Aja Hatchland
The bells rang. It must be 3.15..schools out. Normally I would be excited. Leaving school, ride the bus home while discussing plans for the afternoon with the neighborhood kids and have the rest of the day to play.
Today felt different. I'm only in the fifth grade and I already have this spiritual connection to..something. It feels like there's a lump in the back of my throat and that just adds to my anxiety. We all leave class single filed. I got to stand behind my crush again..she's so pretty. Yet, today I felt nothing.
The children exited the building like a swarm of bees trying to protect their hive. I walked along the sidewalk looking for the bus with the number 113 on the side. I found it and climbed aboard. I was greeted by the busdriver, but I just faked a smile and looked to the back for a seat.
So many faces. Some were deep in conversation, laughing randomly, while others were watching me with a smile and saying hello. I tried being friendly, but I just didn't feel like talking. So I picked an empty seat on the right side and placed my bookbag next to me so noone would sit there.
I stared out the window. This was usually my favorite part of school. Watching the world pass by as if it doesn't even matter. I noticed everything had a darker shading to it today. The sun wasn't out. The sky was covered in dark gray clouds. It's going to rain, I thought to myself. February rains are the worst. It just gets colder and colder.
As the rest of the kids piled in and found their seats, I pushed my bookbag on the floor and returned to the window. The busdriver closed the doors and drove our way out of the parking lot. Everything seemed like a blur on the ride home. Noone talked to me and I talked to noone. I just watched outside as the trees passed by and the cars drove out of view.
My bus stop was the second one; just a little bit further than the first. As we pulled to a stop, I noticed mom standing at the corner. My stomach twisted into a knot. Something was wrong; she's never standing there. We only lived two houses down. I waited as the other kids walked down the aisle of the bus. It was Tyler, Ben, Josh, some other kid I didn't know, and then my baby sister, Amanda. She was in the third grade. We both exchanged glances and I knew she felt the same as me.
I followed her off the bus and we walked over to mom. She stood there still dressed in her white uniform from her work at the hospital with glistening eyes all red from wiping away sadness. "Mom, what's wrong?" I asked. Ben, Tyler, and Josh knew what happened, or at least had a good idea, and continued walking to their homes in silence. Amanda and I refused this day to come. "It's Aja." A tear slipped down her cheek. "She's gone." Amanda let out a painful sob, and I just stood there thinking about Aja.
She's been with us since before we were born. A full bred golden retriever named Aja (pronounced asia) and my best friend. It was bound to happen. She was diagnosed with cancer almost a year ago. It was a surprise she lasted as long as she did to begin with.. "She passed away in the garage." "I wanna see her," I said. "No, you can't. You don't want to see her like this." "I have to, mom. I have to say goodbye."
My heart was jumping everywhere and I've never felt so numb. I ran home before mom could stop me. I entered into the house, took a right down the hallway and turned another right to the garage door. I hesitated as I held the knob in my hand. I finally collected the courage, took a deep breath, and opened the door. As soon as I did, a powerful stench hit my senses. The smell of death, I thought. I walked down the three steps and saw her laying in the middle of the garage. She was lying on her right side with her stiff legs all sprawled out. That's when the tears hit me. Seeing her there..so motionless..so lifeless. I hated myself for staring.
I started walking step by step to her and knelt down by her head. I looked into her dead eyes just as mom entered the doorway. She just stood there and watched, overtaken by emotion. "I love you, Aja. We all love you so much. We're going to miss you forever. I'll never forget you." I bent down and wrapped my arms around her cold, stiff neck. "Never..."
Today felt different. I'm only in the fifth grade and I already have this spiritual connection to..something. It feels like there's a lump in the back of my throat and that just adds to my anxiety. We all leave class single filed. I got to stand behind my crush again..she's so pretty. Yet, today I felt nothing.
The children exited the building like a swarm of bees trying to protect their hive. I walked along the sidewalk looking for the bus with the number 113 on the side. I found it and climbed aboard. I was greeted by the busdriver, but I just faked a smile and looked to the back for a seat.
So many faces. Some were deep in conversation, laughing randomly, while others were watching me with a smile and saying hello. I tried being friendly, but I just didn't feel like talking. So I picked an empty seat on the right side and placed my bookbag next to me so noone would sit there.
I stared out the window. This was usually my favorite part of school. Watching the world pass by as if it doesn't even matter. I noticed everything had a darker shading to it today. The sun wasn't out. The sky was covered in dark gray clouds. It's going to rain, I thought to myself. February rains are the worst. It just gets colder and colder.
As the rest of the kids piled in and found their seats, I pushed my bookbag on the floor and returned to the window. The busdriver closed the doors and drove our way out of the parking lot. Everything seemed like a blur on the ride home. Noone talked to me and I talked to noone. I just watched outside as the trees passed by and the cars drove out of view.
My bus stop was the second one; just a little bit further than the first. As we pulled to a stop, I noticed mom standing at the corner. My stomach twisted into a knot. Something was wrong; she's never standing there. We only lived two houses down. I waited as the other kids walked down the aisle of the bus. It was Tyler, Ben, Josh, some other kid I didn't know, and then my baby sister, Amanda. She was in the third grade. We both exchanged glances and I knew she felt the same as me.
I followed her off the bus and we walked over to mom. She stood there still dressed in her white uniform from her work at the hospital with glistening eyes all red from wiping away sadness. "Mom, what's wrong?" I asked. Ben, Tyler, and Josh knew what happened, or at least had a good idea, and continued walking to their homes in silence. Amanda and I refused this day to come. "It's Aja." A tear slipped down her cheek. "She's gone." Amanda let out a painful sob, and I just stood there thinking about Aja.
She's been with us since before we were born. A full bred golden retriever named Aja (pronounced asia) and my best friend. It was bound to happen. She was diagnosed with cancer almost a year ago. It was a surprise she lasted as long as she did to begin with.. "She passed away in the garage." "I wanna see her," I said. "No, you can't. You don't want to see her like this." "I have to, mom. I have to say goodbye."
My heart was jumping everywhere and I've never felt so numb. I ran home before mom could stop me. I entered into the house, took a right down the hallway and turned another right to the garage door. I hesitated as I held the knob in my hand. I finally collected the courage, took a deep breath, and opened the door. As soon as I did, a powerful stench hit my senses. The smell of death, I thought. I walked down the three steps and saw her laying in the middle of the garage. She was lying on her right side with her stiff legs all sprawled out. That's when the tears hit me. Seeing her there..so motionless..so lifeless. I hated myself for staring.
I started walking step by step to her and knelt down by her head. I looked into her dead eyes just as mom entered the doorway. She just stood there and watched, overtaken by emotion. "I love you, Aja. We all love you so much. We're going to miss you forever. I'll never forget you." I bent down and wrapped my arms around her cold, stiff neck. "Never..."