The difficult lives hidden in the minds of girls...
Lindsey Salmon
..... Today, the worst thing I could ever imagine happened. I was curious about what had happened the last days because my parents didn't talk to Buckley or me after Susie's unexpected death. So I asked them... They told me that a dog found Susie's elbow in the fields near our house and that the police thinks that Susie became a victim of a horrible crime. I was shocked and wasn't able to realize that my older sister should be dead. I will need a lot of time to feel better than I do now, I really love my sister and I don't know how to live my life without her!.....
..... My first day back at school was horrible ! Everyone was giving me these looks of sympathy, and telling me that they are so sorry about my loss. I’m already tired of all of the other kids staring at me and whispering behind my back. I didn’t let myself cry though; I made a promise to myself not to breakdown in front of those people. The only thing it seems like Dad thinks about now is Susie. He’s acting like Susie was his only child, he doesn’t pay attention to me as much as he used to, and when he does I feel like he sees Susie. Even my principal tried to get me to open up and cry today. I know that’s what he was expecting, but I would rather deal with this by myself than with other people so I can stay strong for Susie!.....
..... It was a usual day at school, people don’t stare as much at me as they used to, but they still act a bit odd around me. There’s something wrong with mum too and dad still can’t let the police do their job. All I really want is to move on in my life, but how can I, when dad mentions Susie all the time?
I've joined the boys' soccer team in school, but I think most of the boys are a bit annoyed and even jealous of my accomplishment only because I'm a girl. I'm the only girl on the soccer team you'll ever see and after what happened yesterday, they are all probably thinking that I'm a complete nutcase!
Anyways, I was running with them when I saw Mr. Harvey leaving his house. I pretended to get a cramp and stopped while the team finished their last lap.
..... Today, the worst thing I could ever imagine happened. I was curious about what had happened the last days because my parents didn't talk to Buckley or me after Susie's unexpected death. So I asked them... They told me that a dog found Susie's elbow in the fields near our house and that the police thinks that Susie became a victim of a horrible crime. I was shocked and wasn't able to realize that my older sister should be dead. I will need a lot of time to feel better than I do now, I really love my sister and I don't know how to live my life without her!.....
..... My first day back at school was horrible ! Everyone was giving me these looks of sympathy, and telling me that they are so sorry about my loss. I’m already tired of all of the other kids staring at me and whispering behind my back. I didn’t let myself cry though; I made a promise to myself not to breakdown in front of those people. The only thing it seems like Dad thinks about now is Susie. He’s acting like Susie was his only child, he doesn’t pay attention to me as much as he used to, and when he does I feel like he sees Susie. Even my principal tried to get me to open up and cry today. I know that’s what he was expecting, but I would rather deal with this by myself than with other people so I can stay strong for Susie!.....
..... It was a usual day at school, people don’t stare as much at me as they used to, but they still act a bit odd around me. There’s something wrong with mum too and dad still can’t let the police do their job. All I really want is to move on in my life, but how can I, when dad mentions Susie all the time?
I've joined the boys' soccer team in school, but I think most of the boys are a bit annoyed and even jealous of my accomplishment only because I'm a girl. I'm the only girl on the soccer team you'll ever see and after what happened yesterday, they are all probably thinking that I'm a complete nutcase!
Anyways, I was running with them when I saw Mr. Harvey leaving his house. I pretended to get a cramp and stopped while the team finished their last lap.
When nobody was looking at me I snuck into his garden and broke into the basement. I was really frightened but I tried to calm down and focus on finding some clues. That’s when I saw her. Susie stood on the first floor landing, but as soon as I saw her she disappeared into Mr. Harvey’s bedroom. I’d just found his sketchbook of an underground room when I heard footsteps below and seconds later they seemed to be coming closer. Until this point I’d been frozen to the spot with butterflies in my stomach, but now I ran towards the window. Before I jumped out of it, I saw Mr. Harvey stand in the doorframe, frightened and scared. Even if it meant committing civil disobedience by violating Harvey's property, I felt I had to what was best for Susie and find justice for her as a moral right that should be protected in our society.
I continued to run and didn’t stop until I was back in our living room, where my family stood staring at me. “I did it. I broke into his house”, I told dad and handed him the drawing. I know now, no matter what mum says. Dad’s right; it was Mr. Harvey who killed my sister.....
Ruth Connors
I continued to run and didn’t stop until I was back in our living room, where my family stood staring at me. “I did it. I broke into his house”, I told dad and handed him the drawing. I know now, no matter what mum says. Dad’s right; it was Mr. Harvey who killed my sister.....
Ruth Connors
..... The moment Susie touched my shoulder when escaping Mr. Harvey into the afterlife, my life changed forever! I turned to vegetarianism by drawing parallels between Susie's death and the slaughter of animals. Before, I used to focus on drawing; one time, I was in school for art class and I got yelled at from Mr. Peterford and Mrs. Ryan for drawing a nude woman! Hey, I was just trying to be imaginative instead doing some boring clay sculpture. Now, it's different. I don't know why but I got interested in poetry and journal writing with a feminist sensibility.....
..... I felt like I changed completely from that very situation. I became a memorialist for what's been hidden or forgotten. When I went to New York City after graduation, I simply saw the vast city as a map of the dead- one which needs to be charted, recorded and remembered. I wanted to reflect on the women and girls who died of violent crimes in the midst of the city. I seemed to have some sort of psychic connection with them. What I really desired was to acknowledge the pain and suffering they have undeservingly gone through and to let everyone know about this issue in t American society. Unfortunately, I lived a bohemian life and tried to hide with black clothes so I don't think that plan would work out. One time, I was hearing applauses and cheers but I just couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Soon, I realized that the sounds were not coming from my surroundings at all: it was coming from heaven! The victims of the crimes I discovered in the city were clapping for what I was doing. My devotion made me a superstar in heaven and I felt lionized and proud of myself because I have never felt this happy in my life. In school, I felt isolated from the high school society and didn't fit into their standards. But now, I don't feel that way.....
..... I felt like I changed completely from that very situation. I became a memorialist for what's been hidden or forgotten. When I went to New York City after graduation, I simply saw the vast city as a map of the dead- one which needs to be charted, recorded and remembered. I wanted to reflect on the women and girls who died of violent crimes in the midst of the city. I seemed to have some sort of psychic connection with them. What I really desired was to acknowledge the pain and suffering they have undeservingly gone through and to let everyone know about this issue in t American society. Unfortunately, I lived a bohemian life and tried to hide with black clothes so I don't think that plan would work out. One time, I was hearing applauses and cheers but I just couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Soon, I realized that the sounds were not coming from my surroundings at all: it was coming from heaven! The victims of the crimes I discovered in the city were clapping for what I was doing. My devotion made me a superstar in heaven and I felt lionized and proud of myself because I have never felt this happy in my life. In school, I felt isolated from the high school society and didn't fit into their standards. But now, I don't feel that way.....
.....Today, I had one the best experiences of my life. Dad had read an article about the Flanagan sinkhole, that it was going to be filled in. Ray and I decided to check it out.
I was standing near the sinkhole when Susie suddenly appeared beside me. This was the moment of my life I had been waiting for so many years to happen since her death. I tried to speak to her, but Susie never responded. Then she was gone. I wished there was something I could do to satisfy her, so that she could rest in peace. Ray was inside the Flanagans' old house when all this took place. Later, while Ray was picking some wildflowers for his mother, I was waiting for him by the car. Then, once again other women who had been murdered appeared to me. A few seconds later I felt weak in my knees and collapsed. Everything turned black. What happened next is very difficult to describe in words. As I left my body, Susie was already inside it. This was what she wanted, to be alive again, of course! I could help her this way.
While she was on earth, I was in heaven, a place far different from what I had expected. After a wonderful time there, I knew it was time to return to earth.
I felt a warm hand on my shoulder when I woke up. It was Ray. We stared at each other but neither one of us spoke a word.....
While she was on earth, I was in heaven, a place far different from what I had expected. After a wonderful time there, I knew it was time to return to earth.
I felt a warm hand on my shoulder when I woke up. It was Ray. We stared at each other but neither one of us spoke a word.....