I hate my life. I take a deep breath right before Ashley plunges me down head first into the dirty river water. My laces burn, and she lifts me out of the water just to put me back in. I may be her favorite grey tennis shoes, but that doesn’t mean she takes care of me. She treats me like I don’t even have feelings. As she brings me back up, I see a boy in the distance. He is far away, but I could tell it was someone close to Ashley’s age. I take a breath and expect the usual tip-toe, but what I get is a big smack down at the bottom of the river, and she doesn’t bring me back up. I struggle for breath and pray that she will bring me back up. When she finally does, she pushes me on the ground so she can stand. I wince at the pain, but it quickly goes away when I notice Kevin. Her toe nails dig into my insides and it burns, but I ignore it because I am way too googly-eyed at Kevin. He has been Ashley and I’s crush for the past two years, and he still makes my heart skip a beat!

“Hey Kevin!” Ashley said with her girly flirtatious voice. “What’s up?”

I could tell that Kevin didn’t like Ashley, and he obviously didn’t want to make conversation, but since he is a nice and polite boy, he replied, “Fine, and you?”

It slightly bothered me how he said it with no meaning, but I couldn’t blame him. Ashley wasn’t secretive about how she felt about him, and she didn’t know that she was making a fool out of herself.

“I am really good!” Ashley said like a fool. “I was wondering if you would please go out with me?” she desperately begged. I couldn’t believe that she asked him out! He was my crush! I liked him first! My aglets burn with anger! Ashley is my owner, so I guess I will have to get over it.

“I’m sorry Ashley. My answer isn EWWWW! NO!” he yelled. Ashley dug her toe-nails back into my insides but for a whole new reason. I looked up and saw Ashley’s eyes. They were filled with anger and hatred!

“What did you say to me?” she scolded. “And before you answer, you might to rephrase your answer!” she warned angrily.

“Ok,” he smirked and replied. “How is this? Absolutely not. Or maybe NEVER!” he exclaimed. Ashley bent down and reached into the muddy water and grabbed a big, smelly, pokey rock. I quickly understood what she was thinking, and it wasn’t good. All of the sudden she chucked the rock at Kevin. It flew threw the air and smashed full force into his head. He let out a scream of pain and horror. I heard a cracking noise as Kevin’s body fell hard to the ground. I couldn’t believe it! She murdered him! I wanted to look away, but I was frozen in time. I was unable to do anything. I watched as the life left him, leaving just an empty corpse. Ashley’s friends, Maddie, Cece, Brooke, and Marissa, came bolting down to the river to find out why Kevin screamed. They stood in shock when they saw Kevin’s lifeless body.

“Ashley, what have you done?!” Maddie whimpered.

“What happened?” Brooke stammered. How could you do this?” she sobbed.

“Don’t move,” Ashley shouted. “I don’t want to do this, but if I want to get into a good college I can’t have a murder on my record!” she sneered. I wish I could scream! My whole body shook in violent patterns. Maddie stood still with her eyes wide with fear. Ashley once again reached into the water and brought a big heavy rock. She closed her eyes as she throws the rock into the air. It smashes into Maddie, and she fell without making a sound. I knew she wouldn’t stop. She once again picked up a heavy rock and chucked it at Brooke, and she fell with a loud scream. She was killing them one by one! She has gone insane! Blood seeped out of their bodies and onto the grass. I was so devastated! She pulled out a knife from her pocket. Cece had fear in her eyes. Ashley walked slowly and calmly  up to Cece. Cece triede to run but before she could she plunged the knife into her side. Blood instantly poured out as she fell to the ground. I would never forgive Ashley. She had betrayed her friends. I shook with anger and fright. Ashley started to sprint toward Marissa. The pain of my body being thrown to the ground over and over again was overbearing. She lunged at Marissa. She grabbed her arm and yanked it so hard that it had been pulled any harder it would of fallen out. Ashley lifts up her hand and punches Marissa square in the nose. Marissa slowly falls and hits her head on the ground with a smack. I expected  Ashley to kill her, but she picked her hands and started dragging her. We were only about a quarter mile to our house, so it didn’t take long. We are already at the house when Ashley opens the door and her brother Alex and her dog Apollo.

“Hi Ashley, why are you dragging Marissa?”  he asked with innocence in his voice. Ashley pulled out the bloody knife she used to kill Cece.

“What are you doing?” Alex whispered with horror in his voice. He slowly backed up, but before he could reach the door, Ashley jumped forward and stabbed him. He shrieked in pain. Ashley bent down to Apollo, her dog. He was whimpering with fright. Ashley pulled the knife out of Alex and stabbed Apollo. He let out a whimper and fell to the ground. I looked down and notice Marissa start to wake up. Her eyes blinked open. She jumped up and screamed at the sight of Alex and Apollo on the ground and Ashley covered in blood. Ashley quickly turned her head toward the scream. She quickly snatched Marissa’s arm and pulled her up the stairs up to the attic. Marissa was fighting with lots of power, but Ashley’s anger was overpowering her. Ashley got a big dictionary and smashed it against Marissa’s head causing her to tumble to the ground.

      *********************

I slowly open my eyes. My vision is blurry, but I can tell I am still in Ashley’s basement. I am Marissa’s favorite black boots. I don’t think I will be alive much longer. I am old and worn out. I glance up toward Marissa. She has a gash on her head from where Ashley hit her. She blinked her eyes open. Instantly, fear swept over her face when she realized that the previous event were not just a dream. Ashley’s head quickly turned at Marissa. Marissa was groggy and tired. Ashley must have given her some kind of pill.

“Ashley please, let me go!” Marissa begged. “Please, I won’t tell anyone! Just let me go,” Marissa desperately asked.

“Do you think I am stupid?” Ashley yelled. She swung her arms up in violent gesticulations. “Of course you would say that! You just want me to let you go! But as you probably know, I can’t let you go,” sShe explained calmly. I was petrified. I was frozen in fear. I was unable to do anything! I was completely powerless.

“How could he reject me? Nobody rejects me!” she screamed. She paced the floor mumbling swear words under her breath. She looked insane. Hher eyes twitched and her hands were shaking.

“Ashley, please let me go. Don’t do this over a stupid guy,” I said in such a low voice it was basically a whisper. I heard a loud DING, and Ashley walked swiftly down the stairs without a word. She came up with a plate of food that looked like weird chicken.

“I made you some food,” Ashley smirked. She had a devilish look in her eyes. “Eat every last bit! I want you to lick the plate clean! Also, when you’re done there is plenty more,” she calmly explained.

“What is it?” Marissa’s voice shook. You could hear her heart pounding out of her chest.

“It is a little bit of Maddie, a little bit of Brooke, a little bit of Kevin and a bunch of Cece!” she told Marissa. Cece was our best friend, and now we are going to have to eat her. I looked up and Marissa was beginning to cry.

“DON’T CRY!” Ashley snapped. “At least pretend to not be so weak and pathetic!” Marissa wiped her eyes on her shoulder. I could tell she was on the verge of complete and total madness. Ashley pulled out a long, sharp, and silver knife.

“Eat it right now!” Ashley yelled. “Or I will have to kill you too.” Marissa forced her mouth to open, and Ashley shoved almost all of the meat in at once. Marissa chewed slowly and tears fell from her eyes. She swallowed and let out a cry of terror.

“Shut up!” Ashley screamed “I don’t want to hear it!” Right when Ashley turned around the door swung open, and her mother stood in the doorway. Horror spread across her face when she realized the situation.

“Ashley, what happened?” sShe spoke in a quiet scared voice. Ashley began to cry. She shook her head as her tears faded away, and her frown slowly turned into a smile.

“Mom, I have to kill you. I don’t want to but I have no choice,” Ashley calmly spoke. “It will be ok,” she lied. I couldn’t believe it. My chance of being saved was gone. I know she will never let us go. She will kill us and Marissa. She picked up a red high heeled shoe and slowly walked over to her mom. She raised the shoe high above her head.

“Goodbye, mom,” Ashley whispered as she plunged the heel down into her skull. Her mom screamed so loud my ears were ringing. Ashley feel to the ground next to her mother.

“I’m sorry, mom, but nobody rejects me!” sShe cried. All of the sudden the door swung open. Ashley screamed as the police walked through the door.

“Put your hands behind your back!” the man shouted. He was tall with dark hair. He grabbed Ashley’s hands and pulled her out of the room. I was exhausted. My vision began to fade and Marissa drifted off to sleep. She was still tied up, but it didn’t matter. We had been through so much, and we are glad it’s finally over.

I open my eyes, and I am at the police station. The room is bright with people walking back and forth. Marissa’s mom is sitting next to us. She looked worried like she hadn’t gotten sleep in ages.

“Hi, Marissa,” my mom whispered. “Are you ready to go home?” Marissa slowly nodded. She stood up which put me in a lot of pain, but I didn’t care. I was ready to go home. Marissa’s phone went off, and it made me jump. I was jumpy and freaked out after what happened. Marissa pulled it out. She clicked the answer button and put it on speaker.

“Hello?” Marissa croaked.

“Hello, Marissa. It’s your worst nightmare, and I won’t stop until I find you!” I shook in place.

“I am going to finish what we started!”