Digital Photography

Digital Photography

Thank you to Jabria Campbell , a senior, who shared these images taken during her junior year.

New School Year, New Staff!

Literary Magazine is back for 2019-2020!  

We will be creating and distributing Zines throughout the school year, as well as posting creative work from DDE students here on the blog.  

Congratulations and welcome to the new Editorial Staff:

Editor-in-Chief:  Briana Redd

Staffers:

Brianna Baity

Faith Franco

Maglio Marinez

Christopher Robinson

Re’Sharee Thurman

Copy Editor:  Deonte Sutton

Proofreaders:

Jayme Brothers

Monserrat Martinez

Edgar Suarez

Naomi Thomas

Art Director:  Skylar Pittman

Designers:

Cydnee Coleman

Sasha Redmond

Guadalupe Ruvalcaba Rocha

Cardinal Voices is thrilled to highlight a few more submissions from graduate Ethan Naegele. Ethan has been an outstanding contributor to our publication over the past two years. We wish him well as he continues his education at the University of Chicago in the fall. Congratulations and thank you, Ethan!

My Last Letter to Josephine

By Ethan Naegele

A despondent rush of air escaped from my mouth as I leaned in toward the candle. The delicate light from it faded out gradually (like we did, darling), and the light waned and contracted into a singular, infinitesimal point at the wick’s top—the circular effect of which died while the night’s darkness swallowed it. The exact moment when the light became one with night, I could not tell, much like how I cannot tell when this elderly heart of mine will slow to a stop, but I am convinced that it will beat long enough to tell the events that should follow.

The air’s chill within my chamber cast itself into a deadly still atmosphere. My body itself contracted a mellow chill, common when waking on such cool mornings in the hours before the dawn’s light begins to spill its secrets.

I sallied out from the house without a meal; you’ll find that within the depths of sustained mental suffering, a constant, dull pain—agonizing and permanent—far surpasses the necessity for such basic pleasures.

I stood out in front of the dingy place while the brisk air opened my nostrils entirely. A deep breath in with eyes closed, and my chest rose. Not a moment later did I feel that my insides were one with the surrounding atmosphere, as if every inch inside me had cooled to a halt.

My eyes opened and I returned to life again. In the secrecy of the fading night, I saw the mounds of untouched snow all around me as far as my eyes could fathom. Clean and stark, like a heart unshattered. Like my heart, before it shattered. It’s those moments, in a place so tranquil and eerily desolate, that leave you to your thoughts, where they echo ad infinitum.

I could never last too long without remembering you, darling. A quarter mile east down the road was the tree where we first met, and we watched the summer’s sun fade into its spectacular orange glow. Atop the hill to the southeast was where we first kissed, and there we sat for hours and stared into the summer night sky and listened to one another’s soul.

But in this present moment, in the winter of discontent, you were nowhere and everywhere: for when I looked to the southeast, or to the west, you were not there, yet the memory of that very tree’s existence brought your blinding image directly to my mind’s eye, as did the sky, or sun, or the very ground on which I walked, for that matter, because what didn’t remind me of you, love?

A faint hint of light in the morning sky led me to walk down the road, eastward, past the countless old stores with decaying wooden panels, whose windows had accumulated so much dust that the interiors were all inscrutable; and I strolled down the way, past Mr. Moonfield’s antique shop, owned by a man whose skin beneath the eyes sagged as if under the weight of all human experience.

Not a soul stirred in those hours. Perfect, I thought. Nothing was more divine than those hours of secrecy in which I moved under the cover of darkness; when I could pleasantly swim in those memories of love; when there was not enough light to reflect the tears in my eyes; when the sky could still hold its tongue.

The hint of light revealed no clouds. Soon, the sky would show its blue eye, with the sun beaming so brightly that one couldn’t help but forget all the Earth’s warmth being released into the infinity above without the clouds to blanket us with their love.

I carried on. Soon, I would get to the place.

Snow’s silence was deafening when all I could hear were memories of your voice, darling. These wounds run deep. Again and again, with every step upon the ground’s pristine blanket, the thought echoed: I wish you could have loved me like I loved you. But it was nothing more than a thought—existing to no one else but myself, echoing with infinite loudness in my ears only.

I had broken away from the town and out into the countryside where the blank hills rolled out into the new sky and I was ascending to heaven; the freshness of white surrounding me became one with the sky now colored so faint a blue that it too was nearly white.

Closer now. Angel’s skin caressed me and the memories became louder. We’ll never sever. An honest love so true that we have become married at the soul. I… love you, darling. It was its own mockery: your face—one whose glow could pierce all of darkness—was in the sunlight itself.

That is how I felt every morning. Imagine it, darling. Imagine that a single person has the power to twist your every thought into a memory of her. Imagine that you wake every morning having lost your security—all sense of mental fortitude—and that it becomes a daily pursuit to retrieve it.

The thoughts became louder still and I knew that I would lose myself if I didn’t get to the place in time.

But I soon took the final step and I was there. It was the peak of the highest hill which overlooked the surrounding moors, towering over the encompassing waves like a lighthouse.

There was a lonely tree whose age was carved into its low droop which had crept continually lower over the years of bearing the snowy burden upon its bare branches. Adjacent to that was a gray boulder. The eastward side of it had eroded into the shape of a convenient seat so that I could face the sun directly.

Other than that, there was nothing. The bare blanket of snow, not even disturbed by wildlife, filled me with a sense of purity, and the snow beamed brightly, returning the sun’s warm smile coolly. That pure, untouched peak, combined with the perfect placement of the boulder seat, seemed to reaffirm the thought that this place was solely mine.

I sat on the chilled rock with legs crossed, looking out in the vague direction of the sun, first at the pure white sinuous hills, smoothly coasting across the country, and then to the forest of evergreen trees just beyond that, whose natural darkness strengthened from the contrast of the sun. It looked like the trees were black, almost, except for the tufts of snow. The tips of the tallest ones seemed to just reach the sun’s position in the sky so that the glowing star topped them. Like Christmas.

I closed my eyes, inhaled the freezing air, and sat perfectly still. Minutes passed as my body continued to cool further. The relentless frigidity was a reminder of the indifference with which this world deals out suffering. The only thing that kept my heart from freezing to a halt was the warmth generated from a tepid spitefulness directed at a world that offers a pursuit of a tragic illusion of love and calls it “life”, and—perhaps I thought—my insistence on challenging the brutality of the winter was akin to challenging the cruelty of life itself.

Minutes bled into hours. In some state of half-consciousness, I envisioned stepping off the peak which tethered me so tentatively to this life. At the base of the hill on the steep side in front of me was a collection of jagged rocks, among which I could see myself with a skull split open. I pondered upon whether—when the scavengers came—they would discover a body whose eyes were closed or open.

I know you would say it’s a strange thing to imagine, darling. Perhaps it is. But in those horrific mental wanderings, I gained a sense of security within myself—security that led me to appreciate the air I inhaled, whether it was marked with a bitter cold or an oppressive heat. It was a security that reminded me “You could be among those rocks, but you are here.”

It was reassuring to have those reminders from time to time, when the mind seems to destabilize such that everything in the world is perceived to be against me. Such episodes were common in those days. Imagine feeling like a rolling cloud of fog, and that is how I felt, both in mind and body. So I needed to come face to face with Death to remind myself of the feeling of life.

I hadn’t moved a muscle in several hours. I could feel my heart’s slowing booms weakening in my chest. I could see them, too.

I was in a dark room—a sort of dingy place you might find in the strange country miles outside of town, except that I couldn’t see much other than a few inches ahead of me. I didn’t know how I had gotten there, but I had the strange sense that Death was lurking somewhere in the room. Or maybe he was the air itself.

From what I could see, the room’s contents—a large anvil at the center, and bookshelves lining the walls—were all coated with cobwebs and dust. Although there was no light whatsoever, I seemed to emit some sort of aura, as I could tell that whatever was a few inches ahead of wherever I stood was illuminated.

My footsteps upon the floorboards creaked horribly. I found, perhaps by hearing the air flow, that there was a long hallway ahead of me. With each new step, I could more clearly see a glowing red figure at the end of the abnormally long hall.

At first, I thought the figure was a sphere, and the more I tried to look, the more vague its figure became. Then I knew—in the mysterious way one tends to inherently know things in a dream—that Death was hiding somewhere down the hall, in some unknown doorway between me and the red object, and I knew what She looked like (despite never seeing Her), and although Her face had a clear familiarity I couldn’t recognize it in that moment. My footsteps became slower and the creaks grew louder.

I looked straight ahead for the first time in what felt like ten minutes and found that the figure was a giant beating heart, some twenty yards away. Some draft of wind coasted through the hall and across the back of my neck and my hairs raised.

The heart beat was slow and thunderous—an omnipresent thud at the lowest possible frequency. I walked toward it blindly but slowly. I was drawn to it as surely as a moth to flame. I had a vague understanding of where Death lurked but I couldn’t possibly know exactly where.

I looked down to see that with each step I took, more of the floor ahead of me became illuminated. At present, about a yard ahead of me was lit. Another step, and another yard would light. The air itself now held a strange stiffness, as if the intensity of the situation had the atmosphere ready to collapse, and all the noise in the world now seemed to fill that deafening ringing of silence between the booms as I now stood dead still.

The heart only beat once every few seconds now. I wanted to get to the end of the hall and get to the heart for some unknown reason—some reason which, in the moment, seemed self-evident but under later scrutiny I could not find.

But I couldn’t get there no matter the reason. Despite the infinitely compelling force that guided me to the end of the hallway, my knees locked with an intense dread of what I would soon uncover in the hall if I was to continue.

I took a long pause in an attempt to regain composure.

I took one more step and like a light switched on, more of the floor beneath me glowed amber.

That heart was slowing evermore. But I could hear Death breathing. I couldn’t go on. Couldn’t face Her. It was a glorious hell I had found, and so in that moment came a violent intensity to rip apart my vocal cords with a strident scream—as if to mourn the imminent loss of my soul. But I was stuck, stuck somewhere between the desire for a primal scream that was burning a hole in my throat, and the restraint from moving any further which looming Death had forced upon me.

The dream had become all too real. I pried open my eyes in resignation, as if committing suicide to exit a dream world which had become too purely malevolent, too honest in its intent to destroy. So I opened my eyes.

The sun caught the peak at a much different angle now, and the parts of snow that had once returned the sunlight now displayed a cool gray as new shadows swept over those areas. To my side, the tree of death looked more dead than before. The air itself even felt emptier than before as it howled through the moors.

I stood up slowly, feeling the creaking within my limbs. An awful feeling, darling.

I walked back from the place, through town, past the old shops dusty with vacancy and creaky from the intense cold whose emptiness permeated through the streets. I felt emptier, too—weightless, almost, as I stepped through snow hardly leaving a print behind. I passed in front of Moonfield’s shop when the thought occurred to me that I should check my reflection, that it might display a deathly pallor which would require immediate attention. I leaned in toward the glass, realizing it was no use, since the now distant sun had made it too dark on the street at this hour. With a mellow contentedness, I carried on, with my back toward the dying sun, under the sky still cooling in color.

The ancient door of my home opened with a strident creak, as if it had been shut for a century, and the rush of warmth from the inside greeted my face. I once again welcomed myself to the four walls that so often allowed my thoughts to reverberate until madness gained control once more.

A definitive thud marked the front door’s closing followed by my march toward my bed. I collapsed onto it, staring into the ceiling that was illuminated in a strange way from the sun giving its last hurrah through the trees and into the window; an oddly bright triangle of light projected across the ceiling.

I sat there, pondering. When my mind wanders, I pay attention, you know. I wondered how I could have chased after the heart in a pursuit that would so certainly kill me. In a dark corridor, with Death at the other end, I chose to walk toward it. And then the destruction of all my sanity that ensued! That heart, with its damned irresistible appeal, was going to bring about my demise.

Often times, my dreams seem so separate from reality that I have to disregard them entirely, and other times, my dreams seem more real than reality itself—as if they unveil some pure, unmitigated truth I could not see before.

This was one of the other times, darling. I have allowed passions to rule me; I have seen how they have drawn me far into darkness and insanity, until I am face to face with an image of Death that looks a lot like you.

Short Story by Janiya Foney, Senior

The Unexpected Package

by Janiya Foney

It was a sunny Monday morning, and I was actually in a great mood. I was currently lounging around my small two bedroom apartment. I had an 3 o’clock class in about thirty minutes and I needed as much time to relax as possible. The smell of lavender lingered around as I laid on the couch watching Greys Anatomy.

A knock on the door knocked me out of my thoughts. I paused the tv and went to answer the door, but when I opened the door no one was there. Just a big cardboard box, with my address and name on it. I didn’t think too much about it. It was probably all of those clothes I ordered online from Forever 21. I struggled to carry the heavy box inside, closing the door with my foot, I sat the box on the couch.

I ran into the kitchen and quickly grabbed a knife so I could open the box, I couldn’t wait to see these cute clothes. I haven’t been looking the best on campus lately. I quickly cut the tape and opened the box. I sat there confused and a little angry. “ These aren’t my clothes,” I said to myself as I looked at the box with hundreds of handwritten letters. I gently picked up one of the letters and begin to read it. This letter was addressed to me.

This has to be a mistake, I thought as I began skimming through all of the letters. These weren’t just regular old letters, they were love letters. Someone was confessing their love for me in these letters. They’d been describing moments when they saw me, what I was doing, even what outfit I’d had on. For some strange reason, I wasn’t a tad bit creeped out by this.

I sort of felt a connection to this person. I had to find out who this person was. Suddenly, my phone began buzzing, knocking me out of my thoughts. It was Julian FaceTiming me, I answered the phone to discover he also had Arianna on the phone.

“ What do you want,” I said to Julian playful.

“ Is that how you answer your best friend’s phone call,” he replied in a smart tone.

Arianna began speaking but was quickly cut off by Julian.

“ What are all of those papers next to you?” he asked.

I quickly pushed them to the side before responding, “nothing, I was just going through some old stuff”.

“ Well, like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted,” Arianna started. “ Me and Julian wanted to see if you wanted to go to lunch with us,” She said hopefully.

I sighed, getting sad. Ever since I started school and my new job, it’s like I never have time for them anymore. I hate bailing on them but I need to maintain my grades to keep this scholarship.

“ I can’t guys, I have a class in 15 minutes,” I responded sadly.  “ But I promise we’ll go somewhere this weekend,” I said hoping to cheer them up.

“ Fine….it’s a date,” Julian Said.

“ And you better not bail on us,” Arianna added.

“ Have I ever broke a promise before?” I replied.

Shortly after our phone call, I sat in class zoned out. The old classroom was completely silent. This was a small class with only about twenty people in it. The professor lectured on and on but I wasn’t paying attention. The only thing my mind could focus on was finding out who this secret admirer was.

The bell had finally rung, as I grabbed my books and walked out of class. I looked around at the different people as I walked through the yard. The weather had just began to get nice after days of rain. I watched as people walked around in summer clothing, talking amongst one another. The admirer had to be here. They knew the places I went after class, what I wore. It had to be someone here because I don’t go anywhere else.

I finally made it back to my apartment. I grabbed the box and brought it to my room. I sat in bed reading all of the letters. One in particular caught my eye.

“ I saw you again today. You looked so beautiful, you should wear your hair out more often. The way you smile, melts my heart. I’ve loved you since the moment we first spoke. I can’t wait for the day I can finally show you who I am, hopefully you’d accept me. Until next time my love.” - xo

This letter gave me one of the very first clues I needed. I’ve actually spoken to this person before. Even though I’ve spoken to a lot of people before, it was still a clue.

I was still so confused. Why was this person so interested in me? I’m plain, boring, and I have nothing great to offer.  

Over the next few days, I spent all of my free time reading the rest of the letters. I was stressing myself out trying to piece together some more clues.  

My phone flashed, indicating that I got a text. It was a text from Julian making sure that I was still going out with him and Arianna tonight. I began to panic trying to find something to wear tonight.

I’ve been so focused on the secret admirer, that I forgot that I agreed to go out with them.

I went through my closet, tossing all of the clothes around. It was already about 7 o’clock and it took me forever to get ready. I finally found a fitted black dressed that was perfect. I scurried out of my room, that now had clothes all over the place; I rushed into the bathroom and began to get ready.

About two hours later, I was finally ready. I grabbed my purse and left out of the door. Julian had already told me to meet them at an address. I didn’t recognize the address, but I trusted them and I’m sure it would be fun.

As I was driving, my mind couldn’t help but to drift off thinking about the letters. I hadn’t even told Arianna and Julian about them, because I don’t know how they’ll react.

The GPS signaled me to turn left as I began to drive down a dark, muddy road. “ What in the world,” I mumbled to myself. I finally came to a wooded area with a cabin before I put the car in park. I grabbed my phone to check and make sure I had the right address. I suddenly got a text from Julian that said “ In the cabin,”.

I slowly got out of the car and walked towards the cabin. It was awfully quiet as the sound of crickets and Cicadas were the only things heard. I could hear myself stepping on branches as I approached the door. I looked around nervously before knocking on the door. “ What are we doing here,” I thought to myself. Arianna opened the door and I walked inside. It was a small wooden cabin with a leather loveseat, and a fireplace in the center. There was a large furry rug and colorful fuzzy blankets laid on the couch.

I looked around before asking, “ Where’s Julian”.

“ He isn’t here,” she said quietly.

“ Of course he is...he just texted me,” I said confused.

She looked at me nervously before responding, “ That was me, I have his phone” she said showing me Julian’s phone.

I was so confused about the whole situation. Why is everyone acting so weird, all of a sudden? I was starting to get irritated. They begged me to come out with them and now they’re acting strange.

“ What’s going on Arianna,” I asked seriously.

“ It’s me,” she said quietly with her head down.

“ What’s you, what are you talking about?” I asked dumbfounded.

“ The letters…...it’s me,” she said before looking up at me.

My begin to beat rapidly. It all made sense! The personal details….the clues...it’d been my best friend all along. I’d develop feelings for the person in the letters, but I didn’t know it’d be her.

I looked at her not knowing what to say. This is the last person I expected. I never even had feelings for a girl before.

“ Look, I know you like dudes but don’t you feel it?” She started.

“ Feel what?” I asked.

“ The connection between us,” she said hopefully.

What was I going to say, I never looked at Arianna as more than a friend. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but I couldn’t be in a relationship with her. I was too focused on my job and school right now. I didn’t have time for a relationship. What did she see in me anyway?

I stood there contemplating with myself in my head. It’s her, the person I fell for in the letters. I didn’t want to get in the way of my own happiness, but we couldn’t be together.

“ I’m sorry Ari,” I said with tears in my eyes. “ I can’t be with you…..I love you, but not in that way,” I told her.

She looked at me sadly.

“ I don’t even have time for a relationship right now,” I said.

She stood there with tears in her eyes. She didn’t say anything for awhile before she finally spoke.

“ I understand,” she said.

I reached out to hug her, “ I don’t want this to get in the way of her friendship” I said to her.

“ It won’t,” she said hugging me.

Over the next few weeks I tried reaching out to Arianna, but I got no response. When me and Julian hang out she finds an excuse not to come. Me rejecting her had come in between me and one of my closest friends. I decided to leave it alone, and let her reach out when she’s ready. I’ve been focusing on trying to make more time for the people close to me, and not letting school and work consume my life. Spending time with the people I love is what’s going to make me happy.

Short Story by Christian Carrillo, Senior

The Session

Christian Carrillo

“Monday 15, 2024, therapy session number 13. Patient has been waking up feeling restless for four weeks now,” Dr. Wick said into her voice recorder. “Deku, how did you wake up feeling this morning Deku?”

“Well, Dr. Wick not much has changed if I’m being honest,” I responded.

“Hmm, you don’t say” she said with uncertainty. “Well to be honest there should’ve been some type of progress or improvement by now,” Dr. Wick strongly expressed.

“Well what do you suggest we do now?” I said.

“I usually would never suggest this for one of my patients but this seems urgent,” she said with worry. “I’m going to give you a stronger medication and with this particular medication I have to give you a shot behind your neck to enhance the medication to help your sleeping issues,”

“Well, um, you’re the expert,” I said very anxiously.

Dr. Wick went to grab the needle and I could already feel sweat beginning to manifest all over my hands. “This is only going take one second I promise,” she said reassuringly. She inserts the needle and I feel myself begin to get light headed. “All done,” she giggled. My neck felt so numb and I felt as if there was some sort of little ball in there.

“Dr. Wick, is this lump going to stay here,”

“Oh don’t mind that, it should ease down in a few hours,” she said with a smile.

“Um, okay, thanks Doc I’ll see you Wednesday then,” I said excitedly.

“Yup, see you on the 17th, now go get some rest,” she said in a soft voice.

Before I left the small white office I looked outside the 12ft window looking down from the 27th floor. All I could think to myself was, “Wow, this is going to be the start of something new,” So I left the office and took the elevator down. I walked out into the loud and busy streets of New York, New York where everyone is always on their grind, hoping to be noticed and make it big.

My walk home was a short one since I only live 5 minutes away walking distance.

By the time I make it to my house I can already feel the medication kicking in. Not wanting to waste any time and ready to finally have a restful night of sleep, I start to get myself ready for bed. I go to turn off the lights in my already dark and dull room. As I walk towards my bed I feel myself getting heavier and heavier with every step I take. By the time I knew it, pitch black was all I saw.

“God, I feel even worse than before, what the heck type of medication was that,” I said to myself in the morning. The pain I felt on my head was worse than its been before.

“Ping—”  I get a video sent to me from an anonymous number. I open the video and, I see me! I see me, or at least a person who appears to be me. In the video there's a person in a dark empty street, dragging a tied up man and little girl into a hidden tunnel near an alley. He leaves the tunnel so nonchalant, as if he literally did not just drag two bodies into a tunnel. The video ends with him tripping and hitting his head on the curb.

Whoever this person is, must definitely be sick and needs to be turned in to the police right away. However I can’t help but think why this video was sent to me. Could that person be me? No that’s crazy. I don’t even have any type of recollection of this. If it were me though, that would explain why my head hurts so much. I know I’m definitely going to have to tell this to my psychiatrist on our next session.

I decide to play it safe and record myself that night. So I set up my camera in my room on the corner of the ceiling. When I looked at the footage in the morning I couldn’t believe my eyes. Sound asleep I am, then suddenly, I get up. Approaching the camera I look directly into the lense, smirk, and walk away with a wave before disappearing for nearly the entire night, and returning four hours later.

After watching that video I feel completely hopeless. Not knowing how any of this is possible and why I look so awake. Where did I go? What did I do? Why don’t I remember? Questions that cross back and forth through my mind. Now all of a sudden me being that guy in the video doesn’t seem like a crazy possibility after all.

“Ping—” I get a text from the same anonymous number. “If you wanna know the truth about everything you’re confused about, skip your therapy session today and meet me at the Dunkin’ Doughnuts down the streets from your house,”

“Who are you, and why should I trust you?” I asked him

“Look, be there at 6pm sharp, or I won’t be responsible for what happens next.” he responded.

Its five minutes til six and I’m standing inside Dunkin’ Doughnuts, when suddenly, I hear a deep voice come from behind me.

“Stop looking like a lost puppy and take a seat why don’t you,” he said with an aggressive tone of voice.

“Okay, okay, just promise me you won’t kill me,” I said with a shaky voice. “I still have a lot to live for.”

“Oh shut up you fool,” he said monotonically. “You’re making this more difficult than it needs to be.”

We take a seat in a small booth. He sits in front of me wearing a dark cloak and dark hat so big that it’s covering half of his face. When he removes his hat, he appears to be an ordinary man which took me by shock considering that Batman like voice.

“The names Joe, Joe Dingleberry,” he said seriously. “And you’re Deku Todoroki, Dr. Sonia Wicks’ patient.”

“Ha, Dingleberry” I chuckle under my breath. “Well I’m guessing an introduction isn’t needed,” I said with uncertainty. “Wait, how do you know my name and that I see Dr. Wick.”

“I used to work under Sonia as her assistant,” he said with disgust. “But she fired me because I didn’t agree with her ways.”

“Okay, so what does any of this have to do with me?” I said with confusion.

“Dr. Wick is up to something and I’m not sure what it is,” he said. “What I do know though, is it has to do with you. I believe she has something to do with why you’ve been having these issues with your sleep schedule.”

“Okay you have my attention keep talking.”

“She has a notebook. I took a peek at it one day while she was distracted and it said something about a shot that can make a person do anything that you could program them to do.” He said with worry.

“Wait, program?” I asked.

“Yes. The shot inserts some type of technological chip inside you that she can control from her end,” he explained. “Which is why I brought this.”

He pulled out a mini knife and took me to the alley behind Dunkin’ Doughnuts. At this point I already knew what he was going to do and just accepted it. He made a slight incision on the back of my neck and squeezed it like a pimple. Sure enough, he was right, there was a chip in there.

“When you see her this Friday the 19th you have to obtain that notebook from her.” He said gripping my shoulders and staring me deep in the eyes. “I was the one who took that video of you dragging the man and little girl into the tunnel. If we want to save them we have to make sure Dr. Wick is out of the way and we have evidence that you are innocent. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, I mean, I guess so.” I said perplexed.

“You have one day to rest up and think about how you’re going to do this because Friday is two days away. It’s now or never.” He said reassuringly.

I went home so confused and scared. Anxiety of the unknown has to be by far one of the most terrifying things. I decided to take his advice and take Thursday to rest up because Friday was going to take all I had to keep my composure.

Friday approached and I headed off to Dr. Wick’s building. I head up the elevator and make it to the 27th floor and that’s where everything internally takes a turn for the worst. As I approach her door my heart begins to beat as if I just finished running a marathon. I enter the room and I suddenly become as cold as death.

“What’s the matter Deku? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.” Dr. Wick said giggling.

“Oh nothing i'm just feeling a little under the weather today that's all.” I say softly.

“Ding—, Ding—” “Will you excuse me? I’m going to take this phone call real quick in the hallway, i’ll be right back.” She said with a smile.

That’s when I knew it was the perfect opportunity. I quickly run over to her desk to grab her notebook. The adrenaline runs through my body so much that I’m numb and my legs give out. I know this can’t be good because she’s going to be back any second. I crawl behind her desk and begin to get carpet burn on my knees and hand. I’m digging and digging through all her drawers when I finally find the notebook.

“BAM!” The door shuts, and my body is completely paralyzed. I look up and there she is, towering over me with a gun pointed at my face.

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you to respect a woman's privacy?” She asked.

“It’s over Sonia, I know you’re up to something evil and I’m going to take you down.” I said raising my voice.

“Evil? take me down? What are you a superhero? I don’t believe we’re in a Marvel or DC movie right now.” She said chuckling. “Now then, let’s get this over with.”

As she takes the safety off the gun everything begins to move in slow motion. This is it. If I don’t make a move now then I’m dead. I tackle her down from the legs and toss the gun by the door. She grabs a pen from the floor and tries to stab me to get off of her. Finally I get a hold of her hands and hold them down against the floor.

“You’re pathetic, once I kill you I’m going to tell the authorities how you tried to rape me and that you were very mentally ill.” She said with a struggle in her voice.

“You’re insane woman. I’m not going to let you get away with all the fraud that you’ve been putting up.”

Not knowing what else to do and knowing that I have to get that notebook back to the authorities, I punch her one good time in the head. At that moment I knew that I just bought myself some time. She was no longer moving. I check her heartbeat and to see if she’s still breathing and she is. I grab the notebook and quickly run over to the table to grab the voice recorder then I get out of the building as quick as possible.

“I got it! I got it! Where can I meet you?” I text Joe.

“This is great! But we have to act quick meet me at your house now.” He replied.

Finally, I make it back to the house to look through the notebook with Joe. All I can say is, this women had some serious problems. She was using me as a hitman to kill her husband and daughter so that way should could collect all the insurance money and move far away with her side man.

‘Oh shit! The man and little girl!” Joe and I yelled.

“We have to get to them ASAP it's been four days since they’ve been in that tunnel.” I said worriedly.

We ran over to the hidden tunnel by the alley. By the time we got to the man and little girl they were barely responsive. We called the police and ambulance to get the emergency medical attention. Once the paramedics got there they took the man and little girl to the emergency room right away. We explained everything to the police and gave them the voice recorder and notebook. I explained to them the physical altercation that I had with Dr. Wick and that I didn’t know if she was still going to be there. They took Joe and I into custody and drove us down to the the police station while they called another team of cops and detectives to check the crime scene.

“I don’t understand why they’re treating us like criminals we did nothing wrong.” I cried.

“Pull it together man this is standard crime procedure it’s just for our own safety.” Joe said laughing at me.

“But it’s dirty and cold in these cells plus I think that guy over there in the other one thinks I’m cute, he keeps winking at me.” I said fearfully.

After a few hours the police comeback and take us out those god awful cells. They pull me into an investigation room and ask me to tell them more about mine and Dr. Wick’s relationship. So that’s just what I did. A man in a white lab coat walks into the small small grey investigation room and makes himself known.

“Dr. Bridge, nice to meet you Mr. Todoroki. I’m so sorry for the trauma you have been through.” He said with concern. “I’m just going to run a few test on you to make sure everything’s okay. Fear not I’m one of the best psychiatrist in the United States.”

He ran test on me and I came out having dissociative amnesia. After that he prescribed me medicine and was going to check back in with me on Sunday the 19th.

I went home and turned on the television, shockingly the story about Dr. Wick was all over the news. I tuned the TV off and went to sleep. In the morning I felt a lot better, no headaches no soreness, so I decided to sleep in all of Saturday and take advantage of all the sleep I could get.

Sunday morning came around and I get a call from Joe. Not really wanting to be bothered by him ignore the call. He calls again and that's when I start to think maybe this might be serious.

“Hello?” I answer.

“Dude you’re not going to believe this!” He shouts through the phone.

“Just get on with it.” I say impatiently.

He tells me how he has connections with people in the police station and how he received some information about the Dr. Wick case. He told how when the police made it to her office they found her hanging from the ceiling with a suicide note beneath her feet. It read “That little fool got me there’s no point in running away it would be pointless. Just let my husband and daughter know that I never loved either of those degenerates.” He then told me that she had antisocial disorder and she wasn’t even a real doctor.

“As fascinating as this all sounds I really just want to leave it all behind me now.” I said. “I’m actually heading off right now to go see Dr. Bridge. I can't wait to thank him on the new medication, I’ve never felt better.”

“Well that sounds good for you buddy. I’m really happy you’re getting the proper care you needed.” Joe said sincerely.

“Joe, thanks for everything. I mean that. Considering the fact that you don’t even know me.” I said.

“No problem, see you around.”

The End.