I FOUND A PICTURE OF ME IN THE MORNING!
Anyways 😃 let the story commence.
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Morgan’s breath got ripped from her lungs as she processed the fact that she had to go down to the police station. Her head spun as she began to think about all the terrible things that might have happened. After all, they would only call her down to the police station if something happened to her family. She tried to think of good things that they could possibly be sent to the police station for, but her effort was futile. Deep down she knew the truth. She just couldn’t accept the fact that something terrible happened. The teacher began speaking once more.
”I can’t drive you to the station. You will either have to walk or call for a ride.”
Morgan inaudibly mumbled that she would call. Pressing the numbered buttons on the school phone, she dialed her mothers phone number. She hesitantly picked up the phone and pressed it to her ear.
She heard nothing but rings coming from the other end.
Her mom not picking up the phone only fueled her worries. The teacher looked at her with slight pity as she hung her head lowly and trudged out of the classroom. Morgan felt queasy as she walked through the main office and out the door. It had rained earlier that day, causing the ground to become muddy, but Morgan didn’t care. The only thing on her mind was the fact that her mom didn’t pick up the phone.
Her mother always picked up the phone.
Morgan unconsciously still held onto a sliver a hope. Her brain was telling her that it all might just be a coincidence. That she might be overreacting. Her mom might have been busy when she called, and the police might be calling her down to question her about a crime they think she witnessed.
That’s was what her brain was telling her, but her gut had a completely different feeling.
Morgan’s shoes squished as she dragged her feet along the muddy field. Usually she would complain about how her shoes were getting dirty, and curse at nothing because her socks were getting wet. Today there was no cursing or complaining. Today she was numb. She came upon a road after walking through the disgusting grass. She knew exactly where she was going since she passed the police station everyday on her walk to, and from school. She waited on the sidewalk as the crossing guard held up her hand in a stopping motion, and blew her whistle in order to allow Morgan to cross.
”Have a nice day!” The crossing guard called after Morgan. Morgan half-heartedly let out a “You too,” and continued up the path towards the station. Morgan gulped as the police station came into view. Her brain started coming up with optimistic scenarios more rapidly than it did before, but she knew that making optimistic scenarios was her way of escaping reality. The gravity of the situation weighed down on her as she stepped into the building.
Her mind went silent. Optimistic thoughts stopped running through her head.
Her sneaker squeaked, and her body trembled as she stepped up towards the front desk. The officer at the desk leaned over, so he could get a better view of her. His face was emotionless as he spoke.
“Name?”
Morgans eyes trailed down to the floor and back up to the officer before she answered in a quiet voice.
“Morgan.”
She didn’t even have to say her last name since the officer immediately knew who she was. His stone cold expression got replaced with one of pity. Morgan knew that wasn’t a good sign. Pity was never a good sign. The officer sighed and pointed to his left.
”Down three doors. There should already be a fellow officer waiting in there.”
Morgan nodded her head and mumbled a “thanks,” before she dashed down the hallway. She couldn’t take it anymore. She felt as if she was being crushed by the tentativeness of the situation. She had to know what happened.
Her mind started flooding her thoughts with positive images and outcomes again.
Morgan opened the door a crack before sliding in the tiny space and closing it softly behind her. The only source of light was a tiny lightbulb dangling down from the ceiling, that occasionally flickered off, but came right back on. Morgan’s gaze landed on the police officer in the center of the room. She had shoulder length black hair with dark red tops at the end, her features were petite, but the fiery look in her brown eyes would make you think twice about ever fighting with her.
The room was empty except for the two lonely chairs facing each other. The officer took a seat in one chair and motioned for Morgan to sit in the other. Morgan thanked her and sat down glumly, looking down at her shoes and kicking the legs of the metal chair as silence seized the room. The police officer finally broke the awkward and uncomfortable silence with a simple question.
”How was your day?”
Morgan nearly scoffed out loud at the question, but she knew the officer was just trying to be nice, so Morgan attempted to reply as kindly as she should.
“It was good.”
Morgan wished the conversation ended there, but the officer continued to speak.
“You are probably wondering why you were called down here.”
Morgan nodded. Her stomach dropped at the thought of what was going to happen in the next few minutes. Could she handle the news? Or would it be best if Morgan made a dash for the door right now and ran away, lived in the woods. ‘Maybe a bear would eat me.’ Morgan almost chuckles out loud at the thought, but was pulled back into reality when the police officer resumed speaking once more.
“Morgan, you’re family has died in a car crash. Your mother and father were driving your brother to his sports game when a drunk driver ran through a red light and slammed into your parents car. I’m sorry.”
Morgan bit her lip as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Her mind stopped coming up with optimistic outcomes once more, and her gut relished in the fact that it was right. Morgan should have listened to her gut feeling, but instead she held onto that last sliver of hope as if it was her lifeline, but the hope has now disappeared at the news.
The police officer flashed Morgan a reassuring smile as she reached her hands over, and rubbed soothing circles on the back of Morgan’s trembling ones. Morgan was convinced that the officer had done this more than once, because Morgan was instantly calmed by the action.
“You’ve gotten lucky though, Morgan. Most kids would have to go into a foster care system, but you already have somebody willing to take you in.”
Morgan’s head snapped up, and her eyes widened in shock. Morgan fumbled for words as the police officer softly laughed.
“I believe you already know their son.”
Morgan mind raced as it tried to think of possible candidates. Who’s parents would foster her? Why would they foster her? If the boy is in her grade, and in her class, who was it? The police officer noticed Morgan’s puzzled look on her face after she said those words. The officer shook her head with a small smile before opening her mouth.
”Everett’s family is going to foster you.”