"Feel Me" by Baylee Lord (Somerset County Winner)
They had nothing to say to each other. They were standing across from one another, blank faces. Nobody knew what to say. What were they supposed to say? It was like they didn’t know each other anymore. They did it to save everyone, right? It was the only way.
I knew it wasn’t right. I knew we did it for ourselves. How could we do this? How could I do this? I can’t trust myself. I hate myself. I hate these people.
Standing around the fire, they watched as the flames settled like waves after a boat had gone. The fire calmed, as their anxiety rose. How could they go on with their lives after tonight? They slowly looked up. One after another. Looking around at each other. Taking in the moment. Hearing the wind purr. The crackling of wood. The smell of the burning.
“Nobody will speak of this after tonight. Nobody else can know what happened tonight. We were forced to do this. This is the end. It was the only way. We are the last five. We will keep it that way.” One spoke out as they threw the final blood splattered clothing article into the fire.
The last words we spoke as we left was that nobody would know what happened that night– at least that’s what we agreed to, nobody saw me crossing my fingers.
As we walked away together, I stopped before one person. The person who started it all. “If I’m not walking out of this with a clean mindset, nobody will.” I took the gun from my vest splattered in blood. My best friend’s blood. I pointed it to his head right in front of everyone and they all watched as the blood splattered on my glasses and the body smoked into the fire. One by one they fell. I smiled. This was fun. Now nobody could figure out who was really responsible. Nobody knew I needed the clean mindset to ensure nobody else would tell. I loved playing this game of secrets.
Nobody would know I truly wanted them all to suffer. Now they have.
Everyone will.
Baylee Lord, of St. Albans, wrote “Feel Me,” a short story of revenge as a sophomore at Nokomis Regional High School. Baylee writes a story of mystery, murder, and suspense, as the murderer turns out to be a friend among friends talking of a night that wouldn’t be talked of again. This was only originally a fun activity she did while in a school day, and it was a journal entry that had been slightly modified.