My Laura. . .

**Standing there, watching through the glass as the nurses hooked her up to breathing apparatuses and heart monitors, the scene of what happened would not stay out of my head. . . **1

Laura and I were having a great time just cruising through the mall, when we spotted these really cute guys checking us out. I am a little bit more of a flirt than Laura, so I convinced her to go over and say hey to them with me. Well after chatting with them for a while, we decided to walk around together. Laura and I were supposed to be home by seven, and it was almost 6:45, so we started saying our goodbyes. Well the guys had insisted on walking us out to the car. Once we got to my '69 VW beetle, the guys revealed them selves. One of the guys,Anthony, pulled a gun and made us get in the car. I was trained in karate, so I tried to defend myself and get the gun away from him. Little did I know that Ryan (the other guy) had a gun too, and when I had Anthony in a lock, he decided to shoot. Realizing that Laura was on the ground bleeding, Ryan came to his senses and began running. Knealing at her side, I immediately pulled out my cell phone and dialed 911. . . .2

Sitting next to her in the ambulance, good memories kept on flashing through my head. Road trips and camp outs and parties and and . . . I just couldn't believe that Laura was lying in front of me with a hole in her chest. That's not Laura, my heart kept on telling my brain. But only one thought was clear in my head. This is my fault. It is my fault that Laura, my Laura, is lying here dying. . . 3

"Miss Standard?" The words cut through the fog as I sat in the waiting room. "Yes?" I answered, realizing that the nurse in front of me was more than a apparition. "Laura's operation is over." "And?. . ." I couldn't bring my self to breath. "There were some complications. . ." the nurse began hesitantly. . . "I'm sorry to tell you, but she didn't make it. The bullet passed through a main artery which. . ." The rest of her words were fuzz in my brain. My ears began roaring and I couldn't see straight. Laura. My Laura. She was gone. . . 4