Emily had to write a story using an unreliable narrator. I am so excited to read her stories. I think she does a wonderful job. So I want to share the story with you and have it in my blog to include it in my future book. Here it is...enjoy:


The sun beat down on my slender body as I lay by the lake. I squeezed my eyes tight against the harsh light the sun provided. I looked over to see Jess, my best friend. She was so pretty, her light blonde hair flowed down her back. I was so glad Jess was here with me today. Something bad was happening, I just wasn’t sure what it was. I felt so empty, but that’s ok. Jess was here and she would help me.
“Do you want to go for a swim Jess? It’s getting so hot, come on! Let’s jump.” I said with a laugh.
“I don’t know Kim, I think I’ll just sit here and watch you.” Jess said calmly.
That was weird, Jess always jumped in with me no matter what the challenge was. Well, her lose not mine. I turned and screamed as I jumped in the cool water. The moment my body touched the glossy water, I found that the burning in my skin relaxed. The icy water gently massaged my body as it lapped over me in gentle waves. I looked down at the frame of my body in the cool water and noticed dark, purple splotches on my body. That was weird, I hadn’t noticed them before. Maybe that’s why my body was aching today. Didn’t matter though, I was going to enjoy my final days of summer with Jess with or without bruises on my body. I glanced back to the dock to look for Jess; there she sat with a very sad look on her face. I didn’t like that look, I much preferred when she smiled. That frown made her face contort into an unpleasant face. I waved at her to let her know she could join me. She just shook her blonde mane and turned way. I swam around for a couple more minutes before deciding to join Jess on the dock to see what was up. As I slid out of the water and unto the dock, I couldn’t help but feel suddenly weak. It must be all these bruises.
When my small feet touched the dock, I realized Jess was no where to be found. Where could she have gone? This frightened me very much; she never left without saying goodbye. I sat back down on the dock, beads of water slowly flowing down my wet body and dripping around me forming a puddle. What was wrong with Jess? I tried to remember the last time she had acted so weird. Maybe the time we had gotten in a fight over that stupid boy. Jess had stormed out of my house without a second look back. No, that couldn’t be it. I hadn’t done anything to make her mad this time; it had to be something else. I laid back and let the sun warm my chilly body.
When I opened my eyes again, I found Jess sitting beside me with that same frail look on her features.
“Jess, where on earth did you go? You scared me” I said in hysterics. I didn’t like it when Jess left me. It made me feel like she would never come back.
“I never left Kim; I’ve been here the whole time.” Jess said with a sunken voice.
“No you haven’t Jess; I’ve been sitting here for hours waiting for you.”
“I’ve always been her Kim.” Jess repeated.
Maybe she had been, now that she mentioned it she was probably right. I’m sure she was here; I must have just been so weak that I feel right asleep and dreamed that she hadn’t been here. Still though, something did seem off. Why can’t I put my finger on it?
“I think you’re right Kim,” Jess said gazing at the blazing August sun, “I do want to swim, let’s go again.”
Jess and I jumped happily into the blue water. We kicked and screamed as we swam around the pond. It was fun when I had been there by myself, but it was so much better when Jess joined me. I hated it when we couldn’t hang out. I don’t know what I would do without her. She is the best friend I have ever had. We had meant in kindergarten on the first day. We had both been afraid of meeting new people, and had instantly clung to one another. Since that day we had been so close, our parents often said we were connected at the hip. I wouldn’t have it any other way to be honest. Jess knew me better then anyone else even claimed, and I knew her just as well.
“Ok,” I said weakly. “I’m sorry Jess, but I think I need to get out. I’m getting really tired.”
“Oh come on Kim. It’s just like old times. I feel like I can swim forever. Don’t get out please!” Jess begged me with pleading eyes.
“I’m sorry Jess; I have to get out now.”
I pulled myself back out of the water for the second time that day, for the second time I found myself even weaker then the time before. Something was wrong with me; I had never felt like this before. It felt like someone had hit me with a bus.
“KIM!” a voice frantically screamed.
“What mom?” I asked as I turned my face away from Jess and the lake. What was her problem? She was crying again, all she had ever done the last couple days was cry. It’s not like I did something wrong, I was just swimming with jess like I did every other day in the heat of the summer.
“Kim, you know you can’t be swimming, you’re too hurt.”
“What are you talking about mom? I’m fine.”
“Kim, you’re not fine, and even if you were, you are not supposed to swim alone. Come with me, the funeral is in an hour, and they want you there early.”
Funeral? Now what was my mom talking about? Funeral, well it would make sense and at least explain why my mom had been crying so much. Wait. Alone?

“Mom, what are you talking about? Jess is here with me.” I said as I turned behind me to make sure my friend was still there. Sure enough there was my friend sitting cross legged with her eyes closed, enjoying the sun shine. Had my mom gone blind or something?

My mom looked at me so seriously, something was very wrong. I squinted against the sun to see even more tears streaming down my moms face.

“Sweetie, Jess is gone.”

No! That can’t be. I turned back just to make sure that Jess was still there. She looked up and waved at me and laughed. I joined in with her easy laughter, how could Jess be gone?

“Mom, Jess is right behind me.” Laughter was consuming me, was this a joke?

“Kim,” my mom said through her tears, “You and Jess got in an accident three days ago. Jess died, we have to go to her funeral Sweetie. Please let it go.”

“NO!” I yelled. This wasn’t funny anymore. I turned and there was Jess sitting the same way she had been seconds before, drops falling all around her. “NO! Jess is not dead! She would never leave me! STOP SAYING THAT!”

“Kim, please come with me. Her family needs you there now. I know how hard it is for you, I know you don’t want to believe it’s real, but Jess isn’t coming back Kim.” The seriousness in my moms voice was something I had never heard before.

I turned back to Jess for help, but she was gone. Suddenly everything came back. Jess and I had been walking along the road after church. A car had swerved and hit both girls, Jess had been on the outside. I can still see her broken body. NO! This is a dream. This isn’t real. Jess would never leave me, she promised she would never leave me.

As I stood to go with my mom, tears falling from my face, I looked one more time back at the dock. There was Jess. She hadn’t left me after all.