quickly moves herself onto the ground next to me and pulls me into her arms. First, I hear her sobs and then I can’t hear anything over my own.
***
I go to bed that night, but I’m not sure if I sleep. I don’t feel awake, yet I don’t feel asleep, either. My body is tense and all I hear is the ringing of the gunshot. All I see when I close my eyes is Dana and the blood. I don’t notice the sunlight streaming through my window. I don’t think to close my curtains to keep the light out. I don’t move over to my left side because my right side has gone numb from not moving for so long. Food is placed in front of me, but I don’t think to eat it. Or even to sit up. Instead, I’m pulled up into a sitting position and forced to eat, although I can’t seem to manage more than a few small bites.
Taken By Surprise (Taken Trilogy Book 1) Page 6