Why is the Last Day Mine?

1

The bell rang, and the students flooded the halls and the courtyard. The loving day of May 26 finally arrived, and the kids roared with excitement as the school year ended and summer break began. Several kids took notice to the sign on the school board at the entrance of Fremont Jr. High. It read, “Have a safe summer!” Too bad it wouldn’t be that simple.2

**This death occurred May 26, 2004 in Mesa, Arizona to a John C. Fremont Jr. High student. May he rest in peace. **3

“Hey, Carter*! Dude, meet me at Las Sendas on your quad at say, 4:00?” Drake Meaken’s* smiling face asked his best friend.4

“Yeah, okay, sure.” Carter scratched at his chocolate colored hair, his honey eyes shining in the Arizona sun.5

Drake high-fived him, as he kicked off on his bike, heading towards home. He reached his house, tossed his backpack over his shoulder into the middle of the floor saying, “Won’t be needing that for a couple months.”6

He strutted into the kitchen, and flung the refrigerator door open. He reached inside, snagging a Pepsi, and went back into the living room. His mom was waiting for him there, grinning from the ends of her hairline it seemed. “Oh, my big boy has just finished his first year as a Jr. High student! I am so proud of you, Drake!”7

Drake blushed rose, but smiled. “Thanks, Mom.” His mother stepped closer, embracing him in a hug. “I’m gonna go meet Carter at Las Sendas for quading.”8

Mrs. Meaken released, frowning slightly. “Well if you must, but you know how I feel about those ATV’s. They’re nothing but trouble!” she stated, but softened up a little. “But you are thirteen and are able to make decisions, hopefully the right ones.” She shot a serious stare to her son.9

Drake began walking towards the garage saying, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll be fine. Love you!” At that, he was on the other side of the wall, starting his ATV engine.10

It was ten after four, and still there was no sign of Drake. Carter sighed, and decided that he must have forgot or something. Taking his helmet off for a moment to rub his eyes, Carter looked around the park one last time before heading home.11

Just when he was about to pass by Fremont, Carter heard a ring through his jacket. Wondering how he could have heard it through the strong motor, he pulled over on the side. Turning off his ATV, Carter answered the cell.12

“Carter speaking,” he said into the receiver.13

There was sobbing at the other line, and a girl’s drowned voice answered. “Oh my gosh, Carter. There’s been an accident! Oh my gosh, hurry!”14

Carter’s blood froze, but soon thawed, knowing it had to have been one of his friends. “Sierra*? Did you think I would actually fall for it?”15

“No, Carter, no it isn’t a joke! It’s Drake! He’s been nearly killed!”16

Carter about collapsed, and would have if it weren’t for his quad. He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. It couldn’t be true. He had just seen Drake no less than an hour ago. It had to be a prank, it just had to be.17

“No, you’re lying. We were supposed to meet at Las Sendas. No, he isn’t dead. Sierra, stop it now!”18

There was a choke on the other end as the female voice returned. “God, Carter! Then hear it for yourself!” There was a brief silence, and then he heard blazing sirens, several of them. 19

“We’re at the bus stop near Drake’s house,” Sierra said, hiccupping.20

“Yeah, I’ll… be… there,” Carter said uneasily. “Bye, Sierra.” He pressed the END button on his cell, and put it into his pocket. He sat there motionless, contemplating all that had just been said. Were Sierra and Diego* playing a joke on him, and Drake was with them the whole time? Or was she telling the truth? Sierra was rarely known for fake crying, and he knew it was her voice. That was the last thing Carter wanted to believe, to believe it was real. There was no other way to know unless he went to the bus stop.21

With a breath, Carter prayed it was all a stupid prank and nothing else as he turned around, heading back south on Power.22

****20 minutes before****23

Drake drove on the side of the road, watching the cars zoom by. A forest green Camaro just passed when he noticed a school bus slowing to its stop. Normally, he wouldn’t have thought anything of it, but he saw a blonde girl waving at him, and realized it was Sierra, Diego’s girlfriend.24

Unfortunately, he was clear on the other side of the street, but he only had to cross four lanes. Drake glanced at his right. Nothing. He then looked to his left. There was a dump truck nearing, but was rather far away. So, Drake revved the gas, and floured the ATV straight. He started it so quick, the tires just spun in one spot for two brief seconds, then rolled.25

Drake looked back to his left, realizing the truck was much closer now, and he was at a risk of getting hit. Panic stricken, Drake kept crossing the street, not knowing what to do. Never did he remove his eyes from the truck.26

Although it lasted mere seconds, it seemed to drag on forever. Drake watched the dump truck edge closer and closer and closer, and it seemed that his quad would not move any faster. The dump truck honked at the ATV. Another second passed, and Drake swore he felt it before he saw it.27

The headlights met Drake’s left side of the quad, crushing his leg instantly, as well as the ATV. He was flung sideways ten feet before finally halting, and not one of those feet did Drake not feel pain and throbbing.28

When the truck stopped at a rest, the impact it gave the quad sent it rolling. Drake clutched hold of the handlebars, feeling the plastic of his helmet breaking, as well as his own bones. They rolled three or four times before it was brought to a stand still. The ATV rocked slightly before finally laying still on its right side, Drake buried under it.29

Crimson fluids left the underside of Drake’s skull, leaking through the cracks of the blacktop. Almost instantly, a man rushed over to him, dragging the teen from underneath the automobile. Drake was sprawled on his back cuts and gashes all over his face and throat. The most severe was the slash at the back of his neck, which tended to be bleeding the most.30

Drake stirred barely, trying to open his eyes. No such luck. He tried moving his legs, but by the numbness, he figured they were smashed. The accident all happened so fast, probably less than twenty seconds, but it ran through so slow. Drake could replay the scene over and over clear as the sky.31

Just then, he heard screams, many of them. Girls mainly, and he wondered if it were the girls from the school bus or if he was just imagining it. He twitched his fingers, and searing pain fled through his motionless body. There was an ice-cold feeling on the backside of his neck, just below his hairline. Drake could barely move his head, but what he could move of it, the odd pain on his neck flared even more.32

Sirens began whirling inside Drake’s head, forcing even more pain than before. Drake decided to just not move at all, and that the ambulance would soon be there. He was going to be okay. After all, he was only thirteen; he couldn’t die that young. Whoever ruled this planet wouldn’t let him die, he was certain. As he lay there, he felt his hair and his scalp getting all sticky and wet. Drake forced his eyes open, and he moved them as far right as he could. There was a huge puddle of blood pooling at the base of his neck. 33

Drake began to sweat. All the screams and sirens soon faded out, and his sight grew blurry. His stomach churned even more than it was moments before. Just before he went black, he felt his body being hoisted onto a gurney, and a voice. Drake recognized it, but couldn’t place it.34

“Drake! Drake! Is he going to be okay? Drake!” It was a boy’s voice, and it soon dawned on him that it was Carter. Carter! He thought, but was unable to speak it. Willingly, Drake drifted off, scared for his life, and not wanting to die.35

Tears rolled down Carter’s face as he saw his best friend being pulled into an ambulance. “Is he going to live? Is he?!”36

A paramedic sighed, staring Carter straight in the eye. “Look, kid. We don’t really know right now. Your friend here has been cut an inch into the back of his neck, right near his spinal chord. It’s amazing he’s alive right now. There’s always hope.” The man turned away.37

Carter wiped his eyes, getting flustered. He turned and began pacing, not knowing what to do. He knew the paramedics wouldn’t let him ride with them, and he didn’t want to just go home. But then again, Carter couldn’t bare the thought of standing around the street where there was just so much blood. The thought of it made Carter’s stomach ache.38

Finally deciding, Carter ran back to his ATV, and started it. A hand grabbed at his shoulder, and he flinched. It was Sierra and Diego. “Are you okay, man?” Diego asked when he noticed the water streaks along his friend’s face.39

Carter knocked his hand away, huffing. “I don’t know.” He rested his arms on the handlebars, putting his face into his hands.40

Sierra then lost it. She burst out into a fit of cries and sobs and chokes. Diego wrapped his arms around her as a few tears fell from his mahogany eyes. Carter got up from his position, and joined the hug. The thee of them stood like that for about five minutes before actually heading home.41

Carter walked threw the front door, not even stopping to look at his parents in the eyes. “Carter, honey? Is everything all right?” his mother questioned. He just continued walking to his room, slamming it in her face.42

Once inside, he flopped onto his bed, hands quaking tremendously. Without thinking, he flipped on the television to the news. There it was:43

“An ATV accident was reported today at approximately 3:53 this afternoon by dump truck driver, Alex Florence. He states that a young teen on his quad rode out in front of him, not giving him time to stop. The teen has been discovered to be thirteen-year-old Drake Meaken, a student at John C. Fremont Jr. High School. Drake apparently just finished his first year in Jr. High, and was going to celebrate with his best friend Carter Warner at Las Sendas Park. Word on the poor teen and his survival is still unknown, but we can always hope for the best. Back to you, Davis.”44

Carter about died of terror. Once he switched the TV off, he didn’t know what to think. Was it all a dream, or was it real? If it was real, which unfortunately he thought it was, how should he be feeling right now? Should he be real depressed because of the near loss of his friend? Should he be overjoyed that Drake is still alive? Should he be mad at him because he was so stupid as to pull out in front of a dump truck? He wasn’t sure.45

All of a sudden, the phone next to his bed rang, making Carter jump. He franticly snatched up the receiver, and said, “H-h-hello?”46

More crying; that wasn’t good. “Carter, it’s Sierra. We just got the call.” Carter’s bones and blood chilled as if Hell froze over. “Drake’s dead. He lost too much blood from the opening on his neck. It cut a major artery.”47

He couldn’t hear it, didn’t want to hear it. Instantly, Carter threw the phone at his wall, scraping the paint. Dizziness rushed over him, and he rushed to the bathroom. Didn’t even make it there before Carter vomited all over the hallway floor.48

Mr. and Mrs. Warner scurried to his side, but he was already on the floor. Carter rolled onto his side, his vision growing hazy. He saw adult shapes above him, but blacked out before he could think on who it was. Why was the last day his? He thought before he passed out completely.49

****Two weeks later****50

Carter flipped through his pictures saved on the computer. Most of them, all of them were of him, Drake, Sierra, or Diego. A couple had the four of them, but also another friend. Carter had finally gotten used to the fact that Drake Meaken wouldn’t be coming back, but he still really missed him.51

The three of them, Sierra, Diego, and Carter had attended his funeral, and that was one of the most dramatic moments of his life. He rarely cried, but that was far too much pressure and depression. Days after, Carter stopped crying and actually became happy again. He started going outside, and riding his quad.52

For the first time in about a week, a few tears left Carter’s honey eyes as he found his favorite picture of him and Drake. It was them standing outside Fremont in front of the school board. It read, “Have a safe summer!” Carter couldn’t help but smile, knowing how pathetic and morbid it sounded now.53

Carter clicked the red ‘X’ at the top of his screen, leaving it blank and blue. He stood, pushed in the chair, and left the room, keeping all his memories of Drake Meaken forever in his mind.54

In dedication and loving memory to: Christian Johnson55