I'll Never Walk Alone Again!

Karen Bawling was a 16 year old teenager who volunteered in extracurricular activities. She went to church every Sunday with her family. She obeyed her parents and respected them. Everybody at Lincoln Heights High School referred to her as "Virgin Mary." Karen was always the 'Oddball' in school. Nobody talked to her because of the clothes she wore, and the weird way she acted. She had no friends. Not even the weird kids would talk to her. Nobody even gave her a chance to be a friend. Her parents made her move to Brooklyn because her mom got a job there. Her mom told her that fitting in was a difficult thing but she would eventually have friends. Karen had a lot of friends at her old school, (not exactly normal friends but the type that liked her for who she was.) The next day at school, as Karen was walking through the front doors to her first class, three cheerleaders came up to her. "Hey Karen," how are you fitting in here at Lincoln Heights? It's not exactly easy fitting into a new school but we can help you out. We can introduce you to our friends. They are really nice people." "You guys are actually going to help me make friends here? That would be wonderful!" Karen actually was starting to make friends with the most popular girls in the school. "Yeah we are going to help you fit in. We would really like to be friends with you. Let us start now." "Alright."
Karen walked around school with the popular kids everyday. "So Karen, the football team is having a party this Friday night and we want you to come. The address is 139 North Elm Street. See you there."

The school day was over and Karen walked home like every other day. Her friends always offered her a ride but she never accepted. As Karen was walking home, she saw her friend Stacy. "Karen, you really shouldn't go to that party tonight. Something bad might happen. Maybe the popular kids are just being nice to you until you go to the party and then they are going to be mean to you so you should just stay home. "Stacy, you just don't like the fact that I have more friends than just you! Get over it!" With that said, Karen walked away and left Stacy in her tracks. As Karen stood in the front yard of the house where the party was being held, she saw all the teenagers that went to her school. Of course they were intoxicated. Karen didn't expect to drink while at the party. She arrived in a pair of jeans and a really tight shirt that was her favorite. She walked around and talked to everyone that she knew. People seemed to like her and thought she was cool. "Hey do you want a beer?" some junior kid offered. "No I don't drink." She walked away and met up with Miranda, one of her new friends. "You're never going to fit in here unless you do cool things." You thing drinking is cool?" Miranda gave Karen a funny look and walked away. She was on her way to the bar. "Hey Todd, if Karen comes up here and asks for a drink of soda or something, put a little bit of vodka in it. She needs to let loose a little bit. "No problem." Music was blaring, teens were dancing, and beer was flying across the rooms. Karen had never been to a party like this. She found Miranda and said: "Hey, I'm going to get a couple drinks and then leave to go home. Will you drive me?" "Oh I can't because I'm not going home. I'm staying here all night." "Well then maybe I can get a ride off of Todd. I'll figure something out."

Karen walked over to the bar and asked Todd to pour her some Pepsi. "Sure." Karen tasted the Pepsi not knowing that there was Vodka in it. She drank one can after the other. Miranda and her 3 other friends walked up to Karen they weren't "Karen, you better slow down on the drinking. Alcohol is very bad for you." Then they started laughing. "I have only been drinking Pepsi. Why am I not feeling good?" "Maybe you shouldn't be drinking all that much. Have you even found a ride home yet? Do you want me to call your parents and tell them that you are drunk and need a ride home?" Karen was wondering why Miranda was being like this. "What are you talking about? I am fine. I can walk home from here and nobody has to worry. I am going to go dance and I'll see you later." Miranda couldn't help but laugh. "She can't walk home like that." Karen was up on the bar dancing like a wild child and everybody was laughing. Miranda said she was making a total fool of herself.

Back at Karen's house, Stacey had been calling her every hour with no answer. "Man! I'm really starting to get worried! I think I should call her mom and tell her what is going on." Stacey decided to wait one more hour to see if Karen would call and if not, then she would call her mom and tell her what is happening. Meanwhile, Karen was ready to go home and she was saying goodbye to everyone. As she was walking out of the house, her cell phone rang. It was Stacey. "Hello? Who is this?" "This is Stacey. How could you not know who this is? Are you drunk?" "What the heck are you talking about? I don't think I am drunk. Well I have had a lot of drinks and I am on my way home. I'll be there in about 15 minutes." "Well do you need a ride? I can come and pick you up. I don't think you should walk home like that. I'll be there in 5 minutes. Wait there for me." "I can walk home by myself. You don't have to be my babysitter all of my life! I can take care of myself!" Those words might have been the last words that Stacey had heard from Karen for the rest of their lives. "Karen! Don't leave that house!" The line went dead. Karen started walking down the dark road home. There was nobody in sight. If anything were to happen to her, nobody would be able to help. Nobody would be able to hear her scream or anything. She was too far away from the party by now. There were some cars driving past her but nobody stopped to drive her home. Karen turned around and saw a car that looked just like Stacey's car. Karen didn't want to drive home with Stacey so she ran and hid behind a tree. "Karen!" Stacey was driving really slow and yelling for Karen. Stacey knew she would probably be walking so she decided to drive around and yell for her. As she past, Karen came out from behind the tree and started walking again. Karen was drunk from the party and didn't really know where she was. She fell down a couple of times. She always worried about walking down a dark path and getting kidnapped or even worse. She got those ideas from movies. She was really scared to walk any farther. She decided to call Stacey again and tell her to turn around. "Stacey, will you turn back around and come get me again?" "I am already home because I couldn't find you! I'm tired of chasing after you all the time. I shouldn't have to look after you all the time! You knew not to go to that party but you went anyway! I'm not coming to get you! I'm calling your parents and telling them what you have done!"

Karen started screaming and making little sounds as if she was being chocked out. The line was dead halfway through Stacey's speech. "Karen? Are you there?" Stacey thought nothing of the hang-up because she figured that Karen was just upset. The party was still going on as Stacey tried calling Miranda's cell to see if Karen went back to the party. Miranda didn't answer. Stacey was getting worried after hearing the screams and the chocking sounds. She thought that maybe Karen was just messing around with her. "What should I do? Should I call her parents and tell them everything?" Stacey was talking to herself. Stacey waited around for Karen to call back. Nobody called. Not even two minutes later, Stacey's cell phone rang. "Hello? Karen? Who is this?" Stacey was so happy that Karen might have been calling. "Stacey? This is Karen's mother. Is everything alright? Is Karen there?" "Oh yes Mrs. Bawling. Karen is in the shower right now. Is it alright if she stays over tonight? My mom said it's alright." "Okay she can stay tonight. Tell her to call when she gets out of the shower." "Okay bye." Stacey never had to lie for Karen before. She never had to cover up lies for her mistakes. This may be the biggest mistake of all. It was already 11:30 and Karen still wasn't anywhere to be found. Stacey ran down stairs and asked her mom if she could go out for a drive. Her mom knew nothing about Karen missing. "Yeah sure but don't be out too long."

Stacey got in her car and went back to the same road that she looked for Karen before. It was one of the darkest roads in the city. Stacey decided to park her car and look for her on foot. "Karen! Where are you? It's Stacey!" Nobody answered. Stacey had covered alot of length on foot. Then she heard something come out behind a tree in the woods. It was Miranda. Miranda was as quite as she could be but it wasn't enough. Stacey heard her and was wondering why she was in the woods all by herself. "Miranda? Why are you out here all alone and coming out of the woods?" "Well I was just out walking to get some fresh air. I would never hurt anyone." "Well have you seen Karen anywhere?" "I saw her at the party wasted but she didn't talk much. So much for being a goody girl!" "That isn't like Karen at all. She doesn't drink." "Shows how much you know. Well i am going to get out of here." Miranda started walking away and Stacey stopped her one last time. "Do you want a ride home or back to the party? I have my car if you do." "Oh thank you so much. I need to go back to the party to get my things and then will you take me home?" "Yes. I really need to find Karen. I have no idea where she is at all. Her mom doesn't even know she went to this stupid party and I told her that she was staying all night with me. I am going to call her mom and dad when I get home and tell them everything." "I have no idea either. All I know was that she was drunk and took off walking." Stacey drove down the road with Miranda not knowing that she is the one who killed Karen and lied about the whole thing. "Just pull over right here. I"ll be right back." Stacey continued calling Karen's cell phone and nobody was answering. Miranda was walking back to the car before Stacey thought. "Thank you for taking me where i need to go. I'll be sure to return the favor." As Miranda reached in the back seat for her purse, Stacey noticed something really crazy. "That ring you have, Karen has the same one. Can I see it for a minute?" "I can't get it off right now. It is stuck. I'll show you some other time." Miranda knew Stacey expected something. "I want to see it now!" Miranda tugged at the ring trying to get it off. Here look at it and then give it back!" "This ring has Karen's initials! Where is she? What have you done?! I know you have something to do with her missing! Tell me where she is right now!" "Stacey, I can explain!"

"I don't know what came over me. It was as if something posessed me to do it." "Do what? Miranda please tell me!" "She was so drunk at the party that she didn't even know what she was doing or where she was. I was clear over at the other end of the house when I saw her talking to Bryan. Bryan and I have been dating for 2 years. Karen knew we were. A jealous verge came over me. I never really get jealous. I went over to her and asked her why she was talking to him and she got really mouthy with me. Who does she think she is?! She said something about he was going to give her a ride home when she wanted to leave. I told her that she better never talk to Bryan again or I'd do something bad to her. It was more or less of a threat. Then I pushed her down and walked away. I never wanted any of this to happen." "What happened?" "I saw her getting her things together and waiting for Bryan to drive her home. I made sure Bryan was no where to be found. That way Stacey couldn't find him. Stacey got tired of waiting and so she started walking out the door. I followed her. As she was walking, she called someone on her cell phone asking for a ride. I wanted to be the one who ended it. I wanted it all to be over. I didn't want her to take what was mine. That was Bryan. I didn't want to lose him over her." "Miranda! What have you done?" "As she was on her phone, I grabbed a piece of barbed wire and choked her with it. Then she dropped the phone. I pulled her into the woods and..." "OH MY GOD! Why?! Why would you do anything like this?! Where is she? Where?!" Stacey was frantic and freaking out."I'm done here and I don't ever want to speak to you again. Get out of my car!"
"Well don't you want to know where her body is?"
"You disgust me. Get out."