I Was There

Prologue

I stood in front of the doors, my hand on the "push". as I looked up, the word "morgue" screamed at me. I took a deep breath and entered, standing just inside and looking around like a lost puppy. Just as I'm about to leave, the doors bang open and a stout bald man practically runs me over , muttering to himself.

He power walks straight to the refrigerator doors, looks at his clipboard and opens one, pulling out the metal tray with a black body bag on top. I wasn't fazed by this or when he unzipped the bag revealing the face of the body, my face. I stared at myself for a moment, looking at all the bruises and wondering how many bones had been broken. As I did this, I heard the doors open again but this time I didn't look up until I heard it; my mother's voice.

"I-is it her? Is it April?" She stammered, her voice seemingly far away.

"I'm sorry Mrs.Atler...you have to come over here and...identify her." The man said, a small amount of feeling in his voice.

As I look up, I'm shocked at the scene before me. My mother's eyes are beat red and sunken in, my father practically pulling her forward. When she finally reaches the table, she almost collapses as a wail leave her lips that I've never heard before.

"NO!" She cried and turns into my father like a scared child. "MY BABY!"

My father rubs her back and cleared his throat, looking from my body to the coroner.

"W-when can we take the...her...home?" He asks quietly.

"Again...I'm sorry...but we can't release your daughter until the investigation is over."

I want to console my mother. I want her to hold me like she did when I was young, but its too late for that now. My father reaches out as if to touch my bruised and beaten face but stops, realizing that body is no longer his daughter.

"I hope they put that boy away for the rest of his life." My father growls through his teeth, tears filling his eyes.

Soon my parents are gone and I'm left with the body that once was mine. I doubt anyone will ever know the truth of what happened to me, but you will, I'm here to make sure of that. Because I was there and I remember.